Buying a Home in Merida

It looks as if my minuscule budget of $60,000 was not impossible as many Realtors told me.  I had made it clear to my realtor that I wanted to see as many homes as possible...not just her listings. To her credit, we saw eighteen homes and I was able to narrow it down to two in Santiago.

I'm now in contract to purchase a two bedroom, two bath home with a wonderful backyard. High walls, shade and what seems to be great ventilation.

I now have a list prepared of what needs to be done to make the home rent able until I move.  Making improvements without actually being there won't be easy and figuring costs will be even harder.  I'll need to search the web to see if I can get a better idea of where I go from here.

I'm excited and happy even though it's 6 degrees and my new boiler stopped working twice in two days!

Where are the Bald Eagles?

Every winter for the past fifteen years the Bald Eagle population has been increasing here on the Hudson River.

In the 1990's, I volunteered as a docent at Trailside Museums and Zoo at Bear Mountain.  We have one Eagle in captivity there. 

                                                                     

Now before you get your knickers in a bunch, let me explain about the Zoo. 

Trailside was built in the 1920's.  Since that time, the only animals that have been on exhibit have either been injured or "imprinted".   Some, like the coyote and deer, have been raised by well intentioned people and as the animals mature, they lack any ability to survive in the wild.  Some have been shot, like our resident Eagle or struck by vehicles.  All the animals are native to Bear Mountain and Harriman State Parks. 

More people visit the Park each year than they do Yellowstone.  The park is located about 50 north of New York City and each weekend, thousands of individuals and families come north for a bit of fresh air.  If you're ever in the area it's worth the trip.  Weekdays are best.  You can also find Bald Eagles farther south, closer to New York City.

When I first started as a docent 20 years ago there were only 7 Bald Eagles that made their way to the Lower Hudson Valley to winter over.  Now there are hundreds that take advantage of the open water, road kill from the railroad tracks that run along the river and thousands of acres of undisturbed parkland. 

About 4 miles south of Bear Mountain is the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant.  I don't like it, but it does provide a great service.  The power plant is cooled by drawing in water from the Hudson.  This mean that the water in the area doesn't freeze, allow the Eagles to find a source of food they could not find farther north. 

Not my photo...but a typical view!

My home backs up to parkland and each winter I look forward to seeing Eagles every morning perched in an old dead tree behind the house.  They shout at each other or argue over a fish found.  Eagles are extremely vocal and once you know what they sound like, you hear them all around.  (One pet peeve is that they usually use the call of a Red Tailed Hawk in the movies when they show an Eagle...jeez).  The Hudson is a tidal river and the ice floes move past the house at a nice leisurely pace...great for birdwatching.

Unfortunately, that old, dead tree fell during Hurricane Sandy.  The weather has been mild and there's no sign of the frigid weather that drive the Eagles south.  It's almost Christmas.  Where are heck are my Bald Eagles!

Wishing all a peaceful and hopeful New Year!

What to do...what to do?

I'm flying solo down to Merida in January and am wondering what to do when not house hunting.

Here's a list of what I haven't done yet:

Wandered down Paseo de Montejo
Visited a museums or gallery
Been inside a church
Taken a cooking class
Gone to the English Library
Bought fresh flowers
Shopped in an outdoor market
Cooked a meal for friends
Purchased wine
Danced

And as for what I've done:

Eaten great street food
People watched
Read a book
Met some interesting people
Fallen more in love with Merida

I think this time I'll take a stroll down Paseo de Montejo.
I'll go into a gallery rather than admire the art through the window.
I will say a prayer in church.
I'll find a market and buy whatever looks good.
I'll buy flowers.
I'll find some wine and purchase several bottles.

Luz en Yucatan, has a communal kitchen.  I'm going to make dinner there and share it with whoever might be hungry at the time. 

And at the end of the day, my heart will dance.

Change of Plans

I'm off to Merida in January.  If I wait for family in March, it may not happen...and I'm ready to move forward. 

The contractor I'm hoping to use on any renovations is working on another property now and is available to look at possible homes with me to give me a "proper education".  I can read everything I can find on the internet about what to look for in a home in Merida but, without seeing it for myself, it's of little use.  I'm a visual person and I need to get up on a roof and see what's going on up there for myself.  With his help, I'll have a less rosy view of what I'm seeing in prospective homes.  It's so easy to get swept away by the romance of it all.

With my miniscule budget I need a better idea of costs and feasibility.

What a different experience it is looking for a home in Merida than here.  This search in Merida has me feeling a bit bewildered and somewhat intimidated.  I hope I make as few mistakes as possible.

Of course, I'll spend the last few days in Chuburna Puerto.  Flamingos Inn is the perfect place to end my time in Mexico.  Peace and quiet will make it easier to digest all the information I'll have to sort out.

I can't wait to get back to Merida!

Searching for a Home in Merida

I've finally gotten my brother and sister-in-law on board with the idea of my moving to Merida.  They're planning to come along when I return to continue my search sometime in March.

While they're not making this purchase with me, they have many opinions about what I should buy.

Their list includes:
Curb appeal
Two bedrooms
Two baths
A renovated Colonial
Safe neighborhood

My list includes:
Outdoor space with possibilities
One bedroom
High ceilings
In Centro

All this with a total budget of $50,000. 

I know that seems like an impossible task and maybe it is, but I'm going to see if it's possible. 

I've been in touch with the couple that built a friend's Bed and Breakfast in Chuburna Puerto and has worked on other homes in Merida.  They've been very straight forward...pointing out difficulties I may encounter but also encouraging me to
look for a property that will work for me.  If I do find any possibilities in March, I'll have them take a look and slap me into reality.

I follow a wonderful blog "Imagine Merida" and the author's most recent post has given me a lot of food for thought.  He talks about his current renovation which has now become almost a complete rebuild...the homes he and his partner saw that they passed on...the modernization of colonial homes in Merida.

As a Realtor, I've got one thing going for me that many buyers don't.  I know what people want in a home is rarely what they need.  You may want it, but unless you're Ina Garten, you don't need a professional kitchen with stainless appliances, two ovens and granite counters.  You may want an enormous Master bedroom with room for a California King and an en suite bath, but most of us spend realitively little time in the bedroom and bath other than for the reason they're there in the first place.  No matter how large the bed, my body still takes up only a certain amount of space. 

I have shown hundreds of homes and can usually see beyond the dirt and disrepair but I'm no structural engineer, electrician or plumber.  I know what I can do and when a professional needs to be called. 

I've owned five homes in my life.  From a tiny condo to a beautiful contemporary mentioned in Architecture Digest (back in the days of my evil ex-husband who had money but no soul).  I've learned that I'm happiest with 1,000 square feet.
All I need to a grill to prepare just about anything (I've even made homemade chocolates on an open fire...no small feat).  I need counter space because I'm a messy cook...a good cook, but a messy one.  And I need a garden.  Green space with comfortable seating.  A dipping pool to cool off in would be nice too (that's the unrealistic side of me rearing it's ugly head).  There are still possibilities in Merida and I'm hoping to find the one that's right for me.

Which brings us back to my family's idea of what they think I need, and what I know I need.  I know they're coming from a good place.  They want the best for me...and I want what works for me.

Packing The Five Senses

It seems as if I'm giving more and more thought to my actual move to Merida and what I'll bring.

I won't be bring furnishings.  Here in town, several homes along the Hudson were lost during Hurricane Sandy and once everything is sorted out I know my furniture will come to good use.

Some older books will have to come with me.  It's said that of all the five senses, smell is the one most closely related to memory.  I can open a book and the scent of the pages brings me back to my grandparents' home on the Long Island Sound in the 1950's.   It was a magical place and our refuge from New York City summers.  I've vowed never to own a Kindle.

Looking through my mother's old photo albums reminds me of her sense of adventure.  Her holding a three toed sloth somewhere in Central America or the photo she took with a disposable camera of Denali from a small four seater plane.  I can see her the way I remember her...smiling and alive. Those albums will have to come too.

I'll take a few old kitchen items that you can't seem to find anymore or that work better than anything made today.  There's the aluminum cookie press with the little discs that we'd take out every Christmas to make sugar cookies.  We'd put those horrible, tiny silver balls on them that would crack a tooth and red and green sugar sprinkles.  The taste of a sugar cookie can carry me away to every happy Christmas I've known.  Oh, and my grandmother's hand grinder will have a home in my new cocina too.

My thirty eight year old, handmade Favilla guitar will end up in Merida also.  For years, I played regularly and occasionally made a little money playing a few gigs.  Haven't played for years but I'm thinking that living in Merida will allow me time to pick it up and play...if only just for my own enjoyment.

Then there's my mother's Chiwara.  It's a beautiful Mali headdress that stands close to three feet high.  She bought it  just when her sight was starting to go.  She said she would still be able to appreciate it when she could no longer see.  I'll also bring the pieces of Inuit soapstone she left me.  She liked to think of sculpture as Braille art.

I have a friend in Chuburna Puerto who relocated from Norway.  He brought his great grandparents' clock, his clothes and two massive Greyhounds.  The dogs were shipped to Mexico City and he drove the 800 miles east.  Temperature might have been the reason.  I've read that you can't transport animals if the temperature exceeds 85 degrees Fahrenheit at time of takeoff or landing.

Figuring out how to get my things to Mexico is going to take a lot of planning but I've got to find a house first.

Shoes, Pottery and a Passport

On my trip to Merida in September I made sure to take a trip to Ticul.  Ticul is known for two things…pottery and shoes.  I’m no shoe whore but I do have a brother and nephew who both wear size 15 shoes and thought I might find someone who could custom make a few pairs for my favorite men. 

Unfortunately, 99% of the shoemakers in Ticul produce shoes for women.  With the help of a local hotel manager I was able to finally hunt down someone who will be able to accommodate me.  On me next trip I’ll bring extremely large tracings of their feet and contribute to the local economy.

As for pottery, I stopped by the only pottery shop I could find in town and wandered through shelves of ‘Mexican Suns’, planters and glyphs.  Suddenly I was drawn to a corner of the shop and found a jar with a skeleton straddling the face of the jar.  It wasn't "pretty" but I felt that I had to have it.  Hands on hips and a bit defiant but also very comforting in my eyes, which suprised me. 

The pottery here isn't poured into molds and fired in machine made kilns.  It's crafted by hand and fired in a decades old, wood fed kilns.  For a piece to come out unscathed shows remarkable skill that has to be admired.

The owner of the shop told me the figure on the jar was Cimi.  Cimi is often associated with death.  As best as I could gather, he represents the opportunity to let go and remember spirit…of transformation and change…of having faith in the Universe and evolving past victimhood.  Contribution to society and sacrifice for others are also virtues of Cimi.

My mother passed away this summer at age 82.  She was my best friend. 

She was born on November 1^st…Dia de Los Muertos.  She faced many losses and challenges in her life.  Widowed at 32 and then again at 63 she never played the victim.  She had amazing faith and while she was a churchgoer, she always thought the most beautiful cathedrals were found out of doors.  Denali, the mesas of New Mexico, the forests of the Pacific Northwest, the Hudson Valley.  She volunteered and found ways to contribute long after her sight and body had failed her.  Her reward for all her efforts was that at 82, her mind and spirit were younger than I remember as a child. 

I have never believed that a person’s physical body represented who they were.  I believe that those that have passed on are still very much with us. 

And my point?  I misplaced my passport five years ago.  Before leaving for Merida, I knew I didn’t have much time to replace it.  The night before I was heading downtown to apply for a new passport I had a dream and in the dream, my mother appeared and said, simply “You know where it is”.  I woke up, went to the closet, grabbed an old purse I'd forgotten about and spilled it on the bed. Out fell a journal I didn’t recognized.  The journal fell open and there was my passport.

Thanks Mom.  Thanks Cimi.