- Wandering Soup
Moving to Merida - Home Rental Tips
Moving abroad is a huge step for those that are experienced let alone those who aren't. Add to that renting a home or apartment in Mexico is quite different from America and other countries. Below are the first five tips that we think will help you in your search for the perfect long term home rental.
1. Join all the expat communities on Facebook
Or any other information gathering website/app. Here you will find the answers to a lot of your more pressing questions and also information that you didn't know you needed. This will also help you keep some kind of pulse on the community from an expat point of view. Keep in mind there's always a jerk or two in these groups, it's still worth the drama for all the information that you will get before and after your move.
Recommended Groups in Merida:
2. Go with a short term rental first.
A mistake that I see being made by a lot of expats is thinking that they can walk into the city on Monday and move into their new home on Wednesday. You can do this but you will regret it!
Take the time to see the city AND a variety of homes before jumping into the first one that you see that "may" meet your needs. Due to some of the possible expensive requirements when you rent a home in Merida (two month deposit, two months down and notario fees) you don't want to waste money when you realize the home you chose after a one day search will not work for you. Refunds on rentals are not common here.
Airbnb
VRBO
3. Learn the neighborhoods
We recommend at least a month rental. This will give you the chance to be a tourist and see the neighborhoods without the stress of jumping on the first home you see because your hotel or rental stay is coming to an end.
This is also a good time to explore what type of neighborhood you want to live in.
Do you want walkability? Prefer to be in the center of things? How about quiet, do you want the streets to roll up at 6pm? Kid friendly? Pet friendly? Near the school your kids will attend or even a good hospital?
You can find this if you put feet to ground and explore!
4. Fine tune your must have vs would be nice.
One of the other mistakes that some make is choosing a home that doesn't totally meet your needs. If you are working from home you may need a designated office space, choosing a home that doesn't offer that may lead to issues when working. Internet, light, stairs, number of bedrooms, bathrooms, even a pool are things you need to consider alongside the neighborhood.
5. Get assistance from a professional.
But do your research on them as well. This is where the expat groups will come in handy along with property rental groups/pages. You need to research a realtor that can/will work for and with you. Remember that anyone can be a realtor in Mexico! This is not a licensed or accredited position.
Most if not all rental contracts will be in Spanish, your realtor will translate. They will also negotiate the agreement and any and all changes that need to be made.
Kat