Retiring in Yelapa--Rent or Build

Note: This is the first in a collection of posts to discuss the realities of retiring to Yelapa, or any other remote village in the world for that matter. This topic would appear to be out of sequence, but such is the freedom allowed the writer (me). These ramblings will be inserted periodically amidst the anecdotes which arise from daily life in our village.

Only certain families are able to own property in Yelapa. However, you may build on another person's land and/or rent for a multi-year period. No classified ads exist to identify available properties. It is all by word of mouth. If you are interested in pursuing this issue, alert your lodging host prior to arrival and ask for guidance.  In advance, identify your annual budget and cash available to make repairs/upgrades. A move or building project will always cost more than you anticipate; that’s a fact! Allow a twenty-five per cent over ride. Rents/lease payments are generally paid annually in advance.

Building in Yelapa is expensive. Everything (brick, concrete, rebar, windows, tile, paint, appliances, furniture, fixtures, etc.) must be brought in by panga. Each time someone handles/touches your materials, there are costs. (Review  Transportation Costs at the end of the post.) These costs are difficult to estimate. Accept the mantra that “this is not the (the name of your country) and the associated mantra “Do not spend more on a project than you can walk away from.” Two must reads for those considering building in a foreign country are Jack Smith’s God and Mr. Gomez and John Mole’s It’s All Greek to Me!: A Tale of a Mad Dog and an Englishman, Ruins and Retsina. 

Costs, completion time, manner of payment, renter/landlord responsibilities, ability to sub-lease and follow-up work, among others, should be detailed in writing (both in your home language and Spanish) in advance. Be sure to address the issue of funding during the build out. Do you wish to be personally involved during the process, or will you fund from afar based upon evidence of performance, and how will that payment take place, are all issues to address. Lastly, establish the builder’s fee for performing and supervising the work.   Nobody works for free.

If you are committed to creating a place of your own, consider an extended stay first. That grants you the opportunity to experience first-hand: weather changes, traffic, noise, access, proximity to shopping and departing transportation. Relocation is a huge event; it is not an extended vacation. Distinguish between the two.    

If you elect to rent an existing space, then the event becomes slightly less complicated. Chances are you will wish to perform some improvements. Once those come into the picture, then virtually all of the items mentioned above apply. Likewise, consider an extended stay in your selected site. Then spend time in other areas around town. There are distinct differences among the four colonies. Barking dogs, crowing roosters and screaming children can tarnish the sheen of any dream house. Renter be aware!

Contracts to rent/build range from oral to attorney prepared. Typically, by working with your landlord (through an interpreter if necessary) you can identify the issues. Keep it simple, Yelapans are not litigious sorts. At the end of the day, you want a spot you can enjoy and share with others. Be prepared that settling in and sorting out may take you the better part of the first year. Good luck, buenas suerte!!!!

Transportation Fees

The concept is difficult for some foreigners to grasp. I have witnessed ugly conversations between renters and their builders as the renter is certain that he is being “ripped off” via this black hole called “transportation fees.” Stateside, we engage a building contractor to complete an improvement. We sign a contract for a specific amount. Materials are purchased, delivered and consumed all within the cost parameters of that contract.

Allow me to approach the Yelapan version via an example. Building materials are purchased from a supply outlet located in Boca de Tomatlan, a forty minute panga ride away.  Materials are carried out the door to a spot on the beach (fee); a panga is sent from Yelapa and the materials are loaded (fee); all or part of the transporting panga is used for your materials (fee); the materials arrive in Yelapa and unload onto the beach (fee); pack mules or someone with a moto and a trailer load the materials and bring them to the job site (fee). All of these “fees” are paid in cash, no receipt. Depending on the material requirements of your job, this process may be repeated a dozen or more times. No one is being ripped off; it is just a different system. Transportation fees arise whenever your materials are “transported” from point A to point B; you get the idea, right?

Yelapa is indeed a special place. It is not however, for everyone. Life here is physically demanding. Summer heat and humidity can be oppressive. Most Northerners flee to cooler climes, although there are some who remain. Do your homework and always carry a flashlight at night.

Feel free to contact me (billrisdon@gmail.com) if you have specific questions.

Memo