Tourism sector development is a key factor in the development of the real estate market in Mexico, and Lake Chapala Real Estate is no exception.  Tourist development means more infrastructure, more services, and more economic movement to support a higher quality of life.  The Lake Chapala Real Estate area is currently a part of a state government program to open up undeveloped tourist potential in the area.

The Secretariat of Tourism of the State of Jalisco (SETUJAL),together with the support of the National Fund for Promoting Tourism (FONATUR) is working on an integral program, called the Regional Program for Tourism Development in various parts of the state, including the Lake Chapala region.  In Chapala On July 23^rd and 24^th FONATUR held two workshops for strategic planning, in which several representatives were present from both FONATUR and SETUJAL. The general objective of this program is to promote an organized and sustainable development of tourism-sector activity in the area, responding to needs in the market and the expectations of the population.  The program will establish strategies for action and investment in the short, medium and long term which will contribute to the implementation of integrated tourism-related projects and sustainable regional development.

The workshops mentioned had the purpose of getting feed-back from the experience of participants, among which there were officials from all three levels of government, members of the State Congress, scholars, commentators, and service providers for the tourism industry in the area.  Each of these shared their knowledge and experience in different work groups, in which they evaluated and built on a diagnosis of tourism, the environment, infrastructure and social development.

FONATUR’s objective in this program is to create an organized plan for the entire region, including the Ribera de Chapala – and the main attraction of this region is Lake Chapala.  The project would protect wetlands and develop potential tourism growth in the region.  SETUJAL is also carrying projects throughout the state of Jalisco with FONATUR’s support, including one in the Tequila region (the place where the famous Mexican liquor originates), and one in the region of San Juan de los Lagos, which have just been approved by the state.

These projects, along with the one in Chapala, show that the state government of Jalisco is concerned with and taking action to tap in on undeveloped tourism potential, and develop the areas in a sustainable way.  The government will continue working through SETUJAL with the cooperation of FONATUR.  Lake Chapala Real Estate, which is already a thriving market, will only benefit from a structured and organized development plan.

"Mexico's Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely!"
Thomas Lloyd, graduated from Purdue University Krannert School of Management with a degree in Management/Financial Option Investments. He has been living, investing, and working professionally in Mexico for over 15 years.  Mexico Real Estate Degree & Professional Identificacion Number S.E.P. #5978657. He is the current president of TOPmexicorealestate

In the past five months Tulum real estate owners, the hotel industry, service providers, travelers, people who live year round in the Riviera Maya region and visitors have all noticed a big change The Mayan Riviera highway has been improved considerably with an expansion to 4 lanes and overpasses in Puerto Aventuras, Akumal, Bahia Principe resort, Chemuyil and Xel-ha Many of these bridges are nearly 90% in completion and should be ready in a matter of weeks.

People who have not been in the region lately will have a pleasent surprise to find their driving time from Playa de Carmen to Tulum be reduced by at least 20 minutes NO “topes”! Topes are speed bumps and are very common on the roads throughtout all of Mexico Intersections can represent very dangerous situations on any highway so the construction of these new bridges along this Mexican Caribbean coastal highway has been welcomed by many communities in the region Car and pedestrian accidents have already seen immediate improvements as these incidences have been reduced drastically in only a few months.

On a separate note,the southbound section is being covered with an asphalt layer to prevent sliding when wet and therefore making it safer Besides reducing the number of accidents the new coat on the road extends the life of the highway Hopefully the same treatment will apply to the Northbound

The reduced travel time and accessibility are improving property values all along the region but more so in Tulum This small town of on the southern edge of the riviera maya is poised to boom when the market gains confidence again Beautiful beaches, pyramids and cultural history, international visitors, a major airport on the planning board and government investment into the future growth You would expect to see hundreds of condos, single family homes, golf courses and shopping centers to bring the attention of the Mexico infrastructure investors But no, the inventory is extremely low Buyers today need to venture out a little, risk their real estate purchases in areas that are far from the Tulum beachfront property options, in neighborhoods where homes have no restrictions or control on the quality or style of structures that might be constructed next to your investmentOn the other hand, there is one new project which is attracting attention for the points mentioned above If you can't find condos on the beach, then people always search for properties to be as close as possible and within walking distance Aldea Zama in Tulum is stacking up points on various factors that make your investment create positive returns here in the Mexico real estate market such as; Low inventory, little competition, strong regional infrasture investment, beautiful beaches, easy accesibility

These five bridges were built in a very short time span in 2009.TheHighway 307 from Cancun to Chetumal will be completed in 2010.Most of you have seen Playa del Carmen break records as the fastest growing community in Latin America Would you bet that Tulum is going to repeat Is Aldea Zama in the right place at the right time

"Mexico's Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely!"
Thomas Lloyd, graduated from Purdue University Krannert School of Management with a degree in Management/Financial Option Investments. He has been living, investing, and working professionally in Mexico for over 15 years.  Mexico Real Estate Degree & Professional Identificacion Number S.E.P. #5978657. He is the current president of TOPmexicorealestate

So, you have found your Mexico real estate propertyOr in my case, you have found a Yucatan real estate property, we have negotiated and signed a contract, you have paid your Mexico earnest moneydeposit and contracted with a notario/attorney to handle your closing. You have decided to either utilize the Fideicomiso, corporation or both. Your attorney/notario has copies of your passport, visa, the contract, and perhaps a POA from you to sign on your behalf.

The ball is now in your attorney's court to prepare all the necessary documentation for closing. This documentation includes checking to see that there are no debts or liens against the Mexico property; that the taxes are paid, the meets and bounds descriptions are correct, title is clear, the property is in the name of the seller listed in your contract, order the permiso for your Mexico bank trust(Fideicomiso) and/or create your Foreign Owned Mexican Corporation.

Typical closing time from signing the contract to actual transfer of title is a process of 4-6 weeks. If there are problems with the title or meets and bounds it may take longer. Usually the “Offer to Buy” purchase contract provides for an automatic extension of 90 days to acquire proper documents if there is a problem. Should the documentation problem take longer to rectify, the seller and buyer will need to sign a contract to amend the closing date.

Most foreign buyers wire the proceeds for closing to the Mexico real estate agent's earnest money account a few days prior to closing. If the Seller wishes to be paid in pesos, the realtor exchanges the proceeds into pesos on the day before closing and orders certified checks or cash to pay the seller and the notario. The realtor issues a final closing statement for review by the seller, buyer, agents, attorneys, and bank the day prior to closing.

The Mexico notary public will provide the buyer with a copy of certified escrituras at closing, after all signatures are collected. Afterwards, the notario will send the new escrituras to the office of the Catastro for recording of the new owner and title. The Catastro will then send the newly recorded title either back to the notario, the buyer, or the buyer's agent or accountant. The Office of the Catastro is notoriously slow. It is not unusual to wait many months for the new escrituras.

The offices of Catastro in the states of Yucat n and Quintana Roo are in the process of moving all the title and property tax information from paper files to electronic files that will be digitalized and stored electronically. This process has caused additional delays in receiving new title documents from the Catastro.

"Mexico's Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely!"
Thomas Lloyd, graduated from Purdue University Krannert School of Management with a degree in Management/Financial Option Investments. He has been living, investing, and working professionally in Mexico for over 15 years.  Mexico Real Estate Degree & Professional Identificacion Number S.E.P. #5978657. He is the current president of TOPmexicorealestate

The Playa del Carmen real estate market has had some of the world's most interesting growth rates and fascinating samples of regional trends During the 1990's the little village was known as the pier town where you grabbed the ferry to get to Cozumel

It was not the destination, but more the community on the road towards the destination This soon changed though, people began to notice its beaches and the community.European backpackers began frequenting the area and the 5th avenue began to make a name for itself. Hotels and investors began to notice quite quickly the potential of the area Hotel room inventories grew from 10,000 units up to 15,000 – 20,000 Today, the Riviera Maya hotels have more rooms than Cancun With the tremendous growth in various Playa del Carmen industries, the populaton boom began and the real estate market began taking off

Playa del Carmen over the past five years, has been some of Mexico's strongest appreciation markets with returns in the double digits Many investors would purchase Mexico pre construction condo units and sell them 8 or 12 months later with 30% or more appreciation It was a boom all over the coast being witnessed during the first years of the 2000 decade.In the middle of this decade, the comments “I should have bought that property 2 years ago” were quite common These observations from the buying market in 2006-2008 were also accompanied by a decline on the appreciation rates Each year, as the price per square meter crept upwards, the rate of appreciation began losing some steam

2008 and summer of 2009 brought a unique occurence to this regional marketplace.The world economic recession has brought its effects onto the Playa del Carmen real estate market and in the Mexico real estate industry The appreciation rates have flattened and have begun to drop Large amounts NO,but very interesting amounts Some people see this as a half empty glass of water but the current scenario does bring about some fantastic opportunities for the smart investor In fact, there are some quite interesting investment alternatives that could be reviewed as an even healthier market for investment purposes than than the investment environment originally witnessed during the beginning of the years 2000 Let me explain

At the beginning of the Great Appreciation Boom of Playa del Carmen, there were still many risks in the market, there was the risk of new developers, risk of the reaction of the buying market, risk of unknown area development. Today, investors have first hand, regional history data The market absorption and projections are based more on history facts rather than the guessing game or correlating future results based on similar marketplaces in other regions Risks within investments, if purchasing finished products,have been reduced by the knowledge of purchasing a finished product versus the unknown results investing within a new construction Reduction of risks by knowing which neighborhoods were successfully developed and which neighborhoods have not been accepted by the buyers Also, the investor is able to measure how continuous of a demand the Playa del Carmen has reacted over several years of construction and absorption cycles These first hand facts give you and your consultant better data to manage your investments and increase your probabilities of strong returns

The probabilities of continued long term growth are strong in favor of the real estate investor when purchasing properties in the region of Playa del Carmen Obviously there is a short term downturn But that is what this entire article is discussing This fall of 2009 is presenting some incredible and unique real estate opportunities that are not common and which allows many people the “Second Chance ” to buy into the market and ride the wave of appreciation. Contact us here at Lloyd's Real Estate to learn more on how to buy real estate in Mexico and how to apply some strategies when acquiring land in Mexico

"Mexico's Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely!"
Thomas Lloyd, graduated from Purdue University Krannert School of Management with a degree in Management/Financial Option Investments. He has been living, investing, and working professionally in Mexico for over 15 years.  Mexico Real Estate Degree & Professional Identificacion Number S.E.P. #5978657. He is the current president of TOPmexicorealestate

The Cozumel real estate market is effected by several factors which include amongst many others, hotel occupancy rates, the ecological environment of the island, and the cruise boats that visit the piers from this Mexican Caribbean islandBelow are short updates on activities this past month that are effecting the island but also the Mexico real estate market as a whole.

During the Easter vacations, the hotel occupancy rates arrived to nearly 80% Currently the island has approximately 3,522 units in inventory for the hotel industry People comment that the world economic situation has reduced the normal rates but also pointed out that with the gain of the dollar against the peso, this has regained opportunities given the fact that tourists have more pesos to spend It is estimated that each hotel room guest spends approximately $100 usd while a cruise ship tourist spends nearly $80 usd

Another update is in regards to the project of the recuperation of the beaches in Cancun, Playa del Carmen and the Cozumel Island The mayor of the municipality met withthe governor this month to advise that the island is not against the project of restoration of the beaches, but is searching for an alternative area where they plan to extract the sands The current project outlines an area on the norther part of Cozumel where they plan to dig up fresh sand The project calls for the restoration of 7 million cubic meters of sand to be sucked up from the ocean floor off of the island and blown back to the beaches throughout the cities of Quintana Roo

The news that is on front page throughout many parts of the world is the virus outbreak called the swine flu Here on the island, and in the entire state of Quintana Roo, there have been no reports of anyone having been infected The federal government has been aggressive on their response and their actions to prevent further spread of this flu and have closed all schools throughout the entire country until May 6th Cruise ships coming to Cozumel have also been postponed for the immediate future until the federal Secretary of Health gives the green flag They expect the ports to be open if all goes well within 7 – 14 days At the same time, as the government has taken correct steps in the prevention of the spread of the virus, the local, state, and federal government are already preparing action plans and marketing campaigns to be initiated to support the re surge of the important tourist industries

"Mexico's Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely!"
Thomas Lloyd, graduated from Purdue University Krannert School of Management with a degree in Management/Financial Option Investments. He has been living, investing, and working professionally in Mexico for over 15 years.  Mexico Real Estate Degree & Professional Identificacion Number S.E.P. #5978657. He is the current president of TOPmexicorealestate

A Mexico notary public is an attorney that specializes in real property law and is specifically licensed by the state to legally transfer Mexico real estate property from one party to another. In my previous post in our Mexico real estate blog, I talked about the how to buy real estate in Yucatan One of the most important roles during the transaction are that of the notaries The number of Mexico notary public licenses is limited by the state. An attorney who wishes to become a Mexico notary must first attend classes and then pass a board. It is a demanding process and many do not make the cut.

For those few attorneys that do pass the test and are eligible to become a practicing Mexico notary public, they enter a waiting list for the next available notary license from the state. The wait is usually many years. Frequently, a law firm will have one or two junior partners who have completed the notario board exam and can assume the position of notario for the firm. A Mexico notary public license is extremely valuable and dearly guarded by the firms that have them.

The notary public is ultimately responsible to ensure that a clean, merchantable title is passed from the Seller to the Buyer, that the property taxes, transfer fees/taxes and any Mexico capital gains taxes are paid at or prior to closing. They are also responsible to properly record the transaction in their personal books and with the office of the Catastro (Mexico Public Registry). Should a notary public fail to discharge their responsibilities in an honest, fair and transparent manner, they could lose their notary license.

Choosing a notary public is usually not difficult and your Mexico real estate agent will be able to suggest a good notary that is versed in transferring titles to foreign buyers. You may also choose to work with an attorney who is not actually a notary but is connected to a notary. Frequently, these attorneys have passed their board to become a notary and are waiting their turn. In the meantime, they are skilled at checking titles, ordering Fideicomisos and setting up corporations.

If you are setting up a corporation, it is a good idea to find an attorney/Mexico notary public that understands the mechanisms of the proper corporation to best execute your business plan and objectives. Having your corporation construed and worded properly the first time will save money, time and frustration.

Notary Public fees will vary from one firm to another. Many fees are based upon the amount of the operation (appraised value of the property). Taxes and transfer fees are based upon this appraised value.

Frequently, the appraised value of the property is much less than the actual purchase price. If you wish to record your deal at the actual purchase price, that is fine, but be prepared to pay higher closing costs and, perhaps, you will be expected to pay the additional capital gains tax that the Seller will incur due to the buyer's desire to close the deal at the actual purchase price instead of the appraised value.

"Mexico's Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely!"
Thomas Lloyd, graduated from Purdue University Krannert School of Management with a degree in Management/Financial Option Investments. He has been living, investing, and working professionally in Mexico for over 15 years.  Mexico Real Estate Degree & Professional Identificacion Number S.E.P. #5978657. He is the current president of TOPmexicorealestate

Puerto Vallarta real estate always offers many, diverse activities for residents of the city. One of the activities which foreign visitors and residents alike enjoy is caring for the natural beauty of the area – one of Puerto Vallarta real estate’s most important attractions.  During the following months there will be a focus on protecting newly born sea turtles.

This month the nesting season for the Olive Ridley Turtle – the most common sea turtle in the Puerto Vallarta area – begins; the season lasts until November.  The natural nesting cycle of the turtles includes abandoning the eggs for the 50 to 60 day incubation period, when the eggs hatch, and the newly-born turtles instinctively head for the sea.  While it is a natural part of the process that many are taken by predators, including seagulls, it is important to ensure that a large number arrive safely to the sea, since these turtles are a threatened species.

In Puerto Vallarta, there are various organizations devoted to the protection of these turtles, which provide opportunities for volunteers to take newly born sea turtles to the edge of the water and help increase their chances of survival.  The programs not only help prevent loss due to natural predators, but also make sure that swimming and other potentially disruptive sea activities are put on hold during the time that the turtles go to sea.  The volunteers are organized, with a line drawn at the edge of the ocean so they don’t accidentally step on the turtles others are releasing.

 This month volunteers from Puerto Vallarta itself, as well as from numerous other countries, such as Korea, Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, the United States, Israel and Finland, have begun to arrive to beaches in Puerto Vallarta and the surrounding area to help in this important process.

 Just as nature provides a key element in the attractiveness of Puerto Vallarta real estate, residents and visitors alike do their part in protecting this threatened species, thus ensuring that its existence continues to add to Puerto Vallarta’s beauty.

"Mexico's Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely!"
Thomas Lloyd, graduated from Purdue University Krannert School of Management with a degree in Management/Financial Option Investments. He has been living, investing, and working professionally in Mexico for over 15 years.  Mexico Real Estate Degree & Professional Identificacion Number S.E.P. #5978657. He is the current president of TOPmexicorealestate

Puerto Vallarta is a large multifaceted city.  For this reason, Puerto Vallarta real estate offers a large variety of activities and events, appealing to just about anybody.  Puerto Vallarta real estate is continuously benefited by infrastructure improvement and investments in the city tourist industry, and the next few years will see further investments for the upcoming Pan-American Games.

Puerto Vallarta has officially been named a secondary host for the 2011 Pan-American Games in Guadalajara.  This role was made official on June 25^th with the signing of a contract between the municipal government and the committee in charge of the games (COPAG), establishing the responsibilities of both parties.

Puerto Vallarta will host the sail, triathlon, open water swimming and beach volleyball competitions.  In order to host the final activity, a new beach volleyball stadium, with capacity for 5000 spectators, will be opened in Puerto Vallarta.  The new stadium will be located in the Agustín Flores Contreras sports complex.  While facilities for the other competitions are already in place in Puerto Vallarta’s well established water-sport facilities, Puerto Vallarta will also provide the infrastructure for the celebrations of each event.

In the case of open-water swimming a route which runs along the waterfront will be used, so the general public will be able to have a panoramic view of the competition.  The triathlon will be held in the marina area. The sailing competition requires only open sea. 

Other secondary host cities for games are Boca Laguna, Chapala, which will host waterskiing, Tapalpa, which will host mountain biking, Lagos de Moreno, which will host baseball, and Ciudad Guzmán, which will host rowing and canoeing.

After Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta will be the municipality most benefited by the 2011 Pan-American Games.  The city will receive 300 athletes, plus staff and representatives; just as importantly, the city will continue to receive national and international attention and promotion through organizations such as Global Sport – part of the International Olympic Committee – which will be selling 3 day visit packages for Puerto Vallarta.  The promotion and improvements will add to the already thriving water-sports culture and tourist industry that Puerto Vallarta real estate offers to residents and potential buyers.  Also, anyone water-sports fan will enjoy the benefit of watching some of the finest international athletes compete in these events.

The agreement which formalized the commitment was signed by various dignitaries, including Puerto Vallarta’s Mayor and Javier Bravo, the president of COPAG, Alfonso Petersen.  “There is a lot of work to be done,” said the mayor of Guadalajara; “Puerto Vallarta will host four competitions, and each one has special necessities with regard to investment and infrastructure,” adding that Guadalajara intended to support Puerto Vallarta in these responsibilities.

The 2011 Pan-American Games will continue to add  to an already-thriving water-sport culture, and acknowledge the city with this well-deserved role.  Property buyers interested in a beachfront city should consider the benefits of Puerto Vallarta real estate.  Besides the 2011 Pan-American Games, Puerto Vallarta real estate offers a full range of beachfront events and activities. For more information about life in Puerto Vallarta.

"Mexico's Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely!"
Thomas Lloyd, graduated from Purdue University Krannert School of Management with a degree in Management/Financial Option Investments. He has been living, investing, and working professionally in Mexico for over 15 years.  Mexico Real Estate Degree & Professional Identificacion Number S.E.P. #5978657. He is the current president of TOPmexicorealestate