Retire in Lake Chapala

Lake Chapala and Ajijic. If you are Googling "best places in the world to retire", you are bound to run across these two names. Lake Chapala is a place that, while obviously not for everyone, is a place that you should visit and learn more about in your search for a retirement destination. Don't let social media comments sway you. Come down here! Check it out for yourself. I can guarantee you that you are a different person with different wants, needs and interests than

Are you looking at retiring to Lake Chapala? Are you wondering if there is enough for you to do? Wonder no more. Here is a (scratch the surface) list of activities you could take part in. Play Tennis or Pickleball - The Lake Chapala area is graced with numerous tennis courts, both hard and clay surface, plus three major pickleball facilities . Read my blog on the evolution of Pickleball in Ajijic. Go Dancing – Many of the restaurants and clubs have dancing nightly. No

Increasing regulations and bureaucracy is changing the real estate buying process in Lake Chapala. Having the knowledge in preparing for your move and for purchasing real estate can help save you time, money and a lot of headache. At Retire In Lake Chapala , we are all about helping to inform you so that you can make intelligent decisions and be proactive about what all needs to be done in your move to Mexico. From knowing which Visa you should apply for to being prepared

With the U.S Federal election over, Lake Chapala real estate agents are braced for a busy 2025 season.

Chapala tourist sign on the shores of Lake Chapala (Expanded and updated Oct 15, 2024) Thinking of retiring to Lake Chapala? Have you only heard of Ajijic? Well, there is lots more to Lake Chapala than just Ajijic. In fact, after taking people on my Communities Tour, the most common response is "I can't believe that there are so many places here to live in!" Here is a brief overview of the many communities and areas where you can buy a home, areas that together form what lo

Are you prepared to embrace the Mexican culture after moving to Lake Chapala? Mexico is not the U.S!

The Heart Studio, Ajijic Lake Chapala, with it's perfect climate, is one of the best places on Planet Earth to experience healthy aging. What's healthy aging? Ways of keeping your mind/body and soul in it's best shape for you to live your longest and best life ever. Lake Chapala truly has it all. Lake Chapala Society The largest and original expat organization in Lake Chapala, The Lake Chapala Society has lots of activities and events for seniors. Let's have a look at what

Restaurant on the shores of Lake Chapala, Mexico Unless you have a serious aversion to Mexico, Ajijic, on the shores of Mexico's largest lake, Lake Chapala, is one of the finest places on the planet that you could consider retiring to. True, it's not the commercial advertisement of a hot bikini clad body sipping a margarita on the beach, but it has enough development, a large expat community and a perfect year around climate to make settling here easy and stress free. After

Day Of The Dead, Ajijic, Mexico After traveling to Mexico for vacation purposes and staying at resort hotels on the beach, it is easy to forget that Mexico is a different country and it has it's own quirks that are seemingly outlandish compared to the U.S or Canada. Now that I have been living in the interior of Mexico, the Real Mexico starts to shine. There are things to get used to here and it's best not to expect everything to be the same as you're used to. So read below

Heart Of Ajijic Sign, Ajijic, Mexico You can retire anywhere in the world right? Maybe even retire right in your own home town? So why even contemplate a retirement move to Lake Chapala, Mexico? Great question! Answer = Because there is so much that the Lake Chapala area has to offer and all at half the cost ( see my cost of living blog for 2022 ) and all within close and easy proximity to your home in the U.S. or Canada should you wish to or need to return. Read on to find

A selection of Mexican pesos and a debit card Many visitors to Lake Chapala who are used to paying for their groceries or restaurant meals with credit cards are totally surprised to discover that in most places, credit cards are not accepted. There are exceptions, of course, like Walmart or the larger liquor stores such as La Paz or Vinos Americas but in general it a cash society. In this blog article we'll look at the ways of buying and paying for stuff in Lake Chapala, Mex

Ajijic malecon in Ajijic, Lake Chapala, Mexico Why all the hoopla about retirement in Lake Chapala? Why would you even consider moving to another country? For many it is an economic necessity and for others facing a mid-life crisis or change in a family relationship, it is an opportunity to begin a new and exciting life abroad and reinvent yourself all over again; even spark new love in an existing relationship or start a brand new one. In this blog we'll take a look at the

Lake Chapala Farmers Market, Ajijic, Mexico Questions, questions! I get lots of great questions from all of you wonderful people exploring the possibility if living in Lake Chapala is right for you. So what are some people asking and are they questions that you were wondering about too? Let's find out. Q. Where are the markets and when do they take place? A. There are markets on Monday through Thursday. The Monday market is a small one with many prepared food vendors loc

Getting Your House Ready For Sale In Lake Chapala Ebook Are thinking about selling your home in Lake Chapala? Even before listing your home, now is the time to start preparations for the the sale. The Retire In Lake Chapala Team of Michaela and Ricardo wish you the best success in the sale of your home and are available to help you in selling your home quickly and for the most money. For a free home evaluation call 333-141-5979 There are many things you can do when prepar

House under construction in Lake Chapala, Mexico Are you considering building your dream home in the retirement haven of Lake Chapala? Building a home in Lake Chapala is still a great deal IF you can maintain proper management and control of the project. Prices for the U.S. home builder have gone up in the past 5-6 years due to inflation and a slight drop in the value of the U.S. greenback compared to the Mexican Peso but, costs per square foot are still reasonable compared

Expats in Lake Chapala Mexico People come from all over the world to retire in Lake Chapala, Mexico. Why? What motivated them to make the transition to a different county and more specifically to Lake Chapala? In this blog I sit down with three recent expats and ask them a series of questions to help us understand their reasons for leaving their home country and moving here to beautiful Lake Chapala, Mexico. Interview No. 1: Bruce Dugdale Thank you for taking the time to

I truly feel that the move to Ajijic 11 years ago has changed my life! For the better! What a wonderful, fantastic opportunity this has been for me. And to top it all off, I met the love of my life in Ajijic. In this incredibly small town, in a different country, here of all places it magically came to pass. So what, you might ask, has been so significant that I want to put it all down on paper and tell the world? Read on and find out how living in Ajijic has changed my life.

Coffee Vendor on the streets of Ajijic Every day street vendors set up their merchandise along the side of the carretera (highway) in Ajijic. Indeed, part of the color and flair of living in Ajijic (or Mexico in general) are the the street vendors. Day in, day out, you'll find these hard working entrepreneurs working to sell their wares from their 'street front' store. They all have their spots and are found in the exact same place day after day. As the seasons come and go y

I think it's safe to say that the months of April and May are the least favorite months for most of the expats living in Lake Chapala. Even though our climate here is touted as having the second best climate in the world, it does tend to get hot for a brief 2 months at the end of the dry season. The good news is that during this time the humidity is very low, around 15-40%, making it more bearable than if it was the same temperature along the ocean. But still, temperatures ca

Donkey on the streets of Lake Chapala How different is life in Ajijic compared to where you are from in the U.S or Canada? Is it possible for you to adapt to the unusual bureaucracy, driving, language, food and general overall lifestyle of the Mexican people? Depending on where you come from you might find that living in Ajijic is a little like living in the wild west. Laws are often only a suggestion and people do what they want to do. That's part of the reason why many lik