MEET THE OWNERS

The owners of these properties are Barbi and Dick Henderson residing at Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico, [the municipality of the Lake Chapala Riviera], since 1980. Their first venture was to purchase a classic but totally neglected Luis Barragan villa in downtown Chapala and they lovingly restored and expanded it into one of Mexico’s finest, romantic, small inns, Quinta Quetzalcoatl (The Inn of the Plumed Serpent). As resident owner/operators, the Henderson’s worked at this venture until they sold in 2003. During those 23 years Barbi also built or rebuilt homes and casitas in the “lakeside” area in her own signature style that today is referred to as a “Barbi house”.

Free from the time and financial confines of being Innkeepers, they expanded their real estate ventures not only at lakeside but also to Puerto Vallarta and San Miguel de Allende, both being their favorites of three  Mexican locations. Today they still build & remodel properties within Mexico and generally sell them upon completion.

The properties listed in this publication are homes that they themselves occupy when time permits. In the case of Villa Antigua Ave Maria, it is a project earmarked as a unique property better suited for rental, since the Hendersons live in an equally famous villa which they restored right next door.

In each of the properties shown you are dealing directly with the owners and no agents are involved. We try to have a local person that can take care of any small problems that might arise but basically a tenant deals directly with Dick and Barbi.

Barbi Henderson is originally from New Rochelle, New York, studied commercial art and design at the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Florida as well as the Instituto Allende in San Miguel de Allende,  Mexico.Dick is a native Californian who resided in the San Francisco Bay Area. As the owner of a building materials distribution company serving the marine construction industry for 20 plus years, the details and process of building and rebuilding any type of structure became second nature. They met in the bay area in early 1966 and  married at Christmas 1967. With limited funds and income they did what they do best, purchasing “fixer upper” houses that they upgraded and completely remodeled & decorated while living in them. At the same time  they  worked full time jobs. 13 years and sixteen houses later a mutual decision was made to relocate to their favorite area in Mexico, Lake Chapala. Having taken small tours to Mexico for many years, they decided it would be best to have a home base in Mexico. This developed into Inn-keeping! Their lifestyle changed but their appetite for building remains as strong as ever. Since selling their Inn 4 years ago they have taken on nine more building projects, the most exciting  of which they are keeping in their rental pool.