Here's why there will never be a better time in your lifetime to start a new life in México…

Have you entertained the thought of living the good life in Baja California? Heed my words: There has never been an easier... more lucrative...or a more exciting time to be here.

In fact, there's never been a better time in your lifetimeto start a new life in Mexico. 

Despite of what you think you might know about this huge and diverse country (keep reading, I'm going to dispel some of the most common myths), there has never been a better time to consider a move here. 

That's because, right now, three critical factors have come together in a way they rarely do.

Hi, my name is Victor Loza, my wife, Alma, and I have been living in Mexico for over seven years now. And I can say, with confidence: I've never seen the vast opportunities to purchase amazing deals...to live so well for so little... 

You probably know by now that Mexico earned the #1 spot on International Living's Global Retirement Index in 2007 and 2008 and came second in 2009. 

It's proximity to the U.S. and easy to get to... it offers great benefits for retirees, from medical services to airfares...taxes are low, low, low...and so is the cost of living. You can own a home on the beach for less than $250,000...property taxes are practically non-existent...health care costs are very low and full-coverage health insurance can be had for less than $1 per day... I'll give you tons of reasons why Baja, Mexico ranks so high on our list of best retirement havens year after year.... But first let me tell you a little more about why right now, in 2009, the timing is so perfect for anybody looking to own a second home... move full-time... or live well here on $2,000 a month or less...

Why is this the best time in your lifetime to start a new life in Mexico?

Here are three compelling reasons for you to investigate Mexico right now: The peso to dollar value is at a high—your dollar goes farther than ever. The peso has lost around 30% of its value against the dollar since August of 2008. Your dollar buys more in Mexico today than it has in more than 15 years...since 1994, after an economic crisis in which Mexico's government cut three zeros off the end of peso denominations to create a "new peso". Just from my personal experience: the bottle of wine that cost us $5.80 last year costs us $4.60 today. The bill for our phone and high-speed Internet service was $42 last year and is $33 today. A housekeeper, at 200 pesos per day, cost us $18 last year and $14 today. We're benefiting from even bigger savings on big-ticket items, of course. We recently bought a headboard for our king-size bed. At 6,400 pesos, it would have cost us $610 last year. But with the exchange rate, we paid just $457 for it. As you might imagine, some expats who live here are taking advantage of the weakened peso to buy larger goods and appliances they've been putting off until now. They're getting a price break and stimulating the economy at the same time. The recession has created a buyer's market for you. With fewer people shopping for second homes, sellers are willing to negotiate more on price and toss in enticing incentives.

And, of course, where the currency exchange really makes a difference is on property prices. I should clarify something here: Overall, real estate in Mexico has held its value. That's because Mexico is still basically a cash society. (Yes, you can get mortgage financing in Mexico and we can tell you how...but most people don't. They buy with cash.)

 Developers, for the most part, have been well capitalized and there hasn't been a "lending crisis" in Mexico. Prior to the recession there was a real estate boom here, especially among foreign buyers of vacation homes. Property prices rose during that time, although they were never super inflated as they were in the U.S. Since most properties aren't leveraged, there is no reason for prices to fall as drastically as we've seen in the U.S. and elsewhere...although certain market have seen some big price "corrections." But...while in most parts of Mexico prices aren't falling much, neither are they rising right now. 

Some owners (particularly those from the U.S.) who overextended themselves are now willing to sell at a discount. In resort communities like Puerto Vallarta and along the Riviera Maya, you'll find particularly good bargains. And because, thanks to the recession, there are fewer buyers, sellers are throwing in lots of extraordinary incentives...like covering association fees for up to five years, throwing in appliance and furniture packages, offering lucrative lease-back options, etc. I can't stress that enough: Now is the time to buy  real estate in Mexico. 

This recession won't last forever. "This is a good time to buy real estate." And there's no better place than Mexico right now...where properties have held their value and the bargaining chip is firmly in the hand of the buyer. It's a real estate buyer's market in Mexico. Don't miss out on this opportunity...it won't last long.

You can thank the U.S. news media for keeping them away.

The U.S. news media has created a big opportunity for you...

The mainstream media has painted an unfair picture of Mexico. Media coverage of isolated violence and virus outbreaks in Mexico has kept some tourists and potential retirees at home. It's not a fair picture. Yes, the drug war is real (in my opinion, the Mexican government is winning) and there are areas like anywhere else that should be avoided...As for the recent flu outbreak, Mexico has received heaps of international praise about the immediate steps taken throughout the country to stop its spread. Alma and I feel safer walking to and from our midtown home in Rosarito to restaurants, and evening events than we did in Los Angeles, California. Rest assured, college students on Spring break, families with children, European backpackers, single women, elderly couples...they're all safe visiting Mexico. The window of opportunity won't last forever. Mexican tourism officials are launching an international public relations campaign to boost Mexico's image as a tourist destination. Tourists become real estate buyers, especially once they learn all that you've just learned about Mexico. Do your shopping before tourism hits Mexico and while recession bargains can be had.

The easiest, most affordable way to find out if Mexico is right for you

If you've followed my blog any time at all, you would know that Alma and I; We weren't sure about finding our perfect place. We did a lot of research and homework before deciding on Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico.
We didn't have a team of experts all in one place to help us, nor did we have them to answer all of our questions. We learned the hard way when we decided to move to Mexico. But you will. We’ll make sure You’ll get all the details you need to know on owning property, retiring, living, working, and starting a new business here...straight from our team of well-connected Mexico insiders in a relaxing beachfront setting.

You'll can hear from expats living and running businesses in Mexico... buying beachfront property in Baja, on the Valle de Guadalupe (Wine Route) or in Ensenada, San Quintin or The Baja Riviera and of course, you can have our Mexico investment and tax experts, real estate agents, legal advisers, and many more who are familiar with relocating overseas because We have done it firsthand as well.

Hearing from these experts will help you determine what's best for you, and if you wish you can start living the good life in Mexico in as little as six months. If you're looking for a lifestyle for less than half what it would cost you up north... retire in Mexico, it makes a lot more sense

As I mentioned before, in 2007, Mexico won for the first time. It won again in 2008. Here's why: Mexico is the closest retirement haven to the U.S. This may not seem like a big deal, but believe me, the convenience of a short plane ride makes all the difference in the world when you want to get back home to family and friends or attend to business matters.

Flights to and from Mexico are plentiful and inexpensive and most take less time than a coast-to-coast U.S. flight. You can be in Miami or Houston in about two hours. If you want to, you can easily and safely drive here. (Alma and I have made the drive several times and look forward to our next Mexico road trip.) 

It is easier to get a resident visa in Mexico than in any other country. 

You might think Panama, Belize, and Costa Rica have easy resident requirement. Well, forget everything you might think you know about obtaining a visa anywhere else. The Mexican government has made it very easy for foreigners to live here. The requirements are less restrictive than any country that I know of. 

Mexico has a first-class retiree benefits program. 

You may know about Panama's excellent pensionado progam, but to be eligible for it, you have to get a visa. And in Panama, getting a visa can be tough. But see my point above: not only is it easy to get a visa in Mexico, but foreigners who are age 60 or older, with a valid Mexico resident visa are eligible for Mexico's Personas Adultas Mayores benefits program.

The program offers discounts on a wide range of services, including health-related ones (hospitals, doctors' visits, lab tests, medical devices, pharmacies, and dental work); cultural activities like theater tickets and entrance fees to museums and archaeological sites; transportation and accommodation, including airline tickets, buses, car rentals and purchase; and at hotels and many stores. Discounts can range from 5% to 50% off the full price of the good or service. 

Cost of living in Mexico is low. 

With rapidly rising fuel, health care, food, taxes, and travel costs, it's nice to know there are still places where you can live well without burning through your savings. Mexico is one of those special places. Here, you can enjoy a lifestyle that's all but unaffordable for most Americans and Canadians. The cost of real estate is far lower than it is in the U.S. and Canada.

Could you find a beach front condo in the U.S. for less than $159,000? You can in Mexico. And you can live very well here on just $2,000 per month or less. Alma and I do... Read our cost of living article here

Sample monthly budget for a couple living well in Mexico:

These expenses will vary, of course. You may not use as much electricity or want household help, for example. If you don't own a home, you'll have rental expenses (add $500-$1,000/month. Homeowners will want to include an annual property tax—but that rarely comes to more than $200 per year).

Think of all the money you will save, simply by moving a few hours south! 

You can get full-coverage health insurance in Mexico for less than $1 per day. Hospitals and health care providers in Mexico are of excellent quality. (I know...I live here.) Many doctors were trained in the U.S. or Europe and they speak English. Private health insurance, (through a major global provider) costs one-fourth to one half what you might be paying in the U.S. Doctors' visits and common medical procedures in Mexico, too, cost about one-fourth of what they do in the U.S., so many expats just pay out of pocket. 

But get this: if you have a resident visa, you can get health coverage through IMSS (Instituto Mexicano de Seguro Social). There's no age limit for signing up. This full-coverage health insurance runs from about $100 a year for children and adolescents, up to almost $300 for those over 60—and it includes prescription medications. 

Taxes are ridiculously low—need I say more? 

Taxes are a fact of life. And like all countries, Mexico levies a value-added tax on goods and services. But other taxes are practically non-existent. At the beginning of this year, for instance, we paid the annual property taxes on our 5,400-square-foot home in Rosarito. It was a laughably $ 139! The annual tax bill on the ocean view lot we own on the pacific ocean ...$ 35.

Unless you're working here, you probably won't pay income taxes. But if you are working...and you're self employed or working for a Mexican or other foreign corporation...you can legally exempt up to $91,400 in income on your U.S. taxes for 2009...for the two of!

Two more reasons to consider Mexico: full-time household help and the warm and welcoming Mexican people

As I said, Alma and I live a better life here in Mexico than we've ever lived anywhere else. The quality of our lives has vastly improved since we left the U.S. (A big part of that is the better weather—it makes a big impact on your attitude!) Another reason we're so happy here is because, for the first time in our lives, we can afford household help. 

We both like to cook, but we don't necessarily like cleaning up afterwards. And we don't care much for mopping floors or scrubbing toilets either. But for about $ 20 per day you cannot afford not to have someone clean after you!  Make no mistake, these are good wages for dignified work...if your experience is like ours, your housekeeper and gardener will be endearingly cheerful and helpful and become like members of your family. 

That's the other extraordinary aspect to life in Mexico: the Mexican people themselves. Sociologists who have studied these things say that Mexicans are among the happiest people on earth. It shows in the generous ways they treat people and in the genteel ways they conduct their business and go about their lives. 

Truly, Mexico today is like the U.S. was in the 1950s and 60s...but with today's modern amenities, of course. You'll find a strong sense of community and a family-focused life—which makes every day a genuine pleasure. Plus, Mexico offers an astounding cultural vibrancy that we simply haven't found anywhere else. 

And while the pace is civilized and the environment welcoming and friendly, you can enjoy the comforts you've grown accustomed to—like Internet access, cable TV, well-stocked grocery stores, and first-run movies. That's all here, too. In Mexico, you will have more free time to do the things you enjoy, but I daresay you'll enjoy your free time even more than ever before.

Your opportunity to triumph over the recession...

I'm certain you've experienced the backlash of the rotten global economy. Everyone has. Chances are, your dollars aren't going as far as they used to. 

Maybe your investment nest egg has lost some value (or a lot). You've worked hard all your life and haven't been able to save much at all...and now you're more worried than ever about how to pay for your retirement...maybe you're worried that you'll never be able to retire.

According to a new report by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Economic and Policy Research, most baby boomers haven't saved much and will be forced to work longer and/or move to a place where the cost of living is less. 

According to the experts, "Property taxes, health care and cost of living will force boomers to strongly consider moving to other countries, especially if they plan on living at the same level of comfort as they do now." 

If you've been considering a move oversees...whether to retire or live more economically full-time or part-time...or if you're looking for a laidback, gentler place to live or own a vacation home...you should strongly consider Baja California in Mexico. Do the research. Get the facts. 

We are the Mexico experts who've "been there" and "done that"

Doing the research about where to live can be time consuming. (Alma and I have been at this for seven years now and we still learn something new every day.)

Our agents will show you how to save money, avoid pitfalls, and much, much more. We'll tell you how to:

• Open a bank account...
• Ship your household goods from home to Mexico...
• Find a bargain dream home...
• Renovate a home...
• Educate your children in Mexico...
• Shop appliances, and groceries...
• Arrange for broadband Internet and cable TV...
• Qualify for the IMSS government-sponsored full-coverage health insurance...
• Pay your bills...
• Manage your finances...
• Give back to the community...
• Learn Spanish the easy way...
• Open a new business...
• ...and much, much more.

Fabulous Rosarito Beach—here you will enjoy beaches, shopping, outdoor dining, lively entertainment, and more...

Mexico has a tremendous amount to recommend it when it comes to comfortable, easy living—in communities from the Pacific coast to the central highlands to the Yucatan and the Caribbean.

Rosarito Beach has a fishing village famous all over the world for its lobster, we had some of the most gross earning movies of all times film here “Titanic”, “Pirates of the Caribean” to name a few. (Read “Rosarito the Hollywood Connection” ).

Although you'll find chrome and glass high-rise condo towers by famed contemporary designers, you won't find the high prices you might expect. And you needn't live in a modern tower to enjoy wonderful views and breezes.

In fact, right now there's a home on offer in the popular “Baja del Mar” area. It has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. It has a one car garage and a big back patio overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It's listed for just $ 275,000. 

In the elite “Club Marena”, just south of downtown, you can own a two, two bathroom condo overlooking the Pacific Ocean, fully furnished and nicely decorated. 

The price? Just $ 580,000. Or get a two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo downtown, just 5 minutes from Wall mart, home depot and other major stores in La Jolla del Mar. 

With a nice ocean view and its own private beach, this, too, is being offered fully furnished, you could move right in. The price is just $149,000.

When I first wrote this report, I was a little hesitant

Why? Because I love the fact that there are places in Mexico that remain a world apart from the crowded, overdeveloped Mexico you see in tacky brochures. You know... tourist traps like Cancun... Acapulco... Cabo San Lucas...Puerto Vallarta.....

People who want that kind of experience can go to those "super-resorts." The Mexico we introduce you to is easygoing, laid-back, and almost entirely undiscovered and that is Rosarito Beach, Baja.

Of course, I'd like things to stay this way, but we are willing to share with a few privileged serious enough to make the commitment to retire in Rosarito, Ensenada or any other small town in Baja, Mexico and its undiscovered secrets. 

You have nothing to lose: You can call us at any time in the future--next month...next year...or next decade—and tell us this information didn't help you? We assure you will have the time of your life….. or don’t tell us anything and miss out on this wonderful country.

Real Estate Agents: My Baja Coast specializes on Valle de Guadalupe  Real Estate ("Ruta del Vino"). My Baja Coast can make your transaction smooth by providing excellent service and the best team of Baja Real Estate agents.

If you are looking for a home, condo or lots and land for sale we can state ourselves and are able to guide you; from the purchase of your new home to the closing, from hooking your phone line and internet and to where to eat. Visit our website  www.mybajacoast.com.

Contact us for more information or call us at (619) 272-3316 or you can always visit our website for the latest listings.

If you would like to rent a property in Baja before you buy we have the best rentals available in the area or register on a listing notifier to receive on your email the property that best meets your specifications.