We have some goals for our trip in March to Puerto Rico. Most obviously, we want to look for a property to buy in the western side (Aguada, Rincon, Mayaguez area). This is difficult because in Puerto Rico there is no MLS (multiple listing service), so you have to go with various real estate agents to see houses and you have to look all over the place. The best place we have found so far online is Clasificadosonline. It seems that most Puerto Ricans haven’t gotten too much into Craigslist, which I think is an absolute necessity here in Colorado. But Clasificadosonline pretty much fills that need in PR.
Anyhow, it is difficult to gauge the market in PR because of the lack of MLS or central resource of properties. Plus, a lot of people sell as the owner without a real estate company involved at all. We are planning on seeing a house with a real estate agent (Jose Marti Realty) and asked if we could see others with him, including others he has listed and he tried to sell us a house-hunting service! ! For like $500 a day just to drive around with the realtor! That is ridiculous. I can’t imagine it is such a seller’s market that they are discouraging possible buyers through this “service”. If I were selling my house, I wouldn’t put it through this company just for that reason alone.
So our main goal is to find a place that works with what we are looking for (a little bit of land and a comfortable house that we can rent out a portion of, not too far from the beaches and a town) and put in an offer. We would like to close on it this year if possible. We are not sure if we would be moving out right away or what, but we would like to have a property ready for us.
Other goals include meeting some of our blog friends and enjoying Puerto Rico as we always do. We are flying in to San Juan, although I am getting very tempted to fly into Aguadilla, but we just never have before. Then from there we are taking a rental car to Rincon where we are staying as roommates with two women who rent out their house in that way. We talked with one of them on the phone and she sounds like she will help us out in finding a place as well.
We also found this great reggae musician, Mishka, and so we plan on listening to a lot of his music in the rental car while we are driving around.
I am so hoping you guys get a place so you can start your adventure, check out the coqui or rinconpr.com, sometimes they have nice places and not so expensive. Perhaps when you are at our party you might meet someone that might give you some leads…
Oh, I am not a reggae type of a girl, but love this one, I guess he is nice to look at too…oops I am a happily married woman! 🙂
We went to Yordan Realty in Mayaguez and flpped through books of houses and then showed them the one we ended up buying (listed by Marti Realty) and they arranged for us to see it. This was after driving around Boqueron, San German and other spots stopping and calling numbers on houses. I think they were kind of helpful.
You can fly from San Juan to Mayaguez for about 60 bucks one way and rent from Enterprise. Jeff always flies out of Mayaguez to San Juan since it is a much longer route going from Aquadilla to Seattle. It is a lot less hassle. It is a nice view from the small plane… something to consider.
I have a house for sale, in Anasco..close to all, http://www.rincon-vacationrental.com/Large%202%20Family%20Anasco%20House%20For%20Sale.html
There was a long article on the housing market in the Caribbean business news last week or the week before. You have to subscribe now to read 1/2 of their stories. I don’t know what they said.
I think the market here is in the tank. It’s a good time to buy but it won’t be easy. I think the sellers here don’t want to admit it’s a buyer’s market so they don’t reduce their price and as a result they don’t sell their house unless they get really lucky. It will be hard work finding the right place at a good price but the hard work is worth it. Why pay 20 – 30% more than the property is worth. I think houses are on the market here a long long time. A house is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it in a reasonable amount of time. For some sellers here they think reasonable time is a year or more. Our house is worth a million dollars if we just wait long enough (not in my life time)!
Rosa,
Thanks for the tips, and I’m glad you liked the music. I think he’s kind cute too (don’t tell Britton) ;-).
Jeff and Katrina, I’ll have to look into those ideas. Jeff, I think you’re right about the housing market there. Two houses we’ve been interested in we’ve watching since June, and who knows how long they’ve been up!
Hopefully we’ll get some motivated sellers…we’ll see. Maybe since the realtors aren’t selling as much that’s why they are looking for creative ways to make money (the house hunting thing). I am crossing my fingers to find something we can work with that is low priced.
Hi! Just found your site through Claire’s blog. Love your answer to why move to PR: Why not? leave behind the rat race and live in paradise? yes please! What an adventue… Look forward to following your journey as you work toward starting a new life!
Hi Jenny,
Thanks for stopping by! We are glad you like our blog. It looks like you are about to have a big move yourself! Thanks again for the comment 🙂
@Cassie: The airline that Katrina is talking about is Cape Air. There is a house in our little neighborhood for sale. It is on a few acres, 2 x 3bdrms and one 2 path. Concrete and pretty new.
I just discovered your blog and you remind me of myself when we left California to live in Belize in 2004-2005. Now we’re back in CA, and have just bought a house in Naples, FL, because we miss the Caribbean, yet wanted the amenities of the U.S. We still visit Belize and went through the whole real estate thing. I’m intrigued by your adventure as I have traveled and lived in Africa, and Europe, before moving to the U.S.
Stefan,
Thanks for the info! We’ll have to check out that house! What do you mean by one 2 path? I’ll follow up with you about it on Facebook! 🙂
GutsyWriter, sounds like you had quite an adventure in Belize! Thanks for visiting our site.
Just a testimonial (unsolicited).
I have known Jose Marti, Realtor (Mayaguez, Puerto Rico office) for over 20 years now.
He is ethical, honest and sincere. I have used him to find, purchase and sell property, and am about to list a 5 plus acre farm with view to the Carribbean sea located in Aguada, Puerto Rico on 441 (google maps satellite overhead URL is below).
https://goo.gl/maps/GFAGHeBPYi72 Multiple possible uses including a spectacular home site with or without an associated business or agribusiness in the back Farm – Finca).
Anyway, back to Jose – he is indeed knowledgeable about Real Estate, property laws and related, and has an intimat e knowledge of the Western side of the Island. I am unfamiliar with the service he offered you or that was alluded to in the older post but you do have an expert in this individual…Jerry J. Marty, MD email: interpathearthlink.net