Email & ShareNeighbors
When we first moved to Merida in 2002, the house next door to us was empty. We lived in Casa Panadero, and the house next door was called Casa Pocito. We rented Casa Pocito for awhile as an office, but soon moved into 
our own building a few blocks away. A few months later, new owners moved in and we considered ourselves very fortunate to have such friendly and fun neighbors.
Our new neighbors had retired from their jobs in Charleston, South Carolina, and had moved to Merida to relax. We enjoyed living next to them, sharing our experiences of this new adventure called "moving to Merida"… but most of all, we loved seeing how they decorated their house, which had a floor plan that was a mirror image of ours. They always had colorful art, beautiful flower arrangements, a glass of something cold with ice and of course, they had Max, the regal black standard poodle, who lent an air of elegance to any room he graced with his presence.
Imagine our surprise and dismay, then, when they announced that they had sold Casa Pocito and were going to build a new home in south Merida. They were one of the first gringos we knew who ventured down south of the zocalo (soon to be followed by hundreds of others, including ourselves…). They found a large colonial building that was mostly facade, backed by a huge piece of land. They designed the house they built there for lots of cool shaded space inside, and a big garden to plant and tend in the back. And, of course, room for guests and a swimming pool.
Working with Manuel Kuk, a local contractor, and their own design, they were able to finish the house in about five months for less than $200,000 USD. Even taking into consideration that this was before the costs of materials (especially cement and block) went up a few years ago, this was an impressive accomplishment. They built a very large and luxurious home for a reasonable price in record time.
How did they do it? Well, first, by doing it a few years ago. Also, by being their own architects. And by being there every day, day after day, and making it their top priority. By reusing the rocks they cleared out of the dirt, keeping things simple and being creative with humble materials. Their local contractor, Manuel Kuk, was well known to them, and was pleasant and easy to work with, and his workers were efficient. And the house, while large, is a simple layout, which made for few misunderstandings.
A Great Room
The front part of the house is the original structure, with two guest rooms, one on either side of the wide entryway. The facade sports those old-fashioned windows with the straight old iron protectores that just say "Mexico" and inspire window-envy… until you step inside the foyer, look up and are consumed with old-wooden-beamed-ceiling envy. Such is life in Merida. If you visit other people’s houses, be prepared for house envy. It’s rampant here.
Everything behind those three front rooms was built new, but by now (four years later), you really can’t tell the difference. The central patio with a gurgling stone fountain is reminiscent of the courtyard in the Frida Kahlo movie, minus the peacocks and parrots. While we’re on the subject of animals, when we shot this video, the whole house was very obviously minus Max, the stately dog, on our visit, as he just passed away a few weeks before we were there. We missed his presence, but we’re happy to see that the owners are looking at this as an opportunity to travel without guilt, which seems like a good way to deal with a sad event.
Moving past the sorrow and the patio, you walk through a screen door into what seems to be the largest room in a private home in Merida. We’re here to tell you that it is NOT the largest room in Merida. There are some 
amazing homes here with cavernous rooms.
When you walk into this house, though, it is almost as if the house flings open its architectural arms in exuberance, inviting you to revel in all the space that it has to offer and you have to enjoy. This coral-colored room is quite large… large enough to hold string quartets and audiences of 100 comfortably. Though unplanned, this room has wonderful acoustics and has been the site of more than a few musical events since it was built. The elegant floor tiles from Mosaicos Peninsular (very Versace-esque!), the white-lined arches that march down each side and the beautiful flower arrangements add to the grandeur that is this Great Room.
The Rest of the Rooms
The main house only has one bedroom… a very large bedroom
at the back, facing the garden. The bedroom and the bathroom are set apart from the rest of the house by color… soft swaths of violet and pink cal paint that surprisingly go perfectly with the colonial red zocalo tiles that provide footings to all the walls and with the grey slate tiles in the bathroom. On the same side of the house is an inviting kitchen with a warm Moroccan chandelier that hangs low over an island, and a talavera tile backsplash against the kitchen counter. In the middle on that side of the house is a den with an impressive bookshelf and all the media accoutrements needed in the 21st Century.
On the other side of the Great Room is another big room, running the length of the house and painted in a soft ochre color, where dining and visiting are the main events. The dark wood oversized dining room furniture would probably overwhelm in most homes, but here it looks perfect. And the modern art, including the modern sconces and other works by Katrin Schikora, is a great counterpoint for the mostly traditional furniture. And all the rooms are topped off with very high ceilings, and strategically placed tragaluces (skylights).
A screened-in porch area at the back of the house looks into the garden. Four years ago, the owners planted this garden and the plants have grown so prodigiously that they had to remove trees and other plants to keep from recreating an Amazonian jungle. What we especially love is the formal layout… four quadrants of planting, surrounded by stone walkways, and in the center, a large fountain that adds the sound of water. Each of the four quadrants now has a thriving orchid 
tree, with its butterfly-shaped leaves and pink orchid-like blooms.
Beyond that, away from the house, is a large swimming pool with plenty of places to sit in the sun, though frankly, we don’t do that much here. Sitting in the sun during most of the year is a bit like stepping into a big broiler, so it is important to have ample shade. This garden has shade under an open-air poolhouse with a red-tiled roof, with seating for lounging and dining and enjoying the view.
Life is Good
Life seems good in this house. Everywhere you look, there are beautiful and interesting things. Everything you need is well within reach. There is air and space in this house in good measure… two luxuries that are much appreciated in this climate. By walking around, we can tell that the people who live in this house are enjoying their time here… and besides staying warm and staying out of the rain, isn’t that what a house is all about? Here, once again, is La Buena Vida… the Good Life, in Merida!
Feedback Please!
We continue to welcome your comments and questions. Please let us know how we’re doing and what you want to see more of, what other information would be useful and interesting to you. As always, the video says more than we ever can… so please click below and enjoy Yucatan Living’s next episode of The Houses of Merida!
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WG’s when will you show your house?
Beautifully written post. It brings to life the feel of this Merida home and its process of becoming. I love your descriptions of the Merida furniture, art and architecture. Unless you have been to Merida and marveled at what these homes have to offer in charm, inspiration and appeal … it is hard to describe. But you have done a great job capturing it and sharing it. Thank you!
another show house for the few, another luxurious home – another HGTV thing. i’m sorry, the spirit of this site is not interesting anymore. this is NOT the way merida people live. this is just a few rich expats who can afford this type of residence. very uninteresting. my personal opinion.
Fabio…
Respectfully, you are being unfair. WG had done a great job with the series of homes represented in Yucatan Living. Sure, the houses are often owned by expats. They are an example of what people with imagination and a creative spirit have done with houses that were often in ruins. Perhaps there are some people, like yourself, that would prefer seeing a different side of Merida. So I suggest that you or someone you know submit something that interests you instead of complaining about what you do not enjoy seeing. I think that YL does an amazing job presenting items of interest in Merida and other parts of Yucatan. And that is my personal opinion. Great house, by the way!
To be fair, Fabio has offered to let us video HIS house… and Fabio, we would love to take you up on that now. I will email you, okay?
I have been enjoying your site for a long time as we make decisions about whether to move to Merida. Thank you for all your great information and enthusiasm. Keep up the good work! I have two concerns:
1. I am a bit concerned with the emphasis on grand houses. I love to look at them to be sure, but has become a bit of a guilty pleasure as it’s so out of scale with the Mexican population. Does anyone do rehabs that are charming, but more modest? I hate to see Merida become another San Miguel de Allende..just a playground for spoiled Americans. Could we begin a reader discussion?
2. Like many, I now read your site on an Ipad, which does not support Flash, so I cannot get most of your videos. Perhaps you would consider changing to html5. This seems to be the format of the future.
I think criticsm of the site and the homes offered is unfair. After all, this site is largely for expats and explaining things for those of us considering relocating to Merida and for those who simply want to widen their horizons on things which exist in other places.
They did a remarkable job on this house and the description was beautiful. My husband and I would be interested in building a home with a guest house but would not need or desire such an expansive room area, but it is fantastic to see the imagination and beauty of this home. Remember, all of us have different tastes, needs, and desires.
Once again, thank you for the work on this post and the entire site, and for showing us the different possibilities. Remember, these folks even shared how much they spent, although it would probably cost much more now with increased pricing on materials. Just the same, it is a basis for deciding what one would want to include or exclude from a possible home in Merida.
The series included on very nice, but humble home in which the owner, a woman expat, was her own architect and contractor.
Stephen
i already expressed my opinion several months ago, suggesting that more affordable normal houses should be shown on this site, again that is my PERSONAL opinion. you mention ‘imagination and creative spirit’. i dont think it is a matter of that. it is a matter of having millions of dollars and interior decorators and designers, and yes, i will allow also ‘good taste’ but again, it is mainly a matter of MONEY, not creativity. I thought this could be interesting, but then again it has become a ‘show off’ forum on best HGTV style.
that is what makes these features. iIt would have been more interesting to see what NORMAL people with NORMAL budgets do to restore these architectural pearls.
greetings.
It seems there are design tips, layout ideas and other creative aspects that can be seen in almost any house and applied to another house. A nice stencil pattern on a wall can be used on a house for the wealthy and a lower income house as well. Even the use of colors can be applied to any house.
Thanks for the new house article!
Also, thank you Casi. Thank you, Stephen. Fabio, we hear you… and we also thank you for likening our videos to an HGTV program. That’s a compliment, even if you didn’t mean it that way exactly.
As for when we are going to show our house… we’ve been talking about it. But it means getting it cleaned and straightened up first, and who has time for THAT?
Anyway, we will. Stay tuned…
OH, and not to belabor a point (because goodness knows, there are plenty of points to labor over, let along repeating ourselves and BElaboring…), but this house didn’t cost millions of dollars… and that is the point. With some money and creativity, we all are able to afford lifestyles down here that would be unattainable elsewhere. Not that we’re trying to live like the Rich and Famous. But we love to live comfortably, and we like things that are pretty… and so do a lot of other people. We’ve shown modest houses, and intend to show more. But as someone said, there’s a lot to be learned from every house we show, big or small.
We’re glad you are all enjoying them and we’re glad too that they are making you think, spurring your own creativity and questioning. This is good!!
The next house (already “in the can”, so to speak) is much smaller but only LOOKS like a million bucks!
I have “house envy” for all the homes that have been on this series. This one especially. The large rooms are awesome! Me and my husband will be building a home for ourselves in southern Yucatan and I get more ideas with every new episode. We will be designing ourselves, without an architect, and it will be built on a modest budget. From other articles on this site, the uses and recommendations for some affordable materials/finishes are very welcome and will make our home feel “richer” than the actual cost. Although I understand where Fabio is coming from, I actually read this series because of the super nice houses and the “Wow!” factor. While, my budget will be significantly less than $200K USD, this house is definitely something to aspire to. Thanks!
Hola Jennifer,
1. Frankly, our emphasis is on houses with owners who will endure the 4-5 hours of video production. The owners of the house in this article are hardly spoiled. They worked all their lives and deserve to retire well in a house that cost about the same as a dull tract house in the U.S. suburbs. The rich people in Merida live mostly in the northern part of the city, never in the historic center, and they are mostly Mexicans.
2. When HTML5 is ready for prime time, meaning it is supported by the majority of the browsers that our visitors use, then we’ll adopt it for streaming video. It’s too bad Apple has convinced iPad consumers that HTML5/CSS3 will replace Flash. That’s marketing propaganda. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been and continue to be invested in Flash development. That output is not going to be replaced because Apple says so. Probably more than 20% of websites depend on Flash in some way, maybe 50% in Latin America, and not just for video. It’s for creating interactive animations. Some of the most creative websites ever produced are made entirely with Flash.
WC thank you very much for yet another wonderful video. This home is beautiful displaying many creative designs and ideas throughout. I enjoyed the variety of water features accenting the garden spaces. I find this home to be quite liveable and not extreme at all. During your series your team has been successful in sharing a nice variety of homes reflecting varied price ranges and styles. You are absolutely correct regarding many expats moving to Merida for a lifestyle that is comparatively inexpensive while maintaining comfort. We all have different budgets, different taste and different goals but I believe that we all love Merida and that is why we are here. What is normal????
Thank you for your wonderful series.
to jennifer jones
yes, we do jennifer (do rehabs that are more modest and charming). the majority of us do – i mean the expats living here. I am an expat too; there are many European expats, I am one of them. And I do understand your concerns, but as i mentioned before I don’t think the house featured here (or some others) reflects the average expat’s home in Merida. So don’t worry. I don;t believe Merida will ever become a playground for spoiled expats because it is a large city and it is able to absorb the relatively small expat community. It has a history of it’s own and is not a ‘created tourist ghetto’.
My name is Kevin Cott and I have been living in Merida for almost a year now.
I really like your website and the house videos. It gives an idea about the space and architecture but it will never be the same until you are physically there. As an Architect who knows the Spanish language (I am originally from Puerto Rico), I have been very fortunate to be a part of Merida. My wife, only daughter and myself moved from Florida to Merida last year. We bought a small two bedroom house in el Centro Historico of Merida and I am in the last phase of our project. As an Architect coming from a Spanish background and understanding the Architecture (from Puerto Rico for example, in El viejo San Juan) it has given me a great opportunity to design our house. For the other readers, yes everything cost money but from my personal experience, you can realized your dream with a modest house that is well built and do it with a budget of under $75,000 American dollars (property and renovation included).
Our house is 24’0″ wide by about 74’0″ long front to back. One thing… you really need to know where you are going to buy because El Centro of Merida has a lot of issues with flooding. You just need to know where to go and to know that you will need to be there or get the right information from a trustworthy person who really wants the best for you and your investment. I am in the middle of renovating my website, and very soon I will be able to show pictures of our house.
Sincerely,
Kevin Cott
Thanks for showing what many expatriates are doing and contributing to beautify this unique and magnificent city of Merida. While it may appear to be an exclusive reign of a few wealthy extranjeros , there is a significant number of newcomers from the United States and Canada and other parts of the world who live in less ostentatious surroundings with an equal, or perhaps better, quality of life compared to what they left behind. Merida happens to be a “Mexican Metropolis” proudly endowed with world class facilities to make life less stressful and comfortable for all of us who consider ourselves very lucky to live here. We welcome with open arms those who wish to come here and be our neighbors.
After speaking again with the owners, it seems the figure above of $200,000 could use some clarification. This was the estimate that the contractor gave to the owners at the beginning of the project, and this was the amount the owners gave to us when at the start of work we asked them what THEY were paying so we could calculate our own per square meter costs to build the type of house we wanted. Of course as work went along, changes were made in the original plan, such as enlarging the swimming pool, among other things, that resulted in a higher final cost.
If we were to try to reproduce the house now, as we mentioned before, there is also the issue of substantial price increases in materials since that time.
I have become a fan of the series. In every project, I find some inspiration for the house I, one day, intend to renovate. And since I have not yet decided upon Merida or its suroundings, I selfishly suggest the showing of houses by the Beach or from the little villages surounding the city.
And Kevin Cott, thanks for mentioning the Centro flooding problem. I had never heard of it and would not have thought to inquire.
First of all to Brenda and Stephen, I have been a fan of this site for years, and the Working Gringos have heard words of appreciation from my side many times. When it comes to the Houses of Merida series, my personal opinion remains, that it is NOT representative of life in Merida, that this is not the way most expats live, let alone Mexicans (and i am not talking about the few rich ones who live in the north and shop at Liverpool or in Europe). Personally i still believe that showing a few haciendas and mansions is not a good way of representing the good life.
I choose to believe that most people move here for the special atmosphere, the culture and the climate and NOT only because they can afford a house ten times cheaper than in Europe or 3 times cheaper than in the USA. I prefer creativity and imagination on a smaller scale, turning a little impossible wreck or ruin into something charming. That is why I LOVED the ‘humble house’ featured on this series – in other words i believe my criticism to be constructive and NOT destructive.
Thanks Fabio for the clarification and I look forward to seeing your home featured here. I stand corrected on the fairness issue as well, WG.
I wanted to reply to Jennifer Johnson’s comment “I hate to see Merida become another San Miguel de Allende..just a playground for spoiled Americans.” I own a home in San Miguel as well as in Merida and love both towns. San Miguel has one of the most diverse communities in Mexico. We have people from all over the world living and visiting here. It is one of the most historic towns in Mexico and in every sense a very Mexican community. Yes, there are “spoiled Americans” here (as well as in Merida). However, I disagree with your comment and want to set the record straight. And by the way, I have found living in San Miguel to be no more expensive than Merida with the possible exception of real estate costs. But even where houses are concerned, there are bargains available if a person is patient and willing to wait for “the right house”.
Hmmm, we want to comment about the “centro flooding problem”. It is true that many years ago, Merida really had a flooding problem. We have read that in the old days, it would rain and the streets would fill up almost instantly, and maybe take days to drain.
After Hurricane Gilberto (which was back in the 1980s), the city took it upon themselves to install drains throughout most of the centro. We lived through Hurricane Isadore, and while there was flooding in the streets, the water did not stand around and a day or two after the rains were over, all of the water was gone.
We are having a good bit of rain in the last few weeks, and during some of those rains, the drainage system gets temporarily overwhelmed, like it does in any tropical city. Some streets are drier than others. And yes, when buying a home, you might consider inquiring what the street is like during the rains. But I daresay there are few if any streets anymore where the water doesn’t drain rather quickly. And on streets that do flood, most homes have doorsteps and raised sidewalks to accommodate the water.
Hope that clarifies things…
Wealth and taste are subjective terms that you will never get a definitive determination to what truly defines them. Fabio, the link Im including is, I feel, a modest house. The house was built with sustainable local materials. I curious to see what you think. I’m also curious to know how do you think vast majority of people would live if money was little or no object?
http://www.yucatanliving.com/vacation-rentals/colonial-home-meets-modern.htm
WG, thank you indeed for your clarification about the “centro flooding problem”. I have lived in tropical weather and experienced tropical/hurricane rains. The key indeed resides in the quality of the drainage system in place in urban areas. And I am glad to hear that within reasons the city has the upper hand on that.
I am currently in the process of renovating a modest house in La Ermita. When I say modest I really mean it however, it will, hopefully, be perfect for me. I am my own designer and contractor and am learning so much about construction methods here, not to mention increasing my spanish vocabulary! (Merengue is not only a dance) It might be finished by the end of this summer and may be a suitable entry for “Modest Houses of Merida” I am glad, though, that the grande homes are being preserved and protected and I love looking at them despite not wanting to own one.
Gregg: the house you showed through the link is exactly what i mean. It is a smaller home, made absolutely outstanding through small, but efficient choices. Loved it. When it comes to your question about how the ‘majority of people ‘ would live if money was little or no object, I think it is an impossible question to answer, as it is culturally determined. This is a LONG discussion and i do not know if this is the right forum but i try to answer that now: I do not believe that double sinks in a bathroom, stainless steel appliances and walk-in closets the size of a small Central American country are necessities we ‘cannot live without’. I believe there are certain ‘needs’ we think are absolutely necessary that are imposed culturally. Personally, but then again that is ‘according’ to my own philosophy of living, I believe most people move to Merida to get away from, among other things, a feeling of consumeristic slavery, and to get away from the ‘rat race’ of Western societies. It is sad to see that a lot of people reproduce exactly what they leave in their own country (including running around selling, buying and remodeling homes as they were supermarket commodities) not realizing that maybe in the tropics you don’t need to have enormous storage space for accumulating stuff, and you can actually live lighter and be satisfied. Then again, that is MY personal philosophy and lifestyle. But yes, your link shows a home more in character with my personal feelings of a good remodeling and a creative one.
Fabio Im glad you liked the house and understand your position much better. I guess Im a fan of architecture and appreciate both homes while being drawn more to the style of the link. The things you stated are the same reasons we chose to buy and eventually live in Merida. We have to remain focused. This reminds me the discussion where people were upset that the big box stores would ruin Vallodolid. That it would some how ruin its character and charm. While that may be true, unfortunately I dont think we, expats, have too much to say about this since these same stores have homogenized America and in most cases we did little to stop it. (Brooklyn was able to stop a proposed Wal-Mart) Some people dont personalize the business relationship because of their own struggles. ‘Ill get it where’s its cheapest.’ The lure of Western civilization is powerful. However, Im glad we were able to exchange thoughts and ideas.
Hello Fabio Fortuna.
I am a mexican citizen that is looking forward to return to his country. I dont have a lot of money but i would like to know how much do you think i would need to buy and remodel a 2 bedroom house in Merida. My family consist of 2 adults and 2 kids and i really like the house that Gregg put a link to. For a house like that (small patio, maybe a pool, 2 or 3 bedrooms, how much im i looking to invest?
my email is alejandrobolanos@hotmail.com i hope you have the time to answer my questions.
Working gringos:
i love the houses if merida segment of your website, thank you for all your beautiful work.
Alex,
That depends on what part of town you would like to live in, whether you need/want a garage, whether you need/want rooms to have AC (how many?), how large the overall home should be, whether you want high ceilings and mamposteria construction, or whether block walls are fine for you, etc.
Different areas of the city are more popular for various reasons, with the more costly generally being in Centro and in the north.
Depending on the finishes (regular tile floors can be as much as 20% the cost of pasta tile floors and polished cement is even cheaper), and all the details, the estimate would vary quite a bit as well.
Ballpark figure, overall average, if you find the house yourself and buy direct from the seller, going direct to a Notario for your paperwork, perhaps you should start budgeting around $60,000 to $80,000 and go up with your “extras” aside from the basic house.
If you have a long list of “musts”, it will likely cost more. If you are more flexible and adaptable to location, style, etc, then perhaps you can stay close to cost mentioned. Labor is generally cheaper than materials, so if you can buy the “space” you need and just fix it up, that’s cheaper than adding on additional rooms, generally speaking.
This is really a non-answer, but it gives you an idea where to start, maybe. Good luck!
Hello Alex, I have answered you in private. Gregg, unfortunately we will not avoid the negative aspects of globalization, since Merida already has plenty of Walmart, Costco, Burger King, Mcdonalds, Starbucks and all the ugly rest…..personally i try to avoid Home Depot and the like, included Liverpool, where I had my WORSE experiences – both service-wise (or the lack of it) and because it is 5 times more expensive than the small local shops downtown. And last but not least because I prefer the local stores to do business rather than enrich the corporations even more. Since you mentioned it, I’d rather spend a little more but have products which are not produced in a slave-environment – so i definitely do personalize the business relationships. After all, the only real choices we have left, are consumer choices and that is a political choice.
I believe most of the people who wrote here went to Merida for the right reasons. It is the wonderful people and culture that have taken my heart. I spent a month in an immersion program this year. My friend and I had the pleasure of looking at homes with Eric Partney of Mexico International Realty. He took great pains to show us homes in a variety of price ranges and neighborhoods. We will return to Merida in January (and bring my husband) to enjoy the city we love. I hope my husband falls in love too, but at the least I will be spending part of every year there! While some people will always aspire to have a mansion, many just love the quality renovations that have been done. These homes, big or small, are truly works of art in an incredible city!
How many US expats are in Merida?
Alex, no one seems to have this number definitively. But current estimates for US and Canadian expats runs about 7500 to 10,000. More or less…
Hi Working Gringos,
do you post these house videos to YouTube? If you did and provided a link to it, iPad users would be able to view the video, as a YouTube app is included with each iPad.
Keep up the good work!
Cheers
Neil
Thank you, Neil. The videos can be found on YouTube by typing “Yucatan Living” into the Search box or by clicking here:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=yucatan+living&aq=f
I have enjoyed following the discussion above. We are moving to Merida as we enjoy the culture the city offers AND to “get away” from the imposing U.S. government. We are certainly not “spoiled Americans” as some writers call everyone who has some money and wants to live in a great home. We enjoy the mercados, the local businesses and tradesmen, but do go to the box-stores from time to time. I don’t think that makes us ugly Americans. So, let’s be honest Fabio… noone buys a magazine about life in a “double-wide” mobile home. We like to see what can be done beautifully with an historic building and a large lot. I give the readers credit to know what they want and need in their Merida home. Fortunately, Merida has opportunities for all sorts of tastes and budgets. It is open discussion groups such as this which bring together various viewpoints. Thanks for participating.
Given the economic situation in the U.S. these days, “Double-Wide Living” just might be a hit…