Mexico draws land investors

Mexico draws land investors

Money flows into coastal resort areas Foreign investment into Mexico is on track to hit $20 billion this year

By EVELYN IRITANI
Los Angeles Times

Real estate experts in Mexico worry that the giant sound they hear is the softening U.S. housing market sucking money Americans have poured into vacation homes south of the border.
But neither the cooling American housing market nor tense Mexican presidential politics so far has stemmed the influx of foreign dollars into Mexico's booming coastal resort areas, government and real estate officials said.

When FONATUR, Mexico's tourism development agency, put the first phase of its newest Pacific Coast resort, Litibu, on the market a few months ago, buyers snapped up the 500 acres for $125 million. Foreign investment in Mexico is on track to hit $20 billion this year, up from $17.6 billion in 2005, according to the government.

''We have some concerns about the slowing U.S. housing market, but there are many other things working for us,'' said John McCarthy, FONATUR's director general, who was in Beverly Hills last week to speak to U.S. investors. ''Most of our buyers are baby boomers who have paid off, in good part, their initial mortgage and are coming into inheritance money.''

Real estate experts said Mexico's resort properties market might experience a smaller price shock because it is a new area of investment and the buyers tend to be higher-income and less likely to be forced into fire sales.

''The cooling real estate market could take this from being a very, very positive trend to a mildly positive trend,'' said Christopher Thornberg, an economist with Beacon Economics, a Los Angeles-based real estate consulting company.

That's good news for Janette and Harvey Craig, who paid $60,000 four years ago for a piece of beachfront property in Litibu, a small beach community about 30 miles north of Puerto Vallarta. They expect the parcel, which is worth about $300,000 today, to become more valuable when the nearby resort is completed in three years. It will include hotels and condominiums, 910 homes and an 18-hole golf course designed by Greg Norman.

''It's just going to push prices higher and higher,'' said Janette, a part-owner of Garcia Realty in the nearby surfing town of Sayulita.

In the past, foreigners have been wary of investing in Mexico because of legal problems, corruption and red tape. But changes in Mexican laws have made it easier for foreigners to own property through bank trusts. Major U.S. companies have begun offering mortgages and title insurance.

Mexico also is drawing more attention from Europe. Last year, Spanish companies were the top investors in the tourist industry, pumping $416 million into resort properties. U.S. investors followed with $321 million, according to the tourism agency.

Travel Trends - Fall 2006

Carlson Wagonlit Travel Associates Unveil 2006 Fall Travel Trends Survey: Las Vegas Comes Up Aces Again; Florida in Top Ten Multiple Times; and International Travel Rebound Continues

Monday August 28, 12:14 pm ET

European Vacations on Rise as Italy Leaps Up Survey; Overall Positive Travel Outlook

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 28 /PRNewswire/ --

While conventional wisdom suggests that the traditional vacation season winds down this Labor Day weekend, the results in today's release of the Carlson Wagonlit Travel Associates' comprehensive 2006 Fall Travel Trends Survey find that there's still plenty of leisure travel activity throughout the upcoming fall months. In fact, nearly two-thirds of the surveyed agents indicated that the average length of booked fall vacations is 6-7 days. Las Vegas continues to lead the list of domestic destinations booked by Carlson Wagonlit Travel Associates throughout the U.S. for fall; Florida made a surprisingly strong showing with four cities ranked in the top ten. The survey, conducted July 24 - August 15, 2006, includes information from 334 Carlson Wagonlit Travel Associates agents, owners and managers.

Beyond U.S. borders, Caribbean cruising edged out Cancun, Mexico as the top international "destination." A significant trend revealed throughout this survey shows that European travel is very hot. Overall, European bookings are up, travelers have indicated they are more comfortable traveling farther from home and Rome has jumped into the top five international destinations being booked by Carlson Wagonlit Travel experts this fall. The Italian city climbed from 7th to 4th place on this year's list.

"Domestically the results of our fall survey show that consumers are not shying away from Florida as one of their top warm-weather destinations," said Roger E. Block, CTC, executive vice president of Carlson Wagonlit Travel Associates. "With the variety of outstanding weather guarantee programs offered by tour operators in particular, as well as travel insurance programs, Florida is providing some of the best value among fall travel options."

As for European travel, Block focused on the spike in interest in travel to Italy. "It is also quite evident to us that Italy has become the place to be for those traveling to Europe. In addition to Rome, we've seen heightened interest in experiencing Florence, Tuscany, Venice and even cruising the Mediterranean -- enough for each of these options to land on our top twenty international list," Block noted.

"The renewed fervor among Americans toward international travel has been extremely positive, whether they are headed to Europe or prefer a somewhat closer destination such as Mexico or the Caribbean," added Block. "However, we are still finding a disparity between those interested in traveling to close-to-home international destinations where passports are not currently required and those who hold valid passports. According to our network, less than 35% say a majority of their customers have a valid passport. Since new government regulations could require 100% passport use for air and sea travel to all international destinations as early as December 31st of this year, it is incumbent upon all of us to help educate the U.S. traveler about the need to apply now."

When asked which statements regarding passports are accurate according to their customer base, the results are eye-opening:

% of agents
1. I've been advising customers of the upcoming change 87.72
2. I've helped more people obtain passports 48.50
3. A majority of my customers carry valid passports 31.74
4. I've helped more people renew passports 22.16
5. I've sponsored cruise nights/passport fairs/events
that enable customers to apply for passports 8.68
6. Very few of my customers carry valid passports 7.49
7. Nearly all of my customers carry valid passports 3.89

Trend Survey Results

The following lists display the top ten domestic and international destinations for the fall, along with the overall outlook for the rest of the year (based on 334 completed surveys):

Top 10 Domestic Destinations - FALL % of Agents '05 Ranking
1. Las Vegas, NV 80.8 1
2. Orlando, FL 73.7 2
3. Honolulu, HI 54.2 3
4. Kahului (Maui), HI 39.5 4
5. New York City, NY 37.1 5
6. San Francisco, CA 19.5 6
7. Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ 16.2 7
8. Fort Myers, FL 11.4 16
9. Fort Lauderdale, FL 11.1 15
9. Miami/Miami Beach, FL 11.1 9

Top 10 International Destinations - FALL % of Agents '05 Ranking
1. CRUISE- Caribbean 64.4 1
2. Cancun, Mexico 62.3 2
3. Riviera Maya, Mexico 38.3 3
4. Rome, Italy 33.8 7
5. Montego Bay, Jamaica 22.5 4
6. London, England 22.2 10
7. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic 21.6 9
7. Cabo San Lucas/Los Cabos, Mexico 21.3 8
9. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 19.8 12
10. CRUISE- Mexico 16.5 6
10. Playa del Carmen, Mexico 16.5 5

Top 10 FALL Cruise Destinations % of Agents
1. Caribbean - Western 36.5
2. Caribbean - Eastern 17.4
3. Mexican Riviera 10.2
4. Caribbean - Southern 8.7
5. Europe - Mediterranean 6.0

Top 3 Trends in 2006 % of agents
1. International travel seems to be on the rebound 63.5
2. Clients are feeling more confident about traveling
farther from home 56.9
3. Europe bookings are up over last year 53.0

What is the average length of the vacations you've been booking
for THIS FALL?

2006 Response - Fall % of agents
Less than 4 days 0.60
4-5 days 19.46
6-7 days 65.87
8-10 days 11.68
10-14 days 1.80
Longer than 14 days 0.60

What is your personal outlook on your business for 2006?

2006 Response % of agents
Very optimistic 21.56
Fairly optimistic 53.89
TOTAL OPTIMISTIC 75.45
Neither optimistic/pessimistic 18.56

Comparing your overall 2006 travel bookings so far to your 2005 bookings
at this time last year, which is true?

2006 Response %
They're higher 55.7
They're about even 22.75

Visit Guadalajara for a taste of the real Mexico

Visit Guadalajara for a taste of the real Mexico

Inexpensive, accessible and safe, the city has history and culture for tourists bored with sun, sea and sand

Andrew Roth, Special to the Sun
Published: Saturday, August 26, 2006

In April my wife, Kathy, and I wanted to include a visit to a "normal' or "real" Mexican city as part of our trip to Mexico and get a break from the beach. We had heard that Guadalajara was friendly and safe and that it had a vibrant cultural life. Everything we heard was true.

A weekend side trip to Guadalajara was easy to work into our travel plans. We flew via Alaska Airlines all the way from Vancouver. Flights to Mazatlan and other resort destinations are scheduled daily from Guadalajara.

Upon our arrival in Guadalajara, we took a taxi from the airport to our hotel. It's an easy tariff system and a taxi to the centre of town costs the equivalent of $20 Cdn. There's a kiosk in the arrivals hall where you buy a ticket.

Our hotel was the four-star Hotel La Mendoza in the historic centre of the city, a refurbished former convent with the beautiful 16th century church Templo Santa Maria de Gracia attached to its south end. We splurged, and for about $110 Cdn per night, we had a very large and beautiful suite.

Standard rooms at the hotel are cheaper. The inner courtyard of the hotel has an unheated pool. In the afternoon heat, a refreshing dip in this pool is not such a bad thing at all.

A further reprieve from the heat comes at night. Given Guadalajara's altitude (1540 m above sea level), it gets cool at night -- you might even need long pants and a sweater!

Our hotel was ideally positioned for exploration of the historic city centre. It was right across the street from the Plaza Tapatia, a two-km long pedestrian mall that runs west to east in the city. All major sites are directly accessible from the Plaza Tapatia, so it facilitates exploration of this beautiful city.

The wide and long Plaza Tapatia also beautifully presents the grand and elegant Spanish colonial architecture that lines it. We strolled up and down the Plaza until 11 at night and felt totally secure. Even at that hour, there were people everywhere and the people -watching is always great. Over-the-top street entertainers kept everyone in good spirits.

The Plaza and most of the historic centre are kept very clean. Every morning, we saw street sweepers out in force, and by that I mean people with actual handheld brooms. Then there were guys who regularly scrubbed down the pay phones. You certainly don't see that in Vancouver!

Our first stop was at the state tourist office on the Plaza Tapatia, just east of the refurbished and ornate Teatro Delgado. Don't forget to ask for the free weekly list of events.

As for sights seen, on our first day, we took in the Mercado Libertad, the giant central market at the east end of the Plaza Tapatia. Some of the more interesting things we saw on offer were the wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, and for our nieces, there were beautiful hand-embroidered traditional Mexican children's dresses.

There were lots of places selling soccer jerseys for the various Mexican teams. After all, soccer is Mexico's unofficial religion. I really got a kick out of the Mexican professional wrestling masks on offer.

We then went around the corner from the market to the Plaza de los Mariachis, the birthplace of mariachi music. An eight-piece orchestra will play for you for about $9 Cdn per song.

On our second day, we visited Tlaquepaque, a quiet and stylish suburb. It has quiet streets for strolling and lots of galleries and artisan shops.

The afternoon we were there, the bandstand in the middle of the town square featured a ballet folklorico presentation. This is a unique form of dance incorporating stylized representations of local folk tales. The dancers' vivid masks and clothes reminded us of both English pantomime characters and West Coast native dancers.

On our third day (a Sunday), we went to the Charreadas or Mexican-style rodeo. The male cowboys (or charros) wore splendid traditional gear and performed even more splendid feats of skill.

Then the cowgirls (or charras) took their turn. They performed a sort of up-tempo musical ride to mariachi music, all in their frilly crinoline skirts and riding side saddle! After the Charreadas, we returned to the historic centre and visited the Regional Museum of Guadalajara.

It houses exhibits on the history of the region, from prehistoric times to the 20th century. It was Sunday and the museum was free, so we hung out with all the local families who were there for an inexpensive outing.

There are a number of reasonably priced places to eat in the historic centre. In all of these places, traditional Mexican breakfast entrees cost about $4 to $5 Cdn. Dinner entrees cost $9 to $10 Cdn.

As for transportation during our stay, we relied on taxis and good, comfortable closed-toe walking shoes. A taxi ride within central Guadalajara costs $4 Cdn, and to a touristic suburb such as Tlaquepaque costs about $6. Use official cab stands for more assured reliability.

If you want a change from beach-resort Mexico, definitely take that baby step and go to Guadalajara for a few days. It's a great taste of friendly, every-day Mexico.

Andrew Roth and wife, Kathy, live in Terrace.

Mexican Resorts Show No Sign of Catching U.S. Housing's Cold

Mexican Resorts Show No Sign of Catching U.S. Housing's Cold

Despite worry, the flow of foreign money into vacation sites in Baja and elsewhere hasn't slowed.

By Evelyn Iritani, Times Staff Writer
August 26, 2006

Real estate experts in Mexico worry that the giant sound they hear is the softening U.S. housing market sucking out the money that Americans have poured into vacation homes south of the border.

But neither the cooling American housing market nor tense Mexican presidential politics so far have stemmed the influx of foreign dollars into Mexico's booming coastal resort areas, government and real estate officials said.

When FONATUR, Mexico's tourism development agency, put the first phase of Litibu on the market a few months ago, buyers snapped up the 500 acres of the newest Pacific Coast resort for $125 million. Foreign investment into Mexico is on track to hit $20 billion this year, up from $17.6 billion in 2005, according to the government.

"We have some concerns about the slowing U.S. housing market but there are many other things working for us," said John McCarthy, FONATUR's director general, who was in Beverly Hills recently to speak to U.S. investors. "Most of our buyers are baby boomers who have paid off in good part their initial mortgage and are coming into inheritance money."

In addition, real estate experts say, Mexico's resort property market might experience a smaller price shock than U.S. homes will because it is a new area of investment and the buyers tend to be higher-income and less likely to be forced into fire sales.

"The cooling real estate market could take this from being a very, very positive trend to a mildly positive trend," said Christopher Thornberg, an economist with Beacon Economics, a real estate consulting firm in Los Angeles.

That's good news for Janette and Harvey Craig, who paid $60,000 four years ago for a piece of beachfront property in Litibu, a small beach community about 30 miles north of Puerto Vallerta. They expect the parcel, which is worth about $300,000 today, to become even more valuable when the nearby resort is completed in three years. It will include hotels and condominiums, 910 homes and an 18-hole golf course designed by Greg Norman.

"It's just going to push prices higher and higher," said Janette, a part-owner of Garcia Realty in the nearby surfing town of Sayulita.In the past, foreigners have been wary of investing in Mexico because of legal problems, corruption and red tape. But changes in Mexican laws have made it easier for foreigners to own property through bank trusts. Major U.S. firms have begun offering mortgages and title insurance.

Mexico also is drawing more attention from Europe. Last year, Spanish companies were the top investors in the tourist industry, pumping $416 million into resort properties. U.S. investors followed with $321 million, according to the tourism agency. McCarthy rejects the notion that tourism only benefits wealthy developers and well-heeled travelers. He pointed out that the average incomes in Quintana Roo and Baja California Sur, the states that are home to Cancun and Cabo San Lucas, are among the highest in the nation. Tourism is the third-largest generator of foreign exchange in Mexico, after oil and remittances from Mexicans living abroad.

FONATUR identifies promising tourism areas, buys land, draws up a master plan and develops basic services such as roads, sewage facilities and power plants. The government then sells the property to private developers.

By getting state and local officials to sign off on a project, the Mexican government has dramatically reduced the risks to foreign investors, said Doug Regelous, president of Los Angeles-based Daedalus Projects Group Inc.

Daedalus is finalizing the purchase of approximately 9,000 acres on the East Cape, a largely undeveloped stretch of coastline along the Gulf of California between San Jose del Cabo and Punta Pescadero.

He declined to divulge the specifics of the project because the deal had not been finalized. But he said it would contain an upscale resort hotel, golf course and residential community with a focus on water sports.

"The East Cape is a swimmable ocean," he said. "The Pacific isn't."

In just a few decades, the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula has become one of Mexico's most exclusive getaways.Once known for inexpensive time-share properties, the rugged coast between Cabo San Lucas and the sleepier San Jose del Cabo is lined with luxury resorts that charge as much as $1,000 a night for hotel rooms. Oceanfront estates sell for as much as $7 million. On busy weekends, it is not uncommon to see 100 private jets at the airport.

Mexico's real estate boom also has been helped by the development of upscale "fractional ownership" properties that allow buyers to purchase a piece of a condominium or home.

Barry Hacker and his wife, Paivi, sold their beachfront home in Florida after it was damaged by two hurricanes in two years. They said they have invested "tens of millions" of dollars in a piece of waterfront property in Ixtapa, a resort area on the west coast of Mexico. They plan to build a 10-room boutique hotel called Punta Romantica and offer fractional ownership in 10, four-bedroom villas on the property.

Hacker, a partner in KPMG's Tokyo office, said many wealthy Americans were selling their waterfront properties in Florida and California while prices were high. "We can deliver a villa for a fraction of the cost that's also oceanfront and is fully staffed with all the hotel services, a gym, a spa and a restaurant," he said.

Mexican tourism officials are sensitive to criticism that this rapid development threatens some of the country's most beautiful coastline and marine reserves and puts a strain on the rural communities that bear the brunt of the rising land costs, increased traffic and an influx of people looking for work.

These challenges have come into sharp focus along the east coast of Baja California Sur, which borders the Gulf of California, home of the largest marine park in Mexico.

FONATUR has teamed up with Loreto Bay Co., a Scottsdale, Ariz., developer, to build what is being billed as the "largest resort community in North America committed to the principles of sustainable development." The Mexican government invested $200 million on roads, water treatment plants and other infrastructure.

The $3-billion project, called the Villages of Loreto Bay, will create a town of 6,000 homes in neighborhoods designed for pedestrians and golf carts. No cars will be allowed. Nearly two-thirds of the 8,000 acres will be maintained as a "greenlands preserve."

Homes are being constructed with locally produced adobe bricks, and the developer has leased land for a wind farm so the project can generate its own electricity, said Jim Grogan, Loreto Bay's president and chief executive.

In two years, the project has sold 640 homes, whose prices start at $380,000. Two-thirds of the buyers are Americans, many from California, and the remainder are mostly Canadians with a sprinkling of Mexicans. "There's no question, people are willing to pay a premium for sustainable development," Grogan said.

The U.S. firm has established a nonprofit foundation that has bought new equipment for the local hospital and purchased a patrol boat for the marine conservancy, according to Grogan. The Loreto Bay Foundation gets 1% of all home sales and resales, or about $3 million so far.Rob Faris, an economist with the Harvard Institute for International Development, praised the developer's efforts to limit the project's environmental footprint. But he worries about the impact such a large number of people will have on southern Baja's limited water supply, the marine park and the community of Loreto.

Within two decades, the population of the sparsely populated region is expected to balloon from 15,000 to 120,000, according to a study co-authored by Faris.

"I think their intentions are largely noble," Faris said of Loreto Bay Co. "But creating a sustainable community of this magnitude in Mexico, it hasn't been done before."

Mexico's tourism industry nets $11.6B in six years

Mexico's tourism industry nets $11.6B in six years (08/18/2006)
By Jorge Sidron
Private investors have pumped about $11.6 billion into Mexico's tourism industry in the last six years, exceeding goals set by the federal government for the same period by almost 30%, according to Sectur, Mexico's ministry of tourism.

In fact, the original tourism investment goal of $9 billion for the 2001 to 2006 period was surpassed in June 2005, after increasing some 12% a year since 2002, Sectur reported.

If all goes as planned, domestic and foreign private investment in the nation's hotels, airports and tourism attractions is projected to surpass $12 billion by the end of this year.

International investors accounted for 25% of the spending during this period, with U.S.-based companies making up the lion's share of foreign private money. Spanish companies ranked second among foreign investors.

"The goal now is to elevate the quality and quantity of the tourism product while diversifying the product in an effort to attract even more investment," said Rodolfo Elizondo Torres, Mexico's minister of tourism.

At the same time, tourism officials want to focus on attracting "sustainable development" with "rigorous environmental safeguards," Torres said.

Not surprisingly, Mexico's beach destinations are the most popular places for investors to spend their money, with destinations like Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta and Cancun and the Riviera Maya accounting for the bulk of spending.

The top three areas of investment accounting for almost 52% of the $11.6 billion in the last six years were the states of Guerrero ($2.6 billion), where 89% of private investment took place in Acapulco; Quintana Roo ($2.5 billion), where 82% of investment was channeled to Cancun and the Riviera Maya; and Nayarit ($92.5 million), where more than 60% of private investment went to the Pacific resort town of Nuevo Vallarta.

Together, the Mexican states on the U.S.-Mexico border, including Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, garnered 19% of private investment during this period.

Among these states' top tourist attractions are the Copper Canyon in Chihuahua, the La Quemada archaeological sites in Zacatecas, the bustling city of Monterrey in Nuevo Leon and the 200,000-acre Cuatro Cienegas Valley in Coahuila.

Mexico's push to stimulate tourism and attract private investors began to take shape in 1974 with the creation of the National Trust Fund for Tourism Development (Fonatur).

Since its inception, Fonatur has been responsible for planning and developing five seaside destinations -- Cancun, Los Cabos, Ixtapa, Loreto and Huatulco -- that generate about 54% of Mexico's foreign tourism spending.

Internet Gurus Swap Virtual for Real Estate

Internet Gurus Swap Virtual for Real Estate

High-flying Internet pioneers have traded online businesses for real estate opportunities, reports Forbes magazine.Here is what some of these former electronic high-flyers are doing now:

Steve M. Case, former chairman of AOL Time Warner, is now the majority owner in Miravel, a spa in Arizona.

Thomas Jermoluk, former head of ExciteAtHome, partnered with James Clark, founder of Silicon Graphics, Netscape, and Healtheon, to build a pair of luxury condo towers in Miami.

Timothy Koogle, former chief executive of Yahoo, is developing el Banco, a luxury community on Mexico’s Pacific coast where lots start at $4.7 million. "It's a huge amount of fun to take a bare piece of land and create a great product for it," Koogle says.

Ben Addoms, former top executive for ExciteAtHome, co-founded luxury residence club Quintess. Members pay a fee, plus annual dues of $10,500 to $30,500, to stay in mansions around the world. "All of us that went through the boom and the bubble have traded that high-risk, high-reward experience for something with a little more predictability," Addoms says.

Jonas P. Lee, founder of Giftcertificates.com, is now managing partner of Redbrick Partners, which buys single-family homes around the United States. "I didn't look at this as a real estate play. It makes all the sense in the world — you go from one entrepreneurial industry to another entrepreneurial industry," Lee says.

Source: Forbes, Sara Clemence (02/13/06)

Former Yahoo! Chairman Develops Land in Mexico

Former Yahoo! Chairman Develops Land in Mexico

Former Yahoo! Inc. Chairman and CEO Tim Koogle is developing 100 acres of oceanfront property in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

El Banco will feature estate homes, beach villas, and a boutique hotel. Estate lots are priced from $4.75 million, and the 14 beach villas to be finished in late 2006 will have price tags of $3 million-plus. Koogle was drawn to Mexico's location as well as its affordable labor and construction costs, noting that the project is about a third of the cost of a comparable project in California.

Other residential projects in the works in Puerto Vallarta include the 92-home Costa Careyes and resorts from the Four Season and Starwood. U.S. real estate professionals who specialize in Mexican property say a growing number of Americans are flocking to their southern neighbor to escape skyrocketing second-home prices to the north.

Source: The Wall Street Journal (12/23/05); McMullen, Troy

Real Estate Execs Look Abroad for Growth

Real Estate Execs Look Abroad for Growth

More than 61 percent of real estate executives plan to invest in property outside the United States this year, according to a study released last week.

The Bryan Cave Real Estate Executives Forecast Survey polled 343 public and private real estate company executives, investors, opportunity funds, commercial mortgage bankers, lenders and brokers.

About 15 percent said they plan to invest in Mexico; another 15 named China as their investment target. Other countries mentioned include the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan.

Sam Zell, chairman of Equity Office Properties Trust, Equity Residential, and Equity Lifestyle Properties Inc., predicts greater growth in the real estate market over the next 10 years outside the U.S. "Brazil, Mexico, Russia, China and India will produce five times as much real estate business as will the U.S.,” Zell says.

Source: Dow Jones Newswires, Janet Morrissey (06/12/2006)

Bella Vita Retreat - Lose Weight and Look Great on the Beaches of Mexico

Bella Vita Retreat - Lose Weight and Look Great on the Beaches of Mexico

Bella Vita Retreat, known for their boot camp retreats, takes their signature programs, Beach Boot Camp and Bella Weight Loss Retreats to the beautiful sands of San Pancho, Mexico.

Charleston, SC, August 08, 2006 --(PR.COM)-- Bella Vita Retreat is heading straight to the Pacific Coast of Mexico with their health and fitness retreats. San Pancho, Mexico will be an additional home for these fitness packed getaways.

With locations at hotels in Palm Beach, FL and Santa Barbara, CA, the retreat in San Pancho is a location built by client requests. Bella Vita Retreat will hold a few retreats in Puerto Vallarta this fall before fully converting to the location in San Pancho.

The retreats are mainly focused on fitness and wellness with a wide variety of active classes and personal training including martial cardio blast which is a combination of cardio mix with martial arts influence, bikini boot camp sessions, yoga, “best abs ever”, nutrition, stress reduction, massage and more.

Margot Rutigliano, founder of Bella Vita Retreat, realized it was time to take Beach Boot Camp and Bella Weight Loss Retreats to this exciting new location when client suggestions kept pouring in for a true and authentic Mexican fitness experience. Partnering with this property in Mexico allows guests to enjoy a serene environment filled with fitness and wellness along with the amenities of a small resort. An amazing setting for motivation, working out will be easy with a backdrop of the ocean and a private beach.

“This is the perfect way to tone and shape your body, get motivated and really relax and soak in all the aspects of these retreats,” says Rutigliano.

Although Bella Vita Retreat’s programs are fitness focused, the retreat is about getting in shape and developing lifelong patterns to stay in shape. Guests should be ready to sweat though, but exercise isn't all that is included. Guests enjoy massages, stress reduction sessions geared at reducing daily stress and of course ultra healthy fare prepared by a chef on the property. Spa treatments are delivered to the guest's rooms, poolside or directly on the beach. All the hard work pays off with a little relaxation.

The retreat has 4 two bedroom casitas with Mexican influenced interiors, soft linens and pillows and plush towels. Rooms are single and have a queen bed with a high powered, high speed fan that drops down over the bed for extra cooling. Each casita has one full bathroom and common area with a full kitchen. A large pool with lounge chairs as well as hammocks, picnic tables and professional grills are located on the property.

With the ocean only 30 feet away, the breezes are endless and satisfying after a hard day of working out. In addition, other activities are available including snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, kayaking, parasailing, jet skiing, wind surfing, surfing and more.

The location is approximately 30 minutes from the Puerto Vallarta airport. Taxis and vans are available at an additional fee for travel to and from the resort. Six-night stays at the retreat cost $2550 per person and includes accommodations, all meals and activities, massage and body treatments, taxes and service fees.Private retreats for groups can be arranged as well with a minimum of 6 people in the party.

Information can be found at http://www.bvretreat.com or call 800.768.5708 or 843.364.0790.

Best Mexico beaches

Best Mexico beaches

By The Associated Press

NEW YORK — There's 750 miles of coastline between Puerto Vallarta and Zihuatanejo on Mexico's West Coast, and along the way you'll find everything from expensive resorts to hippie surf towns to quiet enclaves. The August issue of Conde Nast Traveler provides recommendations for lodging, dining, activities and logistics.

First, don't do the trip without a four-wheel drive, and make sure you have a couple of spare tires in case of a flat on the unpredictable terrain. Second, consider checking out the surf scene. Take some lessons if you're a novice, and know that while there are high-quality waves November through April, they're stronger in the south than on the Puerto Vallarta end of the route.

Then plan your route and accommodations. In Sayulita, eat at Don Pedro's or Sayulita Fish Taco, and stay in Villa Amor or the nearby Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, with a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. An hour from Puerto Vallarta, Hotelito Desconocido is a luxury accommodation that uses only solar energy and candlelight. In Colima, try the Hotel Ceballos, and in Manzanillo, Las Hadas Golf Resort & Marina has plenty of space — 234 rooms.

Barra de Nexpa is a surfing enclave; stay in Jorge & Helen's Place. In Troncones, Eden Beach Hacienda is a good place to stay and to eat, or try the food at El Burro Borracho. In Zihuatanejo, stay at La Casa Que Canta, which has a bayfront view.

Magnificent Mexico

Magnificent Mexico

Our affordable, accessible neighbor to the south has something for all

Published: Nov/Dec 2002
By Susan Kaye

Mexico has never looked better. It’s so easy to reach, with more flights having been added this year. Throughout Mexico, the vivacity of the people creates an instant Mi casa es su casa atmosphere. Add in the sensational beaches and the kaleidoscopic beauty of its coastline and you’ve got a winner of a vacation.

“Mexico is a destination that has virtually everything,” said AAA’s Sue Wells, director of travel.

“If it’s pampering you’re after, many resorts offer spa packages. On the Pacific coast, there still are secluded spots for relaxation, as well as action-packed resorts. Many members seek out Mexico’s rich cultural heritage in the interior colonial cities where, as a bonus, handicrafts are found in abundance.”

The only dilemma is choosing which resort. Here’s a look at four of the most popular.

Puerto Vallarta

This Pacific resort is a charmer where you literally can’t escape the views across the 26-mile Bay of Banderas. The city itself is just as eye-catching, with cobbled streets climbing steeply from the beach, bordered by white-stucco homes with red-tiled roofs.

Tradition continues in many forms in this former fishing community. Mouth-watering barbecued fish-on-a-stick is sold for only a handful of pesos on Playa de los Muertos, bordering downtown to the south.

Then there’s the free Sunday evening concerts in the shady main plaza with its ornate bandstand. This outing invariably calls for a double scoop of coconut ice cream or an elote from vendors who grill corn on the cob before sprinkling it with chile powder.

Puerto Vallarta has become a mecca for fine art, with many art galleries selling both local and American artists. You’ll also find a wide variety of handicraft stores, representing the best from across the country: masks from Guerrero, weavings from Chiapas, pottery from Tlaquepaque and elaborately painted Talavera plates from Puebla.Don’t miss the souvenir shopping at the large indoor mercado, followed by lunch at the glamorous River Café.

Two top gourmet spots include Trio and Café des Aristes. For Mexican food with a view, Las Palomas overlooks the popular bronze sculptures of surreal figures on the beachfront malecon walkway.

Los Cabos, Baja

This is truly land’s end at the southern tip of the long Baja Peninsula that adjoins southern California.

Not even 40 years ago, this was also the end-of-the-world, seen by few except adventurous fishermen who flew private planes to cactus-bordered landing strips. Now, Los Cabos is Mexico’s snazziest resort destination with an ever-increasing array of hotels and condos in every price range.

Without a doubt, the 20-mile Los Cabos corridor between the towns of San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas is the golf capital of Mexico. But golf is just part of Baja’s sizzle.

The waters still are world-class and fishermen are practically guaranteed to hook a marlin. The waters off Baja are famous for gray whales as well. They spend their winter in Baja’s waters, flashing their flukes as if waving to people on the beach.The beaches and golf courses span the distance between the two towns.

Cabo San Lucas is an action-packed town, with a large marina and more restaurants and nightspots than anyone could visit, no matter how long the vacation. San José del Cabo centers around a colonial settlement and is quieter. At both, English is spoken virtually everywhere.

In fact, of all of Mexico’s coastal resorts, Baja is the most user-friendly, being in many ways more America than Mexico.

Cozumel

Known to the Mayans 600 years ago as “Cuzamil,” island of the swallows, this island cavorts in the Mexican Caribbean off shore from Playa del Carmen, south of Cancun. It pulsates with vacationers who return to its convivial shores for world-class diving at its 30-plus sites. Because Cozumel hugs the northern edge of the Mayan Coral Reef, second longest in the world, one-third of those who visited Cozumel last year came to scuba and snorkel.

If you take the plunge, you’ll choose from waters riddled with limestone caves, tunnels and rare black coral trees. The flawless aquamarine waters provide up to 200 feet of visibility, while the average temps hover near 80 degrees.

But landlubbers love Cozumel, too. At San Gervasio, Mayan temples and priests’ sanctums poke through parrot-green foliage. The museum in the town of San Miguel is excellent; it’d be easy to lose a couple of hours there. And then there’s the year-old Jack Nicklaus course at the Cozumel Country Club, with fairways built around mangroves and wetlands. Also new is the Punta Sur Ecological Park, featuring a lagoon filled with wildlife, mangrove jungles ripe with the tropic’s sweet smells, and snorkeling.

Don’t miss renting a car or motor scooter for a frolic around the island. The highlight is the untamed eastern shore, where rambunctious waves melt onto gorgeous–and empty–beaches and a string of sun-drenched restaurants beckon you to a long, lingering lunch under a thatched umbrella.

Cancún

The beaches are talcum-powder soft and the waters reflect all the turquoise hues of the Caribbean. Resorts stretch the length of 13-mile island of Cancún, interspersed with dozens of fun-loving restaurants and nightclubs.

You’ll play on golf courses that edge ancient pyramids once ruled by shadowy gods and snorkel above schools of crayon-colored fish circling coral reefs.There’s no rush to jump out of the crystal-clear water as shops stay open until 10 p.m.

Test your bargaining skills in the open-air markets of El Centro (downtown Cancún), picking up a pair of huaraches (sandals), embroidered Mayan dresses called huipiles, and men’s pleated guayabera shirts.

Cancún has evolved into an upscale shopping mecca. Both Plaza Caracol and Kukulcan Plaza have more than 200 shops each, including many internationally famous boutiques.

When you’ve done the rounds, grab a ferry for a day trip to Isla Mujeres. Here on the 10-mile-long Island of Women, you’ll motor around by moped or golf cart and shop for everything from giant polished nautilus shells to hand-made pottery.

The best anecdote to a full day of shopping is sitting down to an unforgettable meal. That’s easy in this part of the world, where Yucatecan cuisine offers up sublime flavors. Try puc chuc (grilled pork with sour orange sauce) and chicken baked in banana leaves. And then there’s fish: giant local lobsters and shrimp prepared in a dozen ways.

Not far from the glamorous resorts are ancient Mayan sites in clearings hard-won from the forest’s tentacles. Chichén Itzá is the largest site within a day’s trip from Cancún, a one-time Mayan metropolis that’s as fascinating as it is impressive.

Tips for safety

By and large, Mexican resorts are extremely safe for Americans, but it’s always good for travelers in any part of the world to be on guard. Carry one credit card you may use for the day and just enough cash to get through the day. It’s good to establish the cab fare before setting out. Should you visit Mexico City, you need to be especially careful and take only cabs that have been called by your hotel or restaurant, avoiding the small green-and-white cabs that cruise the streets by the thousands.Although the above-mentioned resorts are filled with tourists and cruise ship passengers wearing armloads of jewelry, it’s best to keep accessories to a minimum. I usually leave my wedding ring and anything else that sparkles at home and travel instead with inexpensive silver pieces (always a good buy throughout Mexico).

Golfers Buy New Combination of Vacation Home and Real Estate Investment Property

Golfers Buy New Combination of Vacation Home and Real Estate Investment Property

What happens when you combine a golf vacation home with a luxury resort hotel, a condominium, and a real estate investment property in a sunny, tropical location like Miami, Florida or Fort Lauderdale, Florida where you can golf all year long? You get a Resort Hotel Condominium. What is a Resort Hotel Condominium?

Miami, FL (PRWEB) August 7, 2006 -- There is a new type of golf vacation home that golf enthusiasts are buying. This new type of golf vacation home is the combination of a golf vacation residence, a luxury resort hotel, a luxury condominium, and a real estate investment property.

"This is a new lifestyle concept combining the luxury, service, and amenities of a world-class hotel with the ownership benefits of a high-end condominium. This new real estate approach is ideal as a second or third vacation home, or a premier golf vacation residence," says Mr. Kevin D. Wright, a South Florida Realtor and Licensed Mortgage Broker. "Sometimes you will hear this concept described as hotel condominium, condominium hotel, or condotel."

An owner of a resort hotel condominium enjoys all of the benefits of owning a home. An owner of a resort hotel condominium has the ability to re-sell their condominium unit in the open market. The owner pays real estate taxes, maintenance fees, and the usual insurances. Under certain circumstances, these typical payments could represent tax deductions. Obviously one would consult a tax specialist for specifics concern tax deductions.

Mr. Wright added, "Some buyers may find that purchasing a resort hotel condominium can be an excellent vehicle for 1031 tax deferred exchanges. We have the resources to put something like this together."

As an owner of a resort hotel condominium, each owner has the option of allowing their unit to be placed in a rental management program when they are not using their golf vacation residence. The golfers like this part because it can lower the carrying costs of their vacation home. When their home is not in use, a resort hotel condominium could generate hotel income.

"One should never leave an asset under-utilized. This is the part that attracts many golfers. Many golfers use it as a second or third vacation home that doubles as a real estate investment. Generally speaking the net revenue, after expenses, generated from the rental of an owner's suite is paid directly to the owner by the hotel management company," says Mr. Wright.

Golf enthusiasts around the world have recently discovered two major resort hotel condominiums located in tropical South Florida.

One project is located in the Miami, Florida area and the other project is located in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area. Both of these resort hotel condominiums' primary focus is on golf.The resort hotel condominium located in the Miami area offers five championship golf courses.
As an owner of this particular golf vacation residence, one would have access to preferred tee times on all five championship golf courses. This includes the golf course featured in major golf tours. This particular golf course has recently become part of a major golf championship series.

Mr. Wright added, "It is already renowned for its fabled champions and electrifying tournaments."

The Miami area resort hotel condominium also offers a world-renowned golf school. Golfers around the world consider this particular golfing school to be one of the leading golf schools in America.The Miami area resort hotel condominium is the first and only luxury resort condominium ever to be developed along the fairways of a legendary golf course.

A popular golf digest ranks one of the golf courses at this South Florida location as one of the top golf courses in Florida. A popular golf magazine identifies the 18th hole on this golf course as being one of the top 100 holes in the world.After a golfer buys a resort hotel condominium at this particular Miami area location, they will discover how to receive complimentary tickets to a major golf tour event.

The resort hotel condominium located in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area offers two championship golf courses. The golf courses feature signature waterfalls, beautiful vistas, and challenging greens. There is even a resident golf concierge available.

For the true golf aficionado that prefers Fort Lauderdale, there are six additional high-level courses in the area.The two major resort hotel condominiums located in tropical South Florida differ in pricing. The purchase of one of these resort hotel condominiums can be financed. Much like a conventional, residential condominium purchase, the lender's decision to make the loan will be based on the creditworthiness of the individual purchaser and the value of the residence being purchased.

Mr. Wright added, "Not all lender's understand or provide funds for the purchase of resort hotel condominiums. One may wish to use current banking relationships and find that rates are unacceptable or the property type is unacceptable. As a Licensed Mortgage Broker, we have established relationships with two lenders that specialize in resort hotel condominiums."Golfers are viewing the purchase of a resort hotel condominium as an investment in a lifestyle. "We hear stories of resort hotel condominium buyers bragging about their new purchase. They are making their friends, relatives, and co-workers jealous. They get pampered existence, the whole package. It's more than golf," says Mr. Wright.

“There are still a few luxury suites available for purchase at both locations. Please contact us for current pricing, developer incentives, full-color brochures, or to arrange a private viewing.”

About Mr. Kevin D. Wright:Mr. Kevin D.Wright is currently marketing resort hotel condominiums in South Florida. Mr. Wright is a Realtor and Licensed Mortgage Broker. Kevin has lived in South Florida for the last seven years and has been in the real estate and real estate finance business for the last three and a half years.

Mr. Wright has a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from Penn State University. Kevin has been employed by some of the world's best known companies: Hallmark, Merrill Lynch, American Multi Cinema, AVIS, Bank of America, American Express, Prudential, and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Mr. Wright is currently a Realtor with EXIT Ocean Realty in Fort Lauderdale, FL and a Licensed Mortgage Broker with Infinite Funding Services in Sunny Isles Beach, FL.

http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2006/8/emw420836.htm

Americans buying up beachfront property in Mexico

Americans buying up beachfront property in Mexico

Web Posted: 06/15/2006 01:00 AM CDT
Angela KochergaKENS 5 Border Bureau

Mexico used to ban foreigners from owning oceanfront property, but now Americans can buy homes right on the beach, and that's sparked a boom in once-remote regions.

In the state of Nayarit, on Mexico's Pacific coast, breath-taking beaches are behind a boom that has many of the real estate signs in English.

"I believe it's going to be one of the premiere, upscale, residential options for Americans here in Mexico," real estate agent Fred Feibel said.

Feibel is a Houston native who moved to Nayarit eight years ago, when the area was largely undiscovered by Americans, except for a few surfers.

Real estate experts said the prices in this once-remote area have doubled, tripled, and in some cases, quadrupled in recent years, with a few homes selling for more than $1 million.

"I saw the beaches, the undeveloped beaches," said Carol Davenport, a real estate broker.

Those beaches are what attracted Davenport, who moved to Nayarit from Dallas to scout properties for Texas investors.

But what about those that don't have millions to invest? Can they buy a dream home in Mexico?
Experts said it depends on the dream.

"You can't have someone who retires on $600 a month expecting to get resort property. No, that's not even realistic," Davenport said.

But experts said there are still bargains, but not right on the beach.

"One can live in Mexico on any budget," Feibel said.

"We're not investors, we just wanted a tranquilo home, wanted to be part of a community," resident Ann Emboury said.

Emboury, a teacher from Tucson, moved to a calm community in Nayarit with her husband and her dog Roy less than a year ago.

They live in a modest home just a few blocks from the beach, in a tiny village that has not been discovered by developers - yet.

Americans buy into luxury

Americans buy into luxury
By Adam Thomson

Published: June 21 2006 03:00 Last updated: June 21 2006 03:00

Ever thought of living in a hot, dry climate where the sea laps gently against the sand and the sun turns the distant hills various shades of gold and amber every afternoon?

For most of the rapidly retiring US "baby boomer" generation, buying a dream retirement home on the coast of California or Florida is no longer an option: properties are too expensive. But in Mexico they are discovering that they can still buy beach front homes at affordable prices.

According to the US-based National Law Center, a research institute inTucson, Arizona, US and Canadian property ownership in Mexico, which accounts for 90 per cent of foreign ownership, has more than doubled in the last decade in key areas, and is growing more than 10 per cent a year. Some estimates suggest that as many as 100,000 US citizens are retiring in Mexico every year.

In Loreto, a small fishing village on Baja California's Sea of Cortés, theLoreto Bay Company is developing 8,000 acres of land situated along 3.5miles of beachfront to cater to the retired and second-home buyers.

Jim Grogan, a partner in the company, says the idea is to focus on single-family homes constructed around courtyards with fountains and pools, high ceilings and a traditional adobe finish.The company has made a commitment to generating more energy from renewable sources than the community will ever need, and to a reforestation programme that, among other things, will help recover levels of the underground aquifer.

Loreto Bay Company has already invested about $125m in the project and it has sold 640 homes in the past two years. At completion the development will consist of 6,000 houses built in nine phases, mostly in the range $300,000 to $700,000.

In Sonora, on the opposite side of the Sea of Cortés, Steve Barger, a US businessman who runs Arizona-based real estate developer Abigail Properties, has gone into partnership with the Mexican-owned Worldwide Group to develop 1,500 luxury condominiums in 16 buildings complete with an 18-hole golf course and about 200 single family homes.

The joint venture began construction in December 2003 and the first phase of the Las Palomas project, which involves 413 units, is nearing completion. Mr Barger says he has already sold 861 of the properties and expects togenerate $750m once all of the units have been sold. About 78 per cent ofthe buyers are from Arizona and have an average age hovering in the mid-40s.

Mark Raven, an Arizona-based lawyer who represents US citizens buying retirement and second homes in Mexico, says the advantages of looking south of the border are obvious.For a start, a luxury house on the beach in, say, Baja California or the state of Sonora could cost $500,000 to $750,000 compared with $2.5m and above in the case of California. Second, he says, the weather is much better than either California or Sonora.

In addition, many of the new destinations and projects opening upare just three hours' drive from Phoenix, Arizona, and 23m US citizens live within a seven-hour drive of these states.The Mexican government has been quick to spot the potential, and over the past few decades has made it increasingly easy for foreigners to own beachfront property anywhere in Mexico, from Baja California to the coast around Cancún on the Gulf of Mexico.

That, together with the increasingly deep economic ties between the two countries since the introduction of the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) in 1994, has made it far less risky to buy real estate.

Bruce Greenberg, an international real estate adviser in Tucson, Arizona, says: "People want properties that are easy to get to, where you see sea and vegetation and where you walk in and see familiar amenities such as sockets for computers and alarm systems," he says."If you bought that kind of property five years ago you can be fairly sure that it is now worth double."

Peter Maxwell, of Mexico's tourist development office, Fonatur, in Loreto,says the increase in property values in the US has has had a big effect."US citizens are selling up," he says. "They have paid off their mortgages, they have no more financial commitments back home and they are awash with money because house prices have rocketed.

New Frontier: Mexico Real Estate Investment

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TX-Looking to bridge the gap of misperceptions, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu took hundreds of investors across the border into Mexico in a webcast presentation focused on development trends and tax tips for investing south of the Rio Grande.

The hot properties, as would be expected, are residential and hospitality, with beachfront development at the forefront of the discussion and spending patterns. Mauricio Monroy, managing partner of Deloitte Sonora and Baja California region, and Ed Gonzalez, international tax director of Deloitte Tax LP, provided street-savvy tips about legislation implemented in the past three years to entice foreign investment.

"There is a trend of looking at Mexico," Monroy said, "and the three big players are the US, Canada and Spain." Just this year, it's projected that $2 billion will be invested in Mexico's residential market. And, it's only going to go up due to retiring Baby Boomers, mainly from the US. He says the five-year projection is another 10,000 residential units will be needed to meet Boomers' demands. Beach development accounts for 75% of the near $1.6 billion spent in recent years by US investors.Monroy says one of the newest trends to emerge is the shifting investment ratio by foreign and national investors.

In 2005, Mexican investors funded 80% of the development growth whereas they have contributed just 5% of the 13.1% growth that's taken place to date this year, according to Monroy. There are now 30 pension funds, primarily from the US and Canada, registered to do business in Mexico.

As Boomers, many from Texas, check out the residential and hospitality product, it's the office and industrial markets that are attracting capital from US and European institutional circles. Among Mexico's legislative changes has been to open the door for a REIT or "fibra" structuring, but to date not one has emerged on the nation's stock exchange. Monroy said one REIT--a development group for sports complexes and racetracks--is claiming it's cleared all listing hurdles although it has yet to debut. And, at least three office REITs are being processed.

The presenters polled listeners to gage their knowledge about their southern neighbor. Most respondents believed Mexico City's office market was considerably smaller than the 50 million sf that it is. Other surprises: it's two-thirds rental space and roughly five million sf came on line last year, just in Mexico City. Stats weren't provided for its other two office strongholds, Monterrey and Guadalajara.

And a discussion about Mexico wouldn't be complete without touching on maquiladora development. Monroy says there's been a significant uptick in the number of European and US institutions financing and taking on sale-leasebacks in the industrial developments along the border. With maquiladora trade now bouncing back from last year's slump, there's been an increased need for support services, further fueling real estate development.

As the other commercial sectors gain momentum, the door opens for stepped-up retail development. Monroy said the activity right now is concentrated around the Big Three cities. "It's very active," he said. "Not only Mexico chains are building, but also there's an influx of big names from the US and UK."

But, there are investment differences that do need to be heeded. Monroy and Gonzalez pinpointed several areas of caution about Mexico's tax laws, including a mandated 10% profit-sharing plan for employees. They explained the way around the mandate is to set up a real estate service company. Similarly, there are ways to defer and reduce the 29% corporate income tax, which drops to 28% in 2007. And unlike before, real estate can be 100% owned and managed by foreigners.

"The symmetry is critical when dealing with Mexico and making sure the tax considerations are addressed from a US tax perspective," Gonzalez stressed.

http://www.globest.com/news/660_660/other/147928-1.html

Mexican property market benefiting from investment

The Mexican property market is gaining an advantage from the amount of inward investment coming into the country, according to a new report.

Some $11.6 billion (£6.15 billion) of private investment in the country's tourism sector has led to the property market in the country gaining a lot more exposure to overseas investors.

The latest Sectur report on the topic found that the central American country's beaches are still likely to prove attractive for overseas property investors, as the sun and beach segment of the economy saw 48 per cent of private investment.

Three of the nation's coastal states are also likely to have seen a rise in status in the eyes of overseas property investors, having received around 52 per cent of the total investment between 2001 and 2006.

The states of Guerrero, Quintana Roo and Nayarit received investments worth £1.39 billion, £1.31 billion and £49.05 million respectively.

A number of famous tourist attractions which could prove attractive to overseas property investors characterise the country, including the Copper Canyon in Chihuahua, the 200,000-acre Cuatro Cienegas Valley and the La Quemada archaeological sites in Zacatecas.

http://www.homesgofast.com/view_news/143/