 
Buying a home in Mexico always starts with a dream. Perhaps you have been on vacation, in Playa del Carmen or Tulum, and think “I would like to retire here somedayâ€. Then each time you return, you start imaging little by little; what life would be like living in paradise? Your mind enters a place where you have a beautiful home right on a perfect stretch of white sand beach and have the luxury of waking up to the beautiful ocean right outside your window every day!
Perfect dream! And while some people have the means to create their dream home with endless possibilities, we have to admit that in most cases we find average people, on a budget, that want to make the dream of living in paradise a reality!
I have some general tips that can be helpful to think realistically with your budget, and not get disappointed when your budget cannot meet your dream. Thinking realistically can be incredibly helpful to put your mind at ease and create an exciting experience!
Establish a good picture of your financial situation!
- Know your budget and secondarily know what is your max limit (remember HOA fees, closing costs, taxes and title    fees will be included into this number)
- Establish how you will get the cash and if you will need financing
- If you will need financing, what is within your means to acquire it? (home equity, personal loan, payment plan from developer)
 Once you have answered these questions you have good information to present to your Mexico real estate agent who can help you search for the best properties.
Search within Reality!
Once you have established your budget you can look for homes only within that limit. This is important because it gives you the correct search criteria to enter. Searching within your reality criteria gets you excited about the things you can accomplish and won’t leave you disappointed by what you can’t.  This prevents over dreaming!
Identify what you can live without!
Most often times, we think only of what we need! But while we are getting all wrapped up in the things we want, we forget that identifying what we can live without can be a huge help while searching for a home; and can certainly help you to stay within your budget.
The longer list of “I need†items that you hand to your agent, the more tedious the search! Presenting your wish list with priorities, leaving those not so important at the bottom, will open up many more possibilities. It is not impossible to find a property with many affordable amenities but sometimes you can’t find everything you are looking for in one space.  Your buyer’s agent will do their best to meet all of your needs and expectations within your budget.
A little creative thinking never hurt anyone!
Working on a budget can sometimes be difficult especially if our ideas of what a home should look like exceed what the budget allows. The key here is to use your imagination and creativity when you are looking at homes. If you walk into an empty space try to imagine it with all of your things, with your favorite wall color, and some decorations. You can do so many things, its only limited to your imagination. Working with a smaller space or a difficult layout does not mean that you have to sacrifice style and class. Home is what you make of it.
Your dream of living in paradise is absolutely doable. There are many exquisite and beautiful areas of the Riviera Maya with affordable living. And you can enjoy the beach and the ocean every day! For more information about great retirement friendly homes near the beach, click here!
—
Andy Welbourne, from London, Ontario, has been living in Playa del Carmen and working as a part of the team with Thomas Lloyd for 7 years. He has worked with many Canadians and Americans to assist in finding their dream home in the Mexican Caribbean; many of these clients have turned into great friendships. Contact Andy at (512) 879-6546.
The TOP Mexico Real Estate Network; “Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely!â€
