Archive for May, 2007
Mexico’s second largest airport just got bigger. The busiest international airport in the country, daily capacity went from 266 flights to more than 450, that’s all according to this article in the San Francisco Chronicle. Now every major American carrier has flights in and out of Cancun. It’s been operating more or less smoothly for the last couple of weeks and offers plenty of great deals for more sun and fun. The busiest airport in the Caribbean also offers this top ten list for arrival plans which I’ve slightly modified. No’s 10 and 3 are both clearly changed since this list was first published. You definitely need a passport, and as to number 3, well, long lines are reportedly diminishing.
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10) Make sure you and your family have the appropriate documents to enter Mexico. US and Canadian Citizens and all other citizens need passports. |
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9) Pack according to your airline’s luggage allowances. They are very strict now and excess luggage can get very expensive. Most airlines are charging almost $100.00 USD for excess luggage. Please check with your airline for more information. |
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8) Mark your luggage for easy identification. Also, make sure all luggage have a name tag. |
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7) Do not bring food unless is sealed and packaged. As a rule of thumb, you can not bring any meats, vegetable or grains. THIS IS NOT AN AIRPORT POLICY, it is a Mexican Customs Policy. DO NOT BRING any firearms, knives, sharp objects or any item that can be considered a weapon. Lighters are now banned from carry on baggage. |
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6) When checking in at your departure airport make sure you get all of your luggage claim tags. You will need them in Cancun. |
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5) Fill out these forms while you are on the plane. DO NOT WAIT until you get to Cancun. |
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4) If you get stopped for inspection you will be asked to open your luggage and the inspector will search through it. Remember they are only looking for illegal items. This is a routine inspection and it should take no more than 10 minutes. |
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3) CANCUN AIRPORT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. ALL FLIGHTS ARE ARRIVING AT ONE TERMINAL. PLEASE EXPECT LONG LINES AT IMMIGRATIONS, CUSTOMS AND BAGGAGE CLAIM, SPECIALLY IF YOU ARE ARRIVING ON WEEKENDS AND PEAK TIMES. |
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2) For an easy transition please have your papers in order, mark your luggage for easy identification, clear customs together and follow the instructions of your airline representatives AND… |
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1) PREARRANGE TRANSPORTATION TO YOUR HOTEL. IF YOU WANT TO SAVE TIME, AVOID LARGE CROWDS AND GET TO YOUR HOTEL QUICKLY, PLEASE ARRANGE FOR A PICK UP INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR YOUR TOUR BUS TO DEPART THE AIRPORT. TO RELIEVE THE OVERCROWDING CAUSED BY THE CONSTRUCTION, CANCUN-AIRPORT.COM HAS NEGOTIATED SPECIAL RATES FOR SECURED AND PROFESSIONAL TRANSPORTATION. PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OFFER, IT WILL MAKE YOUR TRANSITION TO YOUR HOTEL A LOT EASIER CHECK RATES HERE |
May 28th, 2007
These are some interior shots showing the sun that is a near constant in the Lake Chapala area peering into some of the homes available now. Lake Chapala offers homes more or less around US$200k, though some can be had for considerably less. There are a few blockbuster properties in there also, but the homes above are all under US$300k. We have tons of info on who is living in the area, just south of Metro Guadalajara, Lake Chapala is super popular with Canadian retirees and there are a good shake of Americans in there also.
May 23rd, 2007
Amazing how bloggers tend to reach some epiphany that coalesces perfectly with someone else’s thoughts hundreds of miles away. Yucatan Living has been providing insightful and informational content for quite a while now so maybe it was just natural that they would nail one so completely.
After living here for several years, we’ve concluded that much of the “mess” in Mexico - the inconvenience and disorganization - is simply a symptom of liberty, something that far too many “developed countries” seem ever more willing to sacrifice so that their “trains run on time”. Comfort, convenience and security are awfully nice, but we prefer free expression, healthy struggle and frequent visits from the unexpected.
I think that very well sums up much of the mental experience of visitors from other points in North America. I try to stay on guard against glossing over some negative aspect of living in Mexico. Like the Luz y Fuerza office where I spent the morning yesterday trying to pay my electric bill which was late because, of course, it doesn’t come in the mail but it is tucked under the door by a “helpful neighbor.” The Luz y Fuerza office really is quite dingy and depressing. You take a number from one of those round paper number dispensers and then you wait. If you are lucky within about an hour they will find the information that should have been printed on the bill and mailed to me, right ?
Douglas Bower puts some similar thought into an extended essay that is also well worth a few minutes of your time.
Whereas we Americans think of space as “me, myself, and I”, the Mexican thinks of space as “we, us, all of us.” There is no “I” but “we” in the mindset of the Mexican. The American draws a circle around himself and asks, “Am I doing ok?” The Mexican draws a circle around the group and asks, “Are we doing ok?”
That would perhaps explain the other “helpful neighbour” actually in the Luz y Fuerza office who took it upon herself to check the numbers being held by each and all of us patiently waiting. This was to ensure that the numbers were being followed in order, and in a way that minimized the stress of a less than efficient system of doing business with a monolith like Luz y Fuerza.
So perhaps it is not that we are glossing over. I remember a time when that nosey busy-body at Luz y Fuerza would have enraged me, just like “traffic in Mexico City” (imagine!) might stress me out if I drove more. When you find out what you get in exchange for inconvenience and discomfort you find it really is quite a fair exchange.
May 22nd, 2007
Via the Boomer Chronicles, I stumbled onto the Housing Bubble Blog, not exactly light reading for the weekend. The number of troubling facts and figures there is enough to leave one shaken. HBB’s most recent post quotes a WJHG 7 TV news story:
“New data released today at the Tax and Budget Reform Commission shows fewer families with children are moving to Florida. And, more families with kids are leaving the state. The high cost of housing is getting the most blame.”
“Forecasters thought 48 thousand new children would enroll in Florida schools this year. October figures show just 477 did. By now, many more are expected to have left the state, making this the first time in modern history fewer kids are in school here from one year to the next.”
We did a survey (Livtopia’s Shortest and Fastest Survey ever), yesterday as part of a special Newsletter, and I am confident that inviting you to answer the few quick questions will not significantly alter the grossly non-scientific results. In fact I hope you will take the 14 seconds necessary to reply. What surprised me in our results was the level of interest in “Safe and Secure Property Transfers” and “Immigration and Visa issues.” Both of those will receive renewed attention here. Though transferring property safely is one of the chief reasons to work with Livtopia Buyer’s Agents in the first place.
I am thinking that one of our seminar experts will be able to modify their presentation at the Insiders’ Property Secrets Weekend to cover “surviving the US real estate collapse.” and perhaps we can learn how such downturns have affected the Mexican market in the past, too. In any event, you’ll see more of that here too. Please take our survey.
May 19th, 2007
I asked the staff of Livtopia’s Buyers Agents to respond to the questions posted here at the Long Beach California Real Estate Issues blog. I encourage readers to see how our answers compare to those of the folks in Long Beach by following the link above.
Unlike the US or Canadian housing markets, where things are pretty clear, and a whole variety of Multiple Listing Services makes the playing field very transparent, in an international environment, no such transparency exists. There is no MLS, and rules often don’t exist or are poorly enforced. Knowing what you are buying is an experience that can be as seamless as in the US or Canada, or it can turn into a total nightmare, depending on simply who you buy from and who is helping you.
Livtopia, like HSBC, “the world’s local bank,” is the local realty expert. We have a staff of people on the ground in every location, and we can steer people in the right direction, or warn them away from others, precisely because we have local knowledge. Our network is not covering every square meter or Latin America, YET, but we hire local people where ever the inquiries lead us and that means you get access to people with years of experience in the area your considering.
Now, onto the five questions:
1. Are you specialized in an area? – Livtopia’s Customer Service Agents are Generalists, but they rely on Specialists in every region and Featured Location that Livtopia recommends. The “consultation work” that helps define which country, region, city, or even community or neighborhood will best suit a customers needs is done by the Customer Service Agents. These agents will then call on the Local, Field Agents for the deep local expertise. Our generalists and Local Agents do keep in close contact because the volume of searches being performed meaning they are talking at least several times each week.
2. How many families have you helped each year? – Livtopia’s work is divided into the Customer Service Agency which coordinates with local realtors and Livtopia’s Concierge. The local agents who do the actual showings and selection of appropriate properties, show and assist in sales to about 10 home buyers each month in our busier locations. The back office team, legal people and finance advisors all of whom help with closings, may work with many times that number in a year.
3. Will you refer me a lender? Do you get any compensation for that? – We do get a commission from some lenders. There are very few lenders who work with Americans or Canadians wanting to buy in mexico, and we worked very hard to select the few that we feel are serious and reputable and who offer financial services and products suitable for the vast majority of the people Livtopia represents. Nothing in a Buyer’s Representation agreement you sign with Livtopia will obligate you to borrow through one of the lenders we recommend, but we are confident that those with whom we’ve made agreements offer the most attractive products, rates and conditions.
4. How will you will help me pick properties to view? – Livtopia’s Customer Service team does as extensive a consultation as is necessary or as extensive as a customer would like. Based on the customer´s preferences, we can almost always identify the perfect country and city, and then we refer them to our local Buyer’s Agents who do manual searches for the perfect property in that particular region. The customer´s preferences and budget come first, but Livtopia can also depend on a network of Real Estate Agents in everyone of our Featured Locations and Countries. In some locations that means we can show you almost every house on the market at a given time. Since no comprehensive MLS exists, this search can often be time consuming and will only be successful with close knowledge of the local market, players and conditions.
5. What do you do during escrow? – Livtopia has a dedicated team focused on making sure the closing process is smooth. With many properties in foreign markets, there are no escrows, which makes the need to know who you are dealing with all the more critical. With Livtopia on your side, you can write, call or visit at any point during the closing should a problem occur with the transaction and our team of Legal and Customer Service personnel is at your disposal.
May 15th, 2007
Volkhard Bongers has 25 years of Mortgage experience in the United States. He’s worked as a Processor, Underwriter, Branch Manager, Owner (sold business) and finally as a Mortgage Consultant. Having “Retired” in November 2005, and moved to Puerto Vallarta, he continues to work as a Mortgage Consultant where he originates, processes and settles Mortgages. Volkhard lists as his Chief Assets: “My experience and my contacts, and my ability to find the correct answers.” Volkhard welcomes questions on any and all Mexico Mortgage related questions. You can e-mail him at vbinpv@yahoo.com. He looks forward to meeting as many of you as possible at the Insiders’ Property Secrets Weekend seminar this June in Puerto Vallarta.
As a longtime Mortgage Consultant, it has been my experience that our role cannot be compared to any other participant in the real estate transaction. Listing a property, selling it and all the searches and procedures necessary to consummate the transaction, are fixed processes. Yet, when it comes to the financing of a real estate transaction, it is far removed from the steadfast and the given. There are a number of factors that can vary and yes, there are definite guidelines that the investors (lenders) want fulfilled by potential Mortgagors.
The challenge for a “good” Mortgage Consultant is to find the correct fit between the Investor and Person seeking a Mortgage. Does the client have any experience in purchasing a home? If not, all the details will have to be explained to the client. And even with considerable home-buying experience, the complexity of some of the mortgage process can make the expertise of a consultant an invaluable partner.
The client must be very upfront and open with the Mortgage Consultant. Invariably, anything that the client might hope will not come out during the transaction will come out and might disqualify the Mortgagor. And therefore, a trust must be built between the client and the Mortgage Consultant, though of course all information is handled in the greatest confidence.
A Mortgage Consultant, after having received and reviewed all of a client’s personal financial information, will present to client the array of mortgage options available to them. I have found that by presenting all options and assisting the client with the pros and cons of each program, that the client will make the correct choice. Unfortunately often clients are being “advised” by “experts”, i.e.: friends, acquaintances and often they feel that they should listen to them instead of a “stranger,” albeit an EXPERT in the Mortgage Industry.
Right now, the market for financial products in Mexico is shifting, and a good variety of new mortgage plans is available. The procedures, the rates and the terms for all of these plans are very different from what you might expect in the United States or Canada. My job is to see that you are presented with the full list of options, understand the differences between them, and still get that second or retirement home under terms you can live with.
May 14th, 2007
According to Dominican Today, the Ministry of Tourism has big plans for the Dominican tourism industry and for the overall economy. The new national airline is set to launch in 2008.And just look at some of the numbers for the new budget: US$45 million for promotional activities in Europe, Brazil and Argentina. “Build 8,000 homes to improve living conditions in tourist areas like Puerto Plata, Samaná and Higüey.”
The Ministry’s plans also include developing the southern region’s tourism potential, building roads to link the central-northern highland areas of Monción, Jánico and San José de las Matas, as well as Jarabacoa and Constanza with the aim of increasing eco-tourist activity in these areas.
The airline will fly, I guess, primarily from Madrid, but still, it’s healthy plans like these that make everyone take notice and increased tourism will benefit everyone on the island. As soon as Livtopia began our project in the DR, we started hearing from people beyond the United States and Canada. Apparently the DR has really captured the European imagination. Maybe getting there will be as easy as hopping across the continent.
May 13th, 2007
Scanning the news today, it’s easy to see that Spencer Tunick has captured the world’s imagination again. I am working on adding content to the main Livtopia pages introducing some neighborhoods and developments in Mexico City to the English language world. And reading the commentary from all over the world about the major photo shoot, Tunick’s biggest ever, is a little heartbreaking.
There were probably at least 18,000 reasons to go down to el Zocalo in the city’s center to be a part of this event. Some of the pictures, especially of people coming and going, look like the participants are just acting crazy, like little children. And it’s easy to assume that people don’t do that everyday.
There is every reason to celebrate peace and humanity where ever and however it comes about. Tunick and his 18,000 to 20,000 collaborators deserve credit for that.
May 7th, 2007
Considering that this news barely made it into the Mexico Press, it’s no surprise that it’s also not making news in the English language press. But it’s nice to see it somewhere. Here’s President Calderón just last week:
Simplemente refrendo un dato que seguramente lo comenté con ustedes en ese mes de junio; cuando yo termine de ser Presidente de la República se habrán jubilado en los Estados Unidos más de 70 millones de americanos.
Necesitamos hacer que se vengan a nuestro país a disfrutar del mismo, a vivir permanentemente o estacionalmente.
That translates:
I am just re-telling a fact that I said last June; by the time I finish my presidency, there will be, from the United States, more than 70 million people retiring.
We need to make it such that they come to our country, and enjoy it, to live here permanently or by the season.
The English language press-notes omit this mention but you can read them here if you’re interested in the context and other things said.
May 4th, 2007