Hola amigos. Some of you know this, some of you don’t. So the broadcast of this news and photo gallery may be redundant for some. But I know, that you know, that I couldn’t care less.

Anywho… I’ve spent the better part of the last year constructing a home out of shipping containers.  Yep, used ocean shipping containers from Chiiina. Last March I moved in and the project sits today about 95% finished.  It turned out pretty good, it’s comfortable, and I’m proud enough to show it off.  Facebook official, as the kids say.

Now, some of you are reading me from your 5000 square foot mansions comfortably situated on large acreage, overlooking a lake or pool, in the #1 of the first world countries. With your reliable electrical and connected sewer, city water and trash service, stable cellular and internet – whatever.  Some of you have four new cars in your circle driveway and two muscle cars under restoration in the six car garage out back next to the horse barn.  Hey, I get it.  I too once lived that life.  The other day an ex neighbor of mine in Scottsdale told me my old house, the one I sold to the Arizona Diamondback’s ace pitcher in 2009, is now valued at $2.2 million. Dang, how far have I fallen!?  Ha Ha Ha.  Funny how I don’t feel that way?  I’m not going to sing the praises of homeownership in the States; I will concede that there is much to sing about – but I don’t miss it.  And dammit this is my blog and I’m going to sing about minimalist Container Home life in rural Mexico.  Shut your pie hole, open your mind and check your judgement. You might learn a thing or two. Values and priorities, people.

The reasons I chose to build with containers include…  obviously budget.  As an early retiree exiting a brutal divorce and impossible job market, I’m on a very limited budget.  In the two years I’ve lived on the Riviera Nayarit, I’ve seen the price of real estate here double.  The smallest empty lots are about 2200 square feet and are now selling for over $100k. Kinda pricey. With a doubling in just two years it’s possible we’re experiencing a bubble and a pull back or crash may follow soon.  Who knows.  Secondly, I have so far been unsuccessful in gaining my legal residency here and, on a tourist visa, my only option for purchasing property is by way of a) marriage or b) “presta nombre” – placing title in the borrowed name of a Mexican National.  Frankly, neither of those tactics are appealing to me.  Actually I may never go down the route of purchasing in Mexico. Stay nomadic. Third reason I suppose, is the thing about traditional builds here, as a gringo, I wasn’t looking forward to the contractor price gouging, lying and myriad excuses for delays. A gringo can expect to pay contractors 2 times over market and spend 2 years building. For reference, 5-6 months is an average build time in the States. I built with no permits, no regulations, no safety codes, no inspections, no property taxes going forward. And finally, this is not a legacy home. I have no family or friends who, at my passing, are going to want to own property here. I didn’t want to leave anyone a burden. This is a walk away investment, worst case. Building a proper house that’s meant to last a century and pass on through five generations, just didn’t make sense to me.

So, with these very good reasons to abandon/postpone a home/land purchase, I decided to continue to be a renter.  I was renting for $500 a month since I landed here, and that was comfortably within my budget.  But then I got the itch to live in my own home.  Why?  Humm… I am a clean freak, I like new mattresses, and I like elongated, handicap height American Standard toilets – no apologies.  I also had a mini storage unit full of personal items and artwork that I shipped all the way down here at great expense.  Also, I value my one owner, original, antique ‘99 Yukon too much to leave it un-garaged.  And finally, I needed yard space to store my trailer, motorcycle and a place to strew my shit.  No HOA, street parking or apartments for me.  I clearly needed a new house, but on the cheap.  My budget was just $40-50k.

So I found a small jungle parcel, high on the mountain at the edge of town and made a handshake deal to lease it for 15-20 years.  It’s a short walk to the ocean with the sound of crashing waves playing all night long.  I can see a small bit of blue water from my balcony. Yes, it’s an “ocean view” much like the upcharged “ocean view” room at a budget hotel in Hawaii.  Land leases are fairly common in the US, but I’m quite sure I’m the only one doing one in my pueblo.  Now, with my land rented and not owned, it would be foolish to build with block and mortar.  I need my dwelling to be movable in the event a) I buy my own lot in the future, or b) the landowner and I have a falling out – I need to be able to relocate. The landowner friend and I have agreed to mutually give 90 day move notice and we each have 1^st right of refusal on the other’s asset.  I think it’s going to work out well and so far, so good.  Oh, I rented the lot for $250 a month – very easily within my budget.

So in June a year ago, I travelled 8 hrs to the port city of Manzanillo, Colima and purchased (1) 40 foot High Cube and (2) 20 footers.  The 40 footer has 9.5 ft ceiling height and is 320 sq/ft. The 20 footers have a 8.5 ft ceiling height and 160 sq/ft. I live in the full size container perched high above the two smaller ones. One of the 20’s is a guest room (1br/1ba) and the other is garage/storage. Over the past year I’ve: prepared the site with gravel and fill, painted the containers inside and out, cut 50% of the metal away and welded in a bunch of sliding glass doors and windows, plumbed and electrified, put down a floor and put up a few walls, built a kitchen, welded on front and rear balconies and hung a bunch of my photography to make things cozy. It’s probably as “cozy” as it’s ever gonna get because no respectable woman would dare visit a creepy old gringo living in an oversized dumpster, would she?

Anywho… I hope you enjoy the following photos and notes.  I’d love to answer questions and/or help anyone interested in container homes.  Normally at this point in my blogs I extend a warm, semi-sincere invitation to visit.  Not going to happen today.  Space is limited. Depends on your comfort level with, shall we say, intimacy. Some of you are welcome to visit, some of you are not.  You should know by now on which list you are.

PS. If you make it through all the pics, I have placed my rough, line-item budget at the very bottom of the scroll.