The night of February 10, one of the most traditional celebrations of Cozumel, the famous Carnival, officially began with the crowning of the king and queen of the Carnival in the newly renovated “Quintana Roo Park” and a performance of the renowned Argentinean pianist Raul Di Blasio.

Cozumel’s Carnival has deep roots in the community and nearly all the city’s residents participate, turning the streets and squares of this beautiful city into “halls of fun.” Groups wear costumes and dance in the street (called “comparsas” and “estudiantinas”), and include people of all ages. The main parade of floats moves along the island’s boardwalk. From 10 to 17 February spectacular floats, colorful, costumed carnival parades, concerts and dances of joy overflowing Cozumel. The Carnival festivities will close with the awards, recognitions and “masks of peace” for the winners of various competitions and, of course, with the traditional burning of Juan Carnaval.

The Carnival is indeed spectacular, and is one of a handful of cities in Mexico where homeowners and visitors alike – national and foreign – participate in these celebrations for an entire week. The Carnival is only one example of the variety of events which Cozumel hosts. All real estate buyers who choose to buy a home in Cozumel are choosing a beachfront lifestyle of the highest quality, but also much more; they are choosing a home full of history, traditions and activities, in a place where all are welcomed to participate.

TOPMexicoRealEstate NETWORK; Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely

Friday, July 24th, already saw healthier numbers with three cruises arriving on that day.  Two cruises arrived to Puerta Maya pier; the Carnival Valor arrived at 6:30 am, and left at 4 pm; the Carnival Conquest arrived at 9 am, staying until 6 pm.  One cruise, Freedom of the Seas, also arrived to the SSA pier.  The estimated total of passengers was between 7,000 and 9,000.

During the last week of July, the well-known “Disney Magic” with a capacity of 2500 passengers arrived – one of 16 cruise ships which the island was scheduled to welcome that week.  Disney Magic arrived at Punta Langosta, being the first cruise to arrive at this pier in two weeks.  Although the cruise is the only one scheduled for this week, it brought a significant amount of activity, and economic movement, to the shopping area near the wharf and downtown while it was here.

A more consistent arrival of cruises to the island means a stronger economic situation for Cozumel real estate.  Keep in touch with the TOPMexicoRealEstate   NETWORK, “Your Expert    Property-Finders,” to get information related to Cozumel and the Cozumel real estate market.

TOPMexicoRealEstate  NETWORK;   Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely

The Secretary of Tourism Development in Yucatan, Juan Jose Martin Pacheco made the announcement in mid-October that Interjet is returning to Merida after more than a year after its withdrawal from this area.  Interjet had ceased operations to Yucatan’s capital in May 2008 after offering service for only eight months. The decision had been prompted by an increase in fuel prices and instability in the world economy.

The business director of Interjet, Vicente Conti, said he sees more attractive possibilities, since it seems the recession has bottomed out, allowing expansion in market and offer new routes in the country.  Interjet hopes to strengthen its presence in the local market, in order to gain the top position for flights to Mexico City.

Conti said that Interjet has a good very positive vision for their operations, because since its beginning in 2005 the company has carried more than eight million passengers, and, in addition they have plans to acquire two new aircraft, Airbus A320 with capacity for 150 people each, in 2010, to increase its fleet to 17.

By 2010 the company aims to offer 20 passenger routes for 4.2 million passengers and to open two new destinations, still to be defined, which would make it a one of the top airlines within Mexico.

Although the company’s plans serve the national market, this new confidence in Yucatan’s travel industry reflects that industry’s resilience.  The Yucatan Real Estate market for non-Mexicans is closely related to the strength of tourism in the area.  With strong a strong tourism and travel industry, infrastructure in these destinations continues to receive the investment and expansion to make life more convenient.

A good point for many who have chosen to Yucatan Real Estate as their second home is that flights back home can often be cheaper and more convenient than flights to other locations within Mexico.  That being said, it also nice to have easy access to other locations in Mexico; after some time enjoying life in Yucatan, most residents may want the chance to enjoy the rich culture offered by other parts of Mexico. Increased flights to other Mexican cities will continue to make flights more easily available and cheaper.

TOPMexicoRealEstate NETWORK; Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely

The Zamná, the ship which is representing the program, was in the construction process for about a year. Late in July, the ship’s construction was completed and at 2:00 pm on Saturday, July 25th, the 400 ton vessel was set in the sea – an fairly difficult task which was carried out by the builders themselves.  Spectators came to see the event, and watched calmly and patiently – although definitely excitedly – during the 5 hour long process.  The captain of the boat, Vital Alsar, said that the ship floats extremely well.  He added that not a single drop of water entered the vessel which confirms the quality and skill with which the builders, working under Oscar Camarero, constructed the ship.

At the moment that the ship entered the sea, it was baptized with coconut milk rather than the traditional bottle of wine.  Regina Diaz Gutierrez, the niece of Manuel Diaz Rubio, the businessman who has organized the project, was made the “godmother” of the project and the coconut milk baptism took place in her name.

According the ship’s captain, a tugboat operator saw the ship and was so surprised at the sight, that while the boat was going under the bridge in Alvarado, it caught some wires and caused a blackout in the village, which was repaired within 4 hours.

Now that the ship is in the water, the next step is to add 30 tons of weights to stabilize it.  This having been completed, the port inspector will inspect the ship and verify that it is seaworthy and that everything is in good working order, giving authorization for the ship to set sail.  The ship is currently at its building location in Alvarado, Veracruz; from there it will head towards Cozumel.   After setting sail from Cozumel, scheduled for August 25th, the boat will be heading for Miami, Florida, and numerous other destinations on its way to Greece.

On the first stretch of its journey, from Veracruz to Cozumel, the Zamná will make stops in Coatzacoalcos and Dos Bocas in the state of Tabasco, where a celebration of recognition has been planned.  During the ships visit in Yucatan, the organizers of the project “Child, Sea and Peace” have planned a courtesy visit to the city Izamal where a modest event will be carried out, with the participation of local authorities, mostly to evoke Zamná, the Mayan god of Knowledge, for whom the ship was named.

The ship is expected to spend about a week in Cozumel, where Cozumel real estate residents will enjoy the presence of the ship which is delivering their message, before it sets out on August 25th for Miami, Florida.  From there, the ship will head to New York, where it is scheduled to be on September 11th to bring its message of peace in commemoration of the anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks.  Rotary International has chosen to be involved in the project because the vision of peace and call for humanity to avoid war and violent confrontations between different peoples and societies.

Another interesting fact about the ship’s journey is that Captain Alsar has requested King Juan Carlos of Spain to serve as captain of the ship during its arrival to Asturias, the first harbor where the ship will arrive in that country.   Alsar has also requested Queen Sofia of Spain to welcome Zamná in Greece, the ship’s final destination before heading back to Cozumel.  The captain had made a similar request to King Juan Carlos when he sailed the Marigalante in commemoration of 500th anniversary of the discovery of America.  (The idea of the Marigalante was originally conceived in 1980 for a project named “Sea, Man and Peace.”)

The ship’s crew is made up of Mexicans, Canadians and Spaniards.

The Zamná will take 5 months in its journey from Cozumel, visiting various cities in North America, Europe and Africa on its way to Greece. (See Part 1 of this story for a list of the ports where it will stop.)  The return to Cozumel is planned for the end of December, where it will be received by city officials.

The ship will cover a total of 15,768 nautical miles.  On its journey, 52 days will be spent in ports, and 105 days at sea, making for an average of 150 miles per day, or seven knots.  Zamná will use both sails and a motor.  The ship was constructed by the experienced building master Oscar Camarero with a team of 36 carpenters.  They built the ship on a temporary shipyard in the port of Alvarado, Veracruz.  The building process began in July 2008.

The ship is a trimaran because it has three hulls – one main hull, and two outrigger hulls, attached to the main one by struts.  The main hull is almost 36 meters long and 13 meters wide, including the two accessory boats at the sides of the ship.

The design of the keel and the rudder are unique.  The ship contains more than 110,000 cubic feet of wood and has a total weight of 400 tons.  The metal base which is placed under the main deck of the ship alone weighs 2 tons.  The ship will be powered mostly by wind, but also includes a motor – a Volvo diesel, which will require the ship to carry 27,000 liters of fuel.  In addition, the ship will carry 4,000 liters of water for the crew.

Over last few years, Rocky Point has become a well known resort destination very popular with tourists from USA. In fact, people more often than not fall in love with Rocky Point the first time they visit it and end up buying a second home there. Not only does a vacation homes in rocky point provide a convenience to vacation as per your choice but also give a steady income. Most of the owners place their condos into the rental pool and enjoyed rental income. Due to high tourists arrivals in Rocky point most of the times, owners were receiving a steady stream of rental revenue. They could enjoy best of both worlds enjoy short seaside vacations as well get rental income.

Due to this surge in popularity, more and more people started investing in a vacation home in Rocky point. This buying frenzy resulted in upward spiraling of the prices of Real Estate in Puerto Penasco (Rocky point).

But due to the recent economical downturn, passport requirements, and misinformation campaign in US media of Mexico, the tourist numbers dwindled to very low levels. This resulted in a buyer’s market. For savvy real estate investors and people who plan for long term, this is a godsent opportunity to buy a beachfront vacation home so near to Arizona. This is the perfect time when buyers now have an opportunity to acquire a vacation beach home at very low prices. The opportunities for investors or anyone to acquire property at low prices, and buying for the future are abound.

Even though, the tourist numbers is very low right now, the city is putting up a brave front by hosting a variety of events like The Taste of Penasco, Iron Chef competition, Carnival and Mardi Gras, The Chili Cook-Off, Shrimp Festival, Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers concerts, Cinco de Mayo celebrations, Mexico Independence Day celebrations, Day of the Dead celebrations to attract & engage locals and international tourists. Unlike earlier times, when Rocky point’s beaches used to be crowded, nowadays, a tourist can enjoy sunset all by himself.

But now, with USA economy recovering well, the trend is starting to reverse. Positive steps like opening of the new coastal highway which means reduced travel time from Southern California will surely boost tourism in Mexico. New international airport is open ready for the airlines to arrive which will raise the international profile of Rocky point.

All this signals that Rocky Point is poised for growth in near future!

Author: Donna Nocero

During 2010, the municipal government has plans to complete various major projects in the Cozumel real estate area, most notably the construction of one thousand 500 houses, various sports infrastructure projects and street paving. Also, the new Marina, in which the municipal government has invested about $10 million, is planned to open this year. This Marina will provide important access, not to mention real estate opportunities for boat lovers who plan to use their Cozumel home as base for yachting.

Another passenger boat line to Playa del Carmen is also expected to open in 2010, providing additional service to the two existing lines. For residents this means more regular transportation to the main land, and perhaps also less expensive fares.

An unprecedented investment of three million dollars in tourism promotion during 2010 is also in the budget, which is expected to help rebound hotel occupancy rates with an increased arrival of a cruises to Cozumel. Tourism on Cozumel, especially that from cruises is the main economic industry, and helps define the island’s international cultural atmosphere, which blends with the island’s strong historical roots, being one out of only two communities in the area continually inhabited since the ancient Mayan civilization.

The benefits of buying a beachfront home in Cozumel are numerous. For anyone who dreams of living in a warm climate, in a very safe, peaceful community, where relaxation defines the beachfront lifestyle, along with a neighborly co-existence between international residents and the locals whose ancestors have been fishing off the island for hundreds of years, where modern convenience coexists with respect for nature, Cozumel real estate is an option to be carefully considered. Contact TOPMexcioRealEstate.com today to learn more about buying a home and living in Cozumel.

TOPMexicoRealEstate NETWORK; Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely

After a meeting in early August with Eduardo Muñiz Urquiza, regional delegate of the National Fund for Tourism Development (Fonatur), the Mayor of Cozumel, Juan Carlos Hernández González, announced that negotiations for the conclusion of the Marina in Cozumel, which is currently moving ahead quickly in their construction, are on good terms.

The mayor said that at this meeting they discussed the fact that the construction of the entrance of the Cozumel Marina could resume soon, and the representatives of the Hotel Presidente, are reconsidering their requests due to the constant talks with Fonatur to reach to an agreement as soon as possible.

The meeting which was also attended by the Project Manager and Construction, Gonzalo Pérez Barahona, Adriana Ruiz Meyer, Manager of Construction Permits, both of Fonatur, and the director of Urban Development in the municipality, Eduardo Basurto Basurto, took After the morning of Tuesday July 21, the Municipal Presidency.

The municipality said that, according to Muñiz Urquiza of FONATUR, there is no danger that the construction of the marina be delayed until 2010, because the Hotel Presidente group is reviewing its demands and that everything is on track, to follow up on this very important project.

Since the conditions were announced which the representatives of the Hotel Presidente had set forth for the federal agency to work on the mouth which would fill the marina, a process of talks began, which are currently on the right track.

He said that work on this project, will not only promote tourism in the area, but at the same time the hotel itself, which owns the land surrounding the project.  When operations begins the Marina will certainly bring the hotel benefits.

In conclusion he stated that it is very important that this project is completed, since from the beginning one of the agreements with the federal government was that “Marina Fonatur” would have a space to accommodate vessels for tourists and residents, which will be of great benefit for both visitors and Cozumel Real Estate owners who have their boats in the area.

What to Do in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta provides several attractions and activities to their visitors. If you don’t know where to start, you can always refer to the list below:

1. Enjoy their annual festivals. You can begin at any point in Puerto Vallarta on the month of November. At this time, the weather may have been turning cold in preparation for December and the small towns are brimming with life because of too many festivals. The Cultural Festival, for one, is the most ideal time to see the fusion of culture and arts in the native’s performances. You can also get a taste of delectable Mexican dishes, in their annual international gourmet festival. If you have a soft spot for golf, you can watch their Vallarta Cup tournaments. For the film buffs, the film festival in Puerto Vallarta is the best time to grab a theater seat.

2. Explore San Sebastian. Tucked away in the valleys of Puerto Vallarta is the town of San Sebastian. This used to be one of the oldest homes of the first Mexican settlers in the city, back in 1605. Today, it is not a mining town for silver. The best way to travel to San Sebastian is by boarding a Cessna plane. This will also give you an opportunity to see Puerto Vallarta and even the magnificent seas on aerial view.

3. Take a half-day tour to Huichols. Back in the days, majority of Puerto Vallarta is occupied by native Indians. As time passed, however, a lot of them are already gone, and modern civilization took place. That’s why the trip to see the Huichols should be something you should not miss. These people are known to be the Aztec descendants. They have learned to keep themselves away from modernism and technology and thus are able to preserve their beliefs, rituals, culture, and history. Their houses still showcase the influence of Pre-Columbian era. If you want to experience a totally new way of seeing Mexican life, you can participate in a half-day trip to their territory. Don’t forget to buy a well-made handicraft in their souvenir shops.

4. Take the kids to the water park. The water parks are the best places to take your kids, especially during the summer months. There are wide varieties of wave pools and water slides, where they can play and just have some fun. They can also watch different performances and animal shows, such as dolphin and seal exhibitions.

5. Hit the beach. Puerto Vallarta is also well-known for their beaches, which are usually integrated in villas and hotels that are scattered all over the town. One example is that of Grupo Mayan hotel. You can enjoy different types of water activities, like parasailing, kayaking, swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving. What’s more, you can purchase timeshares so you can have a nice place to stay while you’re in town while making a lucrative investment.

The month of October began with sure signs of a healthy housing market in Canada, and in the middle of October the market was showing not only normal but high sales.

Even at the beginning of the months some sources were saying that the supply of housing was getting scarce in just about all of Canada’s biggest cities – Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton among various other cities.  As a consequence, heavy competition in bidding had led to a tougher market for anyone looking for a good deal.  Prices for two storey homes are up from October 2008 only 0.1 %  – the average is $410,000 (remember, this is the price for just an AVERAGE house); while the increase is very low, tough buying competition will already make hard to find a good deal.

Another factor for Canadians to consider is the climbing value of the Canadian dollar.  By the middle of October, the Canadian dollar had reached 97 cents U.S., and some experts predict that the dollar will reach parity again by early 2010.  This means that the buying power of the Canadian dollar is at one of the highest points that it has had in decades, especially when compared to the peso which has been sitting at about 13 pesos per U.S. dollar for some time.

Now take all this and compare it to the situation in Mexico.  In the major Mexico Real Estate areas for North Americans the supply is still larger than the demand, and many sellers are still offering super price reductions.  A top-notch Mexico Condo (far above “average” in terms of luxury and design) in Puerto Vallarta, for example, can be found for a discount of as much as 30-35%.  Other real estate areas, such as Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Ixtapa, also offer price reductions and preconstruction discounts on condos.  Homes can be found for excellent prices in these areas, as well as Lake Chapala.  Tulum is offering great prices for lots with high development potential.  Great offers can currently be found in many other beachfront locations.  Besides accessible prices, developers and banks are also offering other attractive financing options and very accessible down payments.

Canada looks to be pulling out of the recession a little ahead of many other parts of the world; this makes it an ideal time to buy in Mexico.  If you are planning for your retirement or you need a winter home, you couldn’t find a better time than now while prices and buying competition in Mexico Real Estate are still low, and the Canadian dollar and economy are on their way up.  If you are looking for an investment, it is best to buy now, because when Americans and Europeans start buying more property in Mexico again, the prices are likely to soar, showing similar appreciation to the last two decades – 15% annual on average.

The other benefits of owning property in Mexico are endless: a much lower cost of living;  excellent, fast, modern health care – although you have to pay for it, prices are considerably less than in the U.S., and there are no Canadian waiting lines; excellent infrastructure, which receives continuous investment; a rich cultural heritage of music, festivals, food and history; beautiful white beaches; amazing mountain scenery; eco parks, and many other ways to enjoy nature; availability of a broad range of international stores and products.  Mexico offers just about everything – except cold winters.

If you are a Canadian thinking of joining thousands of other Canadians in buying real estate during these months, consider the option of buying in Mexico.  For more information about properties, the buying process, and life in Mexico, visit TOPMexicoRelEstate.com.

TOPMexicoRealEstate NETWORK; Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely