If you have been following my blog, you know that Mark, Maya, and I recently spent two months in Baja California, Mexico, traveling around in our campervan, Zesty. So far, I have been sharing the fun experiences and why we love the Mulegé (and Bahia Concepcion) area so much. Just how much will become clear in this post. While it appears that we just bummed around beaches, watched whales, and explored a couple of towns, most of our time in Baja was dedicated to other, unexpected pursuits.
Maya relaxing at the beach
The dogfood saga
Before we left the US, Mark and I had bought one 30-pound bag of dogfood for Maya, as always. It’s not that we could have carried more in our well-stocked and filled-to-the-brim 19ft home on wheels. We had no idea how long we’d be in Mexico and were fully aware of her food potentially running out. We will find decent dogfood somewhere on the peninsula, we thought.
After five weeks of Baja bliss, that time approached. Grocery stores only carry “inferior” nuggets, not ideal for a dog with allergic tendencies. (We concluded last year that her allergies are environmental, but you never know…) Mulegé does not have a full-time vet – the only place to possibly find high-quality dogfood – so one of our objectives in Loreto was to visit both of its animal clinics, on opposite ends of town.
Our first attempt failed, after fending off aggressive dogs left and right, on either side of fenced yards. Our route to reach vet #2 was less intrusive. We did not want to put Maya through the stress and aggressive behaviors again, so followed the Malécon and touristy areas where less strays and dog-protected properties abound. For the most part. An array of high-end dogfood was on display. We compromised on one bag, planning to mix in whatever was left of Maya’s current food.
Mixed nuggets
So – stupid, stupid – we measured equal portions of both brands and fed this to our dog, only to have her become extremely itchy after 48 hours. Yikes! We had worked so hard towards “resolving” that issue last year. What to do? Separate the two kinds again, rinse her old food before serving, and cook human food to substitute part of the usual amount first and then make that her entire meal when all the dogfood was gone. We donated the “Mexican” kibble to a local dog owner.
I can tell you that Maya LOVED her homemade meals of quinoa, vegetables, and fish! She even gained weight during those last weeks in Mexico!
The real estate saga
Mulegé grew on us fast. Like I mentioned before, I can’t quite point my finger at what it was, but we quickly realized this town had potential to become our home base. Being nomads for almost 18 years, we have to admit that we sometimes crave a place to call our own, to return to, to store a few items (like our bikes), to receive visitors, to rent out and create income…
The expat community seen from across the river (where our campground was located)
The red house
It all started with the green house. Mark saw an ad for it on Craig’s List and we planned to have a look, our first week in Mulegé. When he consulted the listing again to contact the owners, the house was sale pending. For years, nothing had moved in this area. Our arrival (and people having extra money to spend) changed everything…
We hopped on our bikes anyway and explored the expat community of similar, colorful, concrete homes which the green one belonged to. We discovered a few others, privately for sale with a sign behind the window or out front. (By now, all sold.) For days, if not weeks, we met new owners, old owners, neighbors, made connections, received quick tours, compiled heaps of information, did our due diligence (this area is prone to flooding for which an “escape plan” is in order), and became more and more interested in buying a home here.
We met the owners of the red house, C & M, several times. They gave us an extensive tour, answered questions, and we stayed in touch. Eventually, we made a (low) offer, which was declined. By the time we counteroffered the amount which they had previously accepted for a deal that eventually fell through, it was too late. C & M had listed their house on several platforms and attracted higher bidders.
I am severely summarizing this ordeal, as three weeks had passed between us being the only interested party, and the news having spread and competition driving prices up (including two more deals that fell through). Times had changed and the eventual sales price of this property was higher than the asking price, let alone our final offer. That being said, if we would have been willing to pay $5,000 more in the early stages, the red house would have been ours. Strike 1.
The land
One day, when meeting C & M at their new house, which they are building on a hill (no flooding!), we found out that adjoining lots were for sale, one of which an attractive parcel with river and ocean views. We involved a real estate broker (mistake #2). We didn’t want to ask C & M questions about the land as that seemed a conflict of interest. Over the next two weeks, the land was resurveyed, we continuously checked in with the broker, released him after discovering he tried to take advantage of us, enlisted a friend of the Mexican family selling the plots to be our intermediary, made an offer, and didn’t hear back.
All the while, we kept C & M in the loop (we had become friends and they knew we wanted to buy a cheap home and that piece of land). When following up with our contact, she told us the desirable lot had been sold. How???? C & M informed us they had told a first-time visitor to Mulegé about “our” lot at a party. That woman had made an instant decision, approached our contact, and bought the plot. If we would have initially offered $5,000 more, it would have been ours. Strike 2.
The tan house
When these discussions, visits, and offers were going on, Mark and I were also uniquely aware of the tan house – no signs, no listings – being for sale in the same expat community. It was located on a corner with no close neighbors and a nice amount of outdoor space. But it needed work. Quite a bit of it. The loft layout was also not ideal. For these reasons, we had given it a pass in February. After the red house “disappeared” on us, we biked back to the tan house, envisioned its future looks, and reconsidered. For the right price, we could make this work. Pun intended.
We contacted the owner in the US again (we’d set up a viewing appointment through him the previous month), explained the existing issues, and made an offer. It was declined a week later. We sent photos to back up our reasoning; the owners hadn’t been to their Mexican property in four years and had no idea about its condition. We didn’t hear back for another week. Not wanting to miss out a second time, we upped our offer (on our drive back to the east coast of the US), splitting our initial number with their counteroffer; only a difference of $5,000 remained. We believed in a positive outcome and mutual agreement after weeks of communicating back and forth.
Again, there was no immediate response. We finally followed up last week. Just the previous night, they had decided to not accept our offer and suggested we’d “move on, no explanation needed.” In the meantime, I was still in touch with C & M. They emailed me that the tan house had been sold to one of their prospective buyers “who was looking for something cheaper that needed work.” If we would have met the counteroffer a week prior (an extra $5,000), the tan house would have been ours. Strike 3. Game over!
Other than us being slow to decide (hey, I have never owned a house before and quite like my nomadic existence) and missing three opportunities by being too stingy ($5,000 more could have sealed any of these deals), what else do these examples have in common?
Maybe it wasn’t meant to be. Maybe a giant flood will threaten the area this summer. Maybe something else, something better is around the corner.
We were busy with one more (two-tiered) occupation while in Baja, but that one deserves its own post. Stay tuned!
(Now that we are “temporarily settled” back in Massachusetts, I hope to resume my usual Wednesday blogging schedule.)
April 28, 2021 at 19:19
There have been bidding wars over houses here in Canada and quite frankly, real estate prices have gone through the roof here since last year. However, I am a believer in fate. Those houses were just not meant for you and something else will come up. As to the dog food, I always supplement commercial dog kibble with some home cooked food (mostly chicken) for our Dachshunds.
April 28, 2021 at 20:26
The housing market is going crazy everywhere now, Marlene. It’s quite insane. And, frankly, it doesn’t make much sense to me based on how the economy is suffering. Well, apparently, it’s not suffering despite what the world has gone through. People haven’t been able to spend money on vacations, entertainment, eating out, commuting, so they are spending it on houses, RVs, and cars right now. A good time to sell. An awful time to buy. 🙁 I’d like to believe in fate, but it’s a tad difficult right now. We are still getting I er these recent disappointments.
April 28, 2021 at 19:26
Oh, no! What an emotional roller-coaster, and what a series of disappointments. I hope you find your dream home soon.
April 28, 2021 at 20:28
Thank you, Diane. It’s just so typical that – even when we plan to “get away” from it all and “just” relax on the beach – we manage to worry and stress about things. If necessary, we create new challenges and pursuits, because, you know, it would be quite something to actually read, walk the dog, and get bored! 🙂
April 28, 2021 at 19:31
Wow! It looks like something is telling you to hold back! We are also in the process of looking for a house, only here in Ontario houses are going for tens of thousands over asking and we refuse to play the game. For now. The funny thing is that I said a few days ago that we should just buy something in Mexico thinking it would be a much easier process…
April 28, 2021 at 20:33
I totally appreciate how you refuse to play the game. We are currently in a similar situation, where we have some time to wait things out, but we will need our impending issue resolved sooner than later, in order to hit the road again. More about that later. The housing market is insane right now. Mind-boggling situations, really. Good for you that you can afford waiting a bit. Properties are certainly less expensive in Mexico. But I do believe it’s a bad time worldwide to purchase anything substantial and of value right now. We hope to be back in Baja this fall and reassess the situation.
April 28, 2021 at 19:48
Wow! I feel for you with all of the close calls to buying a home. I know homes around here (northern California) are all going for more than asking price. Since I’m used to a buyer’s market, that seems backward, but what do I know? We’re not looking anyway, but we have had many friends who have quickly sold their homes lately for more than they were asking.
I love that you have a big dog in Maya. We’ve always owned labs (many different breeds) as they’re such big lovers. The downside is our last two got cancer (which they’re a bit more prone to than other breeds). We had to put Jake down at the start of the pandemic. He was the best dog we’ve ever owned. We still have his sister, Lulu, who is a good dog as well. She’s lovable, but not close to Jake in intelligence. Oh well, we love our kids in whatever form they come in.
April 28, 2021 at 20:39
The buyer’s and seller’s market is a thread in one of my upcoming blog posts, Pete. Like you, we are used to a buyer’s market, because we avoid being in a rush and research potentials until we find a good deal. We usually have the advantage and wealth of time. The housing market is going through the roof. I just don’t understand how and where people got that kind of money during a pandemic…
I’m so sorry about Jake. I read about that in your blog. It’s okay to have a favorite. We did as well. Spoiler alert: Maya is not it. As you know, our last dogs passed away from cancer as well. The teary chapters in Plunge. And, yes, we do love our furry kids no matter what. 🙂 Give Lulu a big hug, scratch behind her ears, or butt rub from me!
April 28, 2021 at 20:16
It wasn’t meant to be, you still have lots of traveling to do. Those houses are pretty cute though. Do you mind sharing the general price range for a house down there? Just curious.
April 28, 2021 at 22:56
Cheaper than you think. 🙂 If we were to ever purchase a home there, we’d still keep traveling. Of course!
April 28, 2021 at 21:04
Poor little Maya! We are just trying a different dog food on our dog Casey, see if it helps his arthritis. Both nice houses!
April 28, 2021 at 22:58
Poor Casey with his arthritis. I hope the new dog food helps, Jacqui. It always takes a while to see if it does and then it might be because other causes or factors. Tricky business this pet owning thing! 🙂
April 28, 2021 at 21:12
Real estate will break your heart. I was surprised not only that you were (are?) looking but also at how cute those houses are. If you had ended up buying one, Paul and I might have been interested in renting it now and then 🙂 . You don’t say how much the average house costs but I love the idea of having a place by the water like that. I imagine with the home prices going crazy up north, more and more people will be attracted to the relative inexpensive cost in Mexico. Good luck on your future RE dealings. Something is bound to work out for you… but you need to jump on it, as you’ve learned (much easier said than done, I know).
April 29, 2021 at 09:22
Hi Janis! This experience did break my heart and it still hasn’t healed. Not sure if it ever will. I don’t have a lot of regrets in my life, but this one makes the top 3. This is the first time in my entire life that I was interested in buying a home and just now, prices have gone through the roof, people with more money swoop in, and I fear you are right with your comment that Americans and Canadians might look south of the border now to buy their vacation homes. This seller’s market affects Mark and me in more than one way, but more about that later. We are extremely bummed with what happened and with how the recent market looks like.
April 28, 2021 at 22:54
Hi Liesbet! You really must have loved Mulege Liesbet! It is a sweet little town but then we only stayed there for about 4 nights. It sounds like we should have bought something when we were down there a couple of years ago. But like the others are saying, it must not have been the right time or the right places for you. While the real estate market is surely crazy everywhere right now, I can’t help but believe that there will be a leveling out within a year or two. That’s the thing about real estate, if my 35+ years as a broker has taught me anything, there is ALWAYS a cycle. When that happens you just might find the perfect place. ~Kathy
April 29, 2021 at 09:29
You know, Kathy, we have been to quite a few places that we really liked, only to make a statement like “Wish we were here a decade ago/five years ago/two years ago and bought something small.” For some reason, we were always too late, but we didn’t care as we are nomads and the road is where we belong. Yet, in Mulege, we hit the timing just right and then we didn’t act because we weren’t ready. And, we didn’t realize we were in the right place at the right time. By the time we were ready, we were “a month too late” and had ruined our chances. Needless to say, we are extremely bummed and regretful about it.
Thanks for the insights. I agree there is a cycle. But for some things (and I’m not necessarily talking about real estate now), we don’t have a year or two to figure out the next steps in our life. And that’s what we are most appalled by right now. The market literally has turned around within the last six months and we just watched it happen without being able to do anything about it.
April 29, 2021 at 00:23
You actually sound much calmer than I would be! I get so attached to houses (bad for negotiating!), and I’m picky on top of that. So if/when things don’t work out, I am devastated. Luckily that hasn’t happened often. Best of luck the next time you give it a try!
April 29, 2021 at 09:37
Hi Lexie! Believe me. I was not (and still am not) calm about this. But, sharing this news (and how to bring it, which facts to include) has been mulling around in my head for weeks now, so I was composed yesterday. And I was still hoping for a positive outcome with the tan house during all this. Maybe, after the comments have stopped coming in and I have answered them all, I will be able to move on from these disappointments.
Of course, there are many more intrigues and dramas related to this experience and I am beyond bummed about how it all turned out. If I ever write a sequel to Plunge, this experience will be one of the compelling, suspenseful, and emotional chapters in it… Like you, I had become attached to the houses, especially the red one. And that involved/involves tons of sleepless nights, heaps of stress, and an incredible impact on my mental and physical being. Like Janis said – it broke our heart. Thanks for the wishes, but I’m not sure an opportunity like this will ever happen again for us.
April 30, 2021 at 09:56
🙁 So sorry.
May 1, 2021 at 21:39
Thanks, Lexie. Mark and I have been in a bad place recently. But, that means things can only improve.. :-:
April 29, 2021 at 04:09
Liesbet, I feel your pain. Buying a house is so stressful, I remember when we were bidding for ours. House prices in the UK have gone up a lot, since the pandemic people are more keen to buy property in the countryside with large gardens. Don’t despair and keep up with your search for the right place, I am sure you will find it.
April 29, 2021 at 09:40
Thanks for the pep-talk, Gilda. We are pretty demotivated now and the prices going up does not help us in this quest. We don’t have tens of thousands of extra dollars lying around to contribute to inflated prices. 🙁 Yes, buying a house is stressful, but it would have all been worth it if something would have actually panned out. Now, we have to write it up as experience, lessons learned, or… believe that something better will come out of it. Yeah, right. Luckily, we have another place to stay right now.
April 29, 2021 at 07:42
Liesbet, even the rental market in Florida is crazy. My daughter missed out on 4 places before she finally got one, at a very inflated price. It was heart-wrenching to watch. We are going to ‘test’ the market with our house soon. Just waiting for the kids to move into their new place and then we will list it with a realtor.
Revisiting the idea of home buying next year is a good idea. I have a feeling things will be very different then. Glad you sorted out Maya’s food. Will she expect that kind of golden plate service in the future?
April 29, 2021 at 09:45
Hi Suzanne! The more comments I read here, the more it is confirmed that the market is crazy right now – for renting and buying. Better to wait if that is a possibility. The flip side, of course, is that a seller’s market is the perfect time to sell your house or camper… I think you will do great with yours!! Maya LOVES food. Any food. So, she is quite happy to be back on her regular “fish diet” in the form of nuggets. Of course, when she smells us cooking quinoa or fish or hears us cut certain vegetables, her ears perk up!! 🙂
April 29, 2021 at 08:55
Set-backs are often set-ups for something better. Without a crystal ball, we can’t know what, but I have learned to live in hope.
Here’s to savoring spring in Massachusetts!
April 29, 2021 at 09:47
I love your positive attitude, Marian. We are not there yet, though. This one will take a while. And, we are currently struggling with a few other issues that don’t allow us to savor much. It all attributes to us not being too happy being back in MA. But, we will get to a better place by summer, hopefully. Have a nice Florida spring!!!
April 29, 2021 at 11:53
I got stressed reading about what you and Mark went through. Buying a house is not for sissies. But truly, I don’t think these were meant to be, $5,000 or not. When it’s the right one, it will happen (very new agey of me to say, but I do believe that.) In the meantime, I imagine Maya is back to the “good” dog food. We found with both of our dogs that if we changed from the regular kibble that worked, we (and the dog) had to deal with diarrhea and worse. I always added plain yogurt to the kibble though, and in their later years, canned pumpkin. Always a big hit. 🙂
May 1, 2021 at 21:08
Hi Pam!
As more and more time passes by, I’m getting better at becoming new age-y as well. 🙂 Honestly, I do regret some of our indecisions or inabilities to act, but you are right. If it was meant to be, it would have happened somehow. We will never totally understand the reasoning behind that last house not coming through, but maybe something better is around the corner. Or, they’ll have a massive flood this summer!
During our house sits we were sometimes instructed to add yoghurt and/or pumpkin to dogs’ diets as well. In our case, the simpler the better, as we never have space for extra splurges. For dogs. Or humans. I never truly realized that dogs’ stomachs – or skins – could be in trouble when switching diets. Especially after watching stray dogs eat anything! Like our western stomachs, our dogs’ stomachs can’t handle much anymore…
April 29, 2021 at 13:45
So sorry the house buying didn’t work out. I’ve owned three houses and I’m not sure I want to own another one again (although I think Greg does). But there is an appeal to having a place to land that is your own.
I know there is the perfect house out there for you – you just haven’t found it yet. Think of houses like relationships. There are so many ups and downs to find the right person (and even after you find them there can be ups and downs too) but often time they are worth the wait.
Was Maya itchy with her human food?
May 1, 2021 at 21:14
I think it’s a blessing and curse for me to never having owned a house – or anything substantial. I’m romanticizing it at times, just thinking of having our own place somewhere to return to or relax or take a break from traveling. Other than the room above the garage, which won’t last much longer.
Yet, until recently, just thinking about all the work involved in owning a house would churn my stomach. I might get back to that whenever we change gears and are happy travelers again. This house in Mexico thing might be a phase. One of those impulsive ones I’m known for… 🙂 I like your comparison of home ownership with relationships. So true!
I don’t think Maya was or would be itchy on human food, but it always takes a long time to get rid of the itchiness, so I couldn’t tell for sure. We had to put her on that drug again until we returned to the US and she was back on her old kibble for a while…
April 29, 2021 at 15:30
I’m sorry for all the aggravation. We bought our old house during the last real estate bubble and it was a lot of stress and worry and aggravation and I said I was never doing that again. We will wait until things calm down a bit before even starting to look. We’re fortunate to be in a position to continue RV life for a bit longer. I can understand, however, how hard it would be if you really needed to settle down somewhere or you just felt it was the right time. I am sure you are disappointed and frustrated. All I can say is, you are not alone in this particular struggle. We know several people trying to find landing spots and being outbid. It’s a stressful process as it is, even more so with all the added market pressure.
May 1, 2021 at 21:19
The market is truly insane right now! And not just for houses. The same is true for cars and RVs… And sailboats as well. We are seriously in trouble. Luckily, we have some time – and a roof above our heads. Usually, we have always had enough time or occasion to wait out better prices or to negotiate. Right now, especially in the US, that is tough and not happening. Everything goes for asking price or above. Not that we are in desperate need for a house, but we are dealing with a couple of other things that need immediate attention. More about that soon. I think it is wise for you two to wait it out. I’m curious to find out where (and when) you’ll end up somewhere more permanent.
April 29, 2021 at 16:09
I understand why you feel bad. I have never been able to face the housing market proper: each of our 3 houses has been new so we bought them direct from the builder. There’s a price, you pay it. For non-new houses Scotland has an “offers over” system so the price quoted is way below what owners actually expect to get. Potential buyers put in sealed offers, there’s a closing date and the offers are opened. You could be paying far more than necessary if your offer is much bigger than the others, but you’ll never know. My nerves wouldn’t be able to stand it!
May 1, 2021 at 21:22
What an interesting – and somewhat intriguing – house buying market you have in place in Scotland, Anabel. That’s like a lottery. I wouldn’t be good at this at all. I’d always be the one offering the least amount of money and I’d be homeless forever! Mark and I survive on research, comparisons, shopping around, feeling things out. I guess we will never buy a house in your neck of the woods. Or, we’d have to buy it new like you and John!
April 30, 2021 at 09:09
Liesbet, I’m sorry for the disappointments with your home buying process. Buying a home is an emotional experience with many ups and downs, and it’s not over until you get the legal papers, the key, and get inside the house. Then home maintenance starts! There is a house out there waiting for you. I hope whenever you decide to start looking again, the experience will be much more positive. Glad to hear Maya is eating well.
May 1, 2021 at 21:38
Thanks for your insights, Natalie. Always appreciated. For some reason, in the past, things seemed to work out in the end when Mark and I pursued purchases like campers and boats. I think we have arrived in a very different era now, where you can’t take it for granted that the right house/car/camper will present itself. Unless you pay thousands of extra dollars these days, since prices are insane. It feels contradicting in a pandemic year. It’s truly a strange world! We will see if we find a different house if/when we return to Baja. Time will tell. Luckily, Maya is doing well and being healthy. 🙂
April 30, 2021 at 12:42
That would be a great place to be based for awhile!
May 1, 2021 at 21:40
Closer to you as well! Bridging the gap – in distance and in becoming expats ourselves. 🙂
May 1, 2021 at 07:09
Oh no! I had to smile when I got to the end of your post, but only because I’ve been in similar positions, Liesbet. I guess these properties and piece of land were not to be, but I’m glad Maja enjoyed her new diet of healthy human food and put on some weight.
I often wonder if these kinds of things happen for a reason. My experience has always been that they do.
Looking forward to reading about the (two-tiered) occupation.
May 1, 2021 at 21:43
Hi Hugh! Thank you for the pep-talk. I’d like to believe in fate as well; that things happen for a reason. Sometimes this is hard to grasp or believe. At least for a while, until you are emotionally removed from the disappointments and your life follows a different track, that might be better. Then, at some point in the future, you have more clarity about the entire episode not working out and why. The other two things that kept us occupied in Baja – and beyond – will surprise quite a few readers. 🙂
May 2, 2021 at 05:41
Sounds intriguing. Can’t wait to find out the details, Liesbet.
May 2, 2021 at 11:22
Soon, Hugh. Because time flies by like a meteor. 🙂
May 1, 2021 at 22:06
Oh my goodness Liesbet! As you know we fell in love with Mulege and can definitely see why you would consider it for a future home base. I’m sorry to hear none of the three worked out for you. Is it something you are still interested in pursuing?
So definitely it wasn’t a lot of sitting around on the beach. So much happening in the background.
May 2, 2021 at 11:22
Hi Sue! I knew you would understand this dilemma and disappointment. Yes, we are still interested in pursuing a home base in Baja. Another reason we regret this not working out (quicker) is that we could have left our bikes and other belongings there instead of struggling to carry everything back to Massachusetts… And now, being stuck here without transportation makes us even more desperate to have a destination and a safe haven that is our own. At least to sit out the remainder of the pandemic. Oh well. When has our life ever been non-challenging? 🙂
May 5, 2021 at 11:59
Would you like me to connect you with our friend who is a homeowner in Mulege? He lives in the US but spends quite a bit of time in Baja. If you think that might be helpful in anyway send me an email at traveltalesoflife@gmail.com
May 5, 2021 at 17:23
Hi Sue! Thanks for the offer to connect us with your contacts/friends in Mulege. Mark and I have decided to let it all rest until (if) we return there ourselves. A lot can happen in the next five – six months. (Maybe another flood.) Or, nothing at all. Or, we might take on an entirely different tack in our life. You never know with us, but in general and right now, we are still interested in pursuing a small home in this town.
May 3, 2021 at 13:41
Off the grid for a couple of weeks, Liesbet. I look forward to catching up on your life. I learned about trying to find high quality pet food from my sister-in-law when they were travelling. A big challenge in some places. Separating the food sounds tedious, yet important. Darn about the red house. And then the tan house. Stressful. I cannot explain some of the decisions and circumstances that bring us to this moment. Glad you are safe and sound and ‘temporarily settled.’🙂
May 4, 2021 at 21:36
Off the grid sounds nice, Erica! Good for you. Oooh, our life has turned incredibly boring. A situation in which the missed opportunities regarding those houses hurts even more. I have a lot of catching up to do on this blog. 🙂 I wish I could just believe in fate and and that everything happens for a reason… Life would be less stressful and more relaxed.
When we had our other dogs, we used to buy dehydrated dog food when sailing internationally. It came from a health-conscious store and all we had to do was add water. Good to store! But I think Maya would be allergic to it and get itchy again. The best is to bring the dog’s food when traveling in Mexico and beyond, but that’s not possible when extended camper trips are your lifestyle.
May 4, 2021 at 17:37
What an ordeal, Liesbet. Sorry late to the party but I can’t read posts via email so I have several work-arounds. Yes, real estate gets emotional and competitive as we imagine a home and our lives within it. We went through much of what you describe and settled on land first then built. Many friends did that in La Ventana. It’s too wild west there and I personally would not want all my eggs in one basket and feel forced to only go there. As a home base, it’s a great idea for you guys and you will find the perfect place and location. I’ve heard this housing boom will relax soon. Crazy times! And I’m glad Maya has some good food 🐾
May 4, 2021 at 21:45
I hope you are right that the housing boom – and the vehicle and RV market – will relax again soon, because we are getting in trouble right now. As for finding a home base, I’m not sure it could be anywhere but Mulegé, as we invested time and energy there and don’t feel like starting over elsewhere. So, we will see if another home works out or not.
You are right about the emotional attachments and stress that comes with it all. Our issue is that we have gone through these phases and feelings multiple times within the last year – in early 2020, it was promising jobs not working out (which was related to living somewhere as well) and this year, it is land, two houses, and a new set-up totally not working out. It’s time for some good luck in this household! 🙂
May 5, 2021 at 02:35
I have to say, they are very cute looking houses, Liesbet, but I will never understand why people build on a flood plain 🙁 Onwards and upwards!
May 5, 2021 at 17:19
Hi Jo! Good observations. There hadn’t been a flood in 50 years in Mulege and then – surprise! – they had eight in the last decade. Now, there is a contingency plan in place every summer. So, owners and workers have figured out what to do. Still a hassle, but there is a reason that houses in the flood plain are less expensive (and therefore affordable for us). Due diligence is required. At first, we didn’t believe or understand the attraction of this location; then we became aware of the chore, cost, and energy and learned it was part of the process. 🙂
May 5, 2021 at 11:21
Many people are experiencing this right now, but keep saving whatever money you can and keep looking. Real estate markets are fluid and circumstances will likely change. I believe things will settle down, especially once interest rates start going up. Good luck!!
May 5, 2021 at 17:21
Hi Deb! I hope you are right about the market settling down. Even though our interest in this area is still vivid, you never know with us. Something might still work out, or we will give up on the plan of a home base for another five years!! 🙂
May 5, 2021 at 13:49
Action packed house hunting. Who knew it could be so exciting. hehehe
Anna from elements of emaginette
May 5, 2021 at 17:26
Very exciting, but in our case mostly stressful, disappointing, and frustrating! But, maybe there was a reason for all this. Maybe we hit the jackpot on our next visit to Baja! 🙂
May 5, 2021 at 17:27
At least I had my IWSG post written this time, but it wasn’t up yet before I had to run out the door and you swung by…
May 5, 2021 at 23:10
Omg I loved your story, but didn’t love the outcomes. Yes, the world has gone mad with real estate. At this stage 5k was a drop in the bucket. Lol. But then again, I’m one who’d say it wasn’t meant to be. I look forward to your next post. <3 xx
May 6, 2021 at 20:18
Hi Debby! Believe me, this entire house saga, as I like to call it, would make a juicy chapter. Not quite like your real estate shopping experiences, but with at least as much devotion and desire and crazy characters.
I sooooo like to believe that a home in this expat community wasn’t meant to be. Yet! 🙂 As you have experienced, sometimes it is hard to accept the circumstances and situations that are out of your control. I’m mostly talking about cancelled vacations or deals that fell through. Time will heal most wounds…
June 30, 2021 at 20:17
What cute houses, especially the red one. I could totally see you and Mark living there, and renting it out when travelling. When we bought our current house, prices were skyrocketing. We ended up offering exactly the asking price, which was way more than we’d intended to spend. The owner accepted our offer, and there was no negotiating back and forth. It’s the easiest house purchase I ever made. In retrospect, I’m so glad we bought in when we did, because housing prices have continued to go up and are way above what we paid four years ago. Sometimes, if you really want something, you just have to swallow hard and pay a little more than you planned to seal the deal.
Jude
July 1, 2021 at 06:03
Wise words, Jude. On hindsight, that certainly should have been the case and it didn’t even require swallowing hard. We were getting to an agreement, until someone else swept in. We thought we had time and that it work out eventually. Honestly, I don’t regret much in my life, but missing out on one of these still hurts – and hunts – me, especially since our current circumstances find us stuck and in limbo. If only we could buy just any car (instead of a pick-up truck) and head back to our cute little house in Baja… Oh well. We will find a solution at some point. I’m so glad your current house worked out and that it has increased in value so much. Always a good thing!!!
August 21, 2021 at 09:14
Ugh this is rough! You actually had your eye on a lil home base only to have it evaporate away! I do feel your pain on this.
I’d be a stickler for the price like you guys and Ben would have swooped in, dropped the extra $ just to “lock it in” if we really loved it! However does make me think there must be more homes like this to be had but then again more people are looking and buying …
We do love having a home base but we have never owned our home base (other than when we started out in our Green Global Trek in Nicaragua.) The rest of the time we rent mostly because we just haven’t had the funds for a place but also because we love renting over buying. No bills for water, electricity, WiFi, repairs, no responsibility and there are way more cheap rental homes than cheap home buys! If you want a home base in Mexico consider a long term rental maybe? We even used those rentals as home exchanges or Airbnb while we travelled.
Peta
August 22, 2021 at 17:06
Hi Pete!
It still turns my stomach when I think about our missed chance at a home base in Mexico, mainly because we were reaching an agreement with a seller and – unexpectedly – he sold to someone else; a higher bidder for sure. If we would have taken his counter offer in the first place, two weeks prior, the little casita would have been ours. Very annoying and frustrating. And, there is more to the story, but we will keep that for whenever we meet in person. 🙂
On the other hand, like you two, I’d rather feel free and flexible, without the burden and responsibility of a house, if even to rent it out. I’m not too fond of too many anchors and responsibilities. I really like the way you both have been immersed in all the different places you lived in and could (had to) pack up and go and change gears.
I might have told you this before, but there are few couples we wouldn’t mind trading lifestyles with. You are one of them, especially these upcoming ten months. 🙂