Business: Mérida Home For Sale

And now a word from our sponsor.

Don't worry friends, I am not about to commercialize this blog. It's just that I have a house for sale, and I suddenly realized that since the readers here are a pretty select group of people seriously interested in Yucatán, it might be worthwhile (both for me and maybe for one of you) to post the information.

And after all, this blog is about life in Mexico and Mérida, Yucatán. The buying and selling of old houses is a part of life here, so actually this falls in with the general drift of my posts.

Last fall I bought this small house not far from my home in Mérida's centro historico with the idea of renovating it as a rental, but I have since found a different sort of project outside of the city. I already have my place in town, so I decided to concentrate my energies on the new opportunity instead of this house.

This could be the perfect lock-and-leave residence for someone living in Mérida seasonally. It also would be great for a beach or rural resident wanting a place to stay when in the city for shopping, doctor visits, or a weekend on the town. It's an ideal option for someone wanting to downsize and live economically but with style. It could also be a mother-in-law or guest house for someone already living in the neighborhood.

Old floor tiles in front room

The house is located on Calle 70, about three blocks from Parque Santiago and seven from Parque Santa Ana, with their well-known markets and restaurants. There are no buses and little truck traffic on the street. A movie theater, supermarket, and hardware, paint, dentists, doctors, auto mechanics and all manner of other services are available within a few blocks' radius. The Mérida English Library is practically around the corner. Mérida's main plaza is nine blocks, or about a ten-minute walk away.

The traditional thick-walled mamposteria (rock and mortar) structure consists of three rooms, plus kitchen, bathroom, and a cement-block storage room. Doors and windows are sturdy metalwork with glass. Beamed ceilings in the two front rooms measure about 4.5 meters (14.7 feet) in height. The lot measures 97 square meters (1044 square feet) with 83 square meters (893 square feet) of construction. The original floors (photos) in the first two rooms are in good shape and just need polishing. The roof is in good condition and there are no structural faults that I know of. Although everything is in functional condition, the house needs updated wiring, plumbing, fixtures and finishes to meet modern standards.

Some of the benefits:

Front room

Economy: Property taxes on the house last year were $77 pesos, or about six and a half US dollars -- that's the tax bill for the whole year. Garbage collection (three pickups per week) costs less than three dollars per month, and many other costs are similarly affordable. This truly is a place where people could manage well on a small pension. More on the economy of living in Mérida in this post.

Easy redo: For someone who wants to renovate the existing structure without making huge changes or adding rooms, it could be a very economical remodel. I estimate that it is possible to rewire, replumb, renovate the kitchen and bathroom, repair and paint, build a small dipping pool in the patio for under USD$20,000., and have a fantastic urban retreat. It is also possible to build up (the house next door was recently enlarged this way) to add bedrooms and a rooftop terrace.

Security: I have had my home just down the street since 2003 and to my knowledge there has not been a single home breakin, robbery or assault in this neighborhood during that time. It is possible to walk around the area, even late at night, without worrying about safety. Police patrol cars roll down the street on a routine basis and police headquarters and a fire/rescue station are located just a few blocks north. Clinica de Mérida, a high-quality medical center with emergency room, is just a few minutes drive away. The neighbors are nice people, the sort who still put their rocking chairs out on the sidewalk at night to talk and visit with friends. The area generally is quiet, and there are few businesses in the immediate vicinity. More on safety and security in Yucatán in this post.

Here's one more post on some of the nice things about living here.

For more details, comment below or email me: marc_olson@hotmail.com

Sale price: USD$42,000.  SOLD

Middle room

Third room with bath

Kitchen

View from front room looking towards back of house

Patio and storage building

The first two rooms have high, beamed ceilings

Old pasta tile floor in bedroom