Mexico’s Top Broker Gunter Introduces San Miguel de Allende to Future Expats
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Can a city like central Mexico's San Miguel de Allende—named #1 City in the World five times by Condé Nast Traveler—actually provide that ephemeral dream lifestyle we all pursue? San Miguel de Allende Broker—and full-time expat since 2009—Greg Gunter surely believes so. He's steadfast in his determination to never leave this little slice of paradise and has helped hundreds of fellow expats make the same decision in a new home here.
Many retirees fantasize of a luxurious lifestyle in an estate fulfilling their dream-home list, in a location that surrounds them with peace, serenity, and adventure. However, only a few work towards that goal, and surprisingly, an even smaller fraction of those who strive actually achieve their dream lifestyle. It can have a different meaning for everyone – the term”dream lifestyle.”
For some people, it could mean a serene living environment while for others, it could be the complete opposite in the form of an adventurous and thrill-seeking lifestyle. If you are among the ones who seek sanctuary in a place like no other, this short guide is just for you.
San Miguel de Allende stands out in a world filled with dynamic cities, emerging art cultures, and cross-cultural exchanges geared toward active expats. As a city designated a UNESCO World Heritage site—and, as Gunter notes, where people live, work and play in that UNESCO designation, unlike many UNESCO jungle ruins—San Miguel de Allende has well earned that top designation mentioned earlier from Condé Nast, as well as being voted a four-time winner from Travel + Leisure magazine.
“San Miguel de Allende is already on everyone's Bucket List,” notes Broker Gunter, “I'm just fortunate enough to assist people with making it their actual home, not just a check on their travel list.”
San Miguel proves a serene haven perched high between mountain ranges in central Mexico boasting a perpetual spring-like, humidity-free climate. It is frequently mentioned as one of the most picturesque and nostalgic cities in the world and started attracting Americans—especially aspiring artists—since the early 1940's, skyrocketing to fame since earning the UNESCO designation in 2008. This 480-year-old city packed with amazingly preserved Spanish Colonial architecture has become a draw for expats and retirees seeking an affordable lifestyle among a culturally rich environment.
“My Spanish still isn't that good,” notes Gunter, “but I tell my home-buying clients that San Miguel de Allende offers Mexico's largest concentration of English-language social and cultural infrastructure in the country. You needn't be bilingual to move here.”
Do you have plans to own a second home or vacation home in the future? Are you one of the few to actively pursue that “dream lifestyle?” San Miguel de Allende has proven to be the top choice for tens of thousands of foreigners—most of them American—to fulfill that very dream. Over 15% of the city's population are American, “You'll always bump into a friend walking across town,” adds Gunter.
As the Broker and owner of Mexico's first and flagship office for the Warren Buffett-led real estate brand Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Greg Gunter was previously ranked as the #2 realtor in all of Mexico by sales volume, having helped hundreds of clients make the same transition he fulfilled by moving to San Miguel de Allende. “That's why many Americans like working with me,” adds Gunter, “they know I've been through the same transition they're about to consider and I walk them through every step of the process with 14 years of expat experience.”
Gunter advises clients to be sure to work with a credentialed and licensed Realtor—neither are absolutely necessary in Mexico for someone to call themselves a real estate agent—when beginning their home search in San Miguel de Allende. He suggests looking for a Realtor holding the esteemed Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designation issued by the NAR. “As a buyer in Mexico,” adds Gunter, “I wouldn't dream of working with a Realtor not holding that designation.” Gunter also holds an MBA in real estate, and is trained as an architect, a dual background clients find invaluable when investing in a foreign country.
Gunter specializes in assisting Americans and Canadians find their retirement home in San Miguel de Allende, although many home buyers in San Miguel de Allende still consider it a second home destination and find it lucrative to rent their homes when not in residence. “While rentals here can provide a good ROI,” notes Gunter, “the IRR over a holding period can be substantial because of our incredible property appreciation in San Miguel de Allende.”
As Gunter notes, the range of available home listings in San Miguel de Allende can range from his $7MM USD Starchitect listing—a famous Ricardo Legorreta estate, the only one on the market in all of Mexico and the city's most expensive listing—to around the $400K USD price range for a modest but remarkable home. In terms of value, Gunter just sold the city's 5th most expensive recorded sale for $3.2MM USD, a home that offered an inconceivable list of amenities: salt-water pool, elevator, all-Monogram kitchen, 16 mini-splits, whole-house solar...a host of Beverly Hills-style amenities. “Except that it sold for $317/SF,” adds Gunter, “about 1/5th the cost of a California home.”
Looking for the luxurious dream lifestyle that expat Gunter enjoys? He thrills introducing clients to the lifestyle of his adopted hometown, and later helping them find their dream home in San Miguel de Allende. Schedule a call with him, you can learn more about his firm and the lifestyle of San Miguel de Allende at www.DreamProHomesLuxury.com
