10 problems of living by the beach and how to handle them

We help you get ready to live by the beach with these tips.

Living by the beach brings many joys, but it can also mean a few difficulties. Moving to Mérida gives you the chance to buy a house near the sea. Before making a decision and an investment that size, though, it’s important to consider a few things.

1. Tourism

Living in Mérida and buying a beach house has its advantages. But it’s not all calm and solitude. Living in a beach destination also means living with the high tourist demand your chosen spot can have. That can be great, but tricky when the beaches fill with people, there’s more traffic, annoying noise and more waste. Don’t worry, though — that only really shows in high season.

2. Sand

Sand, sand and more sand. Lovely when you’re by the ocean, but not so good when the beach moves inside your house. It’s definitely better to prevent it. Installing an outdoor shower is a good option to keep sand out of the home.

3. Salt and sea breeze

The sea breeze is an energy boost, but salt can damage appliances and interiors. It can also encourage mould growth. The answer is to step up cleaning and maintenance, inside and out. Vinegar is a good option for cleaning appliances and any other metal object or surface.

It’s also recommended to wash all external surfaces every 6 months, and every 3 months if your façade faces the beach directly. For metal finishes, use high-quality stainless steel.

4. Repairs and insurance

If the maintenance and fittings of the house or condo aren’t top quality, repairs are inevitable. It’s always good to have savings set aside for maintenance, so the costs don’t surprise you.

5. Unpaved streets

If you’re going to live by the beach, you’ll notice some places still don’t have paved streets. That’s no problem. Use a bike, and in the rainy season equip yourself with good wellington boots.

6. Cyclones and hurricanes

Living by the sea exposes you to cyclones and hurricanes. Climate change points to more intense rain and rising sea levels. That outlook can be discouraging, so you must be prepared. If you live by the beach, install hurricane shutters on the windows and always keep food and water in the pantry. Have a first-aid kit and batteries.

7. Distance

The distance of the beach you choose to live in can be a complication. But the beaches near Mérida offer many advantages: they are close to the capital and you can reach many in under 40 minutes by car.

8. Poor signal

If you plan to live in Mérida, on some — perhaps all — of its beaches, your internet and phone access is guaranteed. There’s signal everywhere, so that’s not a problem. Puerto Progreso is one example of guaranteed connectivity.

9. Few cultural events

While beach destinations don’t have many museums and cultural events, there’s always a show or festival to enjoy — the carnival or national holidays, for example. In any case, you can always enjoy meeting the locals and learning from what they have to tell.

10. Water or power system failures

Water or power failures can be recurrent. To be prepared, it’s best to complement the installations with solar panels, generators and water cisterns.

You may also be interested in: 5 pros and cons of living in Mérida.