garyngo

Can you post or PM me with his contact information?

Thank you.

Hi,

When I first looked at Playas, there was a nice furnished efficiency for $500/mo., I know they would accept a 1 mo. stay, I am not sure about 2-3 weeks.  I wish I had their contact information but I don't, they were located about 3-4 blocks from the beach, but I can't remember where since I was not familiar with Playas then.

A gringo I know living in Playas told me about someone he spoke to from LA who rented a room for $500/month at Hotel Leon with his girlfriend and child.  He does not know if it was an efficiency or just a room, but he mentioned that the staff there worked very hard to keep him happy due to the high vacancy rate of the hotels in Playas.  Many of the hotels in Playas have a sign that says $20, but I am not sure of the details.

My landlord has 2 empty 2br/1ba apartments in Playas near the park, both have a stove but no refrigerator, washer, or dryer.  They are very basic and not very cosmetically appealing e.g. walls are probably dirty or have some paint peeling, etc.  I asked him about a short-term rental, he said he might be interested at $20/night, minimum of 2 or 3 weeks, I can't remember what he said for the minimum.  He would have to hook up the gas, electric, and water, so you would need to arrange this with him in advance of your arrival.  I believe my landlord is dependable for essential issues e.g. water, electric, gas, etc.  He has a poor record of fixing minor problems - small water leaks, painting, etc.  If he told you he was going to paint the apartment, etc. there is a good chance he will not get it done.  To be honest, there are probably much better options for you.  But if you are interested, let me know and I can find out more.

Good Luck.

That sounds like a great fishing trip. I am interested in the fishing and accommodations information.

Thanks

Hi Ryan,

I currently live in Playas.

I am not sure if it is technically legal, but I see cars and dogs on the beach all the time, so I don't think you will have any problems.  But since you have a big dog, you might want to keep a close eye on him - there are lots of Chihuahuas here and I have heard that other dogs find them particularly tasty.  I have seen Pit bulls and Rottweilers on the beach only a couple of times, but their owners seemed very attentive, so I would not think that would be a problem.

The northern end of Playas has most of the conveniences: shopping malls, grocery stores, banks, restaurants, etc. and I think because of this it is more expensive than the southern end which is more private.  The best value for rentals seem to be on the southern end.  There are many empty apartments here and it is definitely a buyer's market.

If you are in the area, I could meet with you and show you around, and share with you my knowledge of Tijuana, which is very little.  But I could probably introduce to a couple of friendly gringo neighbors who know Tijuana and Mexico well.  One is only in Tijuana 30% of the time but the other is here all the time except weekends.

Please be careful of the ads in craigslist, etc. that are in English directed towards gringos.  Not only are many of these people dishonest, but these ads only represent a very small fraction of the actual available rentals.  Hopefully when you get down here, you will have the time to walk around to call numbers found on se renta signs.  

If I were to do my apartment search over again, I would have a Mexican that I could trust research an apartment that I was interested in, negotiate the best terms, without ever mentioning that it is for a gringo.  A Mexican acquaintance of mine would get offered $250 for the same apartment which was offered at $350 to me, and the landlord would assure me how great of a deal they were offering me.

My landlord is a dual-citizen of Mexico and the U.S. and is a very nice guy, the apartments that he rents would not suit you, so there would not be a conflict of interest.  He is not in Tijuana all the time, but if he was, I am sure he would help you out.  One tactic you could employ is look at an apartment you are interested in yourself to find out the details.  If you are interested in the apartment, my Mexican landlord could look at it and negotiate the best terms, not mentioning it is for a gringo.  Then you could choose the best terms.

Good Luck.

I no longer have an immediate need for one, but I intended to use one to look at apartments with me to negotiate terms.
I still think it would be nice to know someone since in the future I might need one.

I could not find an interpreter that I was comfortable using, so I ended up making 3-way phone calls with a gringo friend in the U.S.  

I wonder if it might just be better to use a professional bilingual lawyer with a good reputation.  A lawyer that had good working relationships with judges, police chiefs, and could navigate the legal system for the best interests of his client.

How much does a good lawyer in Tijuana charge?
Not the rate for overcharging gringos, but the rate a regular Mexican would pay.