L.A. Times article Report: Mexico's tourist zones much safer than many in U.S.

Now Mexico's real estate industry is fighting back. A day before President Barack Obama visits Mexico to discuss, among other things, the troublesome drug war issue, RE/MAX Investment Properties issued the results of its research claiming that tourist zones in Mexico are up to 26 times safer than many tourist zones in the United States.
Among its findings: The state of Baja California Sur, which includes some of my favorite destinations such as Cabo San Lucas, La Paz and Loreto, has a homicide rate 26 times lower than Orlando, 18 times lower than Miami, 17 times lower than West Palm Beach and 12 times lower than Tampa and Honolulu.
(Note to self: Stay away from Florida!)
Almost ditto for Quintana Roo, which includes Cancun and the Riviera Maya.
The report used some of the same sources Outposts has used, including a daily tally of drug cartel-related homicides kept by Excelsior newspaper, which through Tuesday listed only one homicide in 2009 in Baja California Sur (compared with 115 in the northern state of Baja California, which includes Tijuana), and four in Quintana Roo.
The report also states that BCS has a homicide rate 39 times lower than Washington D.C., 19 times lower than Houston and 17 times lower than Dallas. There's lots more but the point is as clear as a glass full of blanco tequila, which may or may not be offered to Obama.
-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Dolphin goes airborne at Cabo Dolphins facility alongside the Cabo San Lucas marina. Credit: Pete Thomas / Los Angeles Times

Mexico-our New Winner

 Mexico-our New Winner

Moving up four places to take our top spot as the world’s top retirement haven this year is Mexico. Mexico offers the perfect mix of centuries-old traditions and contemporary lifestyles. Moving to Mexico means you can still have all of the amenities you grew accustomed to north of the border: cable TV, high-speed Internet, and modern home appliances. And if you prefer, when you move to Mexico you can even bring all of your favorite things with you without paying import taxes.

Goods and services cost less, so you can afford the kinds of luxuries only the very wealthy enjoy up north: a maid, a cook, and a gardener for example. In your retirement here, you’ll have time to volunteer at the local school, time to golf in the mornings, time to relax on the beach…time to savor life.

Whether your vision of the ideal retirement involves shopping, fishing, sunbathing, diving, biking, mountain climbing, parasailing, collecting crafts, visiting archeological sites, partying, going to concerts, attending the theater, or fine dining, in Mexico you can engage in all of these activities, and many more.

How our Global Retirement Index is scored

* Real estate. Countries where real estate prices are low and the purchase of real estate is relatively easy receive the highest scores. We use our own experiences plus reports from our contributing editors and real estate contacts around the world to rate each country. Weight: 15%

* Entertainment, Recreation, and Culture. This category considers the number of newspapers per 1,000 citizens, the number of museums and cinemas per capita, the number of university students, the literacy rate, and the variety of cultural and recreational offerings. Weight: 10%

* Cost of living. This score is based on statistics from the Indexes of Living Costs Abroad, Quarter Allowances, and Hardship Differentials, published by the United States Department of State, and on data published by Business International. We also use our firsthand experiences living and traveling in these countries. The lower the score, the higher the cost of living. Weight: 20%

* Safety and stability. This measure of unrest in each country is based primarily on Interpol data and State Department statistics. It also takes into account the civil liberties and political rights granted by each government. Our own experiences and reports from expatriates living in these countries also influence the safety scores. Weight: 5%

* Health care. Considered in this category are the cost of a typical visit to a general practitioner and the cost and coverage particulars of health insurance. Weight: 20%

* Climate. Countries with temperate weather throughout the year, moderate rain fall, and little risk of natural disaster come out on top in this category. We use data representing each country as a whole instead of favoring one region over another. Weight: 5%

* Special benefits. This category considers government provisions that make moving to and living in each country easier and more affordable for foreigners. Taken into account are property rights for foreign residents, property tax rates, duty-free imports on personal belongings, currency controls, employment restrictions, voting rights, and transportation discounts for seniors. Weight: 20%

* Infrastructure. This section considers the number of cars and telephones per 1,000 residents, the length of railroad track in usable condition, the number of airports, the quality of the country’s road and highway network, and the availability of telecommunications. Weight: 5%

If health care is a concern, you should know that in much of Mexico the health care is first rate. Private clinics and hospitals are staffed by expert physicians (many of whom trained in the U.S., Europe, or in Mexico’s own world-renowned teaching hospitals), and medical care and prescription drugs will cost you only a fraction of what you would pay in the States. In our Index, Mexico scores 79 out of a possible 100 points in this category.

Mexico is such a diverse nation that everybody can find exactly what they want. You don’t have to choose between water or mountains; here you can have both. And because of geographic diversity, you can also choose the climate to enjoy during your Mexican retirement: from hot and dry in the north, to hot and humid in the south, to spring-like temperatures all year round in the Colonial Highlands.

You can also own the home of your dreams in Mexico-for much less than it would cost you most anywhere in the U.S. or Canada. The real estate market offers endless possibilities for your retirement. Mexico receives a high score of 84 in our Real Estate category. Despite what you may have heard, it’s not too late to buy real estate here.

You can own beachfront-not just ocean view property-in Mexico for less than $100,000.

Once you decide to move to Mexico, it’s difficult to know where to go-it’s a big country. Below are the 10 places we think make the most sense for expatriate living in this country, based on criteria such as health care, climate, infrastructure, and housing costs. These are places our husband-and-wife team in Mexico, Dan Prescher and Suzan Haskins, have personally scouted and personally recommend above other options in this great big country. They are: Rosarito Beach, Puerto Vallarta, Quer?ro, Mazatlan, M?da, La Paz, Campeche, Playa del Carmen/Riviera Maya, Ajijic/Chapala, and Sayulita/San Pancho (San Francisco). Of course, we’re not forgetting San Miguel de Allende, one of Dan and Suzan’s favorite places in Mexico. Suzan recently reported of this town: “San Miguel is one of the prettiest towns in all of Mexico. Stepping into San Miguel’s Centro is like stepping back in time…but with all of today’s modern conveniences.”

In second place…
Ecuador

Ecuador always does well in our Retirement Index,.....

Top for Europe

Italy comes third in our Index this year with high scores across the board. It’s difficult to......

Why Panama fell from glory?
Panama won our Retirement Index for six years in a row. But, it’s fallen from the top spot....

Mexico drug war doesn’t stop Americans from moving south of the border

‘As safe as Seattle,’ says a transplant to Mérida, Mexico, where there is no sign of the violent drug war waging in the north. Expatriates are fast buying and renovating colonial haciendas.

By Sara Miller Llana

Mérida, Mexico

Bill Engle is outside, sweating in work clothes while he oversees renovations to his colonial house in Mérida, Mexico. It sits on a street dubbed “Gringo Gulch,” a pretty row of baby blue, violet, and mustard facades where expatriates outnumber Mexicans.
“It is not the climate,” says Mr. Engle, explaining why he moved to the Yucatán Peninsula. “It is the people. It is the most welcoming place.”
Americans scared off by violence in Mexico? Not here.
In towns far from the US border such as Mérida, Mexico’s drug wars seem like another world. In fact, according to a recent survey by the International Community Foundation, violence reduced the frequency or duration of trips to Mexico for only 7 percent of American retirees who live or travel frequently to Mexico.
No one knows how many foreign retirees, entrepreneurs, and families relocated to Mérida in recent years, but judging from real estate deals, new members to the English-language library, and observations by locals, it is not a few – nor is it ebbing.
'As safe as Seattle'"I feel more part of a community here and safer or as safe here as I did in Seattle," says Martha Lindley, a retired chaplain and lawyer who moved here three years ago.
Of 5.25 million Americans living abroad, 1 million are estimated to live south of the border. Some communities, such as San Miguel de Allende (a Heritage Site in central Mexico), seem virtual US suburbs. Mérida is becoming a magnet as transplants rush to buy old mansions and haciendas from the 19th century boom in henequen (a fiber used to make rope).
"I do not feel any violence here," says Dan Karnes, a retired lawyer from New Orleans who moved here last year. He purchased an 18th-century colonial mansion, last used as a warehouse, and on a recent day was overseeing workers digging a pool foundation and laying an oval courtyard. When done, Mr. Karnes will boast an 18,300-square-foot home.
Mérida housing market rebounds with retirees Mérida became a hot destination five years ago, says Mitch Keenan of Mexico International Real Estate. He's sold homes here for 15 years. While the global recession hurt sales, he says the market is rebounding and sending in more well-heeled retirees.
With America's baby boomers retiring, potential for further growth is huge. The International Community Foundation found that Mexico remains their retirees' No. 1 travel destination. The possible extension of Medicare benefits to Americans who retire abroad could further fuel that.
Ellen Fields and her husband, Jim, run the site Yucatanliving.com and help expatriates settle here with the company Yucatan Expatriate Services.  "It is so neighborly," she says. She once left her keys in her door; instead of getting robbed, the keys got returned.
Locals say foreigners blend easily with the city's 1 million residents.
Alvaro Martinez and Sara Lopez, who moved to "Gringo Gulch" 70 years ago, long before it earned its nickname, are one of two Mexican families on the street. "They are good neighbors, there are never any problems," says Mr. Lopez, his arm draped around his wife. "They are moving in all around us."


csmonitor.com

"Where the River Turns"

Crime in Mexico vs. The United States

CRIME in the USA vs. MEXICO:

on a personal note: I have traveled every state in Mexico except Baja Norte and have always felt safe while driving during the daylight hours. After dark, I am just worried about wandering livestock. In the state of Sonora there are scenic routes where you may not even see another vehicle for hours. Having been there recently, I can say that I felt every bit as safe as driving in Arizona and safer than many places I routinely drive in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama...

• Just about every country in the world is now experiencing increased crime rates. However, there are usually safe areas in every country where the crime rate is lower or non-existent. The U.S. State Department put out a warning about the violence in Mexico. The report states that 128 Americans were killed in Mexico between January 2006 and December 2008.
• Looking more closely at the data for the northwestern part of Mexico, including Rosarito Beach, Ensenada, Mexicali, San Felipe, Tecate and Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point) had 42 Americans killed, from all causes (there were at least four suicides) in the last three years combined. Those are the largest tourist areas of Northwest Mexico, excluding Tijuana. In Los Angeles County, there have been 103 murders in the last six months. In 2008, there were 324 homicides in L.A. County. People in Los Angeles would probably say that there are certain unsafe areas to avoid. According to the latest FBI crime statistics, Phoenix, AZ is the kidnapping capital of the US. People in Phoenix would probably say that there are certain unsafe areas to avoid. People living in Mexico would say the same thing.
• For more than a dozen years more than five major US Motor Coach Tour Companies travel the Mexican Copper Canyon route every week with around 40 older/retiree passengers per coach. They travel through Nogales to San Carlos, then through the Copper Canyon, then up through Chihuahua and Juarez. There is even one company that travels exclusively from El Paso/Juarez to the Canyon and back; the areas covered by news reports. That's over 7000 tourists per year. In all those years, including 2009, there has not been one incidence of drug related violence against any of them.
• Recent FBI statistics show the murder rate per 100,000 inhabitants in Baltimore is 43.3, Washington DC is 29.1, and Detroit is 47.
• Mexico, which suffered an especially violent year in 2008, recorded a murder rate of about 10 per 100,000 inhabitants. Life is statistically far more dangerous in the north.

More information from the latest 2009 US State Department Travel Advisory: While millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year (including thousands who cross the land border every day for study, tourism or business), violence in the country has increased recently........Common-sense precautions such as visiting only legitimate business and tourist areas during daylight hours, and avoiding areas where prostitution and drug dealing might occur, can help ensure that travel to Mexico is safe and enjoyable........U.S. citizens should make every attempt to travel on main roads during daylight hours, particularly the toll ("cuota") roads, which generally are more secure. I think the scenic routes are entirely safe in Sonora.....



Reports of violence are extremely overblown. Some recent visitors to Mexico say the reports of disorder have been overly exaggerated. Paul G. from Arizona said "I would definitely say that the impression that the Americans get in the media is more intense and hyped-up than reality." Richard L. from New Mexico said "Millions of people go to Mexico every year without any incident whatsoever. However, I never drive my car at night and I always use the toll roads rather than driving through towns and cities. It's faster that way, too." Henry G. from Nevada said "The situation is grave in some sense, but it's not that significant for most tourists......But people need to be careful and stay informed where the major incidences are happening." Nancy K. from California said "People who know Mexico will keep going. It is less expensive than many places, and it is easier to get there." She continued "But then, I'm cautious. I don't do stupid things. I dress appropriately and I'm not rude to people. I try to speak Spanish as much as possible," she said, "These are all the things that I do as a traveler anywhere." Looking at crime statistics, it would appear that Americans are safer in Mexico, especially Sonora, than they are in many parts of the United States. There is violence in Tijuana and other border towns, however generally the violence is Mexicans against one another (much like gangs or gangsters of 1930's Chicago prohibition), the vast majority of Mexico's murder victims are themselves involved in the drug trade. This is also true with kidnapping, it's not tourists or snowbirds. It's also important to remember that the rise in violence is due to the pressure being placed on the cartels and corruption by a Mexican President and new administration that is dedicated to clean things up and removing as much corruption as possible.