Get to know Nancy, Ann and Amber
Nancy Howze
In 1998, Nancy was an empty nester - her children launched into adulthood. She decided to start a new chapter in her life. A friend suggested she check out San Miguel (“Hello - where?”), so she came for a week and was completely blown away. At the tender age of 50 she realized that this was how she wanted to grow old - active and surrounded by friends and community.
“I saw people 10, 20 even 30 years older than me skipping around town on these cobblestone streets, seeing friends, greeting old friends, meeting for coffee and generally really enjoying life.”
Nancy believes there are two kinds of people - “Leapers” and “Creepers.” As a true Alpha Leaper, she went home to Birmingham, Alabama, quite her job, sold her house and moved to SMA where she knew no-one.
“It was 4 days before I started meeting people in SMA. It is the most warm, welcoming, inclusive town I can imagine. Before I knew it - I had a wonderful group of friends.”
In 2004, Nancy partnered with Jim Dolan, a local friend who was doing real estate development. They have been together now for 17 years - moving from development into real estate sales and together founded CDR San Miguel Real Estate. In 2021 CDR was invited to be a founding member of Forbes Global Properties - catapulting CDR to world-class status in the international real estate community.
Nancy loves what she does.
“I love making the fit - helping someone find their place here, their home here, and get settled in. People give me the opportunity to walk into their lives and trust me with their money and emotions. I am so appreciative of that connection with my clients.”
After 23 years in San Miguel, Nancy still loves the beauty and quality of life that San Miguel offers, which makes it a great place to grow older yet, stay young. She still loves how her expertise in real estate enables her to help people not only buy and sell homes, but also guides them through their unique experience of joining the wonderful San Miguel community.
Ann Dolan
Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Ann Dolan and her husband Jim made a commitment when they married in 1990, to live in another country, learn another language and start their own business. Their plans have been remarkably realized in the past 25 years, here in San Miguel de Allende.
In 1996, while Jim was on deployment throughout Europe, Ann moved to San Miguel – a small, sleepy community with donkeys, pigs and chickens often roaming the quiet streets. She worked with an associate to build Casas de San Miguel, an incredibly successful venture that was at that time the only full-service property management, rental company and sales in SMA. Back from his military tours, Jim moved to San Miguel in 1997. When Casas de San Miguel was sold in 2000, they managed over 80 homes, rented over 175 homes and were busy with the real estate sales. Ann is currently a Senior Luxury Specialist at CDR San Miguel, a Founding Member of Forbes Global Properties plus she is also a founding member of REALM - Global, the first ever collaborate, life style technology platform with elite agents throughout the world.
Ann took a hiatus to start a family in 2000. She and Jim raised three kids in San Miguel. All three are Mexican-American, fluently bi-lingual and bi-cultural. Ann found San Miguel to be a magical place to raise children. The Dolan kids grew up walking down streets full of everyday adventure - donkeys, indigenous Mexican dancers, Day of the Dead celebrations and Semana Santa altars. In the Latin culture, family is everything and kids are the key focus. The Dolans were part of a welcoming community of local families who connected over school and weekend events, raising their children in a family-oriented culture with great health care and excellent pediatricians. Whether you are looking to live in San Miguel for a one-year sabbatical or longer – Ann knows what an experience it will be for your children.
Over the 25 plus years since Jim and Ann have been in San Miguel, they have had the good fortune to meet a wide spectrum of friends. In 1997 they were young 30 year-olds meeting older Americans and Mexicans at the golf course and on the town. Once the kids started school, they met the younger parents of their children’s school friends. In addition, they are active on the charity circuit - there are over 120 non-profits in San Miguel! Ann has been very involved with their kids' school, Jose Vasconcelos, a 45 plus year bilingual school. She was a past PTA President and over 8 years as a board member.
Ann Dolan’s San Miguel is a very welcoming and social town where one can find tremendous opportunities to raise children and make one’s own community of friends. She looks forward to sharing her decades of expertise in navigating and maximizing what San Miguel has to offer you and your family.
Amber Nieto
Having grown up in San Miguel de Allende, Amber Nieto is the owner and operator of San Miguel Kids, an indispensable local guide for the burgeoning influx of young families who have come to live in San Miguel.
In addition to running San Miguel Kids, Amber works for CDR San Miguel | Forbes Global Properties and serves as the vice-president of local nonprofit, Mano Amiga. She is also an active member of the PTA for the Academia International School and the former Executive Director of Casita Linda, A.C.
Amber was raised in San Miguel by an American mother and a Mexican father. She is both bilingual and bicultural, moving seamlessly between the two cultures.
Now with a young family of her own, Amber is uniquely qualified to provide advice and guidance from a younger generation’s perspective. Her depth of community involvement gives her uncommon access to a variety of key contacts and organizations that can deliver for expats of any age.
Amber knows that visiting or relocating to a foreign country can be stressful. She is pleased to offer her wide knowledge of San Miguel to help other adventure seekers navigate this beautiful and friendly town.