Dan Ressue and his wife had spent many years as tourists traveling around coastal Mexico. Numerous trips to Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel and Puerto Vallarta convinced the Ressues that Mexico was the place for them to retire, so they looked for a beach house in Laguna Bacalar.
"We've always liked the Mexican people and the culture," said Ressue, the general manager for an auto dealership in Windsor, Colorado. "In Mexico, they're always grateful to have us there, and always hoping you'd come back. They're very polite. We've never been a place in Mexico where that wasn't the case."
Searching for a beach house in Laguna Bacalar
They really liked the Gulf side of Mexico, so they started looking there. After doing some research on the different areas, Ressue settled on a beach house in Laguna Bacalar.
"When I was looking for rentals on the Gulf, we ran across an ad for Bacalar, so we thought we would try that area," Ressue said. "Once we got there, it was magical. We knew without question that was where we wanted to be."
The dream of a beach house in Laguna Bacalar attracts many people to the exceptional clarity and blue shades of its fresh water. Filled with tropical trees and birds, it is a peaceful place where one can truly relax and enjoy nature.
Limited budget frustrates dreams of a beach house in Laguna Bacalar
Ressue had a major problem, though, in his limited budget. Most prices for a beach house in Laguna Bacalar were far out of reach.
One local Bacalar realtor didn't seem to think they'd be able to afford a beach house in Laguna Bacalar at all. Even though Ressue had come down to Mexico for eight days, the realtor only spent an hour showing him any property.
"He might've thought we were dreaming because of our limited budget," Ressue said. "We never felt he was too interested in helping us buy."
Finding the perfect beach house in Laguna Bacalar
During that visit, Ressue met Steven Sohrakoff, who put Ressue in contact with Mr. Gary Walding of International Holdings & Trust. In less than a day with the two of them, Ressue found his beach house in Laguna Bacalar.
"[They were] able to find something we could afford and weren't too busy to work with us," Ressue said.
Another benefit to the partnership was that both Sohrakoff and Mr. Walding had previous sold property to people that Ressue knew.
"We felt we had a bit of a local connection," Ressue said. "The fact that we shared some acquaintances made us feel a little more at ease."
Convenient location for a beach house in Laguna Bacalar
The beach house in Laguna Bacalar that Ressue ultimately bought was tropical jungle property near the tiny village of Buena Vista on the freshwater lake. However, it was still only 20 minutes from Chetumal, the capital of Quintana Roo, the state in southeastern Yucatan.
"We liked the fact that it was about as far away from resort Mexico as you could get," Ressue said. "It's still old Mexico for much of the area. There is a very small community of expat Americans and it's close to city of Chetumal. Even though we were in this remote area on this freshwater lake, we were still 20 minutes from a major city."
Right now, Ressue plans to start clearing the property later this year, and then start building his beach house in Laguna Bacalar next year. He hopes to be moving down there within the next two years.
Mr. Walding continues to help him throughout the entire process.
"Gary has kept us posted every step of the way on the process of buying the property, and extended us all sorts of offers to help with cleaning the lot, with construction, and put us in touch with people to get over all the legal concerns," said Ressue. "He's really good at follow-through and keeping in touch."
Retirement in Mexico could be a reality for you as well.
Call International Holdings & Trust today at (785) 783-4790 or email them at info at bacalarviews dot com to see how they can help you secure your own Mexican beach house in Laguna Bacalar.
