shoestring gringa

I offer here some items to consider before committing to a rental dwelling in Mexico. This list may also be useful to prospective buyers who don’t want to spend a lot of money on changes and improvements.

• Laundry setup. If you plan to have a washing machine, make sure there’s a place you can put it, with water line(s) available and a drain of some kind. Figure out where the clothesline can go.
• Hot water. Make sure there’s hot water wherever you might want it. Do not assume there is hot water in the kitchen or bathroom sinks, even though there may be two faucets in evidence. Don’t even assume the shower has hot water, for that matter, although many do. Never assume anything.
• Rotoplas. Many areas in Mexico undergo frequent interruptions of the water supply. It is therefore highly desirable to have a water storage tank (Rotoplas is a common brand name) up on the roof, to tide you over during these otherwise annoying/inconvenient/unsanitary interludes.
• Leaks, etc. Check carefully for any obvious problems such as leaky toilets or faucets and insist that they be repaired before you move in (unless you’re willing to do it yourself). Inspect the ceilings for stains indicating leaks, and ask if they have been repaired. Eyeball doorways which might admit flash floods during sudden downpours.
• Shower. Always turn on the shower to see if it works okay. Few things are more miserable to live with than a crappy shower.
• Parking. Make sure there is a safe, convenient place to park your vehicle(s), including any trailers, bicycles, etc. Try to find out if there’s a busy season which affects parking availability.
• Pets. Most Mexican landlords we’ve encountered don’t care about pets, at least not in the price ranges we’ve rented in — it’s not like there are any curtains or rugs to destroy. We do always ask, however. What’s really important is to check for pet safety — are there screens on the windows so the cats can’t escape, or a good place to walk the dog? Houses with indoor patios are great for pets; they can enjoy being outside while safe from the hazards of the street.
• Temperatures. This can be hard to gauge, but try to get a sense of how comfortable the place might be during the hot or cold times of year, if applicable. Note the thickness of walls, the height of ceilings, and the placement and exposures of windows. Are there windows or doors placed such that cross-ventilation is possible? Thick walls and high ceilings bode best for hot climates. Thin walls suck at both hot and cold extremes of temperature. Low-ceilinged rooms are faster and cheaper to heat in cold weather, although unattractive. Note that masonry houses can feel quite cold even when it’s 70 F. outside.
• Noise. If noise bothers you, try to visit the prospective place during both day and evening hours to check out the noise level. Some streets become notably busier at certain times of the day such as commute hours. Consider whether you’ll have street-facing windows open a lot. Vacation areas can get incredibly noisy during busy times, with deafening disco music blasting most of the night over the din of 24-hour car traffic, late-night revelers, and the carnival down the street.
• Air quality. If the windows are going to be open a lot, check out that the diesel fume level is tolerable.
• Lighting and electrical. Most Mexican houses that we’ve lived in have pretty basic lighting arrangements, i.e. a bare light bulb in the middle of the ceiling if you’re lucky, a 2-watt neon ring fixture if you’re not. Be prepared to supplement with lamps if you prefer a more subtle ambiance. For painting, we’ve been using a 4-foot, 2-tube overhead fluorescent fixture, which we hang from hooks screwed into the ceiling, or hook-and-chain arrangements from high rafters. Try to make sure enough outlets are operational for your needs (not all outlets necessarily have power). A few power strips are always good to have on hand, but be careful not to overload the circuits (or should I say circuit; there is usually but one). Most places do not have the electricity grounded. At the very least have a good surge suppressor for computers and other valuable electronics. In one place we rented, the Mexigringo aka Mr. Fabulous Fixit, improvised a ground for the outlet of the computer by clamping a ground wire to a convenient galvanized plumbing pipe which was partially buried in the ground, and attaching the other end to an outlet with ground (which he of course had to provide and install). This type of improvisation is known as a mexicanada and is not recommended unless you have professional-level electrical know-how.
• Utilities. If you’re renting a place where there are multiple units, make sure the utilities are separate. This includes the propane gas for hot water and cooking and the hot water heater itself. Shared billing arrangements inevitably end up being unfair to someone and causing problems. Shared hot water heaters and gas tanks lead to even more cold showers and half-cooked meals than usual, which is too many already.
• Price. Last but not least! Rental prices can vary wildly in Mexico, especially as you get off the beaten track. Try to see as many places as you can before deciding, and to have at least some idea of what might be the going rate for comparable properties. It’s possible to pay a fortune for a dump, and a pittance for a palace, in the same neighborhood. Patience and persistence are most likely to lead to success.