Mazatlan Rental Opportunities (For Vacation Rental or Year Round)
David Shafer September, 2006
Here are website with rental options. Each site below has detailed information about their rental units as well as contact information.
http://www.mazatlansales.com
http://www.buyinmazatlan.com
http://casaamarillamaz.com
http://www.miramaz.com
http://www.mazatlanapartments.com
http://mazatlan.com.mx/rentalsmazatlan/
http://mazatlan.homestead.com
http://www.mazatlanpropertygroup.com/rentals.htm
http://mazatlan.com.mx/rentalsmazatlan/serena/palermo
http://www.mazinfo.com/sinaloasun
http://www.mazrentals.com
http://www.pacificpearl.com/bernalre
http://www.pacificpearl.com/gonzalez_henderson
http://www.themelville.com
http://villa-serena.blogspot.com
General Information
David Shafer March, 2006
There are an amazing variety of units available for rent in Mazatlan. Just as you can stay in a $100 a night hotel with ocean view, you can also find a nice/safe $10 per night hotel 2 blocks from the beach and everything in between these two prices.
I know one friend that has a furnished 2BR, 1BA place with an ocean view in Los Pinos and because he signed a 2 yr lease, he pays $350 a month plus utilities. This place came with everything including bed sheets.
Another friend just signed a 2 year lease for a house near the Plaza Machado, furnished, and is paying $400 a month. Another couple that signed a 3 year lease, last year, on a 2 bedroom place and spent around $1500 US fixing it up. It's 2 blocks from the beach and looks great after all their work. There was already a functional kitchen, but they added used A/C units as well. They pay $220 a month and have a fantastic view of the city. They added used furniture as it became available.
There are bare bones places like Mark's (see CostOfLiving) place which have nothing and you might spend $800-1000 to add A/C, fridge, stove, furniture, etc. Mark simply added a hot/plate, small fridge, and microwave, and a bed (mostly used items). Mark lives a **very* simple lifestyle. Many folks from NOB wouldn't live in these types of units - although fresh paint can make a world of difference. Mark is here to live year round on a fixed income. Many people renting are just here for the 6 month season. Snowbirds will almost always pay more in rent due to the duration of their stay. Many snowbirds want the same comforts they have NOB and don't want to spend their time looking for a place to rent or fixing up a place. To each his own.
Another friend recently found a 1200 sf 3BR, 2 BA place, about 10 blocks from the beach, for $150 a month. It needed some work, but the landlord agreed to pay for 1/2 since the renter was signing a 3 year lease. I would say she will pay about $500 to fix it up and then she has to add furniture, dishes, bedding, etc. Not everyone would be able or want to shell out $2000 to set a place up, but this is quite a nice place for $150 a month and in a good neighborhood as well. She spent 3 months looking in the off season to find this "deal".
The longer you look, the more likely you are to find a deal. The longer your lease, the more flexible the landlord will be in price. The more work or furniture you have to add, the lower the price. Nothing is "free" here or anywhere else. Satellite TV, water filtration systems, minisplit A/C units, nice furnishings, proximity to the beach, will push up the price pretty quickly.
You can find lots of nice places (1 or 2BR) for $400-600 furnished and supplied with the basics (kitchen utensils, bedding, etc) within easy walking distance to the beach. You can also spend $1000 a month, or more, for real luxury. Check the sites above and you will find lots of places in the $400-600 range.
Mazatlan Homefinders
Posted with Permission from Marlene Santana, September, 2006.
If you want to experience the real/ Mexico here in Mazatlan, we recommend renting a house or an apartment. You will get a *crash course on life in Mexico. You won't have room service but you will experience the culture to the fullest, guaranteed. You will know for sure if you really want to live here after this great experience. On our website we have good examples of different price ranges, locations and amenities available to you, whether you stay for a week or several months. Contact us at mailto: mailto: mailto: mailto: mailto: mailto:Mazrentals@gmail.com or visit our website Mazatlan Homefinders
Santana and I can also find homes in low price range and wanting a year around rental. He will do the translating and sort things out with any contract needed...all part of what we do. He can obtain the local neighborhood price, something difficult for a foreigner to do on their own, especially during our increasing 'foreign invasion'. We consider ourselves a rental home-finding service not a rental agency, and operate differently. So here's the story.
There are many newish and rather small houses in the "burbs" (unfurnished) which rent to the working folks as low as $800.00 pesos a month or thereabouts. We just looked at a house for temporary storage near another we bought and are working on. The roof was leaking and the owner told Santana that if he (the owner) resealed the roof the rent would go from $800.00 to $1000.00 pesos a month. In these particular homes, you will be putting in your own hotwater tank, gas tank, kitchen cupboards and shelves, closets, fans, lightbulbs (yes), buying furniture and appliances and doing a bit of yard work, maybe putting up a fence to keep the neighbors dogs out. We are doing that now as well as adding a room. And typically a renter will be doing the repairs that crop up, including painting. Owners will expect you to stay a year, so maybe not great for seasonal renters. We can also find these type's of fixer uppers as apartments or rental homes in areas like Centro or Reforma.
If you choose this longterm, but stay on a seasonal basis you need someone to watch your property. But, that's doable if you have a trusted party. And you won't have to worry about finding a place next year. The reality is that most non-spanish speaking foreigners choose not to live in the outlying neighborhoods. It's outside the familiar comfort zone with the language barrier, and you get stared at. Plus the expectations many foreigners have doesn't fit this living situation. Cable TV and internet is one example. Megacable can't keep up to all these new houses being built so no cable (for now) in some areas. Hot water to the kitchen sink is another must-have for most Norte's but is not necessarily in every house. Our plumber is doing that for us now, chipping away at the concrete to lay the lines, and I want a double sink, which Santana pointed out takes nearly our entire kitchen counter space. Oh well. The few foreigners who have settled in these areas have generally purchased homes, and love it. But there are more and more rentals every day thanks to so many workers being able to buy homes through the government required employer contribution plan.
One thing I would like to add is if someone has never been to Mexico and doesn't speak any Spanish, it probably would NOT be a good idea to think about this initially. An understanding of the culture and the way things work in Mexico must be the first priority and this can't happen overnight. I add this because many of our first-time customers have never been to Mexico before. Successfully matching home to client in a foreign country can be quite an art, something the experienced real estate agents know all about. We know people have personalities, but so do houses here and they don't always get along :-) We are extra careful in this area and would rather turn someone away if we get the sense that a certain match might not be made in heaven (or Mexico).
