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
Lizard 17 years ago
Mayan Realty is a new business (1 yr) run by Jorge (George) Mazun who has been selling realestate in the area for years for some of the compainies on your list.
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terob1 17 years ago
Hola
I have just closed a contract on a beach house in Chelem(and paid:)) .I used the 2007 readers choice as my "short list" to get started. Here are the highlights (and lowlights) of my experience:
-- In November 2007 I mailed the 5 nominated agencies with my shortlist of "demands" and said that we would come in March 2008 to look and possibly buy. A list of matching prospects would be highly appreciated.
-- All 5 answered and wished me welcome
-- One enclosed a list and kept in touch for the next two months
-- In February 2008 I send our schedule to the 5 nominated agents and suggsted the dates that would be most suitable for "inspection" of prospects in RL
-- 2 answered, one (Fernando) with a long list and confirming two dates, one confirming a date and advicing that there would be a USD 60 charge for gas for his car
-- In March we spend two whole days with Fernando(in his car, no gas charge), looking at 10 houses, beeing guided, given very useful information on all sorts of things, basically haveing a good time and at the same time diving into the coast real estate market
-- Decided on a house a week later, Fernando met up with the architect (Henry Ponce) who had a direct line with the owner, negotiated price, agreed on what should be changed/finished/sorted out etc. And we agreed there and then.
-- Met with Fernando and the owner two days later at Fernados office. All contracts and paperwork sorted out in English and Spanish. And everything was signed.
-- Then directly to the notario choosen by me (based on your recomendation) Alvaro R. Baqueiro Caceres where we had his daughter Enna Baqueiro Rodriguez as representative. Everything impecable and nice.
-- Two days later Fernando took me to the notario again, where everything with fideicomiso and purchase was prepared
-- Papers signed and we returned to Europe
-- For the next two moths Fernando has pushed and controlled for the things that should be sorted out on the house, and we have communicated by mail. Reported mid May that everything was sorted out according to agreement and plan
-- In three weeks we will return to Chelem and spend time in our new house for the first time. Fernando has again offered his assistance with some practicalities the first day and arranged with plomero etc for a "crash training course" on gas, valves, tanks, septic, pumps etc.
-- As I suppose you have understood by now I was not very impressed wit 80 % of last years nominees, but can give you an absolute recomendation for Fernando Berdichevsky from Mexico International at First Amercana. He is a true proffesional, and if you experience the same level of service and dependability as we have done, you will find that he most likely beats any real estate agent you have met, whichever country you come from. Tell him Tor from Norway is depending on him :))
CUANDO SE ACABE EL MUNDO, ME VOY PA' MERIDA!!! (or maybe Chelem:))
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