| The pervasive fear of owning land in the Protected Zone of Mexico runs deep in most Americans. We have all heard tales of homeowners having built their retirement  haciendas along the beach, only to have them taken away by the Mexican Government. Yes, this did happen near Ensenada in 1988. It was a good old fashioned “land scam” and is still being investigated by the Mexican Authorities. It is a complicated story, well researched and reported in the following article Punta Banda story . The bottom line was that the homeowners foolishly believed a group of landowners regarding title that was not legally clear. Since then, with the enactment of the North  American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and with the 1997 changes in Mexican Law, it is now safe and entirely possible for foreigners to own land in Mexico’s Restricted Zone. The instrument used is a Mexican Bank Trust that is renewable every fifty years. Modeled after a system used in Monaco, it gives the buyers (beneficiaries) complete control over their property with all the rights of a native landowner. You can buy, sell, rent, improve and build within the codes and guidelines of the local jurisdictions. With American Title Insurance and third party escrow companies readily available, the days of risky business are history. It is estimated that somewhere between 600,000 and 1,000,000 Americans live either full time or part time in Mexico. With 750,000  square miles, it is a diverse country with climates that range from desert to tropical forests and from mountains to long sandy beaches. There are American and foreign enclaves in a host of cities from the border towns to the tip of the Yucatan, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Coast. The U.S. Government estimates that the number of pension and social security checks mailed to Mexican addresses number about 750,000 monthly. In other words, you won’t be alone. Baja California is known by most Baby Boomers as a great place to go for vacation, but it is so much more! The relations between the people of Baja and the U.S. have been good for a long time. Mexico has awakened from many years of sleepy isolationism and has come to realize that their policies regarding foreign residents have cost them dearly in terms of money and modern infrastructure that foreign investment brings. Today we are warmly welcomed in Mexico for the much needed money and trade we bring. So, what’s not to like? The climate is wonderful, the culture is rich, the pace of life is slow and relaxed, and the food is truly fabulous. Add to that the affordability of housing, low property taxes and an extremely low cost of living, and you have the most ideal retirement location available today, bar none!  You may consider the prospect of your retirement with some trepidation. After all, where will you find your place in the sun? You will want modern conveniences, cable TV, high-speed Internet and American quality consumer goods within reach. Certainly you’ll need some place close enough to have the grandchildren come to stay once in a while (maybe not so close that everybody else will be dropping by). Good old American amusement, like Disneyland, Sea World and The Wild Animal Park shouldn’t be too far away either. Oh, and the beach and good golf courses should be close at hand also. Can you think of anywhere like that other than Mexico that is affordable?
Baby Boomers, retirees, second homebuyers, you owe it to yourselves to come take a look at the next great frontier, Baja California! The boom is on and the tidal wave is just forming; don’t be left behind. Remember what you’ve learned all these years living the American Dream: missed opportunities just become someone else’s dream come true. Make it yours! PREVIOUS PAGE PAGE 3 BACK TO RETIREES PAGE |