The six reasons given above can all be summarized in one: A gringo has little protection of the law in this country. The offices of thousands of "lawyers" are concentrated where gringos preferably live and they pray that their prey falls into one of the many traps which are set by crooks of all sorts (not excluding fellow nationals, police, DA's, judges, government departments, lawyers, etc.), hoping to fleece the victims. IMO, a place without legal security is not worth living in, however beautiful the place might be. donP