By Suzan Haskins and Dan Prescher - International living / Mexico
The Appeal – and the Reality – of the Riviera Maya
Want to Stay Here Forever?
Where would you look to live? Personally, if we were to live on the Caribbean Coast, one of the islands might suit us very well. We’re scuba divers, after all, and these waters offer some of the best diving in the world. And we love Playa del Carmen. This is always where we spend our first and last nights when we explore Quintana Roo. It’s close (about 30 minutes) to the Cancún airport and it has great bars and restaurants, most located on a mile-long pedestrian walkway.
And then there’s Cancún. For many people, Cancún is the only place in Mexico they have visited. That’s a shame; because to us, Cancún is more like South Beach of Miami than Mexico….which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, of course. If you want sun and fun accompanied by all-night discos, your favorite chain restaurants and hordes of other foreign tourists, then Cancún is your place.
Statewide AMPI Alliance rocks the Real Estate Market
Wednesday, 16 June 2004
Statewide AMPI Alliance gives Real Estate Market a Boost
An Alliance by the 3 major real estate organizations in the state sends a message to the market………..
AMPI Cancun, AMPI Cozumel, and AMPI Riviera have signed an agreement on Friday, June 25, 2004 to make a working alliance with one another to improve member services in Quintana Roo.
AMPI Cancun President, Jose Carlos Ornelas Fernandez hosted the meeting at the J.W. Marriott in the Hotel Zone in Cancun. AMPI Presidents from Riviera Maya, Mr. Ernesto Riquelme Dupond and AMPI President from Cozumel Ferndando Heredia Molina co-hosted as dignitaries from the Mega Projects, Fonatur and even the Governor of Quintana Roo shared handshakes and congratulations./P>
Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from an article International Living’s Suzan Haskins wrote for a publication called Island Properties Report. A few days ago, Suzan wrote about the island of Cozumel. This part of the story focuses on Isla Mujeres.
Mexico’s Sister Islands of Cozumel and Isla Mujeres - Different Stages of Maturity.
Part 2: Isla Mujeres - The Innocent Sister Island
If Cozumel is too ‘advanced’ for your tastes, you will be happy to know that little Isla Mujeres, just a ferry ride away from Cancun, is still the pretty, unspoiled little sister.
Mexicos Sister Islands of Cozumel and Isla Mujeres
Friday, 11 June 2004
By Suzan Haskins
International Living / Mexico: Mexico’s Sister Islands of Cozumel and Isla Mujeres - Different Stages of Maturity
Part 1: Cozumel
Cozumel is growing fast – it may be your last chance to buy before prices skyrocket.
When I first set eyes on her, ten years ago, she was quietly beautiful, gentle and naïve. Today, she is shamefully brash, showy and even garish in her maturity.
I couldn’t help making this analogy as I recently visited the island of Cozumel, just off Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Ten years ago, when I first visited Cozumel as a newly certified scuba diver, I fell in love with the island for its beautiful white-sand beaches, its crystal-clear Caribbean waters and its languid, laid-back lifestyle. Its reefs teemed with aquatic life, diving there was like being in an overstuffed aquarium of unimaginably colorful sea critters. Then, everything changed.................
The real property conveyance process in Mexico, like any other civil code system in South and Central America, and many other countries in the world, is reliant upon individuals to transfer ownership rights.
These highly educated and "hand picked" public notaries have the obligation, right and privilege to consummate all real estate transactions within their given territorial jurisdiction. Their acknowledgment and certification procedure provides "judicial certainty" to the authenticity of the process. With this process in place, Mexico can be said to have a good land conveyancing system.
My wife, Biljana, and I visited Playa Del Carmen three years ago on a vacation. It was instant delight and love. Now, we pondered, how could we create our lifestyle in Playa? Difficult question for us because our roots seem to be firmly planted and this is what we decide to do.........
As a practicing Architect with my own firm in Colorado Springs, Colorado, I was determined to come up with a way of having a place to live in Playa as well as a way to provide architectural design services to the local and surrounding communities. I felt that I could help add some talent to further the growth of the area by creating ideas and results that would increase the esthetic and practical qualities of the place in which I wanted to become a part. So I made my plan
Arq. Ma. Del Consuleo Muñoz Escamilla , The Director of Planning from Desarrollo Urbano Municipality of Solidaridad – The City Planning Department, held a special meeting with the members of AMPI Riviera Maya, the local association of Real Estate Brokers and Agents, to offer a detailed and specific explanation of the Master Plan from 2005 – 20026.
Called the POET Plan ( The General Program for Developing Regulations on the Rivera Maya), Director Muñoz explained the details for the 4 different areas of our the Riviera Maya including Playa Del Carmen, Tulum, Puerto Aventuras, and Chemuyil City.
So many people over the last year have asked me that I realized that the perception of owning in Mexico does not equal the reality - that people outside of Mexico are operating under the old rules and not the new..........Thus, I thought it prudent to outline clearly the very simple rules of ownership here in Mexico, Playa del Carmen, and in Riviera Maya.
First, The Mexican Law allows foreigners to acquire the rights to use of real estate located in the coastal and border areas of Mexico, through means of a Trust Agreement (Fideicomiso Traslativo de Dominio or simply Fideicomiso) This is the most advantageous legal instrument available for foreigners to acquire land in Mexico for residential purposes. It allows foreigners to have the same rights and obligations that real estate full-ownership provides.
How a Regular Guy from Jersey bought a Piece of Paradise
Wednesday, 05 May 2004
by John Gallik
How do those people who own those beautiful homes in Cozumel and the Riviera Maya do it?
Well, if you’re like me, you may have assumed that only doctors or lawyers were able to own a home in the Caribbean. Well, I’m here to tell you anyone can do it!
My name is John Gallik and I am real estate agent here on Cozumel. I am originally from New Jersey and recently moved here permanently after I fell in love with paradise. Now, I own a beautiful home here - just an average guy from New Jersey. So how did that happen? Can you do it?
Back in Jersey, I was a maintenance supervisor and property manager. My wife and I were on one of our many trips to the Island of Cozumel and just for fun stopped by Cozumel Living and spoke with Nancy Edwards, the owner.
Do I have to have my property in a Mexican’s name? As a foreigner I can’t own property in Mexico right? I understand we can only lease property in Mexico, what happens when the lease runs out?
Wow… There’s a lot of outdated information going around still.
Buying property in Mexico is not that difficult. Just look at the boom in foreign investment over the last several years. Many people are confused by the idea of buying property and holding it in a trust. Well, real estate trusts are not a new idea.
By Suzan Haskins and Dan Prescher - International living / Mexico
By Suzan Haskins – International Living / Mexico
By Suzan Haskins
By Mitch Creekmore
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by Ricardo Garcia
by John Gallik
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