You’ve read all of the reports and the expert real estate investors are saying the same thing: Mexico real estate is where the excellent returns are these days. Unfortunately, you don’t know anything about Mexico real estate. The real estate investment coaches at Coaching Services can help you out.

The principals at Coaching Services have been in the real estate investment business for a long time. They’ve been remarkably successful and are enjoying an early retirement. They provide real estate investment coaching because they want to share what they know with others, to help them achieve the same level of financial freedom and success.

Everyone approaches real estate investments differently, mainly because everyone is in a unique investment position. Time is always a factor in investing. If you have lots of it, your strategies may be substantially different than they would be if you had only a few working years left.

Everyone’s goals are different. Some people just want to retire. Others want to retire early. Still others want to fund a retirement lifestyle that includes world traveling, and owning multiple homes in different locations. Whatever your investment goals are, Coaching Services is here to help.

Our principals are certified real estate investment coaches who can walk you through the process of making investment decisions based on your goals and resources. They can show you strategies you’ve never thought of, and help you recognize those investments that will help you achieve your goals.

Our coaches have worked with clients all over North America to help them define their investment goals and create strategies that will work. If you’d like more information about Coaching Services, or real estate investment coaching in general, please contact us today.

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For many years, foreign investors found it difficult, if not impossible, to make a secure property purchase in Mexico. Laws restricted what foreign investors could do, and there was no good way to ensure that the seller of the property was the legal owner. With changes to Mexican law regarding foreign property ownership, the process of purchasing Mexico real estate is much more like purchasing property in the US than ever before.

Not all properties are sold with title insurance, so that should be the first thing you look for, as a buyer of Mexico real estate. If you cannot get title insurance, or the property owner says you don’t need it, think twice about buying the property. As a purchaser, it’s very important to follow the procedures established by the government when it comes to Mexico property sales.

Mortgages are still relatively new in Mexico, and many land sales are still executed with cash. The concept of an escrow account is foreign, in more ways than one! Some buyers are beginning to incorporate escrow accounts into sales transactions, but don’t be alarmed if your transaction doesn’t involve an escrow account. The money to purchase the land isn’t released to the seller all at once, but rather at certain points in the transaction. Your purchase contract will spell out when funds will be released to the seller while the sales transaction is concluded. It may take several weeks to conclude a property sale.

Since Puerto Vallarta falls within the coastal zone, all Puerto Vallarta property purchased by non-Mexican citizens will be held in trust, in a fideicomiso. Mexican law makes no exception to this rule and this is the only way in which foreign owners can hold property. The fideicomiso is a very safe type of ownership and is frequently used by Mexican citizens as well. In a fideicomiso, a bank of the purchaser’s choosing holds the deed to the property and acts as a trustee in the sole interest of the beneficiary-owner. A fideicomiso is established for 50 years and can automatically be renewed for another 50-year term. A property sale doesn’t have to extinguish an existing trust. Sellers can simply designate a new beneficiary-owner, who will receive the remainder of the fideicomiso, and can then renew it at expiration.

If you would like more information about the safety of ownership for Puerto Vallarta property, mortgage lenders or real estate purchases, please contact a Select Mexico Properties sales representative today. We can provide you with the information you need to get started on your purchase of Mexico real estate.

Photo Credit: Lisa Kong

For many years, Mexican real estate was the butt of many jokes. Foreign investors were taken advantage of by antiquated property laws, and the basic inability to get clear title to land in Mexico. Complicating matters were constitutional issues that prevented foreigners from owning certain types of land within the country. No one wanted to discuss direct foreign investment, much less residential development in Mexico.

Fast forward to 2008. Things have changed. The government here understands the value of direct foreign investment and residential development in Mexico. They understand how difficult it was for their own citizens – let alone foreign investors – to purchase real estate in Mexico. The issue of ownership has been dealt with quite decisively, and it is safe to buy property in Mexico today.

In the past few years, banks and private lenders have judged the Mexico real estate market to be safe enough to offer long-term lending products. Construction loans, mortgages for purchasing land, buying existing property and even refinancing are now available. This is great news for investors because it means that not only can you purchase property safely, but you also have a mechanism to access and use your equity when you need or want to.

The fideicomiso system – a trust system of property ownership – allows foreign investors and Mexican citizens alike to own, use, improve, rent and sell land in Mexico. While holding property in trust rather than directly holding the deed seems unusual to American investors, it’s very safe and essentially creates a fee-simple ownership. You have absolute rights to use, occupy, improve and benefit from the property you hold in fideicomiso. The bank that holds your land trust must serve as the trustee for your sole benefit. The bank is beholden to no one but you or your designees.

You can also use your fideicomiso to designate your successor beneficiaries at the time the trust is established. If something happens to you, your successors become the primary beneficiaries immediately, no questions asked. The best news about this method of land ownership is that no owner who has used the fideicomiso to hold title to his property has ever lost his ownership interest. As an added protection, you can purchase title insurance from familiar title companies like First American Title to protect your investment.

There’s no doubt about it. Right now is the time to invest in Mexico real estate.

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In the last ten years or so, Mexico has made some major changes in the operation of its Federal government. Besides changing its laws to make foreign investment and real estate investment safer and better, the Federal government has also started making massive investments in the country’s infrastructure. The results are tangible. Mexico real estate – along with the entire Mexican economy – is hot right now.

Mexico is spending billions of dollars constructing and re-constructing highways, bridges and tunnels, water treatment and distribution facilities and more. Mexico’s infrastructure was old. In many cases, it was too old to serve its purpose. This old infrastructure was hindering Mexico’s progress and prevented it from achieving the next level of economic prosperity.

In addition, antiquated foreign ownership laws made it virtually impossible for anyone to invest in the purchase of Mexico real estate with any confidence. Mexico recognizes the importance of foreign investment, and they want to make the country a safe place for investors.

This new approach to prosperity is working wonders. Mexico’s economy is hotter than it’s ever been, thanks in large part to massive civil construction projects. Ordinary citizens are sharing in the country’s prosperity and this era of growth is unprecedented.

Smart investors should key in on the word “growth” because that’s what leads to profit. Indeed, many investment firms are saying that the real market growth is outside of the US right now. Mexico, thanks to its close proximity to the US, provides an ideal and safe environment to take advantage of this growth, especially in the area of Mexico real estate.

Now is the time to do what 1.5 million Americans have already done: invest in Mexico real estate. It’s safe, easy and you can find excellent opportunities to profit from a healthy ROI.

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Baby boomers are getting the best of both worlds when they invest in recreation real estate. In addition to having the use of the property, and rental income when they’re back home, they also have a familiar place to retire to when the time comes.

Buying recreation real estate is big, whether the property is a few hours from home or far away. In today’s market, it’s more important to pick up a solid performer when you buy recreation property. The initial cost of the property, its income generating potential, maintenance and care while you’re away and the potential for passing it on to children or selling it later are all things to consider when buying.

A home in Puerto Vallarta is an excellent investment, provided that it is properly located. Right now, developers have a number of projects under construction in Puerto Vallarta. High rise condominiums, resorts, and hotels are all being built. For the person who is torn between buying and building, you’ll get a much better return on your investment by building a property than you will by purchasing one whose value has already appreciated significantly.

Finding a desirable residential building site inside the city of Puerto Vallarta will be difficult. Most of the ocean-front and ocean view properties have been purchased by developers. Mexican law also limits the amount of coastline that can be developed.

A better alternative for the residential investor is to find property located outside the city, but close enough to take advantage of all of the services, activities and events in Puerto Vallarta. Ocean-view property is in high demand, as many potential retirees from all over the world flock to Mexico to snap up “bargain” properties.

By locating residential property outside the city, the smart individual investor can construct a relaxing, pleasant getaway that will have enormous appeal. Using the fideicomiso trust, investors can also name successor beneficiaries when the trust is established so there will be no difficulty in passing property on to children or grandchildren.

The flood of retirees expected to take up residence in Puerto Vallarta will complicate the investment picture. While the value of the land is certain to rise, acquisition of undeveloped residential real estate may become very difficult in the not-too-distant future. For investors who are considering a purchase of Puerto Vallarta real estate, the time to act is now!

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If you’re wondering where all of the good opportunities in real estate have gone, you need to look at Mexico real estate. While the US real estate market founders, Mexico real estate is producing excellent returns.

The reasons are simple. First, Mexico is an emerging country. The government here is making major investments infrastructure in an effort to position Mexico as a trade leader in this part of the world. It’s much easier to find investment opportunities here and take advantage of them than it is in a country that’s already highly developed.

The economic conditions in Mexico are right for the kind of growth we’re seeing here. Employment figures look good, industrial production looks good, the cost of living is low, and the quality of life – especially in areas like Puerto Vallarta – is high. Many people are looking at the investment potential of Mexico real estate and they’re seeing a real star performer.

Sam Zell, billionaire real estate mogul, thinks that now is the time to make the most of Mexico real estate investments. He said last month that he saw no real growth opportunities in the US real estate markets, but that Mexico provided an excellent opportunity for return.

Commercial investors and developers are buying choice properties here. Mortgage lenders are coming here in droves. Very few opportunities exist for the individual investor. Select Mexico Properties is offering residential building sites in San Pancho that – when developed – will be extraordinarily valuable to the individual investor. The cost of land and of designing and building a luxurious home are comparatively low, opening up a great opportunity for an excellent return on investment.

There are relatively few opportunities for the individual to take full advantage of the growth in Mexico real estate, but the parcels for sale by Select Mexico Properties must surely be one of them.

When homeowners are comfortable, they spend money on improving their homes. That’s no secret. But US home improvement retailer Home Depot is expecting big things from its Home Depot Mexico division, driven in part by the spike in the Mexico real estate market.

Home Depot Mexico now operates 69 stores, having entered the market here in 2001 with just four stores. The company also plans to open an additional nine outlets by the end of 2008 and a new distribution center in the Mexican state of Hidalgo. The company has seen double-digit growth in the years it has been doing business in Mexico and doesn’t see anything that would interrupt that growth rate in the foreseeable future.

The chain’s annual revenue exceeds $1 billion in Mexico alone and analysts look at stores like Home Depot as a bellweather indicator of the housing industry in general. There’s no doubt about it: real estate in Mexico is hot, and that’s backed up by the enormous success of Home Depot Mexico.

Much of the housing in Mexico’s hot real estate markets like Puerto Vallarta is new. Luxury condominium projects are being built at a frenzied pace, and established real estate is providing substantial gains in property values. For developers, the investment path is clear: buy and build on Puerto Vallarta real estate!

For the individual investor in Mexico real estate, this poses somewhat of a problem. Much of the desirable coastal real estate in Puerto Vallarta is being bought by developers who are planning hotels, resorts and condominiums. Individual investors who want to get in on the opportunity need to act quickly to secure some of the limited prime residential real estate.

Select Mexico Properties is offering pre-screened properties that have been evaluated for both their investment and enjoyment potential. In addition, the properties being offered for sale would be ideal for locating “green” homes that offer a low environmental impact on their surroundings. Given the strong interest in Mexico real estate, individual investors would be wise to heed the boom market indicators being seen in Puerto Vallarta right now.

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US consumers are accustomed to seeing top-ten lists all the time but many are shaking their heads about the top-ten losers in the US real estate markets. Eight of the markets that show the largest losses are considered luxury real estate markets. Only two markets, Cleveland and Detroit, are in largely industrial areas and those two markets occupy spots ten and nine respectively with relatively modest losses compared to the biggest decliners.

Luxury real estate sales have been soft, and high-dollar markets are suffering, with value declines that top 25%. Pricey real estate in Riverside-San Bernardino lost the most value, but other traditional markets in California, Arizona and Florida that tend to attract retirees, also showed significant weakness.

On the other hand, Mexico real estate sales are strong and growing stronger. One market in particular – Puerto Vallarta – is one of the five hottest markets in Mexico. Property values here have tripled in the past ten years and are expected to continue their double digit growth pattern for several more years, as retirees from all over the world buy property here in search of a low-cost retirement spot.

Additionally, the Mexican government has made infrastructure investments here a high priority, as Mexico attempts to position itself as a major trade partner in the world economy. Visitors to Puerto Vallarta will find new construction taking place at a frenzied pace, as well as massive public works projects that include new a new interstate highway system, a new water treatment plant, new tunnels, a convention center, a new airport terminal, new marine terminals and as many as 30 private hotel and condominium projects.

The population of Puerto Vallarta is expected to nearly double in the next seven years. As the population grows, non-developer controlled residential building sites will disappear. Right now is the ideal time for individual investors to buy land and build luxury residential properties. The cost of individual parcels is comparatively low. Design, engineering and construction services are also extremely affordable for the individual investor.

Select Mexico Properties is selling individual parcels of land for residential development in San Pancho right now. Due to the high interest from retirees from all over the world, these parcels will sell quickly. This may truly be the last opportunity for individual investors to buy high-value Pacific coast real estate at affordable prices.

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Many US workers include the value of their home among the assets they plan to use to finance their retirement. As the Baby Boomers approach retirement, some are questioning whether their property values will be enough to carry them through retirement. Others are delaying their retirement plans in the hope that the real estate values will rebound.

More optimistic investors look at this downturn as a time to invest in real estate, primarily because they can buy properties at a much lower cost. They’re banking on an upswing in the market to provide a solid ROI. Experts are divided on when that upswing will come and how much it will be worth, with some believing that real estate will be back on its feet within 12-18 months, and others believing that the rebound could take as long as a decade.

Investing in real estate isn’t a bad idea. In fact, it’s one of the time-honored strategies for realizing steady gains. The trick to making money in real estate is buying the right property at the right time for the right price. In many “luxury” markets in the US, homeowners have seen valuation declines of 25% or more. While this might indicate a true “bargain” for the speculative investor, it more likely means that the property was overvalued in the first place and the decline in value is really a correction.

A better strategy than buying high-value property in a declining market is to buy lower-priced property with a high return potential in a growing market. Worldwide, real estate investors agree that the growing markets are found in emerging countries. Mexico is one such country, and real estate values here have been climbing steadily for the past decade. The price of property in highly attractive destinations like Puerto Vallarta is still comparatively low. Puerto Vallarta is located on Mexico’s Pacific coast and features a tropical climate akin to Hawaii’s.

Real estate investors are flocking to places like Puerto Vallarta to take advantage of the growth in luxury real estate. The first of the Baby Boomers are ready to retire and the demand for luxury real estate here in Puerto Vallarta is expected to skyrocket. That demand is also expected to continue for years, providing an outstanding opportunity for real estate investors to take advantage of the low cost of living, high quality of life, unbeatable weather and a pleasant, relaxing atmosphere.

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US investors are deeply concerned about the status of their retirement savings. Recent studies have indicated that American workers are not saving enough for retirement. A new study by HSBC indicates that Americans are in good company. Worldwide, indications point to an entire generation of people who do not have sufficient retirement savings.

Currently, a very small percentage of working individuals are well prepared for retirement. At the opposite end of the spectrum are a large number of people who are categorically unprepared for retirement. These people will always struggle to get by and may never be able to exit the workforce. For the people in between, the picture is not so clear, but there remains a significant chance that this group will also be unprepared for retirement.

The HSBC study indicates that the single biggest risk for coming up short in retirement is relying on a single source of retirement income. Worldwide, different groups prefer different investment vehicles for retirement savings, but the real risk is not so tightly tied to the retirement savings vehicle as it is to the diversity of income sources.

If you’re looking for a way to diversify your retirement savings, the purchase of real estate in emerging economies offers the potential for significant gains. Right now, Mexico is one of the hottest emerging economies and Puerto Vallarta is one of the hottest real estate markets within Mexico. There is no better time to invest in real estate here. Currently, property values are rising at a rate of about 10 percent per year. This condition has been present for the past ten years and experts believe that double-digit growth here will continue for at least the next five years.

It’s never a bad idea to diversify your retirement savings, as long as you can find a safe, reliable investment vehicle. Right now, Puerto Vallarta real estate seems to be the best offer on the table in term of value, stability, and growth potential.

Photo Credit: Jorge Vicente