I do not know much about construction but my father is an engineer and one thing that I remember about the houses that he built on the coast of Puerto Vallarta is that they are all up to seismic standards and could withstand hurricanes. 
Renting a home or
Starting a business in Portugal can be relatively simple because Portugal has an “On The Hour” facility whereby you can walk into a government department and basically set up a company in an hour. 
You can receive your Social Security check outside of the US directly to a foreign bank account. However, there is some paperwork that is required to do this. It's easier to have your Social Security check deposited into a US bank account and just access that money through a debit card. Making new friends in Mexico is EASY!
Making new friends in Mexico is EASY!
It seems that everything I do gives me opportunities for new friendships. Even on my first trip to Mexico, as a high school student, I made friends. I would ask questions and the conversations would start. At that time, my Spanish was almost non-existent but it did not matter. Mexico has a tradition of hospitality and the majority of the people that you meet will welcome you. It is even better if you try a few words in Spanish....