Best Real Estate Agency in Yucatan 2008
If you are living here in Yucatan, chances are one of the first things you did was to buy or rent a home.
While some of us were savvy enough or spoke Spanish well enough to trato directo (deal direct) with the sellers or landlords, many of us spent our initial days here with a helpful real estate agent. So we're pretty sure that almost every reader of Yucatan Living has something to contribute to this poll.
In order for a real estate agency to qualify for this poll, it must list and sell properties in and around the state of Yucatan. And it must also have at least one bilingual employee who can deal competently with English-speaking extranjeros.
Please consider a few other things when voting for the best real estate agency. Naturally, the best agency should hire and employ knowledgeable agents. They should know the territory, the process of buying and selling a house here in the Yucatan and how to get things done in this environment. They should treat customers well, with both patience and respect. They should have integrity (loosely defined as doing what they say they are going to do). They should be pleasant to work with, and after the deal is done, you should feel comfortable recommending them to family and friends.
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Some things we feel are not in the real estate agent's control, especially here in the Yucatan. We believe you can’t judge a real estate agent on how long it takes to buy or sell a house, for instance. Or on whether or not the seller or buyer had integrity. Or on how happy or unhappy you are with the house once you move in. Sometimes, forces of nature (or forces of Mexico) create havoc for the best of professionals.
We open this poll with five real estate agencies that work regularly with extranjeros, but this is certainly not an exhaustive list. New agencies appear on the scene all the time, and we are not the best judges... that's why the Poll is here for our readers to make their favorites known. So please vote (one person - one vote, please) and may the best agency win!
The Nominees Are...
Here in alphabetical order are the initial 2008 nominees for Yucatan Living's Readers Choice Award for Best Real Estate Agency in Yucatan:
Buena Vida Realtors – Run by Rupert Millautz, Buena Vida Realtors is a small agency that prides itself on providing good service.
Casa Blanca Real Estate – Probably the oldest agency that works with English-speaking extranjeros, the agency is run by Jorge Caceres with offices on the corner of Calle 55 and Calle 66.
Mexico International – Founded by Mitch Keenan, the first extranjero to set up a real estate agency in Merida. His team of agents is based out of their offices in the Fiesta Americana building next to the Sanborn’s restaurant.
Real Estate Yucatan – The husband and wife team of Gabriela Isaac and Alec Stephens, and Gabriela's brother Isaac Salim, run this agency. Gabriela and Isaac are Yucatecos and Alec hails from Mexico City, but spent many years working and living in the USA.
Tierra Yucatan – This agency is represented by Jennifer Lytle, her socio, David Palomo and a team of agents. Jen has traveled and lived in Mexico for over 30 years after moving here from San Antonio, Texas. Jennifer’s team works out of their renovated colonial office on Calle 66 in Merida’s centro historico.
Nominate Your Favorite
If you know the name of an agency that deserves to be nominated for the 2008 award, please leave a comment with the name of the company, the agent and the website address. We'll add them to the Poll. Nominations will be accepted until September 1st, giving everyone plenty of time to add their favorite agency. Voting will continue under the very end of 2008, and not a minute sooner!
Reader's Nominations:
Mayan Living - Jim Mann has run this very successful real estate firm for as long as we've been in Merida.
Mayan Realty - A local real estate firm owned by Jorge Mazún.
Bookmark Yucatan Living and come back often to see how your favorite agency is doing. Then, come back again in early 2009 to read about the winners of the 2008 Yucatan Living Readers Choice Awards for Best Real Estate Agency in Yucatan.
Comments
LUIS CARDENA 17 years ago
I can tell you that Mayan Living is the best real estate company in Yucatan. Jim and David are the best. They have great agents from Yucatan working to find them the best deals.
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Terry Bugby 17 years ago
I highly recommend Theo Mills with Casas de Luz Real Estate. He has successfully earned me 300% on my investments for the last ten years. We started together in Hawaii then San Francisco and now he is working out of Merida. He guided my wife and I through some ocean front land flips in Celestun and I earned 275% in one year on my investment. This company strives to earn you the best return possible. If you are looking to invest, develop or just make a land flip then Theo is the one I highly recommend.
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Copykid 17 years ago
We highly recommend Mitch Keenan, Eric Partney and Mexico International. When we first started and enlisted their services almost 4 years ago, we found them to be responisve and hands above the rest when it comes to honesty, true customer service and satisfaction. In fact, in our first "attempt" at buying a place, we regrettfully encountered owners with questionable tatics and honesty. Eric and Mitch went well above their "call of duty" to make things right, helped us to find the right home, and completely made our experience of home buying in Mexico a pleasurable one.
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Kris & Roy 17 years ago
Mitch Keenan and his firm Mexican International get our vote hands down.
We had contacted quite a few agents in our property search and unfortunately picked the wrong one on our first try.
After tears and heartache, we enlisted Mitch, picked another property and after a complicated transaction (multiple US Corps buying a Mex Corp) , we are happy owners in Mexico. Mitch is honest and professional. He promptly answered every email and believe me we had hundreds. Not only does he guide you through the whole real estate process, but he never hesitates to answer all of of our "living in Mexico" questions.
I think that what sets him apart from the others is that he and his firm are always there for you, not just handling the paperwork, but assisting with all the extraneous matters that really can be the most burdensome, especially to a foreigner, e.g. paying taxes, local market conditions, builder recommendations, etc.
We really had just an outstanding experience with Mexico International!
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sk 17 years ago
Awesome site, check it out! Jim has a great eye for detail!
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terob1 17 years ago
Hi Anny and Khaki
First of all, Casa Blanca was not one of the five, so no shadow shouId fall on you:)) Secondly I appologize if I come across as demanding, dissatisfied and grumpy, because that is not at all the case. In my opinion the country, the culture, the history and the Yucaytecos makes Yucatan one of the best and most beautiful places to go to or to stay.
I just wanted to state that, for whatever reason, I had difficulties establishing good contact with more than one real estate agent. But he was a very good one that I happily recomend to my "fellow man".
Take care and see you in June :))
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Jim Mathewson 17 years ago
JIm Mann at Mayan Living Real Estate gets our vote. We went through 4 realtors before finding Jim. Jim is the only person who showed us properties we wanted to see plus some he felt we should see, to give us a comparison of what was available in different areas of historic Merida. His dedication to his profession, his customers and the beautiful city of Merida is certainly a bonus for anyone looking to purchase property.
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Barbara Alexander 17 years ago
Mayan Living gets my vote, too!
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temple 17 years ago
Mexico International is no doubt the best. Completed several purchases through them and they get the job done. I have worked with another Gringo owned agency but had bad results and could not complete deals, bad titles and lousy follow up. Highly recommend working with Mitch, Eric or Malena when looking at properties. I believe they are the only firm with a US based escrow account.
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Noushin and Roger Shepard 17 years ago
Mayan Living has opened up a new world for us in Mexico. Jim Mann is a hard working and honest man (not always easy to find in today's real estate world) who has our best interests at heart when he looks for property for us. We are excited about our new properties in Merida and look forward to a long business and personal relationship with our new friend - Jim Mann.
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Anny 17 years ago
Hey, thanks, Khaki!!!! I don't know who you are, or even if you're male or female, but I LOVE your events column on Merida every week...I'm your biggest fan!I!
I answer e-mails 18 hours a day, too! ;-)
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