Real de Talpa – Ecological mountain retreat in the heart of Jalisco
The words “ecological“, “green“, “environmentally-friendly“, “natural” etc… are used all the time today. Over the past 5 years every product & service has suddenly become “environmentally-friendly“. Whether they are cars, gas companies or tomatoes, they all seem to have become “nature’s best friends”.
Whilst it’s hard to distinguish between the true “green” products & services out there, what is is clear is that this is not just a marketing trend. This is becoming a real desire from all of us. We are all more conscious about how our lifestyle impacts our surroundings, and perhaps more importantly, how it will affect our children’s future. Many of us have already done the basics; trash separation, switched to energy-saving light bulbs, buying local produce, buying organic products, making smarter choices when buying cars etc… These changes are only the start of what is to come. These changes in culture, that have been so hard to establish, are now normal for our children. We have a generation of young adults demanding that their cars, computers, foods and now houses respect nature.
Real de Talpa is a visionary project. It’s not just the label that’s “green”, it’s not a marketing tool, it’s not a sales tool – Real de Talpa is a man’s dream that is becoming a reality.
Located in the heart of the Sierra-Madre Mountains of Jalisco, in the historic mountain town of Talpa de Allende, Real de Talpa is a place where one can change from the inside and live in harmony with nature. This 60 hectare mountain-side reserve will offer families a true nature-getaway, only a short 2.5 hours drive from Puerto Vallarta or Guadalajara and only a 20 minute flight from the Puerto Vallarta international airport.
Each homesite will have a minimum of 10,700 sq.ft deeded land and a choice of 5 home models. This is only the start, investing at Real de Talpa is more than just about the land or the home, it’s about investing into a conservation project and about your life-style. A life-style where people can relax, breathe in the pure mountain air, spend quality time with their family, connect to nature and find their true selves.
The “environmentally friendly” label that we put on Real de Talpa is not a sales tool, it is the true identity of this development. Below, I’ve listed some of the key aspects of Real de Talpa.
Real de Talpa – The earth
The entire reserve has breathtaking views of the village of Talpa de Allende. The land is rich, organic and fertile. Both an orchard & vegetable field will be maintained, for the free use of all owners :
- fresh organic onions
- tomatoes
- zuquinis
- water-melon
- maize
- apples
- carrots
- garlic and much more.
There are 2 fresh-water lakes where owners will be free to fish, along with picnic areas, mountain-bike trails and hiking trails. As horse-back is still a very popular method of transport in this region private stables will also be constructed onsite for owner’s use, along with riding trails. Finally, an on-site zoo will be free to access for all owners creating a great way to educate both our children and ourselves to the wonders of nature.
Zoning is extremely important for a conservation project such as Real de Talpa. The maximum density for each lot is 30% (which means that 70% of each plot of land must remain green). The developer has taken great care to ensure all permits are obtained before constructions starts. Each owner will have a deeded lot and home and all neighboring land has also been marked for similar low-density use – guaranteeing that the views and surroundings will remain.
Real de Talpa – The construction
Every effort is being made to ensure that little negative impact is left on the natural surroundings. The land is carefully laid out, each homesite combining privacy and natural surroundings with incredible vistas. The development is architecturally controlled protecting site lines and privacy. Where possible low impact materials are being used. A low-level lighting and power efficient system is being used throughout the development and all homes will have the option to have installed a solar-power system.
All homes will come equipped with a closed-circuit water management and recycling system. This system will recycle the houses dirty water into water for outdoor and garden use.
Real de Talpa – The community
Real de Talpa is a unique opportunity that also comes with responsibility. The community at Real de Talpa will be part of a unique natural reserve. It will bring a new lifestyle that motivates us to change from our inside, which brings us to look for new horizons to improve our social, cultural and especially spiritual relationships.
The main objective of this new investment is to improve our lives, through the changes that brings this new development, in which you can enjoy your own ecological gardens and harvests fresh fruits and vegetables or go fishing, free of cost.
Along with the already mentioned amenities, Real de Talpa will also include a club-house, pool, tennis courts and a spa service.
Real de Talpa – The opportunity
Real de Talpa is now under construction and in a Pre-Sale phase. It’s important to note that the development infrastructure is not dependent on sales. The developer has strong and guaranteed financial backing.
We have stunning pre-sales prices, large discounts and very flexible developer-financing available making not only a unique lifestyle opportunity but also a great financial investment.
Please feel free to contact us via the listings profile to learn more about Real de Talpa.
Real de Talpa – The video
New Sales Listing : Grand Marina Villas 1205
We’ve recently listed a great new condo in the Grand Marina Villas condo complex in Nuevo Vallarta, near to the Paradise Village hotel. These condos were built (about 6 years ago) by the Paradise Village group and owners enjoy the benefits of the Paradise Village Sports and Social Membership.
Condo 1205 is located in the Buganvillias building of Grand Marina Villas, the closest to the Paradise Plaza Shopping Centre. It is a 1-bedroom fully furnished (turn key) luxury condo, located on the 2nd floor. The condo has been very well maintained and all the kitchen appliances (whirlepool) are in great shape. This condo makes for a great vacation or retirement home, and also has a strong history of rentals.
The Grand Marina Villas complex is marina facing, and thanks to the Paradise Village Membership owners have access to the beach at the Playa Royale beach club (a short walk from the condos).
Condo 1205 has been priced agressively to sell. The remaining new 1-bed condos being sold by the developer in Grand Marina Villas have a price tag of $220,000+ USD. Condo 1205 has been priced at $189,500 USD, making it the best value 1-bed condo in the Paradise Village area. For more information or to book a viewing please feel free to contact us – or see it’s listing page here.
New Listing, Villa Topacio
We’re happy to announce a great new listing in the upscale residential gated community of “Club Residencial Flamingos” in Nuevo Vallarta : Villa Topacio.
With a price tag of only $186,000 USD this house suprises on many levels.
Firsly, by it’s size. One regular complaint we hear from foreign investors is the lack of reasonably price houses in Puerto Vallarta with a decent sized back yard. Villa Topacio addresses this and not only has lots of front yard space but has plenty of green back yard space with even room for a pool.
Secondly, by it’s location. “Flamingos Club Residencial” is an upscale private and gated community close to both Puerto Vallarta and Bucerias. There is a new mega shopping center at the door step of this community and construction has recently finished on the new multi-million dollar sports complex. The roads are flat, perfect for children to play, and the common area are immaculately maintained.
Thirdly, by it’s layout. The entire downstairs area of this house breathes fresh air and natural light. The living, dinning and kitchen area are all open-plan, and the 2 large glass sliding doors give a constant feeling of nature within the home.
Learn more about Villa Topacio here, or feel free to contact us to for more info or to arrange a viewing.
When is the Best Time to Buy Real Estate in Puerto Vallarta?
I’ve had a lot of clients looking for the bottom recently, and asking me when is the best time to buy… I heard it so many times I decided to write an article about it (follows) . Then this morning I read this article at Yahoo Finance and this tidbit, making me wonder if “the bottom” is upon us… time will tell. Meanwhile, here’s my thoughts:
Economic turmoil creates opportunity. Uncertainty in the stock markets has people looking for safer places to grow their savings. Traditionally, real estate has provided just such a safe haven for long term investment. Certain real estate markets in the US have been taking a pummeling and have been getting a lot of media attention. The fact is these are the same markets that were spiraling out of control in a gigantic bubble driven by speculation, irresponsible lending practices and irresponsible borrowing practices over the last few years. Now that bubble has burst and we are all dealing with the reality of a full blown worldwide recession. Many people have lost money in the stock markets, but in most cases they still have some money and they are looking for a place to put it. Recent events notwithstanding, real estate is still a solid investment; as one of my clients recently told me, “Buy Brick!”
As real estate brokers here in Puerto Vallarta we are witness to the fact that people do still have money and are interested in investing here in Mexico. Many of our clients are here looking, but they are not buying because they are waiting for the market to hit “bottom”, with the assumption the Puerto Vallarta market will behave similar to the US market. They are asking themselves “When is the best time to buy real estate in Puerto Vallarta?” As any experienced investor will tell you, the bottom is an elusive target. Here are a few factors to keep in mind:
Puerto Vallarta is a high equity market. Historically, mortgages in Vallarta have been expensive and difficult to come by. While financing has been available at reasonable rates for foreign buyers for a few years (and many foreign buyers leveraged assets at home to buy in Vallarta), the majority of properties in Vallarta are owned outright. While this is slowly changing, the majority of property owners are still well positioned to wait it out rather than needing to sell in the face of foreclosure. This means bank repos are quite rare also.
Holding costs in Mexico are negligible. Property taxes in the US and Canada are typically in the thousands of dollars a year, adding to the overall liability of holding a second property in financially challenging times. In Mexico, property taxes are counted in the hundreds of dollars per year for very high end properties. A modest home may well pay less than one hundred dollars per year.
The exchange rate to USD is extremely favorable. The US Dollar to Peso exchange rate (USD to MXP) is currently at its highest point since the peso was devalued in 1993. This gives the American buyer more buying power than ever. Given the relative strength of Mexican banks and the Mexican economy in general, there is little guarantee that the exchange rate will stay at its current levels.
Historically, Puerto Vallarta has weathered recessions well. In past recessions, Puerto Vallarta has had lower losses and recovered faster than other affected markets.
World stock markets continue to lose value. Those who have their assets in the stock market continue to lose value. The longer they wait to move to more stable investments, the more they will lose.
So what does all this mean? In general, sellers are not desperate to sell; most are prepared to wait it out and sell when conditions are more favorable. Low property taxes and fewer mortgages encourage that position. This is an enviable position to be in and indeed is the backbone of the Puerto Vallarta Market and one of the reasons why real estate investments have proven to be so stable here. That notwithstanding, there is a percentage who do need to sell their properties, either because they are mortgaged or otherwise leveraged, for health reasons, or just because they need the money back home at the moment. These properties are and will be available, providing a downward force on the market in spite of the market’s basic stability (in conjunction with the fact that most buyers are biding their time right now). These two forces mean there will be a correction in the market, but it’s unlikely that the bottom will fall out as it has in certain US markets. Prices indeed will go down (are going down, in fact) and will, by most expectations, hit bottom late this summer, when the Vallarta market is traditionally slowest. This brings to bear one last factor:
The window of opportunity is likely to be small. Everyone knows (or think they know) that the market will bottom in late summer. There is a huge amount of potential energy building as more and more investors decide to wait to invest. Once the bottom has been hit, or at least when the general consensus is that the bottom has been hit (remember, the bottom is an elusive target), investors will begin to release all that stored up energy and the market will start to move. Which way? The law of supply and demand says “UP!” This means that all the deals investors have been waiting for will start to disappear, either because someone beat them to it, or just because of the natural rise in the market. Some will find themselves in that window of opportunity, many will not.
This brings us back to the basic question: When is the best time to buy?
My answer is, “Buy now!”
But you’re waiting for the bottom?
I say, “Buy now, but make aggressive offers.” Most sellers are aware the value of their property is going to go down before it goes up again. An aggressive offer places the value ahead of the curve and many motivated sellers will take the offer rather than risk not selling the property. For the buyer, the advantages are three-fold: They lock in the favorable exchange rate sooner, they get the property at a price comparable to the bottom pricing we’ll probably be seeing in a few months, plus they get first pick on the properties available because they chose not to follow the crowd (crowds tend to drive markets in the direction opposite of what most crowd members actually want). Many sellers are getting nervous as we approach the end of the tourist (and therefore, real estate) season. An aggressive offer now might entertain more of the seller’s attention than it would have a few months ago. One additional bonus to this strategy is the buyer can get his money out of the stock market and into a stable investment that much sooner.
The next few months will see some solid real estate deals in Puerto Vallarta and surrounding areas. Will these be the best deals you can expect to find? No one knows for sure, but they will probably not be the worst deals that close before the smoke clears. Economic turmoil creates opportunity.
All this information is based on my experience in the market and the experiences of other real estate professionals in Puerto Vallarta and is very definitely my own opinion. Prospective investors are encouraged to take it all with a large grain of salt and make their investment decisions based on their own research and their own level of comfort.
Casa Bonita Open House – Club Residencial Flamingos Nuevo Vallarta
This Thursday, 22nd of January 2009, we will be holding an open-house for Casa Bonita in Vlub Residencial Flamingos Nuevo Vallarta.
Casa Bonita is a beautiful property on the exclusive Flamingos Residencial club, about 15 minutes north of the Puerto Vallarta international airport. It is close to the new “Mega” shopping centre, a brand new gym & sports centre and soon to a new Walmart centre. The beach is only a short 5 minute drive from this great family house.
