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San Miguel de Allende: A Thriving Small Town Community

1 December 2008 9,609 views 3 Comments

By: Charles Sipe
san-miguel-de-allendeThe New York Times recently featured Mexico real estate in San Miguel de Allende, a Spanish colonial town northwest of Mexico City. The article describes the influx of Americans who are taking up residence in San Miguel and how this has affected the quaint town with deep roots in Spanish colonialism. In twenty years the population has doubled to 140,000, with American expatriates now making up about 10% of residents. Real estate prices in some areas have tripled. The cobblestone and Spanish architectural structures clash with the modernization and commercialization that have sprung up such as the new shopping center and the Starbucks location. Developers have built a gated community with haciendas that range from $350,000-$750,000 and include amenities such as spas and golf to attract American retirees. Despite the rapid growth and development, San Miguel still maintains a lot of its authentic and small town feel according to people interviewed by the New York Times. One resident called it a "Berkeley for retired people" while another said it had a "bohemian feel". Prices are above $300,000 for about 1,500 square feet in the middle of town, and less expensive property can be found further out from the city center. Currently underway is a large new development called Artesana Rosewood with 120 planned units on 14 acres in the "centro" area. The units start at 1,800 square feet and are reported to range in price from under $1 million to $3 million. San Miguel's small town atmosphere that has attracted many American's in previous years may be in danger as development and commercialization creeps into the picture. A Walmart is on its way and a six story condominium unit was fought by protesters. However, culturally rich cities like Mazatlan have shown that you can balance a traditional feel with modern development. The story talks about fears that too much development will change San Miguel from a small retirement community into a resort, but financial turmoil may help slow growth to a steady rate so this is not the case. Modest growth will help preserve the attributes that make San Miguel an excellent choice to establish a home. Source: The New Old Mexico Image Source Esparta

3 Comments »

  • Donna Meyer said:

    While it’s true that San Miguel de Allende has changed, and continues to change, it really has kept that small-town, close-knit feel. The new shopping areas are at the edges of town, not in the historic center. Everyone walks a lot, so you run into friends on the street. And the “Wal-Mart” that just opened is not a Wal-Mart at all, it is a Bodega Aurrera, a discount warehouse store owned by the same Mexican corporation as Wal-Mart.

    The 140,000 population figure is misleading since that’s for the entire municipio and includes all the outlying pueblos and small ranchos. The urban population of San Miguel itself is said to be more like 80,000.

    And while you can quite easily spend a million dollars on a home in the centro, you can also find one at the edge of the center for under $200,000. And rentals have dropped pretty dramatically, a good option for those who aren’t sure if the San Miguel lifestyle is for them or who need a place while they look for “home.” Also, though $50 gourmet meals can be found, they’re not the norm, and it’s still easily possible to eat a good, authentic Mexican meal in a local restaurant for around five bucks and change.

    Another point: San Miguel is not only for retired ex-pats. More and more young Americans and Canadians with families are moving to town. This is a dramatic departure from a decade ago, when young foreign families were the exception. Now they are becoming the norm.

    If your readers would like to know more about San Miguel de Allende–and look at many photos of this beautiful, magical World Heritage Site–they can visit About San Miguel de Allende at http://www.experience-san-miguel-de-allende.com.

    # 2 December 2008 at 10:16 pm
  • Posts about Mazatlan Real Estate as of January 13, 2009 | Mazatlan Mexico, Travel, Real Estate, Hotels, Resorts, Culture & Leisure, Tours & Activities Weblog said:

    [...] a Comment San Miguel de Allende: A Thriving Small Town Community – mexicorealestateinvestment.org 12/01/2008 The New York Times recently featured Mexico real estate [...]

    # 13 January 2009 at 4:38 pm
  • David MacLean said:

    Homes in San Miguel are among the most magnificent in the world. Over several decades, many of the colonial gems here have been lovingly restored and returned to their regal glory. In addition, many new homes and developments in the area are the creation of the world’s most talented architects and designers. So whether it be a charming entry level home, or one of the many luxury show properties in the area, San Miguel is a real estate lover’s paradise.

    Now is the perfect time to buy real estate in San Miguel. Join me for exciting real estate home buyer tours to San Miguel de Allende.

    # 29 October 2010 at 12:51 pm

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