Russ & Mike

Russell Simmons & Michael Hall

Five years ago, we were the ones asking the questions. We bought a house in San Juan Cosalá, learned what a notario actually does, sat through the avalúo, and tried to make sense of a closing statement. It all went smoothly, and we remember what it felt like not to know. That is most of what we bring to a first conversation.

We found Mexico the way a lot of people do. Our first visit was Puerto Vallarta, and we kept going back. For several years we cared for Russ's mother as her dementia advanced, and long stays in PV were what kept us going. After she passed in 2019, we moved down for good. We spent two years in Vallarta, then visited Lake Chapala, and that was that.

Russ works the numbers. He studied business management at Georgia Tech and held a real estate license in the US. Today he tracks what's really selling at Lakeside: how each neighborhood has done over the past year, how long homes take to sell, and how far sale prices end up below asking prices.

Mike sees what a home will be like to live in. He studied anthropology and psychology at William & Mary and trained as an agent at Ajijic Real Estate. He notices the things a spreadsheet can't: the afternoon light, the noise, the neighbors, and whether the "short walk into town" really is one.

Work with either of us and you get both. That's the idea behind R&M.

Outside work, we both sing with Las Voces del Lago, and Mike performs in local theater. Over the years we've come to know a lot of people here, and that's a big part of why Lakeside feels like home.

Ask us something specific and you'll get a straight answer, with the figures attached. We look forward to hearing from you.