Everyone wants to own property in Puerto Vallarta these days. Baby boomers are planning for retirement and confronting the possibility that they may not have sufficient assets to cover their retirement dreams. The threat of recession along with the decline in value of traditionally safe real estate holdings and retirement accounts is making people wonder whether they can even consider retirement. The good news is that sales of luxury real estate in Puerto Vallarta are as strong as they’ve ever been.

What does luxury real estate in Puerto Vallarta have to do with retirement? A lot, if you’re trying to make up ground for recent losses or a late start on retirement savings. Select Mexico Properties is selling a small number of luxury ocean-view properties in San Pancho. The investment potential in the near- and mid-term for these properties is very high.

Puerto Vallarta has seen double-digit growth in the past ten years in property values here. That rate of appreciation is expected to continue for at least the next five. Thanks to the onset of retirement for Baby Boomers from all over the world, Puerto Vallarta is expected to nearly double in size. Condominium projects are being built here by the dozen as developers try to take advantage of the southward migration.

The best investment potentials won’t be in high-rise condominiums, though. Regardless of their location in the city, the choicest residential properties – those with the highest return potential – are located north of the city. Residential development here is sparse, and the properties are much more valuable because, quite simply, they’re nicer. When you combine this luxury real estate in Puerto Vallarta with beautiful residential design and engineering, you end up with a showplace home that’s surprisingly affordable, and far more comfortable and relaxing than a high-rise apartment-style condominium.

If living in Puerto Vallarta is your goal, then you might do well with a property inside the city, but if living comfortably while making an excellent return on your investment is what you’re aiming for, then you’ll find the highest-quality luxury real estate north of Puerto Vallarta.

If you’re considering the purchase of real estate in Mexico and you’re not a Mexican citizen, you should know that Federal law limits foreign ownership of property within 50 km of the coastline and areas designated as border zones. To meet the requirements of the law, coastal property is held in trust, called a Fideicomiso, usually by a Mexican bank.

So do you really own coastal real estate in Mexico within 50 km of the coastline? Yes. Trusts are one hundred percent safe, and work to both establish and protect your ownership rights. In fact, the only way to guarantee your ownership stake is to use the Fideicomiso system.

The local Notario Publico will also register your purchase. In the case of a land purchase, registration is an essential step in establishing your ownership claim. Don’t be tempted to assume that the Notario Publico is a notary public like those in the US. In Mexico, the Notario Publico functions more like a judge than a notary. Notarios Publico must be Mexican by birth; must have studied for a minimum of six months under another Notario Publico; and must be a legal professional with the title of lawyer.

There are other age and character requirements for a Notario Publico, but these qualifications establish him or her to act as an arbitrator, mediator and judge; ensure that all documentation in a land purchase is correct and consistent with Mexican law; ensure that all taxes are paid; and formalize or register all land purchases. In Mexico, the Notario Publico can also issue judicial opinions and intervene in judicial proceedings.

The Fideicomiso system, along with formal registration of property by a Notario Publico, works to ensure your legal rights under Mexican law. When you are ready to purchase land in Mexico, you should work with a qualified attorney to ensure that your rights are properly established and recognized.

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