I work from home, just visited puerto rico, and want to relocate. Give me your thoughts! (real estate, lease)

[michaelintents]

So I work from home online and have the luxury of selecting where I live. My fiance and I just got back from a week long trip in Puerto Rico.

We did not have what most people would consider a normal vacation, we spent every night in a different area except for one (Isabella, Rincon, La Parguera, Fajardo, Vieques, Fajardo, San Juan). We also stayed with locals via Air Bnb the entire time. We only spent two days on the beach, finding far more enjoyment in going to markets, salsa dancing, and caving/hiking.

A little about us and our needs/wants, I am from a tiny town in Ohio and am familiar with the idea of living in a far less metropolitan area. For my career as long as I have reasonable internet speeds (at least 10 mbs) then I am good to go. I love hiking, outdoors, and I am a bit of a loner in regards to nightlife etc.

My fiance is born and raised from San Diego (although she grew up in the sticks outside san diego so she is comfortable in less metro areas as well). She is a surf/ocean person and could live at the beach every day, she is adventurous and a recent college graduate (well technically not for another few months). In regards to her career she is open to either A finding a job within her field (pr, hr, or grant writing) or possibly starting her own business.

Neither of us speak spanish, but we are completely open to doing our best at learning it.

We fell in love with the west coast specifically my favorite city was Rincon and her's was La Parguera. If we moved we would buy a house (for us the price of real estate in Puerto Rico is a fraction of San Diego).

What I'd love to hear is things we haven't thought about in regards to pros and cons, if things go as planned we would move there spring of next year and possibly have our wedding there instead of here as well.

[CSD610]

Visiting somewhere for a week on vacation is very different than the day to day real life non vacation responsibilities one will have.
She may not be able to find a position in her field of study so there should be a back up plan just in case.
You need to do some research and find out what exactly is involved in actually living in Puerto Rico as well.
When residing there I doubt there will be markets daily and salsa dancing every night so you need to look at the actual cost of living, the financial situation, can you own or will you have to rent, can you work there, get a drivers license, banking, vehicles, health benefits/insurance, etc. etc.

[STT Resident]

I'd add too that if the need for an internet speed of at least 10 mbs is a significant factor in your decision, do your research well. The max in this neck of the woods is around 5 despite all sorts of promises and predictions as the technology is overhauled.

[db4570]

I say go for it, but have a backup plan. At your age, even if you only stay a few years, this could be a great opportunity, and something you will always look back on as a great adventure. I think you'll do fine. You can learn Spanish quickly (you'll need it away from SJ) , and fake your way through it until then. Puerto Ricans enjoy helping gringos learn Spanish, and tend to be very helpful in general.

I am not that familiar with the west coast, but it is supposed to be very nice. The closer you get to SJ the crazier it will get.

Be prepared to deal with a gruesome entrenched and useless government bureaucracy, a lot of noise and litter and petty theft and bums, and a real manana work ethic. Electricity and cars are expensive. Rent seems to be cheap. Food and other consumer goods seem to be about the same as the US.

I have been thinking about relocating or buying a second home in PR for many years, but I am getting more nervous about the gradual worsening of the economy and crime. It's a big "if", but if the US economy slides into serious trouble, which I think is possible, I picture Puerto Rico suddenly being seen by the US as an unnecessary burden, and given its independence which so many Puerto Ricans want. If that happens, the Puerto Rican economy will essentially collapse, and crime and chaos will flourish. Maybe not like Haiti or Venezuela, but close to it.

So I would rent rather than buy. If the s*** hits the fan, you can easily bail.

My 2 cents.

David

[michaelintents]

Thanks so much for the thoughts guys! We did a lot of research while on vacation, as I said it wasn't all coconut rum and suntanning.

As far as my fiance finding work, it wouldn't be a huge problem if she couldn't find something quickly. The decrease in living expenses for us along with my salary would be more than enough. Also as mentioned she really likes the idea of starting her own business, both of us being very entrepreneurial.

I believe we would buy a house, and although we would be in the west coast. Actual internet speed would be a factor in which home we purchases (to ensure we don't end up in the sticks).

For example can anyone give me estimated KW/h rate for Puerto Rico because here in San Diego it's 20 cents during the winter and up to 24 cents in the summer, basically expensive electricity in Puerto Rico is probably a laughable amount for us.

As far as banking goes, I would continue to use my online only bank, it worked perfectly there atms, etc.

We obviously don't plan on going salsa dancing every night haha, I was trying to give an example of us enjoying being surrounded by locals and the community more than relaxing by a beach.

[STT Resident]

Originally Posted by michaelintents

The decrease in living expenses for us along with my salary would be more than enough. Also as mentioned she really likes the idea of starting her own business, both of us being very entrepreneurial.

For example can anyone give me estimated KW/h rate for Puerto Rico because here in San Diego it's 20 cents during the winter and up to 24 cents in the summer, basically expensive electricity in Puerto Rico is probably a laughable amount for us.

"Decrease in living expenses"? Highly unlikely!

Starting own business? As in the USVI, starting up a business in PR is not for the faint-hearted and is infinitely more difficult than setting up on the mainland.

Electricity rates not laughable at all. At least 0.30/kWh in PR.

Do be careful. One week isn't nearly enough time spent to make such a big decision. You'd be best advised to do a serious two week bare minimum pre-move visit where you spend your time doing the things you would do at home (shopping, banking, going to the PO, the Department of Motor Vehicles and other government agencies) etc. And it would be foolhardy to plan on buying property before you've lived on island for at least a year.

Thousands of people every year fall in love with the idea of living in the Caribbean but the reality of living here is vastly different from visiting, as poster CSD610 pointed out. I've seen literally hundreds of people coming and going in my 30 years in the USVI. Some last for a few years, some only last a few days but the majority are gone within 5 years and many with their tails firmly tucked between their legs. Good luck!

[michaelintents]

You've clearly never lived in San Diego, where a 2 bedroom house is $350,000. Gasoline is pretty equal with PR at $3.50-4.20 per year and groceries are significantly higher than puerto rico (we cooked and shopped grocery stores while we were there).

Also just to clarify I'm not buying a house tomorrow or something, there will be many trips, research, and conversations before we take the plunge. All I keep hearing are warnings but very few facts?

What does visiting a dmv have to do with anything for example? A dmv visit is the worst thing in the world no matter where you live.

Please keep in mind that we are young, far more flexible, and open minded than someone say in their 40's and up trying to retire in Puerto Rico.

If you're wondering what sort of things I mean by data, I mean real hard numbers and confirmations that they're accurate (most people can't even read an electric bill) Here's a report I pulled from numbeo comparing the cost of living between san juan and puerto rico (I did san juan because there was more data, I imagine rent is slightly higher in san juan but groceries and home goods are cheaper than the west coast area we are interested in).

Consumer Prices in San Diego, CA are 0.78% higher than in San Juan
Consumer Prices Including Rent in San Diego, CA are 24.36% higher than in San Juan
Rent Prices in San Diego, CA are 98.06% higher than in San Juan
Restaurant Prices in San Diego, CA are 4.07% higher than in San Juan
Groceries Prices in San Diego, CA are 0.14% lower than in San Juan

Here's Cabo Rojo compared to San Diego

Not enough data to calculate difference in Consumer Prices
Not enough data to calculate difference in Consumer Prices Including Rent
Rent Prices in San Diego, CA are 208.25% higher than in Cabo Rojo
Restaurant Prices in San Diego, CA are 49.27% higher than in Cabo Rojo
Groceries Prices in San Diego, CA are 26.48% lower than in Cabo Rojo
Not enough data to calculate difference in Local Purchasing Power

So yeah I'd say cost of living will decrease for me, as I look around my 500 sq ft studio that I pay $725 a month for.

[STT Resident]

You said, "What I'd love to hear is things we haven't thought about in regards to pros and cons" and I'm sorry that you don't particularly care for the assistance and advice which I've attempted to throw in your direction.

You seem to have it all figured out so I'll leave it to others to provide you with other details you may not have thought of. Again, good luck, and I hope it works out for you.

[michaelintents]

Not at all, I very much appreciate hearing that the kw/h rate is 30 cents (haven't been able to find a solid number anywhere).

I'm just looking for some less obvious cons. Saying that it's foolhardy to buy property before living somewhere for a year doesn't add up to me (I think a lot of our difference in that has to do with age and plans, for example I don't think either my fiance or I could stand staying in the same place for more than 5 years). At the same time I completely agree that we need to visit for more than a vaca before buying property (and that is the plan).

We already live in a beautiful place, (If you've never been to San Diego I highly suggest it!) in fact I would argue a year round comparison of weather San Diego beats the caribbean because of it's lack of humidity and lack of bugs. The main appeal for us of PR is the decrease in property value combined with comparable weather to where we already are.

[boricuarosa]

I do not think there is enough "data" to accurately detail the major differences to expect. Your move will be successful based on your expectations, multiple visits and your outlook. I moved from the states to Puerto Rico and absolutely love it! I would suggest that you come down and do a month to month or 6-month lease on a property first. That way, you can do a "test run" on whether living here will work for your family. The internet works great here, electric and water bills are average. However, for internet try using your phone as a hotspot or buy one to ensure quality of service.

For Puerto Rico, the most important aspect regarding your move is location. As with any Caribbean island, there are those who are economically disadvantaged and those who are very wealthy. Since everyone is on the same island, there is a clash. The Caribbean, in general, also has a huge drug trafficking problem. Due to the economic imbalance, I would recommend that you rent or buy in a community that is not only gated, but also has a guard and active security service that will check the neighborhood during the day and night hours. Many communities have a club house and pool area. That said, I have never had an issue anywhere on the island ever. Thank God for that! I've only heard or read stories. This is with any area, but since it is a smaller island, just be cautious and pay attention to your intuition.

Since you do not speak Spanish, Rincon would be an excellent place to start. Since it is a less visited tourist town if compared to San Juan, most people will speak English and you will meet others from the States as well. I'm not sure why people keep saying how costly it is to live in PR. I guess it is based on from where they first moved. I find the expenses to be compatible to any metropolitan major city in the States.

Your fiance should have no problem finding work, even if she only speaks English. There are many jobs that require English, especially in tourist areas like Rincon. It all depends on what she wants to do. A great place to look is El Nuevo Dia, they have an Employment Classifieds on Sundays. And, ClasificadosOnline.com. On that site, you can look for jobs based on location and your specific field of interest.

PR is an absolute gem. I adore living here. So, God bless and good luck with whatever you and your family decide! Feel free to PM me if you have any additional questions. Just remember: the right location can make all of the difference in your "experience" here. People are bitter and locals are leaving for a reason. However, if you decide to come for additional visits, once you arrive, ask the locals and even police what specific gated communities they'd recommend in the town you have chosen. Not every area is riddled by crime and mayhem. If you do your research and are realistic with your expectations of Caribbean life, you will be fine and it can be quite an enjoyable and rewarding experience.


Thanks!