Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/3607
* * * Dock at Costa Baja Resort and Marina in La Paz, Mexico where you can play a Gary Player golf course and enjoy 24-hour security. Find long-term dockage for $9.90/ foot/month at sunny Baja Naval, a marina/ boatyard in Ensenada, Baja Calif. Join a flotilla that goes south from California to explore the coast of Mexico on the way to Panama. Get on the wait list for a new marina on the island of Cozumel that will have berths for 330 boats. Many good things can be said about houseboating in Mexico and other Latin American countries. There's the low cost of living, great weather, friendly people. There are many minuses in being an ex-pat but by retiring to Latin America, living in your boat you can afford a higher standard of living while having the adventure of a lifetime. Each country is different, so it takes hours of research to get a true picture of life south of the border. Here are some references to get you started in researching life in Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica and other dream locations. Mexico Alive, based in Puerta Vallerta, lists "Things You Didn't Know About Mexican Real Estate." Their claims, of course, need to be verified before you buy waterfront property or a dock. They say: Property in Mexico can be part of your self-directed IRA. It must, however, be treat- ed as an investment for tax purposes. Check with your tax advisor. At MexicoAlive.net it's reported that property values in some Mexican markets have doubled in the last five years. Of the 4.1 million Americans who reside in other countries, about one million live in Mexico. American banks including Wachovia of- fer fixed rate mortgages in Mexico accord- ing to Mexico Live, which says you can also buy property there with U.S. title insurance and with a reverse mortgage. The company offers free "get acquainted" weekends. See GetIntoMexico.com Lots, houses and waterfront property with dockage are available. A new book, Retirement Without Borders (Scribner, $19.95) by Barry Golson is a South Of The Border By Janet Groene, with Gordon Groene living 18 Houseboatmagazine.com