Puerto Vallarta: What It Takes To Be An Expat. We are often asked for our advice from people who want to move to Puerto Vallarta. They have myriad questions and are terrified of doing the wrong thing. Frankly, there is no wrong thing. Unless you break the law or do serious damage to someone’s reputation, including but not limited to your own. Reparations can almost always be made. Here are a few things about making it easier, at least for the mind, if not the soul.
You are planning to move to a Latin country. Learn to relax. Be patient. Forget about wanting and getting everything right now. Sometimes you’ll be lucky and that will occur but don’t ever, ever expect it to turn out that way. If you train yourself to slow down, you will live longer and be much happier. You will also live like an expat, a person who has chosen to take on the culture and habits of another country. In Puerto Vallarta, we are not in a hurry.
Be nice. One thing we love about Puerto Vallarta is we never walk down the street without being greeted, regardless of the time of day. When we walk the pup, everyone is friendly; one of the first things we added to our daily repertoire. The idea of saying hello and good-day to strangers is not just appealing, it makes one feel good! Smile. You can change a person’s entire day just by smiling; the bank teller, grocery clerk, water delivery man, taxi driver… they will appreciate it. Smiling doesn’t only make you look better; it also changes your attitude.
Prepare all your documents so they won’t need renewing for a long time; your driver’s license and passport, for example. Switch your credit cards to online so you can pay bills online. Alert your bank and other institutions of your move. We have Amazon in Mexico now and you will be able to order locally. Change your delivery address with them and make sure you have address changes updated prior to your move.
Don’t bring everything you own. Whether you are moving to Puerto Vallarta and pulling a trailer or driving down in your Mini Cooper, bring only what you absolutely think you can’t live without. If you have to store the rest of your belongings and bring them at a later time, you will know at some point you have made the correct decision.
In the process of doing your diligent research before making the big move to Puerto Vallarta, don’t believe everything you read or hear. Be prepared to make a lot of your own choices.
Que es cómo es.
Thanks to Boardwalk Realty guest blogger Adam Garcia (opinions expressed are his own)
Here are a few of our guiding principals at Boardwalk Realty:
“First of all, we really want to get to know you,” When we know you, we can tailor home tours to your tastes.”
Secondly, there’s the legal side of owning in Mexico. “Besides our own experience, we can save you a lot of time and money by offering you complimentary consultations with our partner attorneys. The nuances of how you buy here can save you a lot of money when you sell. It’s important to know what you’re doing on the purchase so that when you sell you can best use any tax advantages. This service is free to our clients and can be invaluable.”
Both partners agree that the most important element of Boardwalk Realty is our ongoing service and commitment to our clients after the sale. We are both passionate about protecting the investment and security of our clients. “Our clients become our friends, we see them socially, and we treat them as we would like to be treated ourselves”, adds Mike.
Boardwalk Realty Puerto Vallarta represents buyers and sellers of real estate in the entire Bay of Banderas area, and will soon add a rental and property management division.
