International Living

“Mexico voted world's top retirement haven!”... International Living Magazine

Wherever you go in Mexico, the people will charm you, the natural beauty will seduce you, and the remarkably affordable cost of living will entice you to stay. Whatever your motives for settling in Mexico—whether you hope to escape the fast pace of life up north, enjoy a better lifestyle for less than you'd pay at home, or discover a safe haven where the crime rate is low and you can enjoy a “small-town” existence—you're likely to find your quality of life improves in Mexico.

The Costa Maya

The one thing that sets the Costa Maya apart from other areas: its beaches. These beautiful beaches are the result of one major thing that the Costa Maya has that Cancún doesn't—a healthy barrier reef about 300 yards offshore. It's the same famous reef system that everyone goes to Belize to dive—the second largest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The reef protects the beach, so there are fewer erosion problems.

When you close your eyes and think “beach,” what comes to mind? Bleached white sand as fine and silky as talcum powder? Warm—but not hot—and soft on the feet? Here and there a gently swaying tropical palm...just far enough apart to string your hammock? Those are exactly the type of beaches you'll find along the Costa Maya.

There are many opportunities for investment in the Costa Maya. You may want to build a vacation home, a retirement home, and a small inn, start a tourist business, or speculate on the real estate market. Many people from the U.S. and Canada and other foreign markets have already invested in the Costa Maya. Some Mexican landowners who have held onto their land for generations are selling. Some may never do so. They know the value of what they have...there is only a finite amount of beachfront property available.

Even though there is a limited supply (just 57 miles total) of Costa Maya, some outstanding property is still available. And while some of it is still being sold at fairly reasonable prices, it won't last long if Cancún and Playa del Carmen are historical precedents.

A Low Cost of Living in Mexico Means a High Quality of Life  

Everyone seems to agree: the quality of your life improves when you live in Mexico. Things take longer…so you'll need to learn to slow down. Goods and services cost less…so you can afford the kinds of luxuries only the very wealthy enjoy up north--like a maid, a cook, and a gardener. When you can afford to hire help, all of a sudden you have time to read…time to volunteer at the local school…time to golf…time to relax on the beach…time to savor life.

Why You Should Consider Investing in Mexico Real Estate

Although the Mexican government does not offer any direct incentives to promote investment in Mexico, there are many benefits to purchasing real estate in this country. The property taxes are miniscule compared with the U.S. and Canada, usually costing just a few hundred dollars per year. It is also very easy to be exempted from paying the capital gains tax-- you just have to prove that you resided in the property for at least six months. The appreciation in many areas, especially on the coasts, can be very high, with 50% or more per annum being a realistic number. And above all, buying Mexican real estate is safe and easy, with more and more financing sources available to U.S. and Canadian residents through both U.S. and Mexican banks.

Infrastructure Improvements to Further Facilitate Mexican Investment, Trade, and Tourism

The last two presidents have seemed committed to allocating funds for new and expanded roads, ports, and telecommunication infrastructure. This goes hand in hand with increased privatization, which will allow concessions in the national airport network and the telecommunications sector. The idea is that all of those improvements will further encourage and facilitate commerce. Following in the footsteps of Acapulco and Cancún, the Costa Maya project is the newest government-backed tourism initiative. Located along the last undeveloped swath of Mexico's Caribbean coast, just north of Belize, this project is already attracting private investors--both large and small. A privately owned pier at Mahahual is welcoming cruise ships, and work is underway to bring better roads to the region.

Mexican Health Care Is Excellent and Affordable

One of your primary concerns when considering a move should be health care. Fortunately, you will find that, in general, health care in Mexico is very good, and in many places it is excellent. Most doctors and dentists in Mexico received at least part of their training in the U.S.  And a big plus is that the cost of health care in Mexico is generally half or less what you might expect to pay in the U.S. Of course, the costs of medical care will vary by physician, hospital, and the gravity of your condition. On average, an office visit with a doctor—specialists included—will cost 250 to 300 pesos (about $25). A house call—yes, doctors in Mexico still make house calls—will cost about the same. Lab tests will cost about a third of what they cost in the U.S. A CAT scan often costs about 25% of what it does in the U.S. An overnight stay in a private hospital room costs about 350 pesos ($35). A visit to a dentist for teeth cleaning costs about 200 pesos ($20).  Something you may not know about Mexico is that foreigners living here can take advantage of the national health care system, IMSS (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, or Mexican Social Security Institute). The cost is age-based and very, very low. If you are 60 or older, for example, you'll pay less than $300 a year…for full-coverage health insurance—including your prescription medicines. This is a great option if you have Medicareor a health insurance policy in the U.S. that won't cover you in Mexico. IMSS is also a great plan for anyone who opts to live part-time in Mexico, as many Canadians do. It's like a low-cost health insurance safety net for the months you are in Mexico. IMSS covers everything from doctor's visits for minor nuisances like the cold and flu to major procedures like heart surgery and joint replacement. You can have your heart monitored, your cholesterol checked, and a broken bone set. And as you leave the clinic or the hospital, you can stop by the pharmacy to fill your prescriptions. It's all covered; there are no additional costs. IMSS is the medical system for all tax- paying Mexicans, serving millions of people. As a result, IMSS has hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies scattered all over Mexico—so you're never very far from an IMSS facility.
(This program is similar to the national health care program offered in Canada.)

Costa Maya Real Estate

Mexico's Last Affordable Beachfront Property
From the Investment U Research Team – Oxford Club

You will find the Costa Maya on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in México.  Don't worry if you've never heard of it.  Few have, yet you may be surprised to learn that it is sandwiched between two leading vacation spots in the Caribbean: Cancún/Cozumél, México and Ambergris Caye, Belize.

The Costa Maya shares the same picture-perfect beaches and spectacular waters for diving, snorkeling and fishing that call hundreds of thousands of visitors and cruisers to these other destinations each year, yet the Costa Maya area is just now being discovered by investors

The region got a "kick-start" a few years ago when it began receiving the attention of the Méxican government and one of its development agencies, Fidecaribe-the same group responsible for developing the Riviera Maya.  Today its sights are set on the Costa Maya property, and tourism there is just beginning to climb. This one of the few places where Investment U. and Oxford Club members have invested not only for short-term profits . . . but also for the long term. Many of our astute members (and staff) may soon build second homes here.

The Costa Maya happens to be a place where real estate property is still very affordable, and building costs are about $55 per square foot. But that's not going to last long with a limited supply of only 57 miles of coastline, there's some outstanding property still available……you just have to know where to look for it.  The momentum down here is clearly strong: Prices have more than doubled in the last three years, and are moving every day.  More beautiful homes and are now under construction or have been recently completed in the area. The most frustrating aspect of this investment for anyone who comes down here is that the same lot you will look at today might be priced twice as high as it was only a few years ago. One reason for the surge is the real estate marketing of the Costa Maya.

Construction Trends Magazine

At this point in the area's development, lots are still selling for as little as $50,000. US dollars and are expected to sell for values in excess of $1,000,000 in 10 to 15 years

The lesson to be learned is that when the Mexican Government invests in an area, the value of investment property in Mexico skyrockets.

Investment Real Estate Guru's have pegged Costa |Maya as the next hotspot for investment in Mexico.

The Oxford Club, a private International group of knowledgeable investors deemed Costa Maya Real Estate "Mexico's last affordable beachfront", calling the Costa Maya its "Coastal jewel".

Today Mahahual, the heart of the Costa Maya, is the budding new focus of Tourism.  Real Estate throughout the area is steadily on the rise following in Cancun's footsteps.

Today, The Costa Maya is the last 57 mile stretch of virgin Caribbean coastal property anywhere in the world.