Relocate to Your New Life in Mexico
It can be overwhelming arriving into a new country, a new culture and a different way of life. Move Abroad and Thrive can assist and help make your transition a smoother one.
Why Work With a Relocation Service Provider
One of the common mistakes new immigrants (expats) make is paying too much for housing. When hiring real estate agents in Mexico, you typically don't get to see all of the options available to you. Real estate agents get paid by commission. They're not interested in showing you lower priced homes; they'll tend to show higher priced homes for larger commissions.
Also, the overwhelming majority of local landlords won't pay commissions to real estate agents, and they refuse to work with them. And because the agent doesn't earn a commission, they won't show you those properties. Thus eliminating over 50% of home options available to you
The truth is, you can often find your dream house on 'the other side of town' for significantly less, and with more space. If you're overspending on a home by $400/month, that can be very costly over the course of a year ($4,800).
Because we're not real estate agents, we don't collect commissions. I don't care if you want an expensive home or a cheap one; our fee is the same. We find exactly what you want based on your needs, and ensure you're not overpaying.
The other common mistake is choosing the wrong neighborhood or area... For example, in some neighborhoods you'll pay less (or more) for utilities like electricity. And electricity can get costly during the summer months when you're running the a/c a lot. If you're on a fixed income or on a strict budget, saving coins matter.
Also, if you choose the right location, transportation costs drop drastically because you don't have to hop an Uber for each trip to the grocery store, pharmacy, etc. You can walk around the corner and get what you need and not pay a dime for transport. If you live too far out, it can cost you significantly over time. We'll help you find the sweet spot in-between.
While most areas are safe in and around Merida, some areas are more prone to flooding, poor Internet connectivity, blackouts (where electricity gets shut down more often than other areas), bugs, mosquitos, scorpions, and spiders.
Knowing where, and where not to be, can save you a lot of headache and frustration as you transition to life in Mexico. If you'd like to hire us for your relocation needs, take a look at the options below.
Our Relocation Services
We can typically find your rental within 3-7 business days, and you can usually start living in the rental 2-4 days later. Choose from one of the three options listed below.
HOW WE WORK
We'll send you a bunch listings of homes/apartments based on the requirements, budget and criteria you send us. You select up to 7 of the listings you'd like to see and we'll schedule a time to go out with you to view those properties. So far, our clients have been able to find their dream home from the 7 properties they've selected to view (most usually choose their home by the 3rd or 4th property viewing).
We schedule home viewings around your arrival time to Merida. Because homes get rented quickly, we start searching and sending you rentals to consider 1-2 days prior to your arrival. Sending you properties a week before is usually unproductive because they're gone by the time you arrive.
*Depending on the service package you choose, we'll pick you up and take you to the viewings and take you back to your hotel/AirBnB. You won't need to take an Uber and risk getting dropped off in the wrong place, or waiting in the heat due to the property owners or their agents arriving 30-45 minutes late (it happens more often than not).
At your cost, I have a recommended attorney who will review your rental contract and suggest necessary changes and/or recommendations before you sign. They'll let you know if the contract is a good one, or if you should walk away. The attorney charges $1,500 pesos (at today's exchange rate, that's about $75 USD). I highly recommend it to avoid any 'gotchas'. You'll get their contact details when you register for our services.
*Beachtown:
RELOCATION PLATINUM VIP W/ CARTESS
- I'll personally take you to view properties/rentals and I'll pick you up from your hotel/airbnb.
- We'll assist you with getting your services turned on (cell-phone, Internet, trash services, etc). We'll also make sure all of your apps are downloaded and functioning (WhatsApp, Uber/DiDi/InDriver).
- Once you get moved-in and have an address, we'll assist with helping you get a bank account opened, so you can have a local Mexican bank account (if you wish to pay for services like electricity or water online, versus walking to the electric company or convenience store to stand in line and pay). Some of the service providers require you have a national bank account from Mexico in order to make online payments.
- After you move-in, we'll take you around your new neighborhood to find all of the essentials like grocery stores, laundry services, water refill stations, local markets to buy fruits, veggies and meats, etc.
- On or after move-in day, we'll take you out for a day of shopping to get all of your essentials. Most people use this day to look at furniture (if they moved into an unfurnished house), and others use this day to buy essentials for making their new home comfortable (think groceries, cooking/eating utensils, bathroom and bedding, new mattresses and pillows, 5-gallon water jugs (you can't drink the water from the tap), etc.
There's a lot you don't consider when you move-in to a new place. While our prices are much higher than others, it's because we do much more. Others simply show rentals and that's it. We help you get fully-situated into your new home and we'll connect you with additional resources to help your transition be a smooth one.
**The other biggie to consider. If you find yourself in an emergency situation, you can call on me and we'll assist and help best we can (now if you get yourself in a bind 4-hours away in Cancun, I can't help ya, lol... But if you're in Merida, I got your back). Don't underestimate the possibility of something going wrong. Many clients have lost their cell-phones and couldn't communicate, nor connect to their banks to make transactions; others have lost their debit/credit cards and couldn't buy food.
Quite a few of our clients have been in car/bicycle accidents; and others needed to go to the Emergency Room for various reasons and were afraid to go on their own. During your first 30-days here, I will assist you in any way I can. Other service providers simply charge for a service and when it's done, it's done. I factor in the fact you'll likely need additional and occasional assistance after you move into your place. This is why we charge more because you will be calling me and needing additional assistance after you move-in. Don't underestimate this fact.
THE FINE PRINT:
Property Maintenance & Expectations:
We specialize in finding properties/rentals based on your specifications. We are not building/property inspectors. We do our best to identify issues, such as water damage inside the home that might suggest flooding issues in a particular area; we check water pressure in the home; we turn on all air conditioning units and ceiling fans to ensure they're working; we look for visible signs of mold/mildew, etc... If you have concerns about a place, you're more than welcome to hire a property inspector to inspect it for a full report. This type of work is beyond our scope of service. If you're considering renting or buying an older home that has no warranty, it's advised you hire a professional inspector.
When renting in Mexico, problems are usually resolved at the expense of the landlord. They move very slow and things that we consider problems are NOT problems to them; therefore, they're in no hurry to fix. In some cases, you may find it easier/faster to get some problems resolved on your own and at your expense to minimize your own stress and frustration. It's not the same as the United States. Be prepared to come with lots of patience and grace.
Services Rendered: This service is solely to help you find a place and get moved in. Once you make your payment and sign your lease or home contract, our services are considered complete and final. Any issues with the home/property/rental is between you and the landlord or developer. The contracts/agreements outline who is responsible for what. Any disputes should be taken up with the landlord/developer per the agreement you sign. Most landlords/developers will typically fix issues they're responsible for as outlined in the contract. This is beyond our scope of work. We do have attorneys we can recommend should you run into any issues. Most landlords are very accommodating and will work with you.
No Refund Policy: We do not offer refunds. If you need to adjust your dates, there is no penalty in doing so, provided your reschedule date doesn't conflict with our working calendar.
*Please note: this service is not for helping you find doctors, going to appointments, entertainment, nor taking you out to tourist destinations (like museums, Cenotes, beaches or other tourist hotspots).
*If you don't find what you're looking for in the first block of 7 rental previews, you can buy another block of 7 properties to view. I'll knock 50% off the package price for the 2nd block. To date, no one has had to purchase a 2nd block yet. We're good at finding rentals that meet requirements you set in the beginning.
I include this limit because some people are extremely picky and over-the-top lol... This limit is set to keep this from being an endless cycle of looking and looking; there has to be a cut-off point.
If you require additional assistance and need help finding doctors or other special services, we can quote you separately.
*Beach Town Living: The beach towns are 35-60 minutes outside of Merida. There may be an additional surcharge if you want us to find properties in those areas due to the distance from Merida. Please note, regular electrical power and Internet outages are a known issue in the beach towns. It's advisable you consider buying a generator and/or utilize satellite internet services like Starlink. Flooding can be an issue in the beach towns too. Do your due-diligence if beach town living is your preference.
*Due to increased demand, on occasion I personally may not be available to attend viewings with you. On those occasions, one of my colleagues will take you out on my behalf. They know my process and can assist as well; but this is rarely an issue as I'm usually available when you book me.
**Payments made are used to secure and block the dates you arrive so we can plan and schedule appointments for you to see rentals. Because these dates are blocked out to accommodate you, there are no refunds (you can apply towards another date), but you must give us advanced notice.
My goal is to make your transition a positive one. The less difficult things are for you, the more likely you'll stay and make this a successful transition. I've seen too many people come and struggle their first few weeks and then they're on a plane out of here.
My fee is cheaper in comparison to having to return back to your country and start all over finding a new place to live, buying furniture, and getting a car and rebuilding from scratch.
PLATINUM V.I.P. SERVICES W/ CARTESS: $2,500 USD (get a $100 discount when paid w/ Zelle/CashApp)
CashApp: $CartessRoss | Zelle: cartess@cartessross.com