Land, Luxury, Leisure…Explore Pacific Mexico

Beachfront development land in Mexico has proven to be the smartest real estate investment in Mexico

A developers dream, Las cuevitas sits in a privileged cove on the Nayarit Coast in the Pacific Ocean.
Located about 80 minutes from Puerto Vallarta’s International Airport, 35 minutes from the exclusive area of Punta de Mita. and 20 minutes away from the lazy town of Sayulita.
Las Cuevitas is one of the last intriguing pieces of land for sale in the Nayarit Riviera that has both, impressive views of the ocean and a swimmable beach. Perfect to build an exclusive low density development.

 Contact us for more detailed information about this great real estate opportunity in Mexico’s Nayarit Riviera.

http://explore.mexicolandcatalog.com/lascuevitas/

Taking it´s inspiration from the beautiful San Angel Hotel in Mexico City, this newly constructed Villa in prestigious Conchas Chinas in Puerto Vallarta is amazing.

With over 8000 square feet of room for complete enjoyment, 5 bedrooms, 5 1/2 baths, an infinity pool with tremendous views and a full time staff and winding stir case, this Villa is certain to delight even the most discriminating of travellers.

This two story Villa is a delight — built around a central downstairs courtyard, the main level offers tremendous bay views from the Living Room, Dining Room and bedroom.

Upstairs are 4 additional bedrooms, 3 of which offer sweeping views of the Banderas Bay.

Lush furnishings and quality decor are just the most obvious indications of the quality and pride of ownership this home displays.

Casa Serafines features over 8000 square feet of luxury living in prestigious upper Conchas Chinas.

Enter into an open air courtyard featuring a magnificent water fountain and lush tropical plantings. Relax in the living and dining room each with wonderful views of Banderas Bay.

You and your guests will enjoy the five king bedroom suites each with private bath. One bedroom suite is located on the main entrance level.

For your afternoon enjoyment, relax at the heated infinity pool and beautiful poolside terrace.

Casa Serafines has a full staff of three to cater to your every wish.

Covered garage parking, dramatic spiral staircase, courtyard terrace and incredible traditional Mexican details.

Conchas Chinas
5 Bedrooms
5.5 bathrooms
Contemporary hacienda style
Infinity swimming pool
Breathtaking views of the bay, beach and city lights
Quality mexican craftsmanship
2 car attached garage
746 approx sq. meters
Amenities:
5 Bedrooms 6 Baths, Infinity Pool, Air Conditioning, DSL Wireless Internet, BBQ

http://www.lapuntarealty.com/serafines/

PVSR : Punta Vista Signature Residences on perfect Playa Punta de Mita, Riviera Nayarit

Unique in location, quality and space, PVSR condominiums are for discerning individuals who want to be in tranquil Punta de Mita and prefer a secure and deluxe condo experience directly on the beach.

Location

Playa Punta de Mita, near the end of Puerto Vallarta’s North Shore on the Punta de Mita peninsula, is also the last family friendly and azure swimming waters with sandy bottom, protected from open ocean.

To the left are the dream villas of Ranchos Estates, a residential row of extravagant beachfront villas “within” the Punta Mita Resort. To the right is El Anclote, where the pangas wait to take you exploring the Marietas Islands, to see whales and dolphins or out to the surf break you really can’t paddle to.

Then beyond the row of traditional restaurants and high concept cuisine, fine shops and galleries are budding as the once sleepy point is currently under construction in a big way. The Four Seasons and St. Regis Resorts at Punta Mita feature two Jack Nicklaus golf courses, elevate the entire North Shore Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit region.

Quality

Our latest offering, Punta Vista Signature Residences, are an interesting mix of two, 3 and 4 bedroom units, featuring four spectacular penthouses. All units feature the finest quality of wood, glass, marble and granite, as well as a generously outfitted gourmet kitchen withViking appliances. Amenities include a large Jacuzzi, a gym with exercise machines and a spa for beachfront massages.

Space

Punta Vista Signature Residences are large open spaces and views that draw you outside toward sun, water, big starry skies and ocean breezes. Pacific Mexico costal aesthetic is indoor/outdoor living with sweeping terraces and expansive views. PVSR boasts a panorama from the tip of Punta Mita, across the bay to Puerto Vallarta.

http://puntavistasignature.com

A new favorite, Villa Koi, spectacular and rich with cultured refinement, perfectly captures the art of indoor-outdoor Pacific Mexican coastal living.

Luxuriate in over 8000 square feet of living space with 180 degree ocean views across the Bay of Banderas to Puerto Vallarta ringed by the Sierra Occidente.

Decorated in an exquisite fusion of interior Colonial Mexico and intricate hints of the Far East, grand palapa living over an infiniti pool has yet to look and feel this cool along the North Shore of Puerto Vallarta.

Recently completed luxurious ocean front villa in Punta Mita,located approximately 20 miles north of Puerto Vallarta airport and 4.5 miles south of the Four Seasons Punta Mita Resort. This private estate features 10,800 sq. feet of peaceful and serene living spaces, 20,000 sq. feet of exquisitely landscaped lush tropical gardens and 750 sq. feet of Koi ponds with multiple fountains, and magnificent 180◦ unobstructed views of the sapphire waters of Banderas Bay, Puerto Vallarta and the Marieta Islands.

Villa Koi offers:

• 5 beautifully appointed and very private air conditioned suites (4 with King size beds and 1 with 2 queen size beds), each with its own sitting area, desk, private bathroom, indoor and outdoor showers, spacious closets, terraces and/or private patio gardens, air conditioning, remote controlled ceiling fans and folding glass doors to the outside with wood shutters for added privacy. All but 1 suite overlook the ocean. The 5th suite overlooks a private secret garden with its own fountain. All suites feature Italian luxury linens, down duvets, bathrobes, shower and hair products, and hair dryers. Dental hygiene and shaving products are provided by request.
• 3 separate dining areas including a large thatched roof open air dining room with seating for 12, an open air breakfast pergola seating 4, and a thatched roof beach dining pavilion seating 8.
• Open air living room, and covered beach sunset terrace all overlooking the clear blue ocean and the Marieta’s islands.
• Heated, or cooled (as needed) Infinity Swimming Pool with built-in Jacuzzi overlooking Banderas Bay and the Marieta’s islands. The pool is surrounded by abundant pool decking and seating, shaded by royal palms.
• State of the art media room equipped with a 73” HDTV, Satelite TV, surround sound, DVD and Blueray discplayer, remote controlled Sonos sound system with I-Pod dock, CD player Satellite and local radio
• Basic office facilities, including a state of the art industrial cordless telephone system with conferencing capabilities; Vonage telephone service with free calling from and to the US., high speed internet (WIFI) access via your own laptop or the 73” HDTV screen powered by a Dell PC. Printer/copier/fax machine.
• Other Amenities include:
• 2 kitchens including gourmet main kitchen equipped with top quality appliances, including Wolf cook-top, Kitchenaid ovens & Microwave, Sub-zero refrigerator and freezer with built-in ice-maker, built-in Miele Espresso maker, 2 dish washers, and more
• Bar, with ice-maker and 100 (?)bottle capacity wine cooler
• BBQ Patio with Viking BBQ grill
• Water purification system
• Art and antiques throughout.
• 3 personal safes
• Mosquito abatement misting system using environmentally friendly pyrithrium (chrysanthemum flower juice)
• 2 washer/2 dryer laundry room
• 2 car garage with additional outdoor space
• Secure, triple gated access, security cameras
• Gated access to private beach
• 2 ocean kayaks
• Very attentive, but inobtrusive and discrete full time staff consisting of an English speaking care-taker, a chef, house-keeper and gardener.
• The care-taker and chef live on-site in separate staff casita discretely hidden from the main house and are available 24 hours/day including holidays.

Rental fee includes:

• Airport pick-up and drop off in private van (1 round trip per stay; max. 7 passengers)
• 2 meals/day (guests responsible for grocery bills)
• Daily house-keeping/linen service
• In-house or off-site spa services available by request, including personal training, yoga and pilates.
• Concierge services provided by request (grocery shopping, restaurant, tour and excursion reservations

John Youden
Vallarta Lifestyles
Mexmags Publishing Group

This year marks twenty years that Multi-List Vallarta has been providing MLS (Multiple Listing Service) to the Puerto Vallarta region. We believe that makes it the longest running MLS in Mexico, and also the first. Its gone from being just a photo-copied book (well, actually we still offer that service), to being available online at multiple websites. There’s an member’s only section where Realtors can service their listings and generate reports.

Multi-List Vallarta is different from other MLS services in that it is privately owned, rather than owned and operated by the local real estate association. When we first started (we as in two guys in an extra room in an apartment downtown) we approached AMPI, the local real estate chapter, and asked if we could provide them MLS service. They turned down the offer, stating that they wanted to do their own. Three years later they approached us about providing exclusive service for them as they hadn’t managed to get a system together for their organization. It meant that we had to then exclude clients that we had that we not AMPI members, but we did it (well, I did it – we were down to one guy in an extra room in an apartment – but now in the marina), believing that a strong real estate association would be good for the industry. It was done on a handshake, as it stands today, and although there’s been a number of ups and downs, the relationship remains a good one.  There is no real estate licensing in Mexico so the real estate associations have to take up policing their industry on their own. With a strong MLS, they can threaten expulsion from the MLS service for Realtors that provide bad service to their clients or other Realtors. And they have used that power, although infrequently.

Multi-List Vallarta is the only privately organized MLS in Mexico and I don’t believe there are many in the USA or Canada. Actually, there aren’t many MLS services in Mexico and those that do exist are weak. We’ve been asked numerous times to provide service for regions such as Cancun, Los Cabos and San Miguel de Allende, but preferred to concentrate on the Vallarta market. Actually, that’s not true, we did provide MLS service to the Los Cabos region in the early 90s, but found the distance difficult and handed it back to the board. They actually still are using the logo we designed, which is very similar to Vallarta’s.

Are there benefits to have a private MLS?

I believe there are. For one, it took a lot of time and dedication, especially in the early years, to get it up and running. You need someone who is willing to dedicate that time and profit it a good motive. Unless the real estate association is willing to hire and pay good people, it just won’t happen. It may look like there is money to be made for the association, which otherwise is going elsewhere, but if we didn’t subsidize our MLS service having staff that also produce our print publications and websites, it would not be profitable or worth doing. And there has also been the concern with the members of the service getting into the hands of a president or board who may abuse their access to the information. We don’t sell real estate and aren’t active in the market in anyway. Therefore we can remain impartial and objective.

I guess the best test is just to look at other markets in Mexico and see how efficient their systems are when operated by their real estate association.

http://vallartarealestate.wordpress.com/2009/06/26/vallarta-mls-celebrates-20-years-of-service/

There are several good reasons Americans should help out the Mexican economy with a trip south of the border.

By Andrés Martinez
June 9, 2009
Los Angeles Times

Your neighbor needs your help. Do you have it within you to lend a hand? Will you book yourself a week on the beach in Cabo or Puerto Vallarta, or explore Mexico City or one of the colonial cities in the heart of Mexico? You know, for the common good.

This has been a banner decade for empathy tourism — many Americans flocking to New York after 9/11 and to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina did so with a sense of public service. Mexico now needs a similar surge.

Our neighbor to the south is having an annus horribilis, as a British monarch might say. These were never going to be good times down there, with Mexico’s economy so intertwined with ours, but growing concern about war-on-drugs violence, the decline in oil prices and the advent of swine flu has further dented “brand Mexico.” Adding insult to injury, Washington earlier barred Mexican trucks from coming into the United States, a flagrant violation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, and, as of last week, Americans crossing over to Mexico were required to have a passport to reenter the country, a change expected to deepen the slump in border towns frequented by Americans.

The tourism sector is the largest employer in Mexico and the third-largest source of foreign currency for the trillion-dollar economy, after oil exports and remittances sent home by Mexicans working in the U.S. It is estimated that the swine flu alone will cost the country about $5 billion in tourist revenue (and bear in mind that travel to Mexico was already down significantly as a result of the U.S. recession). Hotel occupancy rates in Cancun in May didn’t even reach the 30% mark. The all-clear has been sounded on the virus, but no one knows for sure how long-lasting the impact on tourism will be. Mexico’s gross domestic product, meanwhile, is expected to contract about 12% in the second quarter of this year.

Why should Americans care? Well, for starters, there is the national security imperative. Say what you will about Mexico, and there is plenty negative to be said, our southern neighbor has been a fairly reliable, stable and friendly partner for more than half a century, and it is in our interest to keep it that way. Our nation’s political discourse may not always reflect our good geographic fortune, which we take for granted, but the United States is blessed to have Canada and Mexico as neighbors. Is there another developing nation of more than 100 million people we’d rather have on our southern flank? Put differently, how many other global powers in history have had the luxury of a long land border that doesn’t need to be protected by a large standing army?

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-martinez9-2009jun09,0,6056003.story

By: Laura Del Rosso
June 22, 2009

U.S. President Barack Obama and other political leaders are among those participating in the first part of Mexico’s three-phase campaign to get North Americans traveling back to Mexico.

The first part of the campaign, entitled “Believe It,” is running during the last half of June in major TV markets in the U.S and in Canada. In the U.S., ads will run in Boston, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego and San Francisco.

The campaign features “strong, impacting” statements from President Obama and other leaders, said the Mexico Tourism Board.

Phase two of the campaign is entitled “Welcome Back” and is designed to remind Americans of the “magical moments that bond them to Mexico,” according to the board.

Phase three will be a co-op campaign entitled “Mexico — It’s Time to Go” and feature deals and packages. The campaign will run through the winter season.

“Mexico is letting the world know that we are ready to welcome back travelers and continue to offer the beauty, culture, history, gastronomy, and pristine beaches our country is known for — and of course, all within great proximity and at a great value,” said Oscar Fitch, the Mexico Tourism Board’s CEO.

http://www.travelweekly.com/mexico/article3_ektid196480.aspx

NEW – VACATION RENTAL VILLAS – AMAZING BEACH ALL TO YOURSELF

Villa Los Arcos and Villa Mirador - Vacation Villas at El Banco – Punta de Mita, Mexico

When the husband and wife team developing El Banco bought the oceanfront parcel, also called El Banco, so started the real estate boom in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

The first phase of beachfront estate lots sold in the priority purchasing pre-sales period.  The second phase of the project consists of exquisite Beach Villas that bring the old world colonial charm of San Miguel de Allende to the beaches of the Mexican Pacific.

Villa Los Arcos and Villa Mirador are uniquely inspired and ornate works of art that are the creative collaboration of renown architect Don Juan Munguia, prodigious builder Juan Pablo Stone, and interior design and craftworks by THE Rachel Horn who has come to define San Miguel de Allende “style”.

So What is San Miguel by the Sea?

It is an architectural aesthetic experience called New World Spanish Colonial

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Having fallen in love with both the Puerto Vallarta area and Central Mexico, Developers Tim Koogle and Pam Scott-Koogle began to wonder what it would be like to marry the natural beauty of El Banco with the romantic charm of classical Mexican architecture. Could graceful arches, grand scale, Old World elegance, timeless materials, and artisan craftsmanship live in harmony at the beach? El Banco’s relaxed, yet dramatic beach setting would demand that this architecture be opened up, made outward facing and lighter on its feet. Instead of replicating Spanish Colonial style, they knew they had to re-invent it.

To do so, they handpicked a world-class, bi-cultural Design Team. After three years of painstaking study and development, an entirely new celebration of classic Spanish architecture has emerged. One with a seamless relationship between elegant interior spaces and the dazzling waterfront setting. Hand-crafted to the last detail yet with every modern convenience. We call it ‘New World Spanish Colonial.’ It is El Banco’s signature style. A style being forged at El Banco by the finest collection of stonemasons, wood-carvers, ironworkers, and craftspeople Mexico has to offer.

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Enrique Iglesias at the Vive Vallarta concierto on the malecon boardwalk of Puerto Vallarta

About 40,000 spectators, including tourists and citizen of Puerto Vallarta, enjoyed a major concert entitled “Vallarta en Vivo” on June 20. This spectacular event was headlined by the internationally renowned Mexican singer, Alejandro Fernandez, along with some of his famous friends. The concert was part of the campaign “Jalisco Vive 2009,” undertaken by the state government to help revive tourism in the state of Jalisco, especially as visitors to our city generate significant revenue to the area.

Alejandro Fernández said at the press conference prior to the concert that despite being a low season for visitors in the port, tourism authorities told him that the hotel occupancy rates had increased considerably thanks to the concert. The first spectators arrived at the entrances of the Malecon at 6:00 AM and waited up to 20 hours to see their favorite performers sing live.

Click here to read entire article with photos of the concert

Amigos de Careyes,

Many greetings from Careyes where  the weather is spectacular, as it normaly is all year but specialy  throughout May and June. There is a little humidity; the ocean is warmer and the breezes are steady. A few clouds tell of rains coming, hopefully before the end of June, and the dorados are back!

Although we did get a  drop in visitors and occupancy during these last 2 months, thanks to the imported influenza, they  have found Careyes healthier and more peaceful than ever . We are happy to inform you that  there were no cases in the region.  In any case, reservations for summer and winter are starting to come in again and we are sure that all of this flu bother will be forgotten soon, specially thanks to the favorable exchange rate of the mexican Peso!

Not only are some owners taking the time to repair their homes, but new houses are being built as well and the Hotel  Careyes is repairing its roof.  We, the Brignones, started the Plaza de los Caballeros del Sol, which includes places for cultural gatherings, an art gallery, and some shops for handicrafts,  organic vegetables, farmacy,  a ceramic owen for artists and some small apartments for rent or for sale,  with first experiments of  solar energy !

La Guarida del Cordero is a massive cliffside estate from the imagination of Arq. Manolo Mestre

Thanks to  all these investments, we are  now able to offer more than 400  construction jobs in the area during these times that are economically difficult for everyone. The Plaza’s first phase will be completed by August 15th,  with the inaugural presentation of” Cinema Paradiso” in the new open air cinema. We hope you will be here for this opening!

In August all four restaurants will be open ,  we will have a riding teacher for the children and we will resume the turtle program to protect sea turtle nesting and hatching. Last year we collected more than 100,000 eggs and hope to do better this summer. Recall that our efforts in this regard began 25 years ago! We are also starting a new program of garbage separation that will be obligatory from july 1st.

Careyes has lived thru all kinds of situations in its 40 years of existence and we are confident that we will continue to thrive with your support and help in spreading the word that Careyes is well and awaits the opportunity to share its beauty and joy with  you and yours!

http://www.lapuntarealty.com/areas/costaalegre.htm

PLEASE VOTE FOR MEXICO AND HELP BRING BACK THE TOURISTS

Dear friends,

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know Mexico needs a tourism boost.

In PV alone, hotels are down 90%, we all know friends and neighbors who are struggling to stay employed or keep their businesses going.

So Mexico has a chance to be chosen as a site for Amazing Race on TV which would bring a much needed positive PR shot in the arm to this country.

We’re number #1 but we still need an email blitz.

Go directly to the Amazing Race site and vote:
http://www.tudiscovery.com/race/inicio.shtml

Please forward to your friends.

Thank you and see you in sunny Puerto Vallarta!

BESOS
DORITA

June 22, 2009 12:09 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Buyers can qualify for three-year financing at zero percent interest

PUNTA MITA, Mexico–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In a move to raise buyer interest, DINE, Mexico’s premier real estate developer, is now offering highly attractive, below market financing rates at the exclusive Kupuri beachfront development in Punta Mita, a gated, 1,500-acre master-planned, second-home resort community.

Punta Mita real estate values are starting to drop and owners and developers offer deeply discounted pricing and generous financing terms

Kupuri is situated on a secluded, self-contained white sand bay, part of Punta Mita’s nine-and-a-half-mile beachfront, where DINE is offering lots ranging from ¾ acres to 1.5 acres, priced from $2.25 million for secluded hillside locations to $7.2 million for beachfront estate sites. Each home developed will offer owners gated privacy, generous interior and exterior space, highly coveted Pacific Ocean vistas, and access to Kupuri Beach with private beach cabanas.

To date, DINE has sold eight Kupuri lots, including a beachfront property to homebuyer and Mexico City-based architect Alejandro Quintanilla. Quintanilla has designed a five-bedroom, contemporary style estate home with special guest quarters now under construction and slated for completion by fall of 2009.

DINE’s new financing program requires a 30 percent down payment due at closing with no mortgage payment due for three years at zero percent interest. A balloon 70 percent payment balance is due at the end of three years. Additional terms and incentives, for a limited time, include a 15 percent discount off the list price, and a 10 percent discount as long as the home is built within the first three years. In addition, homeowner association fees, property taxes and golf membership dues are waived for three years.

“DINE is offering developer financing at Kupuri – and in our other Punta Mita communities – as an added incentive for buyers who want to invest in this exclusive community but conserve cash in the short term. We fully expect Punta Mita’s prices to rebound quickly once the economy recovers, given flagship brands like St. Regis, Four Seasons and Jack Nicklaus that have invested here.”

The word “Kupuri” originated from the Huichol Indians, who for centuries have inhabited Mexico’s Sierra Madre Mountains and believe that nature and the inner spirit are forever intertwined as a life force known as Kupuri. Future plans for Kupuri include a funicular to transport its residents and guests to a mountaintop sunset bar offering spectacular views.

DINE’s financing program is also available for Punta Mita’s Four Seasons Private Villas. It requires a 25 percent down payment and the 75 percent balance due after 36 months at five percent interest. Punta Mita’s El Encanto community is also offering developer financing on a select inventory of completed residences that require a 30 percent down payment with five percent interest for 36 months. Ayia, a new community of 27 completed, two-bedroom condominiums with an array of amenities, offers zero percent non-qualifying developer financing for a 24-month term with a 30 percent down payment.

Explore Punta Mita Mexico By Air - Aerial views of the Punta Mita peninsula

A spear-shaped peninsula with nine and a half miles of Pacific Coast shoreline, Punta Mita is surrounded on three sides by white-sand beaches and dramatic coves. DINE has invested over $150 million USD to date in the project’s infrastructure. At full build-out, Punta Mita will have a real estate value of approximately $2 billion. In November 2008, the St. Regis Punta Mita Resort and a second Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course opened at Punta Mita.

For more information on Punta Mita, including “Experience the Dream” travel packages for individuals interested in exploring Punta Mita’s ownership options, contact the offices of La Punta Realty – Christie’s Great Estates

from the U.S. at 011-52-329-291-6420

or email info@lapuntarelty.com

Visit www.puntademita-realestate.com

About Punta Mita

Punta Mita is an ultra-luxurious, 1,500-acre resort and residential community situated in the Riviera Nayarit, north of Puerto Vallarta. It lies on a private spear-shaped peninsula surrounded by white sand beaches, Pacific Ocean waters and lush tropical flora. Punta Mita is home to private villas and residences, two Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses, the new St. Regis Punta Mita Resort and the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, voted the #1 golf resort in North America and the U.K. by readers of Condé Nast Traveler (2008). The master plan of Punta Mita includes a future proposed Mii amo destination spa and residences, an all-suite La Solana Resort and a variety of luxurious residential offerings and estate lots. www.puntademita-realestate.com

Four Seasons Residence Club - Punta Mita Resort, Riviera Nayarit, Mexico

Four Seasons Residence Club offers more ammenities than any other vacation rental / real estate product in Punta de Mita.Four Seasons Residence Club allows you to own 1/12 of beautiful and luxurious Four Seasons Punta Mita condominium without paying millions and millions of dollars.

There are 2, 3, and 4 bedroom floor plans.

They are all beautifully appointed, offers beautiful ocean views, with its own plunge pool, BBQ area, full kitchen, and you will have full access to the most wanted Four Seasons Punta Mita’s Resort Amenities and Services.

I have few fractions available for sale.  Price range from $194k to $410k.

These prices are already lower than what the Developer is currently offering, but offers are welcome!

Ranked #1 in the “Top 20 International Resorts” category
Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report, 2006.

You can see more information at La Punta Realty’s Website - http://www.lapuntarealty.com/fscondos/

Villa Mandarinas is a brand new luxury villa for rent on the South shore of Puerto Vallarta, close to Mismaloya

Mismaloya’s newest and brightest jewel is Villa Mandarinas. This architectural masterpiece cascades down six beautiful tiers of native vegetation, dramatic cliffs and colorful gardens overlooking the beach and cove where The Night of the Iguana was filmed.

Originally named “Las Peñas” (the boulders) in 1541 by Captain Don Pedro de Alvarado, the Los Arcos Island Preserve looms impressively off the shore of Villa Mandarinas. Considered the centerpiece of the best views in Banderas Bay, Los Arcos stars as the highlight of every vista in the home.

When you turn into Villa Mandarinas beautiful stone drieveway, you are invited to enter the estate by the fluid and graceful opening of the soring accordion garage doors. Made of honey colored primavera wood, these doors are only the first example of the innovation and beauty this estate holds. When you pull through the doors and park at the zenith of the cliffs of Mismaloya you are greeted by the best view you have had on the entire journey. Guests tend to be inspired so much from this view that they race from their cars to see what other vistas await them.

http://www.lapuntarealty.com/mandarinas/

Opinion by Andrés Oppenheimer
MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS / MIAMI HERALD
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 06.21.2009

The swine flu outbreak that has wrecked Mexico’s economy may become a case study in reckless journalism. It now turns out that it’s not clear whether the H1N1 pandemic originated in Mexico, as first reported, or in the United States.

Like most of you, I had taken it for granted that the disease started in Mexico. That’s what most press reports said in late April, when we saw the first headlines about this illness. Some radio and cable television presenters called it the “Mexican flu.”

So earlier this week, I found myself scratching my head when I read in a Pan American Health Organization press release that “the new virus, which emerged in Mexico and the United States in April,” has spread to 74 countries.

What do they mean by Mexico AND the United States, I asked myself. Are they saying that the new virus emerged in both countries simultaneously? Minutes later, I called the Pan American Health Organization to ask whether that “AND” was an editing mistake, or intentional.

Daniel Epstein, a Pan American Health Organization spokesman, said that, “at this time, it’s not clear that this pandemic started in Mexico.” He added that reports that the disease originated in Mexico “are premature.”

At the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, spokesman Joe Quimby confirmed that “no geographical location has been determined to be the point of origin of the current pandemic.” He added, “We may never know in which country it started.”

The lack of certainty as to where the pandemic started stems from the fact that hundreds of thousands of people cross the U.S.-Mexico border every day, making it hard to know where the virus came from. In addition, many healthy people without severe H1N1 symptoms may have not gone to a doctor, and their cases may therefore have gone undetected on either side of the border before the first cases were reported, health officials say.

But none of this stopped the usual crowd of hyperventilating anti-immigration — or rather, anti-Hispanic immigration — radio and cable television hotheads from pointing at Mexico as the unequivocal origin of the disease.

According to the Media Matters watchdog group, conservative-nationalist radio talk show host Michael Savage said on April 24, “Make no mistake about it: Illegal aliens are the carriers of the new strain of human-swine avian flu from Mexico.”

In another example of irresponsible journalism cited by the watchdog group, Fox’s contributor Michelle Malkin wrote in her blog on April 25, “Hey, maybe we’ll finally get serious about borders now.” She added, “I’ve blogged for years about the spread of contagious diseases from around the world into the U.S. as a result of uncontrolled immigration.”

On April 27, CNN’s Lou Dobbs started his nightly show saying, “We begin with dire new warnings about the worsening outbreak of swine flu. This outbreak is spreading from Mexico to the United States and around the world.”

In the days that followed, many countries — including Cuba, Argentina and Ecuador — suspended all flights from Mexico. The U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory recommending Americans to abstain from non business-related travel to Mexico. China stopped imports of pork from Mexico.

Tourism to Mexico plummeted. A friend told me he paid about $270, taxes included, round-trip from Miami to Mexico City in May, and the plane was half empty. The flu-related decline in tourism and exports will contribute to an officially-projected 5.5 percent drop in Mexico’s gross domestic product this year.

And now, many in the Mexican press are saying that the disease started in the United States. They cite, among other things, a May 2 article in Newsweek by Pulitzer prize-winning author Laurie Garrett.

The article, which says that it is impossible to pinpoint where the pandemic started, reports that there was a case of swine flu in the United States as early as 2005, when a 17-year-old boy who had been working in a Wisconsin pig slaughterhouse fell ill.

My opinion: Perhaps world health authorities will eventually conclude that the pandemic started in Mexico. But what if they don’t? What if they conclude that it started in Wisconsin or in California? Who will compensate the tens of thousands of Mexicans who lost their jobs or saw their incomes nosedive because of the collapse of the tourism industry?

I don’t have an answer for how this story should have been reported early on (although Garrett’s article should have shown us the way). But just as scientists are looking into the history of the H1N1 outbreak to learn how to better handle future pandemics, we in the media should look at how to handle these kinds of stories more responsibly in the future, and expose reckless charlatans for what they are.

E-mail Andrés Oppenheimer, a Latin America correspondent for the Miami Herald, at aoppenheimer@miamiherald.com

http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/297744

President Calderon is set to sign the law, but some fear that letting off users caught with limited amounts of drugs will increase drug use and encourage ‘drug tourists’ from the U.S.

By Tracy Wilkinson
Los Angeles Times
June 21, 2009

Reporting from Mexico City — Could Mexican cities become Latin Amsterdams, flooded by drug users seeking penalty-free tokes and toots?

That is the fear, if somewhat overstated, of some Mexican officials, especially in northern border states that serve as a mecca for underage drinkers from the United States.

The anxiety stems from the Mexican legislature’s quiet vote to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine and other drugs, an effort that in the past proved controversial.

There’s been less protest this time, in part because there hasn’t been much publicity.

Some critics have suggested that easing the punishment for drug possession sends the wrong message while President Felipe Calderon is waging a bloody war against major narcotics traffickers. The battle between law enforcement authorities and drug suspects has claimed more than 11,000 lives since he took office in late 2006.

Click here to read the full article…
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/medicine/la-fg-mexico-decriminalize21-2009jun21,0,6336338.story

Is it possible? Depends on who you ask and where they live.

I’ll bet if you ask one of the 1.5 million Americans that live in Mexico that answer would be a resounding, YES!

Has it been a dream of yours to walk to the beach everyday?

Now a days in the Puerto Vallarta / Punta de Mita corridor you can live like a prince for under two thousand dollars a month.

Maybe walking on the beach is not your thing, still you can buy a condo for under $200,000 dollars with great views and watch the passers-by.

What’s the catch? You have to come and see for yourself, first hand.

This Pacific Mexican stretch of coastline is rich and diverse with opportunities in all price ranges.

Our shire starts as far South as Manzanillo, then North to Barra de Navidad, Tamarindo, Costa Careyes, Costa Alegre, Cabo Corrientes, then inside the Bay of Banderas from Yelapa toward Puerto Vallarta including Quimixto, Boca de Tomatlan, Mismaloya, Garza Blanca and the famous neighborhood called Conchas Chinas…where residential development of upscale single family homes in Puerto Vallarta began.

From the downtown Puerto Vallarta hotel zone, hotels and condo towers line the beaches until Marina Vallarta.

Across the state line between Jalisco and Nayarit begins the Riviera Nayarit, beggining with and featuring Nuevo Vallarta, then North to Bucerias, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle (where an amazing new Marina just opened).

Here begins the Punta de Mita peninsula, where the real estate gets pricey because of the Punta Mita Resort featuring a Four Seasons Resort and the brand new St. Regis Resort which share two Jack Nicklaus golf courses and some of the best golf in Mexico.

North of Punta de Mita is the massive government funded, multi-development zone called Litibu, then the on to the trendy surf town of Sayulita, the quiet and cultured San Pancho.

Go further North to the towns of Lo de Marcos, Rincon de Guayabitos, Chacala, all the way to San Blas, you will find your open range of opportunities that are still only beginning to be revealed.Be sure to ask a professional real estate agent for advice and representation. Just like any occupation or hobby, we have those who are in it part time or for something to do. You do not want to invest in property in a foreign country using a hobbyist.

An experienced AMPI member local to the area is your best bet when purchasing a home or condo here along the Pacific Coast of Mexico.

The Mexican Association of Professional Realtors (AMPI) is a nation wide organization that is recognized by the National Association of Realtors in the USA.

Schooling, ethics and knowledge are just a part of what we profess. This is what it means to be a professional. To profess that you know what you are doing and pass that knowledge and information on to the investor.

You need representation. Why?

The listing agent is inherently obligated to the seller.

As a Certified International Property Specialist and the only affiliated Accredited Buyers Representative in the Puerto Vallarta / Punta de Mita region I give you with 20 years of experience in Mexico.

You need and deserve objective information with learned insight from any real estate professional, but in a foreign country, understanding the context of culture, customs, history, relationships and legal minutiae can be overwhelming if not elusive.

Does your agent speak, read and write Spanish?
There many agents here that don’t. They say they don’t have to.

What?

Your representative should have a great knowledge of the area and that includes speaking Spanish.

Imigration

Where the American and Canadian Consulates might be a great help to you, or the best medical care may set you at ease one day Etc, etc.

You need to know what an FM-3, FM-2 and FM-T are. These are immigraton permits and your rep needs to know the advantages and disadvantages and the differences of having one or the other.

Depending which document you have affects your capital gains taxes. These documents will serve you well when it comes time to sell. Get your advice from a pro, someone who does this full time and doesn’t go home in the summer.

It’s your money.  Do more for less.

It’s your Puerto Vallarta, Punta de Mita.

It’s your walk on the beach.

Alfred Melchiorre – AMPI, NAR, CIPS, ABR, TRC
For more information contact a pro at alinmita@gmail.com

011-52-329-291-6420

–

Toll Free from North America 1-866-706-1199
Alfred Melchiorre – AMPI, NAR, CIPS, TRC

Christie’s Great Estates
La Punta Realty
Avenida Anclote # 7 Altos
Col. Nuevo Coral del Risco
Punta de Mita, Nayarit, Mexico 63734
www.lapuntarealty.com
www.mexicolandcatalog.com
www.condominiumsinpuertovallarta.com

landfacts@yahoo.com
alinmita@gmail.com

011-52-329-291-6420 office
011-52-329-291-6421 fax
011-52-329-291-6387 home
011-52-1-322-111-7522 cell

Luxury vacation rental villa for sale on the Jack Nicklaus golf course at the Four Seasons / St. Regis resort, Punta Mita

Casa Paraiso is available for selected summer fill in rates of only $1500.00 per night
including taxes and 2 housekeepers.

Fabulous half-acre Estate located right on the Oceanfront on the 9th fairway within the private Four Seasons Resort peninsula. This is the largest Estate within the Lagos del Mar enclave. Your ocean view spans over 180 degrees. Each one of its 5 expansive suites affords exclusive Ocean as well as Golf course views, with incredible luxury and privacy. The beach is just a short walk away for all the fun it brings.

This beautiful 16,000 square foot home is truly a sight to behold. Covered in beautiful select cedar wood and marble throughout.

Your every whim will be taken care of by our experience staff with availability of all activities that Puerto Vallarta is famous for. Enjoy a luxurious massage and manicure in the comfort and privacy of your own estate while you rest your eyes on the ocean breeze.

Full access to 2 private residents beach clubs as well as the golf course tennis facility is provided with your rental. Boating, Fishing, Kayaking, Surfing, Horse Back Riding, and more are available at your fingertips.

All of the expansive suites have beautiful ocean and golf course views with private climate control. Each Suite has a full air-conditioned bathroom with privacy and comfort in mind.

Every suite has US DIRECTV and five speaker BOSE sound. DSL high speed Internet is provided in every suite as well as living areas.

Complete hospital quality reverse osmosis and ultraviolet water filtration throughout the home. Whole house electrical conditioner provides for safe use of all electronic equipment. Garage is provided if you decide to use your own vehicle. Large 65 foot Pool and Spa located within the expansive terrace with its own private bar and Wolf Barbeque is perfect for private parties.

You have access to 2 4 passenger GEM vehicles to enjoy within Punta MIta.

Our service staff consists of 2 housekeepers with optional Chef service. We also provide optional in-house Massage, Aroma Therapy, Manicure, and Pedicure service.

This house is truly like no other in the area providing the very best of the best in quality, privacy, security, and comfort. If you are looking for the best of the best this experience is for you.

Once you arrive within the gates you will be greeted by our great staff and whisked away to your great vacation experience. The home is located on the ninth hole of the Four Seasons Golf Course right on the oceanfront as well as the lake on the thirteenth hole.

For more information please visit
http://casaparaisopuntamita.com/

And away from busy Puerto Vallarta
By KARIN CZULIK / KING5.com

For vacationers looking for solitude and the real Mexico, the Nayarit Coast might just be the ticket. But don’t wait too long, because development is creeping up fast and many hotel projects are in the works.

San Pancho, Nayarit jungle hideaway homesite building lot for sale

Located just north of the hustle and bustle of Puerto Vallarta, the Nayarit Coast is still mostly quiet, low-key, unpretentious, down-to-earth and cheap.

But already the southern portion of the coast is starting to resemble Southern California – with gated communities and American chain stores spreading rapidly. And there are big plans for the rest of the coast as well. Eager developers have already renamed the stretch “Riviera Nayarit” to appeal to a more upscale clientele in anticipation of yet another tourist Mecca.

So hurry. For now, you can still find peace and quiet there. For now, there are no mega-resorts, only small hotels, bungalows or spare rooms in people’s homes.

Just head north

To get there, just head north from Puerto Vallarta’s airport.

Right after you leave the airport on Mexico Highway 200 and cross a river, you have to set your watch back an hour as you leave the state of Jalisco and enter the state of Nayarit.

First you pass through the towns of Mezcales and Bucerias, where the American influence is already very obvious.

If you keep following the coast, you’ll end up in Punta de Mita, a fast-growing area with hotels, fancy vacation homes and gated communities. But you can bypass all that new development by staying on Hwy 200 and heading over the wooded hills.

Sayulita

The first town you’ll come across is Sayulita, known until recently as a sleepy, little fishing village.

But that’s definitely no longer the case. It has developed into a funky and lively town filled with surfer dudes and backpackers, retired Americans and Canadians, yuppies who have bought property there, ex-pats who ended up staying, and, yes, even some Mexicans.

It’s still a low-key, relaxed place, but you definitely won’t be “getting away from it all.”

In Sayulita you’ll find espresso stands, Internet cafés, gift shops, gourmet food, and lots of opportunities for tourist activities, such as surfing, kayaking, biking, hiking, horseback riding and more.

It’s a scenic village, with mountains all around and a pleasant climate, but the beach is not that pristine as a small, polluted river flows through the town and into the bay.

Keep going north

For a taste of Mexico that’s even less influenced by tourism, continue north up the coast. There you’ll find fewer people speaking English and fewer conveniences for foreigners.

You’ll rarely run into other tourists, and along the beaches, you’ll mostly find birds – lots and lots of birds. The area is truly a birdwatcher’s paradise.

In small town such as San Pancho, Rincon de Guayabitos, Penita la Jaltemba, Chacala, Santa Cruz, and El Rincon, you can still feel a sense of village life – a far cry from the mega-resorts, the fancy swimming pools, the rows of gift shops and mobs of tourists.

Farther north on the coast is San Blas, a fishing town of about 12,000 people and a world-renowned habitat for migratory birds, where birding enthusiasts come to spot some of the 300 migratory birds that spend their winters there. They even have an annual festival dedicated to the birds.

Some local outfits offer eco-adventures such as mangrove swamp boat rides and whale watching, and there’s wonderful surfing, and great hiking in the jungle and along the beaches.

And while you’re there, don’t neglect a trip to the mountains where you’ll find charming villages, dramatic waterfalls, beautiful flowers, and interesting roadside shrines along the way.

About Nayarit

The Nayarit state begins just a few miles north of Puerto Vallarta. It is one of Mexico’s least populated states with fewer than 1 million permanent residents – compared to the 6.7 million residents of Jalisco, where Puerto Vallarta is located.

http://www.nwcn.com/sharedcontent/northwest/travel/stories/NW_061909TRB-nayarit-coast-KC.8f3a5f4.html

Villa Manzanilla and Casa Vela are two stylish and modern Pacific Mexican villas on a crested hillside of the luxurious and exclusive residential enclave of Real del Mar, jus after La Cruz de Huanacxtle and at the base of the Punta de Mita peninsula, North Shore Puerto Vallarta.

Casa Manzanilla sits high above the nearby town of La Cruz and you’ll enjoy stunning views of the ocean. This residence is decorated in vibrant colors, with a huge palapa living area.

There is a private pool and hot tub on the oversized patio, and a dedicated media room inside. The four-bedroom, four-and-a-half bathroom, two-level home measures 4,848 interior square feet, 4,631 patio square feet.

The master, junior master, and third bedroom each have one king bed. The fourth bedroom has two queen beds.

On pristine Playa Piedra Blanca, Real del Mar residential community is the essence of seductive oceanfront living. Just 59 cliff-hugging villas are set on 30 acres of manicured jungle. Impressive resident amenities include a private beach club, tennis, gym and captivating spa facility.

The developers, Tierra y Armonia, are a group of respected entrepreneurs that have over 25 years tenure in major projects in the Guadalajara area and are very active on the Costa Vallarta

The vision for Real de lMar was inspired by the topography of the land as six summits overlook the incredible Bay of Banderas .
Stylish and contemporary Mexican homes built to the highest quality standards, on two or three levels, are ingeniously incorporated into the hillsides with vanishing pools and ample terraces perched toward unique and private views.

Residence Features

Private pool and jetted tub
Media room with 42” plasma TV
Ocean and beach town views
Outdoor dining table
Private carport

For More Information, please visit the website of La Punta Realty – Christie’s Great Estates
http://www.lapuntarealty.com/manzanilla/

Casa Vela is a 4.5 bathroom home between rock and jungle in the center of Real del Mar overlooking the beach club walkway.

With nearly 6,000 square feet of interior space, Casa Vela features 4 bedrooms and dedicated media room. There are two master bedrooms, each with king beds. The third bedroom includes a king bed, and the fourth bedroom features two queen beds.

3,000 square feet of exterior space boasts a private pool and hot tub, carport.

On pristine Playa Piedra Blanca, Real del Mar residential community is the essence of seductive oceanfront living. Just 59 cliff-hugging villas are set on 30 acres of manicured jungle. Impressive resident amenities include a private beach club, tennis, gym and captivating spa facility.

The developers, Tierra y Armonia, are a group of respected entrepreneurs that have over 25 years tenure in major projects in the Guadalajara area and are very active on the Costa Vallarta

The vision for Real de l Mar was inspired by the topography of the land as six summits overlook the incredible Bay of Banderas .
Stylish and contemporary Mexican homes built to the highest quality standards, on two or three levels, are ingeniously incorporated into the hillsides with vanishing pools and ample terraces perched toward unique and private views.

All property owners of Real del Mar  enjoy the following additional amenities:

• Private frontage on Piedra Blanca beach.
• Two beach clubs
• Restaurant
• Soa and exercise complex
• Two tennis courts
• 24-hour security

For More Information, please visit the website of La Punta Realty – Christie’s Great Estates
http://www.lapuntarealty.com/vela

 http://www.realdelmar.lapuntarealty.com/

Banderas News and PVNN

Puerto Vallarta’s world famous Malecón is the place to be on Saturday, June 20th at 8 pm, as the Jalisco Secretary of Tourism presents “Jalisco en Vivo 2009″ a free concert featuring world-famous, award-winning musical artists such as Alejandro Fernández, Gloria Estefan, Enrique Iglesias, Joan Sebastian, Raúl di Blasio, Aleks Syntek, Luis Fonsi, León Polar, Gianmarco, David Bisbal, Noel, Coti, Belanova, Fanny Lu, Sandoval, Ha*Ash y María José, and others. The same concert will also be presented in Guadalajara on June 27th.

Jalisco Vive 2009 - Concerts in Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara

These outdoor concerts are part of Mexico’s $92 million dollar “Vive México” tourism stimulus plan, designed to reverse recent negative publicity about Mexico and its subsequent impact on tourism.

In recent months, Puerto Vallarta’s tourism industry has been pummeled by sensationalistic media reports of drug-related violence in Mexico, (which does exist in some border towns hundreds of miles from here,) followed by the swine flu scare, which, despite the fact that there were only 6 confirmed cases in the area, delivered a knock-out punch to the local economy.

As one of Mexico’s most popular beach vacation destinations, Puerto Vallarta is home to thousands of wonderful people who depend on tourism, and, with an anticipated attendance in excess of 20,000 people, this free seaside concert of international superstars is an important step in luring visitors back to our wonderful city by the sea.

Organized and hosted by Jalisco Tourism Ambassador Alejandro Fernández, who is one of the most popular Mexican singers in the world today, this free concert is just one of an ongoing series of events designed to bring tourists back to Puerto Vallarta – and a musical extravaganza that you won’t want to miss.

 The “Jalisco en Vivo 2009″ concert, scheduled for June 20th at 8 pm on Puerto Vallarta’s beautiful Malecón, is open to the public and free of charge, so plan to get there early for ringside seats.

Those who’d like to enjoy the show – but avoid the crowds – should make reservations today at one of the many restaurants overlooking the Malecón, or contact Vallarta Adventures at (322) 297-1212 ext. 3, to reserve your space on a special sunset cruise that includes food, drinks and a seaside view of the show from one of their luxury sailboats or modern catamarans.

Under the banner of ”Jalisco en Vivo 2009,” Puerto Vallarta will host a free musical extravaganza on June 20 on the Malecón.

The Jalisco en Vivo 2009 Concert will include:

Alejandro Fernández

Paulina Rubio

Leonel

Gianmarco

David Bisbal

Noel

Reyli Barba

Gloria Estefan

Luis Fonsi

Merche

Coti

Joan Sebastian

Raúl di Blasio

Belanova

Ha*Ash

María José

Fanny Lu

Paty Cantú

This concert will bring 18 major musical stars to the city in a show of support for tourism here. The same concert will also be presented in Guadalajara on June 27.

65,000 people are expected to view this concert. Large video screens will be set up along the malecon and adjacent streets will be closed from June 17 to 21 to facilitate construction of the stage and viewing areas.

http://www.banderasnews.com/0906/nb-promotingvallarta.htm

By Graciela Moreno

Fresno, CA (KFSN) – Already suffering from the impact of a slow economy … the flu outbreak dealt a second, serious blow to Mexico’s tourism industry.

Hotels, resorts and cruise lines have been going all out trying to entice travelers back … some are offering huge discounts … while others are making “flu-free” guarantees.

Whether you’re looking to set sail down the Mexican Riviera or lounge on the beach in Puerto Vallarta … travel agents like Denise Donathan of Winsome Travel say prices to Mexico … just can’t be beat.

“You can do a 7-day cruise for $419 dollars a person … I mean those are really unbelievable deals,” said Donathan.

http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/national_world&id=6868728

Explore with Mark Callanan - Photos of Mexico - Stock photography

Now is the time to book, if you’re seriously contemplating a Mexico beach vacation sometime this summer or fall. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air have announced a two-day sale, which began this morning, on the eight destinations that they serve in Mexico: Cancun, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, La Paz, Loreto, Los Cabos, Manzanillo, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta.

Deal: Book a flight online to one of these spots, and you’ll get 25% off.

Tested: Starting via the sale page, I found round-trip flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to Puerto Vallarta (PVR) in late June, traveling both ways on Tuesdays, for $264, including taxes and fees. This represents a $53 discount on the base airfare.

I checked the same flights on CheapTickets.com and the total there amounted to $317 — or, $53 more than the sale fare I could snap up booking directly with the airline.

When: This is valid for travel through Oct. 31. You have until midnight Tuesday, June 16, to purchase.

Caveat: Among the fine print: “One discount is allowed per reservation for up to seven people traveling together in the same reservation.”

Baggage note: You have until July 6 to get one bag checked free of charge. After that date, $15 will be charged for your first checked bag, $25 for your second.

Contact: Alaska Airlines / Horizon Air

- Susan Derby, Special to The Times

Photo: Coronado Island, part of Loreto Bay National Marine Park; Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times

http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/two-day-sale-on-mexi-4641/

By EILEEN SULLIVAN
WASHINGTON (AP)

The U.S. and Mexico formalized an agreement Monday to work together to secure legal travel and trade across the countries’ shared border.

The agreement is outlined in a letter of intent signed by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Mexico’s Finance Minister Agustin Carstens.

It expands a 2007 agreement and formalizes plans announced earlier this year to search vehicles at border crossings for bulk weapons and cash being smuggled from the U.S. into Mexico where more than 10,800 people have been killed by drug violence since December 2006.

Napolitano said the cooperation will include sharing information such as data about stolen cars.

Officials have said many of the weapons used in cartel violence in Mexico have come from the U.S.

Both countries are responsible for what goes into Mexico from the U.S., Napolitano said Monday at a news conference. “Our view is that we can either point fingers at each other, or we can work together,” she said.

Officials said the agreement will improve communication and strengthen coordination on border enforcement. For instance, the U.S. will train Mexican customs agents and dogs and use more technology along the border.

“The more we work together, the better the service and security we provide to our peoples and economies,” Carstens said in a statement.

The agreement is part of the U.S.-Mexico effort to curb drug and weapons trafficking and crack down on smuggling cartels. Mexico has deployed more than 45,000 soldiers across the country to fight the heavily armed cartels.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i6FeWhwuAI7Rr2-JbyGgsBY_LhRgD98R795G3

Poor Towns Especially Hurt as Immigrants’ Money Transfers Drop Sharply

By William Booth
Washington Post Foreign Service

Sunday, June 14, 2009

EL ARENAL, Mexico – When Jesus Barrera Lopez had a sweet job laying tile floors in Phoenix, he did what every migrant from his home town in central Mexico does: He sent home money, bundles of it.

“Before the economic recession started, I usually sent $300 or $400 every two weeks to my family. But when the crisis came, I only sent like $100,” said Barrera who recently returned here to the hot, rocky hills in the state of Hidalgo after the construction industry in Arizona imploded and work became nearly impossible to find.

And now? “There’s nothing,” said Barrera, 29, hanging out in his half-finished house and remembering the boom times, when he and 50 migrant workers from El Arenal sent money home at Christmas to host a party for the whole town.

Remittances sent home by Mexicans in the United States are the second-largest source of legal foreign revenue in the country, after gasoline exported by the national oil company. These electronic cash payments are vital not only to families that receive them but also to the regional and national economies. Last year, according to the Bank of Mexico, migrants sent home $25 billion.

But the remesas, as the remittances are called, have been falling steadily since the end of 2007, when construction, manufacturing and service industries began to sputter. These sectors employ a disproportionate percent of the almost 12 million Mexicans living in the United States, most of them illegally.

In 2008, for the first time, remittances fell 3.6 percent for the year, a jolt to government of President Felipe Calderón, who had been promising Mexicans that the country would escape the worst of the global downturn. Then came the shock. In April, migrants sent $1.8 billion to Mexico, a drop of almost 19 percent from April 2008. The central bank estimates that 1 in 5 Mexican families receives these transfers from aboard.

“It can’t get any worse than this for Mexico,” said Mauro Guillen, director of the Lauder Institute at the Wharton School in Philadelphia and an expert on Latin American economies. “There’s the recession, the drug violence, the bankruptcies in the automobile industry — then they get hit by the flu pandemic, which just kills tourism, and now their remittances are under attack. It’s crazy. And it is very sad. People are suffering.”

Although remittances flow to families across Mexico, the transfers are especially important in rural villages and towns in the poorest states — places such as El Arenal, which for generations have sent migrants north to work.

“You can see in the community how the migrants have stopped sending money home, because you can see that their houses are all unfinished,” said Adolfo Zuniga Fuentes, El Arenal’s new mayor.

During the boom times up north, the money transfers might even buy such luxuries as a new set of tires or a fancy birthday dress. “They use the money now for food,” the mayor said. “They use it to eat.”

Zuniga estimated that 20 percent of the adults here leave, mostly to go to the United States.

The Mexican government has a program that matches at a rate of 3 to 1 money sent home by migrants for public works in their towns — to help build schools, clinics, a playground. The mayor submitted 15 projects this year, he said, “but we haven’t received money from our immigrants in the last months, so that’s pretty bad because we will lose the support of the government.”

The mayor said the town has seen a spike in thefts and vandalism. “There’s no money, no nothing,” he said.

Primitivo Rodriguez, an immigration specialist in Mexico City, said the cash transfers viewed by the government as “this everlasting blessing” are instead like a drug that has lulled Mexico to sleep. Rodriguez said the government should treat the money as a foreign investment: If a migrant sends $1,000 to put into a small business, the government should offer a tax break. “They should think of ways to put the billions of dollars to work instead of just spending it,” he said.

Esperanza Acosta, a teller at the Bansefi office on the central plaza where the people come to collect their remittances, said that “this year, we have seen something unusual.”

She added: “People are asking us how to send money to relatives living in the United States. We don’t offer that kind of service, but they are asking for it in a couple of cases.”

Across the street is a church where people, especially women, offer thanks for miracles. They often leave a cutting of their hair and a note. Acosta said that before the crisis, people would put a percentage of their remittances in a savings account at Bansefi. “Now they take all the money for their expenses,” she said. “They are also coming in and changing dollars that someone might have given them a long time ago.”

By Steve Gibbs
BBC News, Mexico City

Fher Olvera - Lead singer of Mexican pop rock band Mana

Mexico says it is going through what is the biggest drop in its tourism revenue since records began in the 1980s because of the swine flu scare.

Tourism officials are speaking of a “lost summer” after visitors, particularly from the US and Canada, cancelled their holidays.

They are not expected to return in large numbers until December.

Some airlines have dramatically reduced flights to Mexico, and cruise liners are still avoiding Mexican ports.

Alicia Dalvila from Mexico City’s tourism association admits that any recovery will be slow.

Luxury hotels in the capital said just 4% of their rooms were occupied at the height of the crisis, which broke in April.

“The Mexico City authorities closed everything,” she said. “Restaurants, bars and banquet rooms. So it was really a big shock. We lost all the business and little by little we are recovering.”

Tourism represents 8% of Mexico’s GDP and directly employs two million people.

Enticement campaign

Analysts say the slowdown is an additional challenge for the country, which has been hit badly by the global economic recession.

The Mexican government is preparing a major campaign to entice visitors back.

Privately, officials say that the fact swine flu has now spread around the world might benefit Mexico.

That is because potential tourists will realise they risk catching the virus whether they stay at home or travel to Mexico.

Playa de Arizona - oceanfront villa on Punta del Burro Beach

Mexico will continue to provide North Americans with strategic and cost-effective retirement opportunities as the economy evolves and rising costs in the USA eat away at people’s nest egg. With the weather always permitting and lending to the perfect lifestyle of “mañana,” Mexico is the common sense place to disembark from a lifetime of hard work and make those savings go a long way.

 COSTS

 The peso has dropped 41% vs. the dollar since August of last year, making Mexican vacations, rents, home costs and retirement more attractive compared with those in Europe, the U.S., or the Caribbean. The cost of living is half of what it is in the USA. Forget Europe, they do not know what the word inexpensive means. No winter clothes, no snow tires and no heating costs. Mountains, coastal plains, high valleys, Mexico has them all and any and every climate to your liking.

 LOGISTICS

 American travelers and retirement home buyers can reach Mexico’s tourist/retirement playgrounds/spots in two to five hours and most of those flights are non-stop, a big factor as airlines, hotels and travel companies slash costs and homes prices level off for the first time in 15 years.

 RISK

Mexico is just as safe as it is in the USA, probably safer. The only people that are being killed in the drug wars are drug dealers and crooked cops.

These crimes happen along the border and in the border towns. A long ways from the border, Puerto Vallarta and other retirement hotspots have been immune to the violence.

The Puerto Vallarta area has 15,000 to 20,000 full time expatriates. Puerto Vallarta boasts Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart (with two new Wal-Marts under construction) several McDonalds, Carl’s Jr. Pizza Hut, Dominos, Blockbuster Video, Lions Club, Rotary Club, even a few NFL retirees, remember Art Donavan of the Baltimore Colts?

MINDSET

Americans are different. Unlike Europeans we like our way of life, big cars, big trucks, cheap gas. The fact that you don’t get searched everytime you enter a building here in Mexico makes a statement to the non terrifying racist attitude that the world should adopt.

98 % of the people that live in Mexico are Mexicans and 98% of them are Catholics. I am not espousing Catholicism or race but there sure is a lot less tension when it comes to religion and ethnicity.

Americans are often careful to about being politically correct.

You can’t call them Hillbillies no more, they are Appalachian Americans.

What?

Here in Mexico if we don’t know your name and you are white, we call you Whitey (guero), if you’re fat, we call you Fatty (gordo), if you’re short we call you Shorty (chaparro).

If you are sensitive, you probably need to stay home.

 TAXES

Property Taxes – 0.1 % (YES, point one percent)

 Income Tax – 10% flat tax

 Capital Gains Tax – No Capital Gains Tax after five (5) years of ownership

The perfect example is David and Carien Lewis, who are getting ready for retirement. David has transferred from General Motors in Canada to GM in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico but has bought a retirement home in Punta de Mita, Nayarit. Yes, I saw Carien yesterday going to the beach in her bathing suit, The Lewis’ bought a home block from the ocean. No more freezing winters for this couple. Want the truth?

Ask them carienl@gmail.com

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Alfred Melchiorre – AMPI, NAR, CIPS, TRC
Christie’s Great Estates
La Punta Realty
Avenida Anclote # 7 Altos
Col. Nuevo Coral del Risco
Punta de Mita, Nayarit, Mexico 63734
www.lapuntarealty.com
www.condominiumsinpuertovallarta.com
landfacts@yahoo.com
alinmita@gmail.com
011-52-329-291-6420  office
011-52-329-291-6421  fax
011-52-329-291-6387  home
011-52-1-322-111-7522  cell
Toll Free from North America 1-866-706-1199

DarrenBarefoot.com

I flew to Toronto this week. One flight out, two flights (hello, bizarre sculpture in Calgary airport!) on the way back. While checking in at a terminal, uh, in the terminal, I glanced at the seat selection screen. There were plenty of other seats from which to choose. The seat next to me was empty on all three flights.

Julie was down at Granville Island today. It was a gorgeous day, and that place is usually teaming with tourists in the summer months. She was surprised how uncrowded the island was. She easily found parking.

We recently used Hotwire to book a four-star hotel in downtown Seattle for Gnomedex. The conference occurs over a weekend in August, surely a popular time of year for tourists visiting the city. We’re paying US $99 a night.

I know these are all isolated anecdotes, but they confirm what I’ve been reading over the past few months: fewer people are traveling shorter distances. Here’s some empirical evidence. Between March, 2008 and March, 2009, the Canadian Tourism Council reports an 11.5% reduction in the number of trips to and within Canada. That probably represents the entire profit margin for a lot of hotels, travel agencies and related services.

As a matter of curiosity, I checked which countries were showing the greatest decline in trips to Canada. The percentages reflect how many fewer visitors came in March, 2009 compared to March, 2008:

United Kingdom – 24%
Japan – 24%
South Korea – 23%
Mexico – 21%
Of course, most foreign visitors to Canada are from the US, where travel is only off 5.9% between March, 2008 and 2009.

In any case, I guess it’s all good news for the consumer, and pretty bad news for anybody in the travel industry.

http://www.darrenbarefoot.com/archives/2009/06/the-travel-industry-is-hurting.html