Retirement Real Estate in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

How would you like to have a really intelligent, honest and well educated president? How about a Harvard graduate? Well, would you believe that Mexico has a 12 consecutive year run of Harvard alumni presidents? They have had a dramatic effect on the Mexican economy in general and real estate values specifically.

Prior to the new millennium, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) or its predecessor revolutionary parties, had held power for over 70 years in Mexico and was a member of Socialist International. Thanks to the PRI philosophies toward nationalization, expropriation, authoritarianism, and state control of the economy, Mexico held a Third World status for 80 years. With those philosophies, Mexico was probably not the best place for foreigners to invest in real estate, or for that matter, anything else.

The situation in Mexico changed dramatically in 2000 when Vicente Fox of the National Action Party (PAN) first took over power for a six year presidential term lasting until 2006. Prior to his presidency, Fox had earned a Top Management Skills degree from the Business School of Harvard University and had then worked his way up to the presidency of Coca Cola Mexico and head of all Coca Cola Latin America. He was one of the few Mexican presidents to avoid a major economic upheaval during office, whereas previously, the Mexicans were accustomed to devastating peso devaluations. During the ten years that we've lived in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, the peso has held firm at about 10.8 pesos per US dollar.

Fox’s term expired in 2006, when his successor, Felipe Calderon, also with the PAN party, won a very close election. Calderon holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and will serve as President of Mexico until 2012. He supports balanced fiscal trade, flat taxes, lower taxes, and free trade. His motto is to Drive Mexico Into the Future which represents privatization, liberalization, political freedom, and market control of the economy.

These two Harvard graduates have taken Mexico from a Third World Country to a Newly Industrialized Country (NIC) in a very short period of time and are continuing to advance the economy. As an NIC, Mexico has joined the ranks with countries such as China, India, Brazil, Turkey, etc. en route to becoming First World Industrialized Countries. Recently, Mexico has changed from being a beneficiary to a full contributor to the United Nations Development Program. The Mexican Bolsa, or stock market, has more than tripled during the ten years that we've lived in Vallarta. The PRI party, still holds local power in the poorest states of Mexico; those where the inhabitants have the least education and are still waiting for subsidies from the government. However, the state of Jalisco where the capital is Guadalajara and the second largest city is Puerto Vallarta, is one of the many states where the local PAN party is in power. This change in power has been quite remarkable and evident in Vallarta during the last seven years.

During the past seven years, the Mexican government has spent billions of dollars improving and upgrading the infrastructures throughout the resort destinations. Puerto Vallarta has new water treatment facilities, power distribution systems, hospitals, university, upgraded airport, maritime terminal, highway system, etc. and is being prepared for the next five years of growth.

We have owned property here in Vallarta, located in the foot hills of the Sierra Madres overlooking Banderas Bay on the Pacific Ocean, for 24 years and have made Paradise our permanent residence for the past ten years. During the first 15 years, there were virtually no changes made here and the property values reflected it. However, during the years that PAN has been in power, the changes have been obvious and dramatic. Our villa has tripled in value and is expected to double again in the next five years as the baby boomers discover Paradise.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, the once sleepy little Mexican fishing village located in the foothills of the Sierra Madres on Banderas Bay along the Mexican Riviera is no longer sleepy or little. The population has literally exploded since the filming of “The Night of the Iguana” in 1963. Vallarta has grown from 2,000 inhabitants prior to 1963 to the current figure of 350,000 inhabitants in 2007.

Aside from having a progressive government in power, the following are some of the other reasons accounting for this explosive growth:

Climate--Located on the same latitude as Hawaii, the seven month “high season” of November through May has an average daily temperature of 73*F with virtually no chance of rain.

Scenery--Vallarta, located in the foothills of the Sierra Madres on the Banderas Bay, one of the largest and most beautiful bays in the world, is in the center of the Mexican Riviera on the Pacific Ocean. Beautiful beaches, rocky cliffs, mountain sides overlooking the bay, tropical flowers and wildlife, and all the sights that one would expect to find in Paradise.

Safe--With tourism being the life blood of the economy, North Americans are “off limits” regarding any sort of criminal activity. Since guns are strictly prohibited in Mexico, burglaries, robberies, etc., are virtually unheard of. The primary objective of most all of the young generation of natives is to assure all North Americans a pleasant and safe visit to Paradise so that they’ll return soon and often. Fear of a terrorist attack in Vallarta? Forget it!

Friendliness--In 2001, a readers poll taken by Conde Nast magazine listed Vallarta as the friendliest resort destination in the world. The locals treat North Americans with dignity, respect, and as friends, family, and almost as royalty.

Clean Food and Water--The explosive population growth has caused a complete revamping and expanding of the city infrastructure. This includes the road system, power generation and distribution, and of course, water treatment and distribution systems. The water is pure and safe to drink from the tap throughout the city. All food products are now available in the many new modern supermarkets equal to the finest in the States. Food for home or restaurant consumption is closely monitored for cleanliness and controlled as in North America.

Medical care--Two new huge modern hospitals and one smaller modern clinic in Vallarta are fully capable of handling all emergencies as well as complicated surgeries. Modern dental clinics are also in Vallarta offering crowns, caps, implants, as well as all the basic dental practices. All of the doctors and dentists speak English and many of them have had at least some professional training in the States.

Friends--Every North American that you see in Vallarta, and they are easy to spot, is either on vacation or retired, i.e., none of them have to go to work tomorrow! They are all open to new friendships and new comers are always welcome. It’s one big party with no looming pressures of the office or the commuter drive in the morning.

Language--Because the economy in PV is based on tourism, it is imperative to speak English. Therefore, it is estimated that at least 80% of the younger generation is now speaking or at least understanding English. Communication is not a problem in Vallarta and there is no need to learn Spanish.

Travel Time--Although Vallarta is on the same latitude as Hawaii, it is only two to three hours from most of the US cities. Even the highways coming down from the US are now all super modern tollroads and the drive to PV can be made in two days from the border.

Connectivity--With high speed internet service available citywide, internet based telecommunications, and satellite TV available everywhere, you have the same contact with the world that you would have anywhere in the US or Canada.

Activities--World class deep sea fishing has been for years, and will always be, a major activity in Vallarta. There are now seven beautiful golf courses with more under construction. There are hundreds of tennis courts, water activities, night life galore, and too many clubs and organizations to mention. If you have nothing to do in PV, it’s only because that’s your choice!

Cost of Living--The cost of basic staples is about the same as in North America, however, housing is roughly half the cost and housing related taxes are a fraction of those in the States. All services are a half to a third of those in the US including medical and dental care because labor rates are so much lower. The cost of dining, outdoor activities, etc., are pretty much in line with those in the States.

Economic Security--The Mexican peso, at approximately 10.8 pesos per US dollar, has held firm for the past ten years. There are no devaluation concerns at this time as the Mexican economy booms.

Political Security--The PAN party has ruled in Mexico since 2000 and will remain in power at least until 2012, assuring a twelve year consecutive run of Mexico being governed by Harvard graduates! Needless to say, they are pro-US and friendly to the North.

Investment--Property values have tripled during the past ten years and are expected to double again during the next five years. With the booming economy, the Mexican stock market has also tripled during the past ten years. There is no slow down of growth in the foreseeable future.

Hopefully, the above 15 items will provide some explanation for the booming economy and explosive growth in Vallarta. They say that the party’s not over, that it has only just begun.

The Mexican National Tourism Development Foundation (Fonatur), has designated a 30 mile stretch of pristine Pacific Ocean shoreline north of Vallarta as the new Riviera Nayarit, where more than five billion dollars will be invested during the next ten years creating 30,000 new jobs as they build close to 20,000 new condos, villas, hotels, etc. As the North Americans continue to flock to Paradise, the infrastructure growth and future planning activities continue at a torrid pace.

Fortunately, Mexico has been governed by US friendly Harvard graduates for the past seven years and will be for at least the next five years, thus assuring a safe and secure real estate investing environment well into the future for retiring North Americans. If you’re retired or close to retirement, you ought to check out Vallarta before it’s too late. If you’re fortunate, you’ll be included in the next 100,000 gringos that migrate to Paradise!