Adventures in casa hunting

One of the reason we went to Mexico was to start looking for a house to rent. We started house hunting on day two and spent a full day with a peppy, giggling, botox-induced agent looking at about 20 different houses to rent until we thought we'd drop over from exhaustion. We had very few stipulations, just one really: we wanted something completely finished. We didn't even want to hear that a pipe needed tightening or a door hinge squeaked or anything. We will be after all on renovation hiatus(!!) for three solid years...god that feels good to see that in print.

Surprisingly most of the houses we saw were modern as this seems to be the predominate style in big city Mexico, so you can forget all your notions of a lovely hacienda* with that gorgeous inner courtyard--Frida's house *sigh* I was a little disappointed about that and kept trying to get the agent to show us more traditional homes. This only caused her to show us houses with garbarge in the bathrooms, broken toilets and knee high grass. To her, or at least to Mexico, traditional seems to mean neglected. We ended all that very quickly and got back on track. "Okay, okay just show us the gringo, expat homes in the gated communities" and that was fine because that's what she wanted to show us anyway so everyone was finally happy.

I won't complain because from there on out we mostly saw dream homes. Homes with enormous picture windows, open living rooms and large open spaces everywhere you looked. Lack of character? I didn't complain once! It was like we were in the European version of the Beverly Hillbillies, "yee ha! pack up the truck hunny we're movin'!"

I guess what really shocked us the most was the low rent in Mexico. A particular house we looked at had five enormous bedrooms, a bath in each of the four bedrooms, marble floors, maids quarters and a two car garage and rented for just over a thousand dollars. It was a Barbie Dream House that in France would not exist but if it did would cost three times that price to rent and probably be situated on the Mediterranean. After living in 65 square meters for four years and showering outside we were in awe. "You mean we all get our OWN shower?" we said each time we saw a house.

We loved that outdoor living is so embraced in Mexico. All the homes had huge, glass back doors that opened to a nice courtyard or at the very least a 50 meter grassy patch, perfect for year round barbecues. There was always a brick privacy wall around the back which seemed to protect you from prying eyes or in our case escaping toddlers. We loved that.

We have asked if we'd be eligible to rent the Barbie Dream House and we should hear back from the company on that soon. Unfortunately the company decides nearly everything in expatland so sometimes I feel like Seb is working for The Firm. Meanwhile here's a sneak peek so you can see what we drooled over. Click on it for a better look because if you're nosy like me you'll want a better look.





We are more than pleased to go modern for a few years. I wouldn't want it for the rest of my life but I have to say I do like it. Everything is so clean. Everything is so perfect; built for today instead the 15th century (like our house). Seb, like most Frenchies grew up in old, skanky France so he is really into modern houses. He was in heaven but I wasn't so sure until I started seeing more homes. Now my only fear is that I will become spoiled. For example in the kitchen in that particular house there is room for a double wide refridgerater in the fridge nook! All of the houses we saw had this. How can I go back to 250 litres after that I ask you? What will it do to me? I am a ruined woman from here on out.

* If you have a house to rent in Mexico like the one in the top picture give us a call...by all means I beg of you!