AkumalNow - Monthly Newsletter

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Ocean Magazine Akumal Edition

http://www.ocean.zongolica.net/RIVIERA.html

 

 

 

 

PRESS: AKUMAL, RIVIERA MAYA IS GETTING A NEW ROAD

 
Headed up by the team of Akumal Investments- Real Estate Services and the premier vacation property management company, Akumal Villas, the North Akumal road is now under construction with brick pavers. The road from Central Akumal to Yal Ku Lagoon is now being improved.
 
Date Released: 06/03/2011
Press Release ImageDateline June 2, 2011 Akumal, Riviera Maya, Mexico

North Akumal is getting a new road!

Headed up by the team of Akumal Investments- Real Estate Services and the premier vacation property management company, Akumal Villas, the North Akumal road is now under construction with brick pavers!

The road from Central Akumal to Yal Ku Lagoon has been an unfriendly route for years with only a few sections and owners that have improved the road in front of their Akumal properties. That is about to end! As local residents, community volunteers and Akumal Business members, Akumal Investments and Akumal Villas teamed up to solicit donations in order to complete the entire road with bricks. This will provide guests and full time residents a smooth ride between their vacation rental homes and Central Akumal, while increasing property values.

The Akumal community responded with over $100,000 U.S.D in donations with more still coming in. The local Pepsi distributor is also participating by making a donation for every bottle of E-pura water sold in Akumal for one year. According to Rhett Schober, owner of Akumal Villas, “The goal is to raise $185,000 to complete the entire project”. Russ Motley, owner of Akumal Investments, added that “We do not want the new smooth drive to become a raceway, so we will be adding the ever dreaded speed bumps to ensure our tourists, locals and pets are safe”.

One long time resident said “Akumal has always been the jewel in the crown of the Riviera Maya and this road project just adds the finishing touches to our peaceful Caribbean beach front community”. She went on to say that “The annual tourists and property owners are going to be really surprised when they return to Akumal” and “Thanks to Akumal Investments and Akumal Villas for spearheading this project, it is exactly what Akumal needed”.

Akumal is located between Playa del Carmen and Tulum on the Riviera Maya of Mexico and offers many shops, great restaurants, water activities, year-round Sea Turtles, relaxation and that true vacation feel. Invest, live or rent in Akumal, you will be welcomed as family and not want to leave.

 

 
About Akumal Investments-Real Estate Services

Welcome to Akumal Investments – Akumal Real Estate, Real Estate in Puerto Aventuras, Tankah, Soliman Bay, Punta Sur, South Akumal, North Akumal, Aventuras Akumal, Tulum , Jade Bay, Chemuyil, Bahia Principe, Los Arboles and the Sian Ka'an. We have properties, villas, homes, lots, land, condos and hotels for sale. We are a very select group of friends and professionals that have over 40 years of real estate experience in Mexico. Our goal is to help you attain the reality of enjoying ownership of titled property in the Riviera Maya. Our focus is on our client’s desires to invest or live in the Riviera Maya. We are the local specialists in the Akumal area and are focused on preserving the quality of life. We would like to share with you our Real Estate and local knowledge of properties "For Sale". We are actively participating in the committee of the Akumal Council and are committed to improving and maintaining our local life style and environment. We participate frequently with fund raising events for multiple local charities. We call this community our home and would like to invite you to join us.

 

 


Newswire: Akumal Investments Welcomes Bob Rademacher

 

PRESS: AKUMAL INVESTMENTS REAL ESTATE SERVICES ADDS      AN INDUSTRY VETERAN TO THE RIVIERA MAYA TEAM.
 
Date Released: 02/18/2011

Akumal Investments is proud to announce Bob Rademacher as the newest member of our real estate team.  A full time resident in the Riviera Maya for 10 years, he brings over 25 years experience in the real estate industry. In addition, Bob has proudly served as the president of the Chan Chemuyil Homeowners Club for the last two years. He will be concentrating on the Chan Chemuyil development assisting both buyers and sellers.
Welcome to Akumal Investments � Akumal Real Estate, Real Estate in Puerto Aventuras, Tankah, Soliman Bay, Punta Sur, South Akumal, North Akumal, Aventuras Akumal, Tulum , Jade Bay, Chemuyil, Bahia Principe and the Sian Ka'an. We have properties, villas, homes, lots, land, and condos for sale. We are a very select group of friends and professionals that have over 40 years of real estate experience in Mexico. Our goal is to help clients attain the reality of enjoying ownership of titled property in the Riviera Maya. Our focus is on our client’s desires to invest or live in the Riviera Maya. We are the local specialists in the Akumal area and are focused on improving and preserving the quality of life. We would like to share with you our Real Estate and local knowledge of properties "For Sale". We are actively participating in the committee of the Akumal Council. We participate frequently with fund raising events for multiple local charities. We call this community our home and would like to invite you to join us.

News Wire: Akumal Investments High Resolution Aerial Photos of the Riviera


 

PRESS: HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOS OF THE MAYAN RIVIERA COASTLINE

 
Akumal Investments recently completed an aerial photo session of the southern portion of the Riviera Maya using high resolution cameras. These new photographs show the growth of the area which is difficult to perceive from the ground.
 
Date Released: 09/28/2010
Press Release ImageAkumal Investments recently completed an aerial photo session of the southern portion of the Riviera Maya using high resolution cameras. These new photographs show the growth of the area which is difficult to perceive from the ground. From Playa del Carmen the photograpers traveled along the coast in a Cessna 182 (with the doors removed) and began the process of documenting each area starting at Puerto Aventuras. Other areas photographed included Xpu Ha, Sirenis, all areas of Akumal, Bahia Principe, Soliman Bay, Tankah and Tulum. Who would know that the economy was hurting when looking down as the plane flew south at 1500 feet. Condo buildings, luxury homes and even a new grocery store are all rising from the earth.

Some would call the growth phenomenal. New roads in the jungle are being cut in eco-friendly communities with cenote parks being used as common areas for these new sub-divisions. In some cases, golf courses are being cut out of the jungle and other areas are still as pristine as they were 100 years ago, thanks to the efforts of the government protecting highly sensitive environmental plants, such as mangroves.

Sometimes one forgets the beauty of the Mexican Caribbean with the beaches, reefs and geography, until it is experienced from a small plane. The photographs turned out incredible and shows each beach front home, condo, lot and hotel with great detail.

There are some beachfront lots left for those that have an interest in the lifestyle the Riviera Maya has to offer. Large jungle lots can be purchased for very reasonable prices and income producing homes and condos are available at pre-construction prices. New and seasoned properties can be viewed with an appointment. The new international airport in Tulum is nearing the next step to determine who will be awarded the contract.

Akumal Investments will provide all clients free digital copies of their properties from the library of high resolution aerial photographs. 

 

 

 

 

 
About Akumal Investments-Real Estate Services

Welcome to Akumal Investments – Akumal Real Estate, Real Estate in Puerto Aventuras, Tankah, Soliman Bay, Punta Sur, South Akumal, North Akumal, Aventuras Akumal, Tulum , Jade Bay, Chemuyil, Bahia Principe, Los Arboles and the Sian Ka'an. We have properties, villas, homes, lots, land, and condos for sale. We are a very select group of friends and professionals that have over 40 years of real estate experience in Mexico. Our goal is to help you attain the reality of enjoying ownership of titled property in the Riviera Maya. Our focus is on our client’s desires to invest or live in the Riviera Maya. We are the local specialists in the Akumal area and are focused on preserving the quality of life. We would like to share with you our Real Estate and local knowledge of properties "For Sale". We are actively participating in the committee of the Akumal Council and are committed to improving and maintaining our local life style and environment. We participate frequently with fund raising events for multiple local charities. We call this community our home and would like to invite you to join us.


Newswire-Akumal Investments New Office


PRESS: AKUMAL INVESTMENTS REAL ESTATE SERVICES, MOVES INTO NEW AKUMAL BEACH FRONT OFFICE

 

Akumal Investments has upgraded into a new air-conditioned office on Akumal Bay between the Lol Ha Restaurant and the Famous Beach Bar, Loquitos!
 
Date Released: 08/15/2010
Press Release ImageAkumal Investments has a new air-conditioned office for their clients comfort. What was the old Pizza restaurant, then game room for Hotel Akumal Caribe, is now the professional Real Estate office of Akumal Investments. The office has been decorated with lighted sea shells, palm trees, native plants and very recent aerial photos of the entire Riviera Maya coastline. Individual homes and properties can be identified on these aerial photos.

Akumal Investments is giving away 10% discount cards which are accepted by most of Akumals restaurants and the Akumal Dive Center when renting snorkel equipment. Stop in the office and sign-in to receive your card. Have lunch, then enjoy swimming with the sea turtles.

About Akumal Investments: Real Estate Services covering Tulum, Puerto Aventuras, Akumal, Bahia Principe, Tankah and the Sian Ka'an. From income producing properties, condos, homes, lots, and investment land parcels, Akumal Investments covers the Riviera Maya for all types of investors and clients.

 

 


 
About Akumal Investments-Real Estate Services

Welcome to Akumal Investments � Akumal Real Estate, Real Estate in Puerto Aventuras, Tankah, Soliman Bay, Punta Sur, South Akumal, North Akumal, Aventuras Akumal, Tulum , Jade Bay, Chemuyil, Bahia Principe, Los Arboles and the Sian Ka'an. We have properties, villas, homes, lots, land, and condos for sale. We are a very select group of friends and professionals that have over 40 years of real estate experience in Mexico. Our goal is to help you attain the reality of enjoying ownership of titled property in the Riviera Maya. Our focus is on our client�s desires to invest or live in the Riviera Maya. We are the local specialists in the Akumal area and are focused on preserving the quality of life. We would like to share with you our Real Estate and local knowledge of properties "For Sale". We are actively participating in the committee of the Akumal Council and are committed to improving and maintaining our local life style and environment. We participate frequently with fund raising events for multiple local charities. We call this community our home and would like to invite you to join us.

 


The Real Story on Mexico's Future


All credit for accumulating this information has to go to Shawn Bandick of One Stop in Playa del Carmen.

We thank him for making sense of the numbers!

 

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.  Mexican people are either beheaded, kidnapped, poor, corrupt, or narco-traffickers.  America's 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.  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, 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 marijuana range from 5-15 years. The penalties in California, on average, are 18 months, with release 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 a 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 temporarily 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 an EXIT TAX.

Mexico: A better economic choice than China.

Another large exodus from the U.S.A. are 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 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  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”.

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