shoestring gringa

The conventions regarding street addresses in Mexico are somewhat different than those in gringolandia, and not terribly consistent from one place to another, but here are some general pointers that may be helpful.

The street name is given first, the number second:

Calle 25, No. 150 (25th Street, Number 150)

There is often, especially in big cities, a helpful addition of nearby cross streets given:

Calle 25, No. 150 ÷ 66 y 68 (read as “entre [between] 66 and 68th Aves.),

or Calle 25, No. 150 x 76 (por [near, by, or at] 76th Ave.)

or Calle 25, No. 150, Esq. 76 (esquina [at the corner of] 76th)

Most towns consist of named neighborhoods called colonias, which are included in the address.

Calle 25, No. 150 x 76, Colonia Centro

Or newer areas of housing developments may be designated as Fraccionamiento (abbreviated Fracc.) rather than Colonia.

And finally, there’s the city, state, and zip.

Merida, Yucatan C.P. 97000

Mexico

I saw somewhere that it’s a good idea to write “C.P.” before the codigo postal on mailing addresses in Mexico to distinguish them from US zip codes which are identical in some cases. Probably not a bad idea.

Many buildings, especially in smaller communities, have never been anointed with a number. These may be designated as either

Calle 150 S/N (Calle 150 sin numero [without number])

or

Domicilio Conocido (known residence)

This may seem excessively vague and annoying by gringo standards, but Mexicans move about far less than their northern neighbors, making a rigid system of addresses a low priority item to say the least.

If you’re searching for a specific address, locating the street and then the number is unlikely to work too well anyway, as street signs and building numbers are conspicuously lacking. It’s usually necessary to ask for directions, often repeatedly until you zero in on the location. As with most things in Mexico, personal interaction is required, and landmarks such as “the Corona beer store” or “the telephone tower” are usually more useful than street names and numbers.

Looking for a house in Mexico can be either an amusing adventure or a nightmare, depending on how much of a hurry you are in. As with most other matters Mexican, hurry is bad. Patience is all. The remarks below apply to houses either for rent or for sale.

It can’t hurt to try the familiar approaches first — especially if you’re in an urban, touristy, or expatriate area — of real estate agents, newspaper ads, and the internet. These sources are the least labor-intensive, and the most likely to offer properties with gringo-style amenities. They’re also most likely to have gringo-style prices.

If you decide to venture further afield in search of a bargain, or more “authentic” surroundings, it will be necessary to resort to the time-honored “wild goose chase” method. This method will be the only choice if you’re in a non-urban locale with few tourists or expats.

The Mexican wild goose chase is a decidedly demanding pursuit, and is best carried out with proper preparation and equipment. Essential items include:

• A cell phone
• Notebook and pen
• Map of the area (if available)
• Good walking shoes
• Spanish (or interpreter)
• Car

The cell phone is the most important. The other stuff will help you to attempt to stay organized, and to endure. This is the purpose of the notebook. Make it a point — nay, a religion — to write down every possible detail about each place you see. That is, the actual address if you can ascertain it and/or cross streets and landmarks, a brief physical description of the place (”yellow house on corner”), and any names and phone numbers given. Also write down the name of anybody you talk to about the place. Leave ample room around each entry so you can keep all the followup notes with it, crossing out bad phone numbers, adding in new ones, etc. Doing this may seem a bit laborious at the time, but becomes indispensable after things begin to blur together approximately halfway through the first day.

If the place has a sign with a phone number on it, always call immediately while you’re standing in front of it. You might get lucky and find someone willing to run over and show you the inside.

If a phone number doesn’t seem to work, do not give up immediately. Sometimes area codes are omitted from signs, or the fact that it’s a cell phone, etc. If possible enlist the help of a local to ascertain what the problem might be.

Once organized for the chase, the remainder really lies in the domain of chance. When relying on randomness, hazard, luck, fortune, synchronicity, the Fates, etc., it behooves you to increase your chances as much as possible by using a two-pronged approach: Talking and Walking.

Talking involves telling everyone you meet what you are looking for. This means anybody you can get to talk or listen to you — the employees at your hotel, the shoeshine boy, the person on the park bench, the ice cream vendor, the bus driver, any friends or acquaintances you have in the area — everyone. Get out and mingle at every opportunity, even when not in active hunting mode, in order to come into contact with as many people as possible. Have your notebook on you at all times so you can write down any information you get.

Walking involves a systematic combing of the area. Start at one end of the town, neighborhood, etc., and troll every street in as thorough a way as possible, looking for signs and unoccupied buildings and accosting anyone you happen upon. Depending on the size of the area you’re considering, this may take a while.

Note that many Mexican neighborhoods are not as homogeneous as stateside ones and humble dwellings can often be found rubbing shoulders with much fancier digs. Also remember that it’s Spanish tradition not to flaunt one’s wealth: the most unpromising exterior may harbor a gem within. So avoid making snap judgments and look at everything. Because you just never know.

People in the neighborhood can be a treasure trove of information. If you need to locate the owner of a place, ask the neighbors, or at nearby tienditas. These folks will often be able to provide you with the owner’s name, phone number, home address, and life history, as well as details about the house and leads to other houses that might be available.

You have to start somewhere, and looking for signs is as good a way as any, but any empty house is a potential candidate and most of them don’t have signs. So ask away, write everything down, follow up every lead, have patience, and happy hunting!