Aldama Street in historic San Miguel de Allende was named the 11th prettiest street in the world by Architectural Digest.
Few residents in the UNESCO World Heritage village of San Miguel de Allende come in contact with as many hopeful expats as Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices owner and broker Greg Gunter. By his own account, he connects with about 1,700 of them annually, enough to have already eased several hundred Americans and Canadians into homeownership here over his 12-year career as a Realtor.
“Once they’re here, I have it easy,” Gunter jokes, “because the city sells itself.”
Indeed, that’s exactly why Condé Nast Traveler has ranked San Miguel de Allende as the #1 Small City in the World for five different years, with Travel & Leisure magazine granting that same honor four times. The city’s 480 years of preserved architecture, culture, and traditions help earn that ranking, as does the lifestyle enjoyed by visitors and residents alike.
“We offer Mexico’s largest English-language social and cultural infrastructure,” notes Gunter, speaking of the lifestyle enjoyed by residents. “There’s not another destination in Mexico that offers the diversity to be found in San Miguel de Allende. That’s why our upper demographic clients flock here; we’re the Little Manhattan of Mexico.”
The UNESCO crowning glory of San Miguel de Allende, the city’s Parroquia church, has become the city’s Eiffel Tower-like icon of the city.
The city of about 150,000 residents offers a European-village-like walkability that attracts Americans tired of the car-centric burden of living in most North American cities. “If Redfin hosted their Walk Score here in San Miguel,” adds Gunter, “we’d clearly rank 100.”
The proximity to the U.S.—a two-hour flight from Texas hubs, a three-hour direct flight from Los Angeles—attracts a lot of soon-to-be expats who find the day-long trip to European expat destinations—like Portugal or Spain—unbearable over years of ownership.
“But San Miguel’s biggest attraction is affordability,” notes Gunter.
Casa la Colina, referenced above, offers astounding architecture and amenities for only $162/SF.
While a recent public report noted home prices in Mexico’s coastal Cabo San Lucas starting at $1,600 USD a square foot, luxury estates in San Miguel de Allende run a fraction of that, seldom topping $400/SF for a luxurious hand-crafted estate replete with plenty of stone accents and hand-wrought iron, accompanied by amenities ranging from swimming pools, home gyms, and gourmet Wolf kitchens.
“For example,” adds Gunter, “I’m selling a four-bedroom, seven-bathroom 8,300 SF estate for $162/SF.” He notes the gated community estate boasts a six-car garage, a large pool and hot tub, a glass-walled gym, a media room, and a maid’s apartment. While that’s an unusual bargain, Gunter just sold a $3.2MM three-year-old estate with every conceivable modern amenity—salt-water pool, whole house solar, outdoor kitchen, elevator—for only $317/SF.
Carrying costs for a home here prove even more affordable. Property taxes on a million-dollar home run $2,400 USD annually, electricity is about a dollar a day, and fiber optic internet is around $1.25 a day. House staff is equally affordable for maids, cooks, and gardeners, running under $6/hour for top-quality staff.
Casa Angel, the recent home sale referenced above, sold for only $317/SF and boasted whole-home Smart-house technology.
“It’s an education process,” notes Gunter about teaching buyers the appeal of buying a second or retirement home in San Miguel de Allende. He sends clients to his comprehensive website at DreamProHomesLuxury.com, where he hosts everything from reviews of the city’s top neighborhoods to hundreds of videos from his YouTube channel. ”I’ve found home-buying clients like working with a fellow expat,” adds Gunter, “and after 15 years here as a full-time resident, I can walk them through the home-buying process with an unmatched expertise.”
For more information, please contact Greg Gunter at 877-878-4141 or Greg@GregoryGunter.com.
Greg Gunter is the exclusive agent representing the San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, real estate market as a member of the Haute Residence Real Estate Network. View all of his listings here.
