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
Tony & Maureen Barber 17 years ago
When we found a house on the beach three years ago, Mitch and his team helped and supported us through a few problems (not of our or his making). I found the team of Mexint to be very fair and trustworthy and count them as good friends.
My wife and myself vote for Mexint and would recommend them to anyone buying.
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elizabeth 17 years ago
I was happy with the service I received with Tierra Yucatan, except that huge unpaid phone bill that I inherited along with the title. Make a big point of making sure that has been handled by the RE agent. I have noticed that Merida Homes, who Joel DeLeon Garica runs, has often listed their prices a few thousand dollars lower than the same houses listed on other RE websites. Good to know!! Joel is a good man and I know several people who have had good experiences with him. If the house you select needs renovation work consider checking with the Profeco Consumer Protection office before you a contractor.
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Sam Garcia 17 years ago
Mayan Living is one the best real estate companies in the Yucatan. The owner is an incredible man of honesty. He does business in a true and good way. He is a joy and a dear friend.
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Jonna 17 years ago
I also had a great experience buying a house through Mex Intl and Nelio Ricalde. Nelio was fantastic, he knows Merida thoroughly because he was born and raised here, he speaks excellent english and he just went way out of his way to make everything work out for us. I now consider him a friend and that says a lot for how above board he was and how happy we are with the purchase.
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Mitch Keenan 17 years ago
Hi Patti,
Hope you come back to read comments here.
I have been in Costa Maya for the last several days. The satelite internet there is kinda sketchy due to tropical storm Arturo. We just got back to Merida (30-minutes ago) and am checking email. A friend had emailed me your comment above.
I do check and answer my email daily unless there is no way to connect to the internet. I do not have any emails from you in my inbox (sorry). Sometimes cyberspace is strange and emails don't arrive or get filtered out. Please do email me again and I will reply asap. miguelsmexico@yahoo.com
I remain at your service.
Sincerely
Mitch
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Linda 17 years ago
My vote is OF COURSE to www.realestateyucatan.com. Thanks Alec and Gaby !!
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Sheryl Watt 17 years ago
I can say without hesitation that Jim Mann is honest and extremely knowledgeable and a pleasure to do business with. He certainly has my vote!
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Patti Rogers 17 years ago
My husband and I are looking closely at purchasing property in the Merida area. We have contacted both Mitch Keenan and Jim Mann, each on more than one occassion. To date we have received only one response from Mitch, which led us to contact Jim Mann, and none from Jim Mann. This has been our only experience thus far and as you can see it has not been very successful.
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Kent Chesnut 17 years ago
I first met Mitch Keenan when I retired to Mexico and bought a house in 1992. Over the years I have known him to be honest, intelligent and a very hard worker. He deserves all the success he has achieved. My vote is certainly for his company.
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Michelle 17 years ago
We had the good fortune to work with Rupert, Anna and John at Buena Vida Realtors when we purchased our most recent house in Merida. While the other agency we worked with on a prior house purchase (Mex Intl) did a great job, the personal attention we received from Rupert and his staff far exceeded our expectations.
We would highly recommend them to anyone thinking of purchasing property in the Yucatan.
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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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