Our little Bonus!

As a Harley rider, Matt was pretty excited about our little casa's bell...

Stay tuned for information on the best flea market ever, held weekly in Cancun...plus, the flamingos in Celestun and the Carnaval in Merida!

Pablo the Electrician Comes to the Rescue!

First visit we met Pablo through Florencia from SalesPuerto.  He and a crew member came and re-wired our air conditioner.  Then the big job--moving our electrical wires so they interfere so much in our back neighbor Mauricio's yard. The electrical meter is on his outside wall--no electrical wiring on our street at all...

yea! Progress!

Pablo wasn't happy with the arrangement-our meter being on the street over--difficult to get an electrical bill, too...so between November of last year and our visit now in February 2012 he contacted the city and got them to bring electrical poles and wires onto our little street!

our new electrical meter of our very own!

Look at us now!!

electrical wiring and light pole!!!! YAY!

Sigh, life is good!

Bigger Changes

upstairs front window with flamingo stained glass

upstairs back window

Matt wanted some air flow in the upstairs loft/bedroom and the two windows weren't set up that way...so he contacted Florencia at SalesPuerto and her brother and friend Gustave made three new windows and a new screen door-two upstairs windows and the one in the front bathroom which really HAD no window...and I am afraid of geckos, so...

front bath iron and screen

new front upstairs window

rear upstairs window

front bath new window

new side screen door

next entry--Pablo,  the fabulous electrician in the Colonia...stay tuned.

Making Changes...

I get to go see the house for the first time in July...three months after the purchase--better see what I got myself into, eh?
The poor little home is under attack from a pair of fixer uppers! Matt is a mechanic, and wants everything to work perfectly, and I am a home decorator with no training at all...so, the changes start right away.
First purchase was a welcome sign...

"Belize" curtains ordered from BB and B

and the awesome indoor/outdoor semi-sheers we found at Bed, Bath, and Beyond...

originally looked like this...

Then, off to one of the three Walmarts in Cancun (where they have covered parking, by the way) and Home Depot. We purchased a microwave and some plastic items--plastics work best in this climate but are EXTREMELY expensive compared to the states--bring them from home if you can, along with ziplock bags.  We have brought down so much in checked baggage--and haven't been stopped by Mexican customs once in Cancun. That includes bringing a skill saw, power drill, sander, pots and pans, a mattress pad, colorful fiesta towels and plastic dinnerware from Target, numerous small tools, snorkeling equipment, a Scentsy warmer and bars, two quilts, goose down pillows, kitchen gadgets, and on and on...remember that the exchange rate is not as good during high season when all the tourists are there--when the rate is 13% or higher, buy more pesos and keep them til next time!!

From Walmart-about 590 pesos

the rolling cart was about $36 at Home Depot-bring them from the States!
      

On the Calle With No Name

Eddy, the previous owner, was a stained glass artist. Lucky for us. We will keep it all and frame some for art. Whoo-hooo!

Before I went to Celestun, I thought flamingos were tacky Florida wacky touristy fare! Now I LOVE them--give me all the flamingo art I can find!

THE House!!

Matt, the newlywed of only over a year, was headed to Mexico to purchase a home without his new bride seeing it!! Scarey, huh? Yeah, he felt the pressure. To the tune of a $437 phone bill. And numerous pictures. Want to see some?

That was it! The iron gate did it! I would do anything to have that iron gate! Instant love :)
Soooo, Matt drew up the deal, and made plans for finalizing it the following February 2012.
Mexican Home Ownership! US!

Finding our Home in Puerto!! EUREKA!

In April 2011 I was perusing Puerto real estate, as usual, when I found a listing I had not seen before--in PESCADORES! It was shown on the salespuerto website-http://www.salespuertomorelos.com/
Travel Treasures, a company run by a woman from Minnesota--Marilyn O'Connor, was the listing agent.
http://traveltreasures.com/
We discovered her webcam awhile ago and had been watching it frequently when feeling homesick for the Mayan Riviera...a little picture of paradise...http://traveltreasures.com/webcam/

So, I frantically forwarded the listing to Matt. He emailed Margarita at SalesPuerto right away!!! And booked a flight the next day!! We had a feeling we didn't want to let this one get away.

Looking for a Home in Puerto

Matt had previously found a property to purchase in Colonia Pescadores, near highway 307 that stretches between Cancun and Playa del Carmen and beyond. That small Pescadores area is home to numerous fishermen in Puerto, and his top pick of where to live.  Town and the beach are farthest to the east...then the mangrove swamp directly to the east...then Pescadores...then the highway. On the other side of the highway is the Colonia and Villa Morelos 1 and 2.  I will try to find a map--I know it sounds confusing!!!

Here is another google map to click on :)

http://www.travelyucatan.com/puerto_morelos_mexico.php

sooooo, back to the story....Matt's house deal fell through....sad, sad, sad, he had thought he was on his way...

After our February 2010 trip  we started investigating all the real estate sites in Puerto--finding that prices were going up, up, up! Oh no, were we too late? Was the window of opportunity closed?

In June 2010 while visiting Puerto again with my mom, daughter Tia, and son-in-law James, we scoped out a few properties...villas morelos 1...

and Villas Morelos 2...both west of the highway...http://www.villas-morelos.com/

things just didn't feel right...

Home Again!

We come home to snow, so it is a good day to blog and get things rolling!

I will start at the beginning of our journey. My husband Matt and I were married a little over two years ago. I am from the Seattle area; he is from Minneapolis area. I teach elementary school and have taken a year's leave to live here in Minnesota and spend daily life with my husband!! 
He has been going to Mexico annually for over 20 years and decided LONG ago that a retiree's life in Mexico would be his ultimate dream. I had only been to Mexico courtesy of Tijuana taxis and Royal Caribbean cruise ships :)  So Matt's experience is leading out! Our first year there together was two Februarys ago, when we stayed in Puerto Morelos near the beach at a wonderful group of properties called Abbey Del Sol.

Matt outside the entry to Abbey Del Sol Two on Ninoes Heroes in Puerto

Entryway at Abbey Del Sol Two

Casa Mulder on Ninoes Heroes-rental home we stayed in June 2010

www.abbeydelsol.com

Abby and Tiff and their staff are so great! Tiff helped me retrieve sunglasses I left in a cab and saved Matt from a very frustrating cell phone disaster. Abby was a life saver when Matt had a medical issue and needed a doctor to come down from Cancun.  When tropical storm Rina came through town, and we were down to do home cleanup, they gave us a special rate on a room until we could stay at our home again. They are an excellent example of Puerto Morelos people at their best! Thanks, Abby and Tiff!!

our new town--Puerto Morelos

Better LATE than never, they say!

We are buying a home in Mexico! Wow, I keep saying that to myself...one day I will believe it! I have decided to publish our journey/adventure, hoping it will help others and possibly purge myself of all my fears :)  I should have started this last April, when we found the house. But I will get you all caught up, really quickly!