Good Deals on Rentals in Cancun and Riviera Maya
If you are planning a move to the Riviera Maya or Cancun and you have yet to line up a new place to live then you may have come to the right place! Here is some advice on how to get the best deal when it comes to your rent. This three-part article will help you find the best deal on rentals in Cancun.
You may feel more secure having a place lined up to live in when you arrive, but we’d recommend that you hold off on getting a permanent contract place you’ve got your boots on the ground in Mexico. Here’s why:
1. Around 90% of Mexican properties will not be advertised online and/or in English – the ones that you find from home be aimed at the tourist market and so the prices will be higher.
2. More varied and reasonably priced properties can be found by pounding the streets in search of Se Renta (for rent) signs and checking local classificados (classifieds).
3. It’s always smart to see the property/area in question in person to get an idea of what your money is getting you.
So you see, a simple Google search will not get you the best deals on rentals in Cancun!
Our next piece of advice in finding a good deal on rentals in Cancun and Riviera Maya would be to brush up on your Spanish, or at least enlist the help of a friend who is reasonably fluent. Obviously learning Spanish will help you integrate and get good work, but there are more immediate reasons:
- The local newspapers and online forums like VivaStreet will have good properties advertised within, but are likely to be written in Spanish. In the case of VivaStreet you’ll find that there are also no email addresses left – you must call and converse with the owners.
- Not speaking Spanish, or speaking poor Spanish will immediately single you out as a foreigner and therefore someone who can afford to pay more. This means you will likely get hit with the “Gringo tax” which is pretty much a local tradition. This means that as an outsider, especially from North America, you are likely to be charged 20% more by the locals who will assume you can afford it. Passing as a local or getting a local to negotiate on your behalf could save you money.
Of course you will likely find that many landlords are bilingual, but this doesn’t mean they won’t slap the Gringo tax onto your rent! Even basic Spanish, however, will allow you to contact the owners directly which is a good start to getting the best price. You see the real estate agencies have their eyes firmly on the big fish that the tourist trade brings in, and they do, after all, work on commission.
Getting around the Gringo tax
Well, other than getting a good grasp of Spanish you can always try a few of the following tricks to get around the Gringo tax:
- “Well, I heard the going rate is…” – if you estimate a price 15-20% cheaper than what they first ask you can open a dialogue for negotiation that could net you a discount of 10-15%. So long as you are firm, polite and make it clear that you have other options this is a generally successful tactic.
- Enlist a friend – if you can find a friend who speaks Spanish well enough to pass as a local, or who is a local, you could ask them to call the landlords and check out the apartments for you. They would lock in a good price and then introduce you to the landlord later.
- Pay cash and commit – if you can commit to a longer contract, or you can pay cash upfront for a month or two in advance (or, better yet, both) then you might be able to net up to a 25% discount. Once you’re looking at 3 months to a year of commitment you’re in the right zone for a knockdown in price.
Apartments and houses
The most common types of housing found in the area are 3 floor apartment buildings which have one household per floor, and for this you should be looking at between $400 and $600 USD per month. Realistically, however, you’ll find the prices can vary from $350 to $1000 USD per month depending on the area, season and your negotiation skills.
A few important things to know.
Just like anywhere else, in Mexico landlords want some security and protection should the arrangement go south. Here’s how they get this security and peace of mind in Mexico:
- Contractual agreements; most landlords will insist on having a formal contract which details the terms of your tenancy, who is responsible for what expenses and duties, and which is drafted by a notary. This notary will generally be paid by you and will cost around $1500 to $2000 MXN (which is $87 - $118 USD). This will give both you and the landlord protection, however, and is a good idea.
- Security deposit; landlords will often ask for a deposit which amounts to 1 or 1.5 months rent. This is because you will not be asked to leave a deposit before you are connected to electric and phone services so if you skip out they get stuck with the bill!
Basically these precautions just set out who is responsible for what, ensure that the landlord has legal footing to evict unruly or troublesome tenants, gives them some financial security should things go wrong, and of course it lays out what you can expect and what is expected of you. Simple!