By Robert Polk Colorodo Biz A long-time customer recently asked me to comment about traveling to Puerto Vallarta for vacation since the State Department has updated its Mexico Travel Advisory. Many areas in Mexico are among the most popular summer destinations for Denver residents. With so many direct flights, you can jet out of DIA [...]

JACK NICKLAUS SIGNATURE GOLF The legendary Jack Nicklaus has designer two spectacular Jack Nicklaus Signature courses at Punta Mita that offer extraordinary ocean views and world-class play. The Pacífico, with eight holes directly facing or playing alongside the Pacific Ocean, features the “Tail of the Whale”, an optional par-three hole with the largest natural island [...]

All is not well in the complex and multifaceted relationship between the U.S. and Mexico. A number of recent issues have heightened tensions, including the murder of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Jamie Zapata, and the wounding of another agent on February 15th, on a highway near San Luis Potosi. That incident has [...]

Paco Ojeda Vallarta Lifestyles Magazine Event organizer, Punta Sayulita, announced that j.k. livin recording artist, Mishka, will perform a special benefit concert on Saturday night, March 12th, following Day 1 of competition at the 2nd Annual Punta Sayulita Longboard & Stand-Up Paddle Classic. The free concert will be recorded by Telehit, Mexico’s #1 music television [...]

NPR by JASON BEAUBIEN This is the time of year when millions of monarch butterflies gather in several forests in central Mexico. Local officials have tried to market the Monarch butterflies migration as a tourist attraction but their winter reserve happens to be in a state hard hit by Mexico’s drug war. Listen to the [...]

The Economist Can’t keep them away The drug war fails to deter holidaymakers SUN, sea and severed heads: Mexico is not a holiday destination for the faint-hearted. Foreign news coverage of the government’s crackdown on organised crime, which has seen some 30,000 people die in the past four years (most of them drug traffickers), has [...]

I’ve been sitting on the rest of the summer workshop photos and since school just started and we have more scholarships than ever this year I figured it was a good time to get them up on the blog. We are in need of donations for the school scholarships and along with the entreAmigos public [...]

It’s snowing in my old neighborhood in New York today, and friends there are starting to dream of a little time away in a tropical climate. They’re not alone. November is the start of the snowbird season in Mexico and other southern warm-weather countries. From now until March, a steady stream of visitors migrate down [...]

Street News Service Mexico is hosting the two international meets: The first is the Alternative Global Forum of Peoples in Movement, Nov. 2-5 in the Mexican capital, where participants will present the situations of migrants around the world and proposals for dealing with the problems they face. Almost at the same time, Peoples’ Global Action [...]

If you need any further evidence that Twitter is becoming more mainstream with every passing day, look no further than the fact that the U.S. Embassy in Mexico has its own Twitter account. (They’re also on Facebook and YouTube, too.) But if you’d prefer some old-fashioned face time with the Embassy, or need to visit them in person [...]

A milestone and historic event occurred in Mexico real estate this August. Recently, the AMPI association was able to implement a new degree in the Mexican universities and obtain the classification of a new professional license for Mexico Real Estate professionals. The new university degree is being offered as an option in universities in response [...]

Zac Sunderland, trying to be the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the globe alone, has seen pirates, equipment breaks and a large ship come too close at canal. His 13-month trip is due to end soon. By Pete Thomas L.A. Times July 6, 2009 Reporting from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico — Zac Sunderland is wedged in his [...]

Published on: Tuesday, June 09, 2009 Mark Raven and Christopher McDonagh Purchasing real estate in Mexico requires some very specific steps to ensure that you do not lose your investment. One of these critical steps is properly registering legal title through a Mexican bank trust (fideicomiso). In this article from JD Supra, Mark Raven and Christopher [...]

BBC News Thursday, 7 May 2009 17:06 UK  High schools, universities, bars and nightclubs are reopening their doors in Mexico as restrictions are lifted following the outbreak of swine flu. Residents of Mexico City expressed relief as ordinary life was resumed in the usually bustling capital. But President Felipe Calderon, and world health officials, have [...]

March 24, 2009 by David   Filed under Real Estate This could be the great news everyone is waiting for regarding our incredibly bad real estate market. The early indications are no where near definite or even mildly conclusive and is at best circumstantial. However, it is the first good news on the nationwide housing [...]

“Perrrrrrrrrrrrrrrro,” I stuttered, failing completely to roll the r’s as my 8-year-old daughter laughed with glee. “No, it’s perro,” she said in a perfect Spanish accent. “Like this.” She twittered like a bird demonstrating how to do it. “You need to practice.” “Do you think I can learn?” “Yes. Practice all the way home.” So [...]

According to the National Coalition of Health Care in America, in 2007, total national health expenditures were expected to rise 6.9 percent–twice the rate of inflation. health care spending is 4.3 times the amount spent on national defense. And although 47 million Americans are uninsured, the United States spends more on health care than other [...]

NUEVO VALLARTA, Mexico — Rob and Mary Ladner pictured their dream retirement as a sailing trip around the world. But everything changed when they cruised into the big, balmy bay of Puerto Vallarta 10 years ago. Seduced by swaying palm trees, colorful markets and cheap beachfront housing, the Ladners dropped anchor. The couple bought a [...]

MEXICO CITY -(Dow Jones)- Mexico’s banks have no meaningful exposure to U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (LEH), which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday, according to a government official. “Lehman really never was a strong counterparty figure in the (Mexican banking) system,” said an official at the National Banking and Securities [...]

Wanted: Gift of gab. If you’ve meant to spend retirement touring the world, your hopes may be sagging along with the limp dollar. But if your native tongue is English, there’s a way to subsidize your travel. The Journal Report Demand is growing in schools overseas for people to teach conversational American to foreign students [...]

Interview by Ben Ross Saturday, 13 September 2008 Kelly Hoppen: “I can do without the travel” My work [as an interior designer] is based on my travels; it’s what I get most of my inspiration from, if not all of it. Growing up, I was very fortunate that my mother and father loved to travel, [...]

This luxury boutique hotel offers a five star experience in a unique beachfront setting. The property is located in the heart of Punta de Mita on the famous surf beach at El Anclote. The twelve rooms offer an exclusive experience for homeowners and guests complete with their own signature spa and fitness club on site. [...]

As Americans struggle with the rising cost of living and a suffering housing market, investing in Mexican real estate is beginning to look muy bueno. Property prices in Mexico are significantly more affordable than in the U.S., and the forthcoming retirement of the baby boomer population is likely to create huge demand for property markets [...]

Last update: 8:23 a.m. EDT Sept. 10, 2008 BALTIMORE, Sept 10, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Walt and Jean Smith start their mornings with coffee on the terrace. Sometimes they spy a school of playful dolphins jumping the waves. Usually, though, they watch the town awaken. Women pull tarps off small beach shacks where they’ll [...]

Published on: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 Written by: Yemisrach Kifle         Puerto Vallarta was once a quiet fishing village, but ever since it served as the backdrop for John Huston’s 1964 film “The Night of the Iguana,” starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, the sleepy seaside town has grown to become the blockbuster resort that [...]

I’ve been writing these articles for the past five years — five exceptional years, where the real estate market experienced rapid growth, appreciation and demand. In last year’s article, I reported that a downturn seemed to be approaching. Today, while updating and writing this report, there is no doubt that the market has slowed and [...]

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration seized control of the nation’s two largest mortgage finance companies on Sunday, seeking to shrink drastically their outsize influence on Wall Street and on Capitol Hill while at the same time counting on them to pull the nation out of its worst housing crisis in decades. The bailout plan for [...]

The Islas Marietas (Marietas Islands) are located in the marine system of Bahía de Banderas. Its physiographic composition is a hilly plain with a rocky alluvial floor. The group consists of two islands known as “La Larga” (The Long One) and “La Redonda” (The Round One), two islets, all the superficial surrounding rocks and several [...]

Americans’ appetite for second homes in Mexico remains strong, says Carlos Garza, CEO of Texas-based INB Financial Corp., which started offering cross-border mortgages last year. Evidence of the demand: Mexico’s top bank, BBVA Bancomer has made about $115 million in loans to Americans and Canadians so far this year and has a full-year goal of [...]

Construction began recently on El Encanto’s Ocean Club, which will feature an adult pool, children´s pool, decks for sunning, and terraces with tables and chairs. “We are excited about delivering this amenity to the El Encanto community as a place for owners to gather with their friends and family,” says Maria Cintron, COO and Vice [...]

High net-worth consumers rated Christie’s Great Estates the most prestigious real estate company in the 2008 Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey from the independent New York City-based Luxury Institute.  Respondents who would recommend Christie’s Great Estates  say they have “high-end properties,” “exclusive listings,” “great customer service,” and an “excellent reputation.” Sotheby’s International Realty was rated a very close second and Corcoran [...]

Mexican mega-magnate Carlos Slim is the owner of the Teléfonos de México (Telmex)/Telcel/América Movil telecoms empire, and many other businesses under the umbrella of his Grupo Carso.   Is Carlos Slim also the richest man in the world? That’s what Fortune magazine reported this past August – based on the value of Slim’s holdings as [...]

      Forbes magazine recently published its annual list of billionaires. The 2008 list is based on the billionaires’ net worth on February 11th, 2008. According to Forbes, the world’s wealthiest man is Berkshire Hathaway investor Warren Buffet, at US$62 billion. In second place is Mexican telecoms tycoon Carlos Slim, at US$60 billion. In [...]

The Mexican proverb “when Uncle Sam sneezes, Mexico catches a cold” is still a truism despite initial suggestions to the contrary in the August 2006 LA Times article titled “Mexican Resorts Show No Sign of Catching U.S. Housing’s Cold.” Certainly the US real estate economy has greatly affected the perspective of US buyers when they [...]

With housing values falling all over America, many savvy investors have turned their attention to real estate south of the border. There are already approximately one million Americans living abroad in Mexico who have tapped into the potential for appreciation in this young market. Many trends suggest continued growth in the market, including 70+ million [...]

  New numbers from the U.S. State Department reveal that close to one million Americans are currently living in Mexico, most of them retirees. With the low cost of Manzanillo, Nuevo Vallarta and Puerto Vallarta homes, more and more US citizens are seeing the benefits of retirement in Mexico. The affordable cost of living coupled [...]

  Starwood Capital’s latest opportunistic fund, Starwood Global Opportunity Fund VIII, has received $100 million (€63 million) in commitments from two US pension funds. The $15.8 billion Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL) approved a $75 million commitment to Fund VIII at its July investment committee meeting last week, deputy chief investment officer Phil Griffith [...]

    February 5th is Mexican Constitution Day, commemorating the day it was signed – February 5th, 1917. Nowadays, the official observance is on the first Monday in February, which in 2008 is February 4th – today!  That means my school is closed today. Both the Mexican and the U.S. Constitutions are products of the [...]

  When purchasing real estate in any part of Mexico, it is important for buyers to know their “Bill of Rights.” Most gringos venture into the country in search of a little piece of paradise without fully understanding the rights that they have as foreigners. They hope for processes that will give them real estate [...]

  The Mexican coastline from Baja California to Cancun is dotted with beautiful developments and spectacular development proposals that offer in-house financing to real estate buyers. This type of financing can be attractive for buyers when they are dealing with reputable developers who are financially sound. Yet in the sometimes shaky world of Mexico real estate [...]

  Some Developers Holding Off Building or Scaling Down Although it is difficult to establish to what degree at this time, it is becoming apparent that some developers are either putting their project(s) on hold, or releasing in phases, because of the slowdown in the market. In 2007 there were 50 new real estate developments [...]

  We’ve been writing these articles for the past five years – five exceptional years, where the real estate market experienced rapid growth, appreciation and demand. In last year’s article, We reported that a downturn seemed to be approaching. Today, while updating and writing this report, there is no doubt that the market has slowed [...]

    One of Mexico’s hottest new vacation destinations is quickly establishing an outstanding reputation for excellence. The 2008 AAA Travel Guide has awarded its coveted Five-Diamond Award to two resorts in the area and the Four-Diamond Award to three other hotels. Three Nayarit restaurants also earned the Four-Diamond designation.   “AAA’s Diamond Rating System [...]

  RIVIERA NAYARIT, Mexico – On its first anniversary as Mexico’s newest official travel and tourism destination, Riviera Nayarit is celebrating a record of impressive achievement in the development of new facilities, infrastructure, travel packages and tours, and world class hotels and resorts. Even as they look forward to continued growth, Nayarit officials expressed pleasure [...]

  During a recent international event in Mexico, a handful of lightweight questions were asked about illegal immigration and emigration, with the basic response to the latter by government officials boiling down to the often heard “Mexicans have the constitutional right to travel when and where they chose.”  And the milquetoast questioners let this answer slide [...]

  Rogelio López-Velarde, a principal in his eponymous law firm based in Mexico City, brings a scholarly and policy passion to the study of the current structure and history of oil legislation in Mexico. The topics considered in the article are these: 1.   The Constitution does not prohibit everything; [needless] restrictions come from the enabling legislation.  [...]

The Same Word yet Two Countries Apart     Transaction security is essential to a healthy real estate market. However, many new buyers are surprised to learn processes that they take for granted in the United States are either optional or don’t have an exact equivalent in Mexico. This column will explain the key differences [...]

  Would-be expatriates look for home destinations that appeal to their individual definition of adventure and paradise. For the first time, International Living reported Mexico as the world’s top retirement haven because of its economy, real estate, and quality of life. That was great news for Mexico yet it missed some important details on cost-of-living from the [...]

    Buyers, Sellers, and Brokers Benefit from Internet Technology       The rapid growth in use of a new Internet technology over the past two years by Mexico real estate brokers has resulted in a de facto Mexican multiple listing service (MLS). The new system better serves buyers and sellers of real estate throughout coastal [...]

    North American relationship brings benefits to all three countries, says Deputy Secretary of State   Sometimes success is too big to see and is reported by historians, not the headlines. But there’s a chance that the North American summit meeting in New Orleans this week is different because its focus is on all [...]

“A Field of Dreams” is what I call vineyards in northwestern Mexico’s Baja California wine country. I think every person who plants grapes has dreams of creating something personal, special and significant.   As a grape grower I maintain an intimate relationship with grapevines, my own private Italian family of Nebbiolo grapes. I’m blessed with [...]

The entry of US lenders into Mexico several years back resulted in a huge influx of real estate investment in many areas. Yet for all the increased investment activity, relatively few of these mortgage transactions have actually been closed. Instead, a host of middle-class buyers with home equity in their primary homes took advantage of [...]

  The procedure for a real estate closing for foreigners in Mexico is different than the process north of the border. This checklist helps demystify the process of buying property and creating a bank trust in Mexico through a cash sale, still the most common type of transaction. 1.   Buyer and Seller agree to a [...]