Experts in celebrating the next chapter in life, AARP The Magazine traveled the globe to discover the ultimate retirement destinations abroad. Factoring climate, expat community, cost of living, housing, health care, access to the U.S. and culture and leisure, AARP The Magazine reveals the top five locales in its September/October issue, available in homes and online today. See what regions in Mexico, France, Panama, Portugal and Italy have to offer—castles, palm trees, rain forests, grilled lobster—in their unique and unparalleled retirement experiences.

1. MEXICO — Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico is the undisputed number one destination for American retirees. With its rich Indian and Spanish culture, lavish beaches and affordable real-estate, Puerto Vallarta offers the low-cost, laid back lifestyle retirees seek to find in a community.

Some Reasons we love it:

• Climate: Winters—sunny, pleasantly warm; summers—rainy, humid hot
• Expat Community: Estimated at 50,000 American retirees
• Access to the U.S.: Excellent

2. FRANCE — Languedoc-Roussillon

Once remote, the Languedoc-Roussillon region is now just three hours from the bright lights and bustling energy of Paris via high-speed train. The area is steeped in history and art. Languedoc-Roussillon is also a destination for the outdoor crowd with picturesque hills and beach along its Mediterranean seashore.

Some Reasons we love it:

• Climate: Mediterranean—hot and dry summers; cool winters
• Cost of Living: Not cheap, but a comfortably frugal life can be had for $30,000 a year
• Heath Care: Excellent. French health care has been named the best in the world by the World Health Organization

3. PANAMA — Boquete

Panama is a smart choice for retirees who want it all. Not only does it feature attractive retiree destinations, Panama also offers an unbeatable package of retiree benefits and discounts. Boquete has a unique range of back-home amenities, from a golf course to high-end gated communities.

Some Reasons we love it:

• Expat Community: An estimated several thousand
• Housing Costs: A small house goes for $175,000; in a gated community, $250,000 and up. Rentals: about $600 a month for a two bedroom house
• Culture and Leisure: Rainforest hiking, river rafting, bird watching and coffee plantation tours keep Panama a bustling location for leisure

4. PORTUGAL — Cascais

Many wonder why Portugal has long been overlooked by American retirees. A plentitude of golf, beaches, resorts and trendy cafe life makes Portugal one of Europe’s most pleasant surprises for retirees.

Some Reasons we love it:

• Cost of Living: A comfortable life can be had on $25,000 a year
• Health Care: Good. Nearby hospitals include the well-regarded British Hospital in Lisbon
• Access to the U.S.: Excellent. Direct flights to-and-from the U.S. fly out of Lisbon

5. ITALY — Le Marche

Le Marche, bordering the Adriatic, is beautiful region with vineyards, snow-capped mountains and beaches a plenty. It also prides itself on the best fish dishes in the country and is trendy enough to have snagged Dustin Hoffman as a tourism spokesperson!

Some Reasons we love it:

• Climate: Mostly sunny
• Expat Community: Relatively few; an international mix
• Culture and Leisure: An incomparable mix of open-air opera festivals, Renaissance painting and architecture, wine tasting and nature reserves

For more information and an extended list of AARP The Magazine’s “Best Places to Retire Abroad,” visit www.aarp.org.

About AARP The Magazine

With more than 35.1 million readers nationwide, AARP The Magazine is the world’s largest circulation magazine and the definitive lifestyle publication for Americans 50+. Reaching over 23.5 million households, AARP The Magazine delivers comprehensive content through in-depth celebrity interviews, health and fitness features, consumer interest information and tips, book and movie reviews and financial guidance. Published bimonthly in print and continually online, AARP The Magazine was founded in 1958 and is the flagship title of AARP Publications.

About AARP

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world’s largest-circulation magazine with over 35.1 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP’s millions of members and Americans 50+; AARP VIVA, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

www.aarp.org

original article here

Posted on July 27th, 2010 by admin
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NOTE: The International Community Foundation is a public charity founded in 1990 with a mission to expand the level of charitable giving internationally by U.S. donors with an emphasis on Mexico and Central America

The International Community Foundation released its report “Housing and Real Estate Trends Among Americans Retiring in Mexico’s Coastal Communities” to make recommendations to policymakers in both the U.S. and Mexico, as well as to educate and inform U.S. retirees about key issues to consider when purchasing real estate in Mexico. The report is the third of five research studies that will be published by the Foundation.

For years, U.S. & Canadian retirees have re-located to Mexico as an alternative retirement destination that was affordable, offered desirable weather and was close to their communities of origin in North America. To further analyze these trends, especially in the context of the current economic crisis, the International Community Foundation surveyed over 840 U.S. retirees in coastal areas of Mexico over 50 years of age. Key findings include:

• Survey respondents selected Mexico for the lifestyle (79 percent), cost of living (75 percent), weather (69 percent), and proximity to the U.S. (63 percent). They also considered other overseas destinations, including Costa Rica, Panama, and Belize.

• Over 62 percent of survey respondents live in a house rather than a condo. Focus groups also voiced a clear preference for Mexican-style colonial architecture and the “village” concept as opposed to high-rise urban living.

• When considering the purchase of a home in Mexico, survey respondents noted that the availability of basic infrastructure and utilities (84 percent) and clear legal title (82 percent) were more important considerations than the price (78 percent).

• The vast majority (77 percent) of respondents owned their homes; only 16 percent were renters. Though survey respondents were not specifically asked if their home was purchased 100 percent in cash or was financed, many focus group participants confirmed that they had purchased their retirement homes with cash.

• Sixty one percent of U.S. retirees surveyed indicated that they would be willing to pay higher property taxes if they could be guaranteed better municipal services (including zoning enforcement, water, police, and fire).

• When asked to advise those would-be retirees considering purchasing a home in Mexico, 69 percent of survey respondents highlighted the need to fully understand the risks of buying a home in a foreign country. Fifteen percent of respondents noted that retirees should “take the leap of faith” and that everything will work out okay.

The  full report c an be seen at www.icfd.org/publicat10/rra.php

Posted on July 13th, 2010 by admin
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Since 2000, some of California’s private health insurers, and at least one employer group, have offered binational health insurance. These plans cover services on both sides of the Mexican-U.S. border.

Both immigrants from Mexico and U.S. citizens take advantage of the lower prices of medical services across the border. Nearly one million Hispanic and non-Hispanic white Californians seek medical care in Mexico every year, according to UCLA researchers and colleagues. Their study is published in the journal Medical Care, and it is the first large-scale population-based research on U.S. residents obtaining healthcare in Mexico to be published.

Who Seeks Healthcare outside the U.S. and Why Medical Tourism Is Growing

To study this issue, researcher used the nation’s largest state health survey. That’s an analysis of 2001 data from the California Health Interview Survey. The investigators estimated that 952,000 California adults seek dental, medical, or prescription services in Mexico each year. Only about 488,000 of these 952,000 were Mexican immigrants.

Prescription drugs were the most common medical service that non-Latino whites from California went to Mexico to obtain. As expected, cost was the primary factor.

Not surprisingly, studies show that the heaviest users of Mexican-based healthcare services are people who live closest to the border. Another factor that may weigh-in is the growing shortage of primary care physicians in the U.S.

As healthcare reform allows more people the freedom to seek medical care, the primary care physician shortage is expected to become more of a problem. This shortage affects both California and the nation. The shortage is especially evident among U.S.-based Hispanic care providers. That’s another contributing factor to the growth of cross-border California health insurance plans.

Cross-border California Health Insurance Coverage

An estimated 150,000 Californians are covered by one of several private insurance companies that provide cross-border health coverage. These plans typically offer access to emergency care in California, along with routine and hospitalization services in Mexican border towns, such as Tijuana, Mexicali, Tecate and Rosarito.

Such cross-border healthcare plans are growing in popularity because healthcare costs in Mexico are estimated to be from 70 percent to 90 percent less than the same services in the U.S.

Healthcare reform may grow this cross-border market as citizens feel pressure to have California health insurance, and employers feel pressure to provide it.

How Binational Health Insurance Works

The Mexican-based Sistemas Medicos Nacionales plan was the first HMO licensed by the California Department of Managed Health Care to contract with California employers, and cover medical services in Mexico. This is the only Mexican-based HMO that covers health services provided in the U.S.

SIMNSA Medicos Nacionales contracts its network of more than 200 physicians and two clinics along the U.S.-Mexico border to Aetna and Health Net. Both insurers offer a cross-border insurance product.

In addition, Blue Shield of California’s Access Baja plan was licensed in 2000 to cover emergency services in California, and routine services in Mexico. Blue Shield of California uses its own Mexican-based provider network with members primarily located in Tijuana.

CIGNA is also reported to have filed for approval of a cross-border health insurance plan.

At present, coverage is mainly restricted to Mexican towns that are located within 50 miles of the U.S. border. People in Los Angeles or San Francisco, however, might prefer to fly to Guadalajara and Mexico City where many more health care options are available.

Growth Predicted for California Health Insurance Cross-border Plans

Dramatic expansion is expected, and a study in 2008 that was published in Health Affairs found that 62 percent of those surveyed expressed interest in a reasonably-priced cross-border health insurance policy.

Health Net’s cross-border health insurance plan, Salud HMO y Mas, has been performing well because it is more affordable than traditional plans. That gives it a particular advantage in the economic downturn.

Small employers may find that cross-border health insurance plans can be 30 percent to 40 percent less expensive than U.S. plans. For members of Health Net’s Salud HMO y Mas, co-payments for a doctor’s office visit in Mexico may be as much as 75 percent lower than co-payments in the U.S.

Medical Tourism Extends Beyond Mexico

Mexico is not the only destination of Americans traveling out of the country to receive medical treatment. High-quality treatment from U.S. board-certified surgeons can often be had for a fraction of what it would cost in the U.S. Substantial savings are available on cosmetic surgery, dental work, and even bypass surgery, and knee replacement surgery.

Americans have begun to explore, customize, and take advantage of healthcare options around the world. The need for these services is great enough that someone has stepped up to assist with medical tourism. The national leader is PlanetHospital, which has staff doctors to consult with Americans who are interested in traveling to other countries for healthcare. PlanetHospital doctors recommend appropriate surgeons and facilities, and arrange for all medical treatment.

Original Here

Posted on July 8th, 2010 by admin
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* Carstens says sees “strong recovery process” (Adds quotes, background on economy)

By Luis Rojas Mena

CANCUN, Mexico, March 21 (Reuters) – Mexico’s economy, recovering from its worst recession in decades, could grow as much as 5 percent in 2010, the country’s central bank head said on Sunday, raising his outlook in line with analyst views.

Central Bank Governor Agustin Carstens told an annual Inter-American Development Bank meeting in the Caribbean resort of Cancun that Mexico’s economy could grow between 4 percent and 5 percent this year.

“We are in a strong recovery process … it’s very likely that Mexico will end this year growing between four and five percent,” Carstens told reporters. “Aggregate demand is growing faster in Mexico. That means the output gap will probably close down faster than we anticipated some months ago.”

In January, Carstens said Mexico’s economy would likely grow between 3.2 percent and 4.2 percent in 2010. In February he told Reuters he shared the finance ministry’s view that 2010 growth looked set to come in around 3.9 percent.

Economists and the government say exports, consumer demand and credit from banks are all growing faster than expected.

However, the growth still looks unlikely to make up for a 7 percent decline in gross domestic product last year, the largest in Latin America and caused largely by a plunge in U.S. demand for Mexican-made cars and other exports.

Analysts say the impact on Mexico of the recession in the United States, its main trading partner, was exacerbated by a lack of major economic reforms in areas like tax, the oil industry and labor laws.

Carstens added that the central bank could move to raise interest rates if it finds that recent tax increases are starting to push up consumer prices. (Writing by Robin Emmott; Editing by Catherine Bremer and Diane Craft)

original at: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2114539720100321

Posted on July 1st, 2010 by admin
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Mexico Drug War Doesn’t Stop Americans From Moving South of the Border

Bill Engle is outside, sweating in work clothes while he oversees renovations to his colonial house in Mérida, Mexico. It sits on a street dubbed “Gringo Gulch,” a pretty row of baby blue, violet, and mustard facades where expatriates outnumber Mexicans.

“It is not the climate,” says Mr. Engle, explaining why he moved to the Yucatán Peninsula. “It is the people. It is the most welcoming place.”

Americans scared off by violence in Mexico? Not here.

In towns far from the US border such as Mérida, Mexico’s drug wars seem like another world. In fact, according to a recent survey by the International Community Foundation, violence reduced the frequency or duration of trips to Mexico for only 7 percent of American retirees who live or travel frequently to Mexico.

No one knows how many foreign retirees, entrepreneurs, and families relocated to Mérida in recent years, but judging from real estate deals, new members to the English-language library, and observations by locals, it is not a few – nor is it ebbing.

‘As Safe as Seattle’

“I feel more part of a community here and safer or as safe here as I did in Seattle,” says Martha Lindley, a retired chaplain and lawyer who moved here three years ago.

Of 5.25 million Americans living abroad, 1 million are estimated to live south of the border. Some communities, such as San Miguel de Allende (a Heritage Site in central Mexico), seem virtual US suburbs. Mérida is becoming a magnet as transplants rush to buy old mansions and haciendas from the 19th century boom in henequen (a fiber used to make rope).

“I do not feel any violence here,” says Dan Karnes, a retired lawyer from New Orleans who moved here last year. He purchased an 18th-century colonial mansion, last used as a warehouse, and on a recent day was overseeing workers digging a pool foundation and laying an oval courtyard. When done, Mr. Karnes will boast an 18,300-square-foot home.

Mérida Housing Market Rebounds With Retirees

Mérida became a hot destination five years ago, says Mitch Keenan of Mexico International Real Estate. He’s sold homes here for 15 years. While the global recession hurt sales, he says the market is rebounding and sending in more well-heeled retirees.

With America’s baby boomers retiring, potential for further growth is huge. The International Community Foundation found that Mexico remains their retirees’ No. 1 travel destination. The possible extension of Medicare benefits to Americans who retire abroad could further fuel that.

Ellen Fields and her husband, Jim, run the site Yucatanliving.com and help expatriates settle here with the company Yucatan Expatriate Services. “It is so neighborly,” she says. She once left her keys in her door; instead of getting robbed, the keys got returned.

Locals say foreigners blend easily with the city’s 1 million residents.

Alvaro Martinez and Sara Lopez, who moved to “Gringo Gulch” 70 years ago, long before it earned its nickname, are one of two Mexican families on the street. “They are good neighbors, there are never any problems,” says Mr. Lopez, his arm draped around his wife. “They are moving in all around us.”

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Posted on June 15th, 2010 by admin
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THE NEW GLOBAL ECONOMIC REALITY

by Charles Simpson, Mexinvestnow.com

First: A reality check on Mexico

Mexico is in a unique position to reap many of the benefits of the decline of the US economy. In order to not violate NAFTA and other agreements the U.S.A. cannot use direct protectionism, so it is content to allow the media to play this protectionist role. The U.S. media – over the last year – has portrayed Mexico as being on the brink of economic collapse and civil war. The Mexican people are either beheaded, kidnapped, poor, corrupt, or narco-traffickers. The American news media was particularly aggressive in the weeks leading up to spring break. The main reason for this is money. During that two-week period, over 120,000 young American citizens poured into Mexico and left behind hundreds of millions of dollars.

Let’s look at the reality of the massive drug and corruption problem, kidnappings, murders and money. The U.S. Secretary of State Clinton was clear in her honest assessment of the problem. “Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade. Our inability to prevent the weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians,” Clinton said. The other large illegal business that is smuggled into the U.S.A. that no one likes to talk about is Human Traffic for prostitution. This “business” is globally now competing with drugs in terms of profits.

It is critical to understand, however that the horrific violence in Mexico is over 95% confined to the three transshipping cities for these two businesses, Tijuana, Nogales, and Juarez. The Mexican government is so serious about fighting this, that they have committed over 30,000 soldiers to these borders towns. There was a thoughtful article written by a professor at the University of Juarez. He was reminded of the Prohibition years in the U.S.A. and compared Juarez to Chicago when Al Capone was conducting his reign of terror capped off with The Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre. During these years, just like Juarez today, 99% of the citizens went about their daily lives and attended classes, went to the movies, restaurants, and parks.

Is there corruption in Mexico? YES !!! Is there an equal amount of corruption related to this business in the U.S.A.? YES !!!. When you have a pair of illegal businesses that generate over $300,000,000,000 in sales you will find massive corruption. Make no mistake about the Mexican Drug Cartel; these “businessmen” are 100 times more sophisticated than the bumbling bootleggers during Prohibition. They form profitable alliances all over the U.S.A. They do cost benefit analysis of their business much better than the US automobile industry. They have found over the years that the cost of bribing U.S. and Mexican Border Guards and the transportation costs of moving marijuana from Sinaloa to California have cut significantly into profits. That is why over the past 5-7 years they have been growing marijuana in State and Federal Parks and BLM land all across America. From a business standpoint, this is a tremendous cost savings on several levels. Let’s look at California as an example as one of the largest consumers. When you have $14.2 billion of Marijuana grown and consumed in one state, there is savings on transportation, less loss of product due to confiscation and an overall reduction cost of bribery with law enforcement and parks service people. Another great savings is the benefit to their employees. The penalties in Mexico for growing range from 5-15 years. The penalties in California, on average are 18 months, and out in 8 months. The same economic principles are now being applied to the methamphetamine factories.

FOX News continues to scare people with its focus on kidnapping. There are kidnappings in Mexico. The concentration of kidnappings has been in Mexico City, among the very rich and the three aforementioned border Cities. With the exception of Mexico City, the number one city for kidnappings among NAFTA countries is Phoenix, Arizona with over 359 in 2008. The Phoenix Police estimate that twice that number of kidnappings goes unreported, because like Mexico 99% of these crimes were directly related to drug and human traffic. Phoenix, unfortunately, is geographically profitable transshipping location. Mexicans, just like 99% of U.S. Citizens during prohibition, go about their daily lives all over the country. They get up, go to school or work and live their lives untouched by the border town violence.

These same protectionist news sources have misled the public as to the real danger from the swine flu in Mexico and temporary devastated the tourism business. As of May 27 2009 there have been 87 deaths in Mexico from the swine flu. During those same five months there have been 36 murdered school children in Chicago. By their logic, if 87 deaths from the swine flu in Mexico warrants canceling flights and cruise ships to Mexico, then close all roads and highways in the USA because of record 43,359 automobile related deaths in the USA in 2008.

What is just getting underway is what many are calling the “Largest southern migration to Mexico of people and real estate assets since the Civil War” A significant percentage of the Baby Boomers have been doing the research and are making the life changing decision to move out of the U.S.A. The number one retirement destination in the world is Mexico. There are already over 2,000,000 US and Canadian property owners in Mexico. The most conservative number of American and Canadian Baby Boomers who are on their way to owning property in Mexico for full or part time living in the next 15 years is over 6,000,000. Do the math on 6,000,000 people buying a $300,000 house or condo and you will understand why the U.S. Government is trying to tax this massive shift of money to Mexico through H.R. 3056. The U.S. government calls this “The Tax Collection Responsibility Act of 2007”. Those who will have to pay it are calling this the EXIT TAX.

Mexico: A better economic choice than China

Another large exodus from the U.S.A is high paying skilled jobs. The job shift in automobile sector, both car and parts manufacturing, is already known by most investors. In the last few months as John Deere and Caterpillar have been laying off thousands of workers in the U.S.A., and hiring equal numbers in Mexico. The most recent industry that is making the shift is the aerospace manufacturers. In the city of Zacatecas there is currently a $210 million aerospace facility being built. With the 11 U.S. companies moving there, it is estimated to provide over 200,000 new high paying jobs in the coming years. One of the main factors for the shift in job south to Mexico instead of China is realistic analysis of total production, labor and delivery costs. While the labor costs in China are 40% less on average, the overall transportation costs and inherent risks of a long distance supply chain, and quality control issues, gives Mexico a distinct financial advantage.

Mexico’s real economic future

Mexico has avoided completely the subprime problem that has devastated the U.S. banking industry. The Mexican banks are healthy and profitable. Mexico has a growing and very healthy middle and upper middle class. The very recent introduction of residential financing has Mexico in a unique position of having over 90% of current homeowners owning their house outright. U.S. banks are competing for the Mexican, Canadian and American cross border loan business. It is and will continue to be a very safe and very profitable business. These same banks that were loaning in a reckless manner have learned their lesson and are loaning here the old fashioned way. They require a minimum of a 680 credit score, 30% down payment, and verifiable income that can support the loan. In most areas of Mexico where Baby Boomers are moving to, with the exception of Puerto Penasco (which did not have a national and international base of buyers), there is no real estate bubble. The higher end markets ($2-20 million) in many of these destinations are going through a modest correction. The Baby Boomers market here is between $200,000 and $600,000. With the continuing demand inside the Bay of Banderas, that price point, in the coming years, will disappear. This is the reason the Mexican government is spending billions of dollars on more infrastructure north along the coast all the way up to Mazatlan.

The other major area where America has become overpriced is in the field of health care. This massive shift of revenues is estimated to add 5-7% to Mexico’s GDP. The name for this “business” is Medical Tourism. The two biggest competitors for Mexico were Thailand and India. Thailand and India’s biggest drawback is geography. Also recent events, Thailand’s inability to keep a government in place and the recent terrorist attack in Mumbai, have helped Mexico capture close to half of this growth industry. In Mexico today there are over 56 world class hospitals being built to keep up with this business.

Mexico is currently sitting on a cash surplus and an almost balanced budget. Most Americans have never heard of Carlos Slim until he loaned the New York Times $250 million. After that it became clear to many investors around the world what Mexicans already knew: that Mexico had been able to avoid the worst of the U.S. economic devastation. Mexico’s resilience is to be admired. When the U.S. Federal Reserve granted a $30 billion loan to each of the following countries Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, and Brazil, Mexico reinvested the money in Treasury bonds in an account in New York City.

According to oil traders, Mexico’s Pemex wisely as the price of oil shot to $147 a barrel put in place an investment strategy that hinged on oil trading in the range of $38-$60 a barrel. Since the beginning of 2009 Mexico has been collecting revenues on hedged positions that give them $90-$110 per barrel today. Mexico’s recent and under reported oil discovery in the Palaeo Channels of Chicontepec has placed it third in the world for oil reserves, right behind Canada and Saudi Arabia.

The following is a quote from Rosalind Wilson, President of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce on March 19, 2009. “The strength of the Mexican economic system makes the country a favorite destination for Canadian investment”.

OPPORTUNITIES: WHY PUERTO VALLARTA & THE RIVIERA NAYARIT?

The answer is simple and old fashioned: SUPPLY AND DEMAND.

The area of Puerto Vallarta/Riviera Nayarit inside the Bay of Banderas is an investor’s dream. This area has the comprehensive infrastructure in place, world class hospitals and dental care, natural investment protection from the Sierra Madre Mountains, endless future water supply, low to nonexistent crime, international airport, and limited supply inside the Bay, first class private bilingual schools and higher than average appreciation potential. Like many areas in Mexico there is large demand for full and part time retirement living and a lot of construction underway to meet this demand. Pre construction of course is where the best bargains are available.

I would offer a word of caution for investors in Mexico. Do not be seduced by the endless natural beauty that is everywhere, both inland in colonial towns and along thousands of miles of beach. Apply conservative medium and long term investment strategies without emotion. The demand for full and part time living by American and Canadian Baby Boomers is evident throughout the country. The top two choice locations are ocean front, and ocean view. The third overall choice, which is less expensive, is inland in one of the many beautiful colonial towns or small cities.

Mexico, with the world’s 13th largest GDP, is no longer a “Third World Country”, but rather a fast growing, economically secure state, as the most recent five-year history of its financial markets when compared to the U.S.A.’s financial markets suggests.

DOW JONES AVERAGES MAY 2004 10,200 MAY 2009 8,200 20% LOSS IN 5 YEARS

MEXICAN BOLSA MAY 2004 10,000 MAY 2009 23,000 130% GAIN IN 5 YEARS

I am glad to share all of my research with investors.

Original Article here

Posted on April 15th, 2010 by admin
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How Safe is Mexico?
by Anne Johnson

Drug-related violence in cities south of the United States-Mexico border has caused the U.S. State Department to issue a travel warning for Mexico — but did you know most of Mexico is as safe as ever? Our government is actually advising against visiting very specific places where drug cartels are warring over the billions of dollars made yearly trading illegal substances into the United States, and the efforts by the Mexican government to put an end to the drug traffic. Unfortunately, after hearing “warning” and “Mexico,” many Americans perceive the advisory for the country as a whole, which it definitely is not.

There are, of course, caveats about travel in Mexico, just as there are for visits to any foreign city or resort area, but many of these fall under the realm of common sense: Don’t stray from the well-known tourist areas, stay alert and don’t drink too much, avoid walking alone at night, only take public transportation or drive on the highways during daylight, don’t deck yourself out in expensive jewelry and avoid large crowds and demonstrations. Before traveling to Mexico, make sure your cell phone works on GSM or 3G international networks, and memorize the Mexican version of our 911, which is 066.

The Most Dangerous Places In Mexico

Despite the increase in drug-related violence, a closer look at Mexico shows that the country is actually safer than what headlines suggest. As a whole, Mexico’s murder rate is surprisingly low: 12 homicides for every 100,000 inhabitants. When compared to Washington, D.C.’s 31 people per 100,000 inhabitants and New Orleans 64, the numbers aren’t cause for concern if you know where to avoid.

According to the State Department’s warning, these are the places you should take extra caution:

Ciudad Juarez
The “Deadliest City in the World” has seen 130 murders per 100,000 inhabitants. More than 2,600 people were killed in Ciudad Juarez in 2009.

Gomez Palacio, Durango, and Torreon
Each of these cities has seen sharp increases in violence. In late 2009 and early 2010, four visiting U.S. citizens were murdered in Gomez Palacio.

Chihuahua, Sinaloa and Northern Baja California
These areas have seen spikes in the number of robberies, homicides, petty thefts, and carjackings.

Tijuana and Nogales
Along with Ciudad Juarez, these cities have experienced public shootouts during daylight hours in shopping centers and other public venues.

Nuevo Laredo and Matamoros
Criminals have followed and harassed U.S. citizens traveling in their vehicles in these areas and in other border cities such as Tijuana.

Monterrey & Highway Travel
Travelers on highways from Monterrey and other parts of Mexico to the U.S. have been targeted for robbery and violence.
“The news media prefer to report horrible events rather than address the reality; Mexico is, in general, a very safe country — with the notable and news-making exception of Juarez and other border towns — and has far less violent crime than any large U.S. city,” says Barbara Erickson, one of more than a million Americans who lives safely in Mexico.

According to Erickson, a San Miguel de Allende resident, “one would have a greater chance of being hit by lightning than being shot or kidnapped by a drug load’s gang.”

Another plus to our relations with those living south of the border is American companies successfully conduct business in Mexico. “I have clients traveling to Mexico regularly to film and to do photo productions and we have never had any problems,” says Clare Beresford of World Locations in Hollywood, a company that scouts locations for movies, commercials and photo shoots.” World Locations has sent people to Mexico City, Merida, Zihuatenejo, Manzanillo, Puerto Vallarta and Careyes, among many destinations.

Tourism from North America is a significant part of Mexico’s economy. In 2008, foreign visitors (22.6 million of them, 80 percent of whom were from the U.S.) spent $13.3 billion in Mexico, making up 13.8 percent of the country’s GDP.

But in 2009, Mexican tourism was hammered by the U.S. recession and the swine flu epidemic. Cruise ships briefly canceled trips to the country, and many restaurants and archaeological sites were briefly closed. The revenue from foreign tourism dropped 15 percent to 11.3 billion. This year, tourism is expected to rebound. But 2010 could be another bad year if fear keeps U.S. citizens away.

We’ve drawn up a list of Mexico’s most popular tourist destinations and rated them one to five, one being the highest cause for concern, and five being the safest.

(“PLEASE NOTE THAT RISK FACTOR 5 IS THE LOWEST RISK FACTOR — MEANING THE SAFEST TO TRAVEL TO!”)

BORDER CITIES

Fear Factor: 1

The State Department listed several cities as not advisable to visit, including Ciudad Juarez, Tijuana, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey and Matamoros. The worst of the bunch of Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas. The city has been the site of some of the most gruesome murders in an already shocking drug war. In January, 15 teenagers at a party were slain, and in March, three people with connections to the U.S. consulate were murdered in two separate incidents while riding in cars with their children, two of whom were wounded. Over the past ten years, the city has uncovered the bodies of over 400 women whose bodies were dumped in ditches or vacant lots, victims of sexual homicides. Until things get under control, this is not the time to venture over the border for some shopping or pozole.

CANCUN, THE RIVIERA MAYA AND COZUMEL

Fear Factor: 5

Cancun is one of Mexico’s most popular beach resorts, which average around four million American visitors per year. Last year a retired Mexican general investigating corruption was assassinated by drug traffickers, but that’s been an isolated event. Over-consumption of alcohol by younger tourists is a problem, and there have been rapes. But on the whole, Cancun is extremely safe. “The leading cause of foreign tourist deaths in Cancun is heart attacks, car accidents and accidental drowning,” says Canadian writer Marlo-Renay Heresco, a Cancun resident who blogs about her life in Mexico on her website, atravelartist.com. “The key to success when traveling or living abroad is exercising common sense.” The Riviera Maya (the Yucatan coast stretching south from Cancun) has little to fear beyond sunburn. The island of Cozumel off the Riviera Maya is a popular, very safe destination for cruise ships, where problems are the occasional purse-snatching or picked pocket.

MERIDA AND THE MAYAN RUINS IN YUCATAN

Fear Factor: 5

Although many people visit Chichen Itza on day-trips from Cancun, Merida is the gateway to comprehensive exploration of Uxmal and other significant Mayan ruins scattered across the state of Yucatan. Merida is a quiet, charming city, and the main ruins have well-organized tours and visitor’s centers, as well as guards. In addition to hotels in Merida, the Yucatan has a number of colonial-era haciendas that have been converted into small resorts. Mayan villagers are welcoming. Here again, it’s not a good idea to drive on unlighted roads at night, but central Merida’s busy colonial-era streets are safe to stroll at night. “Mexico is a large country… deciding not to travel “to Mexico” because of violence is like saying you won’t go to New York because of a murder in Denver,” says Merida resident Ellen Fields. ” Yes, there are places in Mexico where violence is on the rise. Where I live, Merida on the Yucatan Peninsula, and the nearby Mayan Riviera, has not seen this violence and is a very safe place to visit or to live.”

MEXICO CITY

Fear Factor: 4.75

No one thinks twice about visiting our nation’s capital, and the same should go for Mexico’s capital. In 2008, Mexico City had a homicide rate of nine for every 100,000 people, while Washington D.C. had a rate of more than 30 per 100,000 — over three times higher. Visitors to Mexico City should exercise the same precautions taken in any of the world’s big cities; sticking to busy, central areas and remaining aware of one’s surroundings. It’s very important to take only radio-issued taxis or taxis from official stands, never the “libre” (independent) or Volkswagen cabs, as there have been many instances of robbery and kidnapping. Don’t walk at night except short distances on busy streets. This is an exciting city full of museums, art galleries and fabulous restaurants, not to be missed. Most people include a visit nearby to the majestic ruins of Teotihuacan, which are well patrolled and perfectly safe, with a visitor’s center and organized guides.

SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE AND THE COLONIAL CITIES

Fear Factor: 5

“I feel as safe here as anywhere I have ever lived and so do my neighbors and friends,” says Barbara Erickson, who’s lived in San Miguel de Allende a number of years. “San Miguel is as lovely as ever.” This arty town is popular with Americans, who stroll its lovely colonial streets, dine out and browse the art galleries without worries. This is true of all of Mexico’s stunning colonial cities. In some cases the countryside around them may be iffy (the state of Michoacan, for instance, has had troubles, but its capital, Morelia, is lovely and safe, as is Patzcuaro). Guanajuato, Queretaro, Zacatecas and the rest of the colonial cities are well worth visiting.

GUADALAJARA

Fear Factor: 4.75

Mexico’s sophisticated second city is both a colonial gem and a major center for shopping that’s regularly combed over by interior decorators from the southwestern U.S. There’s also a lively art scene to enjoy, with art galleries and museums. But Guadalajara is a very large city, with the attendant need for caution, and it’s best to stick to the central city tourist areas and leafy upscale neighborhoods like the Zona Rosa. A popular side-trip is past fields of blue agave to the town of Tequila, where tequila distilleries can be visited and the wares sampled from such famous brands as Cuervo and Herradura. This is completely safe, but again, don’t over-indulge.

OAXACA

Fear Factor: 5

Oaxaca city was the site of a teachers’ strike in 2006 that led to some violence and, unfortunately, the shooting of an American freelance journalist. As a result, the city has been tarred as unsafe, although nothing could be farther than the truth. The colonial city center, the nearby ruins at Monte Alban and the surrounding crafts towns like Teotitlan del Valle are well-traveled and very safe. “There is a lot of hysteria in the US about everything from drugs to flu in Mexico, but after five years in Oaxaca with my husband and daughter, I have to say that these issues have not even remotely affected us,” said an American expat. Oaxaca has a thriving art scene and one of Mexico’s most highly-regarded cuisines. The Oaxaca coast, including beautiful, well-developed Huatulco and the little surfing mecca of Puerto Escondido is very safe, although swimming along the coast must be done with caution (check with your hotel), as some areas have rip-tides.

IXTAPA/ZIHUATENEJO

Fear Factor: 5

Ixtapa is a resort area developed by the Mexican government, and its big resorts are extremely safe. Neighbor Zihuatenejo is a former fishing village that reeks charm and has some upscale hotels and lovely outdoor restaurants. Many Americans live in “Zi” including famous American fashion designer Betsey Johnson. This is another spot where your biggest problem will be sunburn.

PUERTO VALLARTA

Fear Factor: 5

The lovely cobble-stoned hillside fishing village that was “discovered” after the filming of Night of the Iguana has spread at a dizzying rate, so that there are many Vallartas, including the original (still charming) town, the Marina and Nuevo Vallarta. Puerto Vallarta is filled with art galleries, which regularly throw open houses, gourmet restaurants and hotels in every price range. There are also the kinds of bars which encourage patrons to over-indulge, and that’s never a good idea. Downtown Puerto Vallarta is safe to stroll, but never late at night after the festivities are over, and it’s not a good idea to venture too far off the beaten track. Thousands of Americans live here, and love it. The Costalegre coast, stretching from Puerto Vallarta to Manzanillo in the south, is very safe, as is the newly-named Costa Nayarit (a series of bucolic fishing villages) to the north.

ACAPULCO

Fear Factor: 4.5

Acapulco in recent years has undergone a major revival. Once Mexico’s most fashionable resort, it had gone a bit seedy, but now has regained much of its glamour. Unfortunately, it has recently been touched by drug-related violence, and although most has been on the edges or outside of town, some bodies have been found on a street lined with nightclubs, including the bodies of police officers. It’s especially important these days to be alert to your surroundings here, and stay away from nightclubs known to attract the narcotraficantes. That said, the possibilities of being caught in a drug shoot-out are on the extreme end of slim to none.

LOS CABOS

Fear Factor: 5

Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo and the “Corridor” of resorts that stretch between them are like a backyard for residents of the southwestern U.S. Thousands of Americans live here on the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula (light years away from Tijuana’s troubles) and the artsy little town of Todos Santos 45 minutes up the Pacific coast from Cabo San Lucas. Some visitors complain it’s too American in Cabo. The region is very safe, with good highways and busy downtowns. Visitors should stay out of unlighted side streets and stick to the well-traveled tourists areas, where shopping, art galleries and a big choice of restaurants make straying unnecessary. Swimmers must exercise extreme caution — the waters are treacherous and it’s important to know where it’s safe to swim and where not to even wade very far.

Original Article here

Posted on April 14th, 2010 by admin
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by David Simmonds

Here is something you don’t hear much about: Our nation’s capital, Washington D.C., had a homicide rate of 30 per 100,000 in 2008, while the rate in Mexico City was 9 per 100,000. The most recent stats have popular Costa Rica at around 8 per 100k, Honduras at 58, Jamaica at 49, South Africa is 37, Brazil is 26 and Puerto Rico and Panama are at 19. Mexico is at a fraction of these countries at 10 per 100,00. Funny, I don’t read much about how Americans should stay away from those countries.

Because of the daily drumbeat by the mainstream media of the drug cartel violence, with the feds fighting the dealers and the dealers fighting each other, the perception is that all of Mexico should be avoided by otherwise sane tourists. As a result, travelers are not going like they used to. And the country is suffering. Tourism dollars account for a good percent of the local economies in many of the popular towns like Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, Cabo, Mazatlan and Acapulco.

Tens of thousands of expats now call Mexico home, and they feel as safe as they ever have. I encourage you to visit Mexico soon and you’ll see what I mean.

Source

Posted on February 9th, 2010 by admin
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Nakia Cooper – khou.com
February 07, 2010

Mexico City — Decapitated bodies dumped on the streets, drug-war shootings and regular attacks on police have obscured a significant fact: A falling homicide rate means people in Mexico are less likely to die violently now than they were more than a decade ago.

It also means tourists as well as locals may be safer than many believe.

Mexico City’s homicide rate today is about on par with Los Angeles and is less than a third of that for Washington, D.C.

Yet many Americans are leery of visiting Mexico at all. Drug violence and the swine flu outbreak contributed to a 12.5 percent decline in air travel to Mexico by U.S. citizens in 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, a blow to Mexico’s third-largest source of foreign income.

Mexico, Colombia and Haiti are the only countries in the hemisphere subject to a U.S. government advisory warning travelers about violence, even though homicide rates in many Latin American countries are far higher.

“What we hear is, ‘Oh the drug war! The dead people on the streets, and the policeman losing his head,”’ said Tobias Schluter, 34, a civil engineer from Berlin having a beer at a cafe behind Mexico City’s 16th-century cathedral. “But we don’t see it. We haven’t heard a gunshot or anything.”

Mexico’s homicide rate has fallen steadily from a high in 1997 of 17 per 100,000 people to 14 per 100,000 in 2009, a year marked by an unprecedented spate of drug slayings concentrated in a few states and cities, Public Safety Secretary Genaro Garcia Luna said. The national rate hit a low of 10 per 100,000 people in 2007, according to government figures compiled by the independent Citizens’ Institute for Crime Studies.

By comparison, Venezuela, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala have homicide rates of between 40 and 60 per 100,000 people, according to recent government statistics. Colombia was close behind with a rate of 33 in 2008. Brazil’s was 24 in 2006, the last year when national figures were available.

Mexico City’s rate was about 9 per 100,000 in 2008, while Washington, D.C. was more than 30 that year.

“In terms of security, we are like those women who aren’t overweight but when they look in the mirror, they think they’re fat,” said Luis de la Barreda, director of the Citizens’ Institute. “We are an unsafe country, but we think we are much more unsafe that we really are.”

Of course, drug violence has turned some places in Mexico, including the U.S. border region and some parts of the Pacific coast, into near-war zones since President Felipe Calderon intensified the war against cartels with a massive troop deployment in 2006. That has made Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas, among the most dangerous cities in the world.

“The violence, homicides and cruel and inhuman assassinations, which fill the pages of our media, make us feel that there has been much more violence since this war against drug trafficking,” said Bishop Miguel Alba Diaz of La Paz, a vacation city at the tip of the Baja California peninsula.

Mexico’s violence is often more shocking than elsewhere in Latin America because powerful cartels go to extremes to intimidate the government and rival smugglers.

In just one week in December, the severed heads of six police investigators were dumped in a public plaza, kingpin Arturo Beltran Leyva died in a two-hour shootout with troops at a luxury apartment complex in a resort city and gunmen slaughtered the family of the only marine killed in that battle.

In the new year, it’s become even more grotesque. Three weeks ago, a victim’s face was peeled from his skull and sewn onto a soccer ball. Days later, the remains of 41-year-old former police officer were divided into two separate ice chests.

Authorities say the vast majority of victims are drug suspects, but bystanders, including children, sometimes get caught in the crossfire.

Mexico has the same problems with corrupt police, gang violence and poverty as other Latin American countries with higher homicide rates. So why the decline in murders?

Experts say while drug violence is up, land disputes have eased. Many farmers have migrated to the cities or abroad and the government has pushed to resolve the land disputes, some centuries old.

During the height of the Zapatista uprising in the mid 1990s—a rebellion fueled by land conflicts—southern Chiapas state had a rate of nearly 40 per 100,000 people with 1,000 homicides a year. By 2008, that fell to 8 per 100,000 people with 364 killings.

De la Barreda attributes the downward trend to a general improvement in Mexico’s quality of life. More Mexicans have joined the ranks of the middle class in the past two decades, while education levels and life expectancy have also risen.

Critics of Calderon’s drug war say his frontal assault on cartels is giving Mexico a reputation as a violent country but doing little to stop the drug gangs’ work.

“It’s a bad international image that affects foreign tourism and foreign investment,” said Jose Luis Pineyro, a sociologist at Mexico’s Autonomous Metropolitan University who has studied the drug war.

Drug violence has encroached on the resort towns of Zihuatanejo, Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta and Cancun. The millions of foreign tourists who visit each year are almost never targeted, but a handful have gotten caught in the crossfire. In 2007, two Canadians were grazed by bullets when someone fired into a hotel lobby in Acapulco. In January, a Canadian couple was shot and wounded in a robbery attempt just outside Zihuatanejo.

The U.S. State Department travel alert says dozens of U.S. citizens living in Mexico have been kidnapped over the years, and warns Americans against traveling to the states of Chihuahua and Michoacan.

Chihuahua, home to Ciudad Juarez, had a horrifying homicide rate of 173 per 100,000 in the city of 1.3 million, or more than 2,500 murders last year.

Michoacan, famed for its Monarch butterfly refuge, Day of the Dead celebrations and picturesque colonial capital, is now also widely known as the place where five heads rolled across a dance floor. Drug violence is blamed for many of the state’s 660 killings last year.

But in many parts of Mexico, villages are more tranquil than ever—a fact that retired nurse Marilyn Wells struggles to drive home with her American friends back home in LeMars, Iowa.

“’We’re OK, there’s no problem,”’ Wells said she tells friends about the home she bought four years ago in Cabo San Lucas on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. “I don’t feel any less safe down here than I did before.”

Source

Posted on February 9th, 2010 by admin
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Sunny weather and azure coasts are well-represented in this list of the top 10 locations worldwide to buy a retirement home. The list includes tropical locations like Brazil, Belize, Costa Rica and St. Lucia, along with the home for the 2010 Winter Olympics, Vancover, Canada. See the following article from International Property Journal for more on this.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
To even casual buyers, a second home represents both a major investment and a fantasy, an escape with the promise of riches and adventure.

Evaluating a market based purely on rental yield algorithms misses the swirl of emotions felt by the typical buyer, from retirees to jet-setting luxury home collectors. Yet sentiment can’t blind the financial reality of a hard asset worth at least hundreds of thousands of dollars, a big chunk of any portfolio.

Relevant factors in our assessment included uniqueness, affordability and the opportunity for capital appreciation. Security was also a big issue—both physically and financially. Locations with unproven demand were quickly eliminated, as were isolated locales catering to survivalists. The goal was to spotlight markets that combine a variety of factors, not serve niches like the best jungle locale or the best golf course market.

The list, undoubtedly, tends to be U.S. centric, a nod to our home base. Destinations like Cape Verde and Seychelles, for example, may be wonderful spots to buy a vacation home, but they are drawing few U.S. second home buyers. We also defined “second homes” strictly as vacation properties, getaway spots, which meant we left off Paris, Barcelona and other urban centers, where many people own second homes, but may not use them strictly as vacation getaway properties.

Preference was generally given to destinations off the theme park routes and away from the strips of hotel towers, tempered by recognition that it never hurts to have a Four Seasons nearby, in case of emergency. It’s the mixture of isolation and resources that make an ideal second home market, the ability to generate rental income and snorkel in warm waters without fear of getting run over by a cruise ship.

To calm the quibbling and sniping, the list is presented in no particular order, reflecting our inherent cowardice:

Riviera Nayarit, Mexico

Sure, Mexico is experiencing waves of violence and upheaval. “That’s the way it always is in Mexico,” shrugs a friend, who writes travel books on Mexico.

Often overlooked amid Mexico’s array of pre-fabricated Fonatur-designed tourism Meccas, the area north of Puerto Vallarta has experienced a mini-explosion of luxury home development in recent years. The master-planned area on Punta Mita, anchored by a Four Seasons and a St. Regis, offers the A-list, gated community lifestyle. Further up the coast a variety of projects are going up along a route of white-sand beaches, surfer spots and small fishing towns. Best of all, the starting point is Puerto Vallarta, one of Mexico’s classic, romantic old cities.

Natal, Brazil

You just can’t leave Brazil off these lists. The economy is booming, part of the BRIC resurgence changing the world. There are large swatches of barely developed, beautiful land. And now Brazil is set to host both the World Cup and the Olympics in the next six years, which should prove another jolt of adrenalin to carnaval. Putting Brazil on any list of hot investor spots falls into the “well, duh” school of analysis.

Of Brazil’s many hot spots, Natal stands out as the gateway to the northeast, Brazil’s top domestic tourist destination. While hardly a new market–the northeast coast attracts more than 7 million visitors a year—the stretch of coastline north of Natal “represents the best potential returns for private investors” in Brazil, Kapital Assets c.e.o. Keith Punler recently told a reporter. A new airport should also change the complexion of the area, offering more direct flights from Europe. As more infrastructure goes in, the spectacular coastline’s popularity as a second home destination should only increase.

Hermosa, Costa Rica

Never has an airport changed a location as dramatically as the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia transformed Guanacaste, the stretch of rugged coastline on the northwest coast of Costa Rica. No more treks through San Jose and puddle jumpers over the mountains to get to the coast. Instead it’s an easy flight into Liberia and a pleasant 20-minute drive over a nicely-paved highway to the Guanacaste coast, which was in the midst of a spurt of luxury development before the slowdown.

Hermosa is a barely existent small town with few paved roads, a handful of open air restaurants and sporadic electric and water service on its own little cove, across Papagayo Bay from the Four Seasons Papagayo. With a small cluster of condos and luxury homes covering the hillside, Hermosa and neighboring Coco consistently rank as one of the most expensive places in Central America to buy an ocean view condo, according to Reveal Real Estate. Several large-scale luxury projects have been delayed in the area, including AOL founder Steve Case’s Cacique, a few miles south of Hermosa. When activity picks up, Guanacaste is set to develop as the Costa Rica Riviera.

Placencia, Belize

Someday—maybe a long time from now, but some day—Belize will develop as a spectacular second home market. The trick will be to preserve the spectacular natural wonders and isolation of the country, while providing more of the necessary amenities and creature comforts required by many North Americans.

Placencia, one of the few spots on the mainland coast with white sandy beaches, is something of a test case. Several mid-size developments are going up along the coast. The only road on the peninsula is finally getting paved. And Francis Ford Coppola’s Turtle Inn provides a level of upscale trendiness.

Yet Placencia remain remote, isolated, a quick hop away from the jungle or the underwater splendors of the world’s second largest barrier reef. Development continues to inch forward, with few signs of life from Ara Macao, the big project planned for the north end of the peninsula. While investment money and direct flights continue to flow, it will be years, probably decades, before Placencia gets that overwhelmed, too-crowded feel creeping into Ambergris Caye, Belize’s primary destination.

Mallorca, Spain

Spain may be struggling, but Mallorca still holds a special allure. The island provides a compact mixture of the Mediterranean yacht scene, old world expats and picturesque Spanish countryside, with only a dash of the throbbing disco scene found on other islands.

Sales on Mallorca are down by more than 60 percent from 2007 levels, but demand remains high for top-level property, according to recent reports. But valuations have fallen far less than other areas; even in tough times Mallorca holds its own. Offering both seaside retreats and quaint hillside villages, it is still seen as the perfect Mediterranean escape, an old school destination attracting a new generation of buyers.

Jolly Harbour, Antigua

In the array of Caribbean islands, Antigua stands out as a throw-back to old England. Richard Burton owned a house here and Eric Clapton built his high-end rehab clinic on the island (although he’s reportedly selling his estate). Antigua has a firmly entrenched status as a hideout for celebrity royalty, which rivals its reputation as a home for shady banking operations (Google: “Sanford Ponzi Scheme”.)

Antigua is high-end, yacht-friendly Caribbean, without the millionaire tourist clubs of St. Barts or the Cayman Islands. There is still relatively little development, which is mostly clustered around Jolly Harbour on the west coast. In 2007, even as other markets began to falter, Antigua prices zoomed 40 percent, one of the largest jumps in the world according to Knight Frank research. Nobody expects those types of leaps in the future, but it’s fair to say Antigua will remain beloved by the yacht and cricket set.

Vancouver, Canada

Geography has blessed Vancouver. It sits amidst a spectacular landscape of islands and mountains, a land where you can whale watch in the morning and ski in the afternoon. Situated a stone’s throw from the U.S. border, it is also the first stop and destination of choice for many Asian investors, assuring it will be one of the first to benefit from the growing number of Chinese and Korean buyers.

Home base of the upcoming Winter Olympics, Vancouver itself offers an array of towers and trendy apartment units, one of the best urban centers in North America. But move beyond the city and there is a wide array of markets, from the ski resort of Whistler, to the fishing rivers of Squamish, to the isolation of the gulf islands.

Hvar, Croatia

OK, it’s a wild card. The splintered countries of post-war Yugoslavia still have unresolved issues. But the Adriatic Coastline is spectacular and remarkably free of the clutter of most European coastlines. Most of amenities are still dreary throwbacks to the Tito regime.

But there is also an entrenched market in Croatia, long a favorite of German and Italian tourists. (German is the most common second language.) As it further integrates into the EU, property rules will align with the rest of Europe and traffic from the second home-mad U.K. will undoubtedly increase. There will be more cheap flights, more development and more access to property.

Hvar is a spectacular island off the Dalmation Coast, an easy ferry ride from Split. Steeped in the turbulent history of the Adriatic, Hvar is a rapidly growing tourist destination, with spectacular coves and secluded beaches. While hardly undiscovered, it is still new ground for the international industry, and its never-ending search for new islands.

San Diego, United States

The numbers don’t lie. Always one of California priciest markets, prices plummeted 25 to 35 percent in many neighborhoods. And those neighborhoods are spectacular, perched on a sun-splashed stretch of coastline with the best weather in the United States (marred only occasionally by brush fires of Biblical proportions.)

San Diego doesn’t have the vast over-supply of units found in, say, Florida, which means it will likely stabilize and bounce back quicker. Nevertheless, more than 7,600 condos units went up from 2001 to 2007 in San Diego’s downtown, which sits on the pristine bay. Many of those units are for sale, with prices that would have seemed ridiculous two years ago.

Rodney Bay, St. Lucia

Of the emerging islands in the Caribbean, St. Lucia has all the elements in place for steady growth. Its array of spectacular coves and beaches is augmented by its unique Creole culture, pristine twin Piton peaks and swatches of rainforest, a rarity in the Caribbean.

More importantly, investment money is flowing to the island, which is still in a relatively early development stage. Many of the second home projects are clustered on the north end of the island around Rodney Bay, where there are clusters of luxury homes. A fairly easy drive from the international airport as Castries, the area offers classic Caribbean style at prices below the sky-high offerings in Barbados.

Honorable mention: Inland Panama; Provence, France; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; Riviera Maya, Mexico; Umbria, Italy.

This article has been republished from International Property Journal. You can also view this article at International Property Journal, an international property news and information site.

Posted on January 6th, 2010 by admin
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