Penthouse Available! After two years in this beautiful, affordable apartment, I have decided to move to a house in TJ (yard, garden, storage, shop, hot tub??-well, maybe). I am giving up this amazing apartment. It is located at 7350 Aldama (one bloc north of Alende). Alede is 9th Avenue after it goes up the hill west of Revolution. The apartment is the entire top floor. It has three bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, fireplace, bar, kitchen, three security doors, floor to ceiling windows the entire North side (view of San Diego). I don't know what the rent will be but I am paying $650. The manager's number is 685-01-94 (from the US 011-52-664-685-0194). The only downside is inadequate parking but there is secure parking around the corner for $25/mo. The other down side might be that this is a quiet, upscale place with good families. It tends to get very quiet after 7 or 8pm. Discrete guests should be no problem but have a care. The manager's husband is a high ranking cop and will not tolerate riff-raff. I really hate to give this place up but expanding family needs dictate a change. Available August 1 (possibly July 15).

Pagan, geesh you have been living the high life

Sounds like a great place I wish I was single I would take it in a heartbeat, good luck

I actually may be interested. I have a great place now on the golf course but also two roommates. Been thinking of getting a place on my own.

jesse

Jesse put me down as a party crasher from time to time. This does sound like a very nice place. Thanks Pagan for offering it

What is the US cell phone reception like up there?

In general it is pretty good. I have Verizon but I'm told Sprint is better here. Usually I have a strong US signal. Unfortunately up on this hill and so close to the border the phone gets confused and can swerve back and forth but usually it's US.

Gentlemen

Need some advice. I am thinking about a move to work in San Diego.

Is it possible to live in TJ and work in the north part of SD? I think the job site in near the trolly. What is involved in living in TJ (permits, visas, etc?) Any thought or advice welcomed on list or private.

Thanks

Sandy

From Escondido to the TJ border is about 50 miles. The Trolley only goes as far north as Qualcomm. From there you can take a bus. When you talk about North SD, the trolley goes nowhere near there. As far as living in TJ, you really need to know your way around to know where to live and not have problems. Also, you will want to get a SENTRI pass in order to facilitate your crossing. That will run you about $150 and take a month or so to process. Renting decent place will cost you about $350 - 400 minimum.

If you are talking north S.D. (city of) and not north San Diego County the trolley may work. You definitely don't want to drive across in the mornings (1 -2 hour wait). You won't really need a permit to live here, just if you are going to work in Mexico.

I've been here three months and love it and already feel more at home here than in the U.S. Just don't drive in zona norte (see my post below).

DrEvil

I am in the process of obtaining an appartment with two chicas (SGs) and their 5 kids. I still am waiting for the supposed owner to appear or I will not cough up the bucks.

The story seems to be changing as we go along. I do not know if it is the maxican thing about being "approximate" about facts or if the chica is fabricating a story.

But we will have written contracts and I will see the owner's ID (he is from the U.S.) or I don't provide cash.

We will see how it goes.

Mr. "once bitten twice shy" (Senor Pauncho

Hey drevil,

Where abouts do live in Mex. I'm lookin for a place to rent and am always in tj. Any advice???

I live in Colonia Chapultepec on Sonora, an upscale neighborhood near the Grand Hotel. We have the penthouse in our building, 3 br/2 ba with a great view front and back for $900. There are two smaller units in our building for rent currently, I'll check on the prices next week.

DrEvil

For my apartment, everything turned out OK.
A 3 bedroom ground floor condo apartment with large living room and tiny kitchen.

2 SGs and their 5 kids hold down the fort during the week. Total cost deposit $250, rent per month $250, 6 month lease.

The landlord is very different. A mexican who has lived in the states for ten years and is now definitely a foreigner as mexican landlords go.... He fixes everything that breaks .. rather rapidly.

The average mexican landlord just lets everything goto hell.

One interesting aside, he'd like to sell the place for $ 45,000 Dollars. It seems a little high to me, but I'd like feedback from anyone.

My GF (putanovia) doesn't seem too thrilled by the new arangements, but as I told her, she hasn't invited me to live with her....

And if she chooses to depart, Mexico does not lack beautiful women.

And if my roommates move out on me, I know a couple more SGs that I would love to live with. they could pay the rent with "payment in kind" (services).

Anyway, now I can register with the goverment that I live here which is a requirement for renewing my "FM-3" (Forma Migatoria # 3 de Extranero) in January.

Wish me luck.

Oh, my apartment is in mid-scale (for Tijuana) Colonia El Mirador. Many Amercans would consider this sub-standard housing.

I like it just fine. Quiet, low-crime, 10 minutes from centro via (frequent) taxis de ruta (65 cents) or 35 pesos in taxi libre.

>he'd like to sell the place for $ 45,000 Dollars. It seems a little high to me, but I'd like feedback from anyone.

Shouldn't you get a knowledgeable estimate on the value of any real estate before buying? Presumably Mexico has real estate appraisers. I'd say call one located near the place if you're serious. And if they say it's worth $45,000, I'd offer him $30,000 - then see where it goes from there. You never know when someone will take an offer below what they would "like" for a place.

"Just don't drive in zona norte"

Why would you say that?

Because the cops will stop you in the zona for no reason figuring there is a good chance you have been drinking. They will then use any angle they can to extort a bribe from you.

In the past six months I have been stopped five times and always near the zona even though most of my time is spent in other parts of the city.

SP who is furnishing the apartment? You or the SG's?

dear hombres,

Thanks for the info guys. And if anyone comes across a good deal as far as rent drop me an e-mail jbr1176@aol.com.

The SGs have beds and not much else. I just bought a mattress and have yet to buy sheets, pillow, blanket, and my own television.

I spent 750 pesos (U.S. $75) on minor items at Solo Un Precio (Mexican 99 cent store) yesterday.

I will also need to buy my own television for my room. We stil don't have table and chairs.

I will probably spend more money spoiling the kids than their moms as I enjoy doing so. I think I'm taking the kids to the movies today while their moms work.

An added plus is that my putanovia has suddenly gotten much more attentive and loving. She senses "risk of loss" in this situation.

Maybe I should not have signed a six month lease as she might now invite me to move in with her.

She just made a comment about how I now have more kids to spoil....

Actually there is one huge disadvantage to living in Tijuana that hasn't been discussed.

Pepsi DOES NOT distribute Mountain Dew here. I don't know why, I can get all other Pepsi and Coke products, 7-up, Gatorade, Red Bull, everything but Mountain Dew. I smuggle in about three cases a month.

I smuggle in two cases of Rockstar.

dr pepper is not available either and there diet pepsi isn't even close to the diet pepsi on the other side. now if you drink diet pepsi, then you know what i am talking about---if you see it in zona norte check the date, cause outdated diet pepsi just doesn't cut it, and someone brings that outdated stuff to zona norte and sells it to a couple of stores.

And the rest of the story is ........... ?

Dr. Pepper is available in Monterrey, though usually only at 7-11 (not OXXO) which is starting a MASSIVE expansion in NE Mexico. Diet Pepsi is not only available everywhere here, it's also dirt cheap.

Pacifico is only now becoming widely available here. It's sold exclusively in cans.

And whoda thunk it, as this is the HOME of Tecate's parent company, but Tecate being sold in caguamas is a recent development.

If you like mole try the mole pablano at Cazuela de Mole in Rosarito about two blocs north of Nidos Steakhouse next to Banamex, west side. Fantastic stuff. 58 pesos.

While we're talking about soda pop in Mexico, does anybody know the deal with Coca Cola Light? It tastes so much better than Diet coke, I always get it in TJ.

Allansmithy
Both Coke and Coca Light test better than the Coke and Diet Coke in hte states. Not sure why ?

It is made with sugar in Mexico.

Interesting encounter with the police the other night. They stopped me in the zona and said my passenger did not have a seat belt. They went in to considerable detail about how much this was going to cost in money and time but I calmly said no problem, I will gladly pay at the central station at 8th and Constitution. Slightly flustered he asked for my registration. Unfortuanately I said it was with some papers i Puerto Nuevo. He got excited and said well, you might lose your car and that is going to cost you even more money and time. i said no problem. Lets go to Central. He said you go, we will follow. Three blocs later he pulled me over and told me no ticket, just have your papers next time. Moral of story. The cops get nothing if you go to central and they just might get in trouble for harrasing a tourist. Finally a friend who was ticketed for doing 90 on the Cuoto paid a whopping 8 dollar fine.

Sounds like a very cool spot. Cel phone (ESPECIALLY SPRINT) should be "wall-to-wall." I just moved into a 4 bedroom new house in Las Pinas for $450 a month (about 2000 sq ft) and about 10 miles in. My sprint service works perfectly.

I would be careful who I let in though. I understand Milky was thrown out again because of make-up problems.

By the way Milky, getting close to printing business cards.

Country John

Hola CJ

Your a do-er where others are just all talk. Glad to see things are progressing.

I am thinking about getting a 2 bedroom in Otay. It has gated parking and an intercom. Rent would be $225 each. Anyone interested?

I thought rent was less expensive in Otay? For $450 I think you should be getting a 4 or 5 bedroom place. Milkman lives out there, so the rent must be less expensive.

Depending on where you live 450 will get you a very nice place. Otay has many mexican Americans living there which is driving the rents up. They also have lots of new homes that are being built and rent for those I am thinking will be around 5 to 6 hundred dollars. They are very nice.

In this case, the extra I think is for the added security. Several places are available for less, but there is a parking risk for example. Whereabouts are you living Milkman? How's the dating service going? By the way, what's the name of your girlfriends familiy's restaurant in San Bernardino. I was talking to one of the sisters when you had your get to gether way back when and I can't remember what she said it was called.

They're here now installing SKY. 299 pesos a month, 199 for 'contratacion', 1170 broken into 3 payments for NFL Direct Ticket. 1st month supposedly gets me the 'works' package. The bitch: It's an 18 month contract, and who knows if I'll still be in Mexico 10 months from now?

If I was looking for a nice safe place in TJ for a single male, not to big, with internet access where would I look these days and what would pay?

Looking for one bedroom? You can probably find real nice places with one bedroom for $300 US. I live in a two bedroom for $200, but it is not nice or safe...but that is me.

I paid $33 for cable television and high speed internet last month. Cablemas is not available everywhere, but there are other options like Telnor and Sky.