GREAT EVENT FOR FOREIGN BUYERS

Playa del Carmen, Mexico – RMRE Expo, a marketing and events company formed by local and foreign real estate professionals in Mexico, presents its second annual Riviera Maya Real Estate Expo & Seminar February 15-16, 2008 at The Royal, a luxurious beachfront resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

This two-day expo and seminar will bring together key real estate professionals to advise prospective buyers on the investment market along the Caribbean coast of Mexico. Participating parties include real estate brokers, professionals from the legal field, government representatives, financial institutions, and developers.

“The goal of the Riviera Maya Real Estate Expo & Seminar is to demystify the buying process in Playa del Carmen and other beachfront areas along the Caribbean coast of Mexico,” said Rich Bilanceri, Co-Director of the event and real estate consultant in Playa del Carmen. 

This year’s event features:

A special educational seminar, The Inside Secrets to Buying and Investing in Real Estate in the Riviera Maya.  Sessions include:

o Legal Overview: Critical Issues in Foreign Property Ownership in Mexico
o Riviera Maya Past, Present and Future: Historical, Political and Infrastructural Overview
o The Typical Residential Purchase Process
o Tourism in Mexico and Quintana Roo:  What it Means to the Community and the Foreign Buyer
o The Market: Understanding the Various Communities within Riviera Maya
o Migration of Canadian and U.S. Citizens  to the Riviera Maya
o I Own a Property in Paradise!  Now What?

Informational expo with representatives from developments throughout the area, including the unveiling of the most up-to-date Riviera Maya regional development plan

The Playa Lifestyle Pavilion, providing a taste of the international lifestyle of Playa del Carmen, the Riviera Maya’s fun yet sophisticated hot spot, including information on:

o Nightlife, including live and international music
o Cuisine
o Sports and recreation (scuba, boating, sailing, jet skis, national and historic parks, and adventure sports)
o Health and wellness (medicine, yoga, massage, clinics, nutrition)
o Community and city services
o Art and education
o Historical sites and ruins from the ancient Maya civilization, including Tulum, overlooking the ocean, and the magnificent  Chichen Itzá, one of the seven wonders of the World

“This coastline is not only beautiful and exotic, but it is affordable and realistic for many non-natives to either buy a second home or a rental property,” said Bilanceri.  “Once people get a taste of the sophisticated and truly international flare of the area and encounter the diverse community of Mexicans, Americans, Canadians, Europeans and others – they fall in love with Playa del Carmen and surrounding communities.  The Riviera Maya Real Estate Expo & Seminar is designed to help newcomers easily make the Riviera Maya their first or second home.”

Solidaridad, the municipality that houses Playa del Carmen and other parts of the Riviera Maya, has been the fastest growing municipality in Mexico for the last decade, with an annual growth rate of at least 20%, (as cited in a recent government report of the economic development of the region.  For a copy of the presentation, please use the contact information above.)  This growth is due in large part to the unique, eclectic mix of international visitors and permanent residents.

Mexico has been extremely stable since the fiscal and electoral reforms of the late 90's and the historic elections of 2000. Non-Mexican citizens now have access to reasonably priced mortgages, English-speaking bank tellers, free ATMs, secure online banking in US dollars, and title insurance; however, fortunately, real estate prices are still a fraction of many US and Canada coastal markets.  For example, a brand new 2 bedroom/2 bath condo five blocks from the beach in downtown Playa del Carmen costs on average $225,000 US, while a similar 2/2 in Destin, FL costs around $350,000 US.  Others in Miami, Huntington Beach, CA, and San Diego start at half a million.

The Riviera Maya Real Estate Expo & Seminar is now open for registration.  The cost of the two-day event is $279.00 US.  Tickets are also available for the Playa Real Estate Gala (Playa REgala), benefiting Angel Notion, on February 21, 2008. The cost of the charitable gala is $110 per person and includes live music, dinner and dancing.  Proceeds benefit Angel Notion, a locally-based non-profit organization that provides care, skills-training and medical attention to children with disabilities who live in Playa del Carmen. (For more information on Angel Notion, visit www.angelnotion.com).  Tickets for both events may be purchased online at www.RivieraMayaRealEstateExpo.com.

For more information on the 2008 Riviera Maya Real Estate Expo & Seminar, please visit www.RivieraMayaRealEstateExpo.com.

RMRE Expo, S. de R.L. de C.V. [the equivalent of LLC in the US] is a Mexican corporation based in Playa del Carmen that provides marketing and event management services. RMRE owns and operates the Riviera Maya Real Estate Expo & Seminar, Playa Lifestyle Pavilion, and Playa REgala.

Contacts:Diana Tejada: 405-413-4672 This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
  Amanda Edwards: 940-841-4181 This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
  Vanessa Bilanceri: 202-244-0121 This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

As the saying goes, if you wish something with enough fervor, it might just become a reality!

Ever since we first started working in the mortgage business in Playa, we have been asked from developers in the Region for a product that would allow them to sell their inventory without the “strenuous” Condo Regime requirement.  This based on the numerous and complex scenarios developers are confronted with in the process of getting a condominium regime set up in the area.

Condominium is a form of ownership of real estate.

Condominium Regime is the legal definition of what a condominium is: It is the absolute ownership of a unit based on a legal description of the airspace the unit actually occupies, plus an undivided interest in the ownership of the common elements, which are owned jointly with the other condominium unit owners. Each unit owner of a condominium has individual title to the space inside his unit. The space is sometimes described as beginning with "the paint on the walls." In addition, each unit owner has an undivided interest in the physical components of the condominium buildings and land.

 It is common practice among lenders not to fund a property without the condo regime being in place.  The Condo Regime facilitates the process of “Escrituracion”, obtaining Title to a property, of the condo unit and guarantees the lender its ability to recover the investment in case of default by the condo owner.

Consequently, one of the main requirements lenders have when funding a condo unit property would be the establishment of a Condo Regime by the developer. BUT NOT ANYMORE!

Someone once said, the only “Constant in life in Change”.  And as in any Constant Growth, as we are observing in the Real Estate and Mortgage Industries in Mexico, and the Riviera Maya, in particular, Change has arrived!

A new product by a new lender which very aggressively is making its way to take a big share of the mortgage real estate market in the Riviera Maya has just being launched.

A product directed at Developers so as to facilitate their Pre-Sale, and Sale of their condo units, has being lunched, that would permit developers to transfer title to the property without the strenuous requirement of having their condo regime in place. 

The NO CONDO REGIME DEVELOPER PARTICIPATION PROGRAM will allow the developer to phase out their projects and capitalize themselves in the process so as to more readily finish their product and move on to the development of other projects.  For further information on the subject matter, feel free to contact us.

This article courtesy of Enrique (Henry) Saldana, Mexico Mortgage and Real Estate Solutions
TEL: (984) 109-2458 - CELL: (984) 116-8528

This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  http://enriquehenrysaldana.point2agent.com http://creditoshipotecariossf.point2agent.com

How has the Mortgage Subprime Crunch in the USA Affected Mortgage Funding in Mexico…
PDC Mortgage Watch

I had a client recently ask me how has the mortgage subprime collapse in the USA affected mortgage funding in Mexico, so I would like to answer his question in this article.

(Since 2001, the USA's economic growth has been powered by the real estate industry, particularly mortgage-equity withdrawals. Now, without housing to prop it up, the economy is in trouble.

Withdrawing equity from one's home was what prompted the economy, essentially from 2001 through sometime last year. A statistic from a recent report by John Mauldin says it all: Real GDP growth, excluding mortgage-equity withdrawals, averaged less than 1% over the past six years (it averaged a little more than 2.5% a year overall). During the thick of it, the real estate industry was responsible, directly or indirectly, for 40% of all jobs created.

 That 40% contribution to job creation has, in the past 18 months or so, declined to about 13% of new jobs. It will soon be responsible for the bulk of job losses. In fact, a friend in the subprime business said that WMC Mortgage, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Electric, is laying off 35% of its work force, taking a $100 million charge and cutting back on its writing of loans.

But what's even more important, he notes: "They (WMC folks) are going to get rid of all 100% financing on all borrowers below 700 FICO. Also, (there will be a) 95% cap on first-time homebuyers. Now watch the home builders suffer."

A WMC spokeswoman declined to comment on what she called "speculation" about layoffs and said the company is currently adjusting the types of loans it makes and its guidelines for underwriting loans. As for the charge, she said there have been more requests than usual from WMC's investors asking that the company repurchase loans from those investors.)

This is a story with far greater ramifications than just for the subprime sector, and we need to keep that in mind. 

However, all these subprime mortgage defaulting in the USA has had no great bearing on the funding of Mexico Mortgages.  On the contrary we are seen more players coming into action, such as Scotiabank Mexico, and others more aggressively attacking the market with a variety of programs such as NO INCOME, NO ASSET VERIFICATION Programs, NO DOCS Program, LIGHT DOC. Programs, Construction to Permanent Financing, etc.

So, while GE Money is tightening their mortgage qualification terms by increasing their FICO score requirements, Scotiabank, the new kid on the block, has a 650 Credit Score requirement for both Americans or Canadians purchasing homes in Mexico.

Consequently, while some lenders will become more conservative in their underwriting guidelines based on the subprime mortgage crunch in the USA, others will want to, more aggressively, position themselves in the market.

In a nutshell, the subprime bankruptcies will decrease in the USA with the FED`s lowering of the prime interest rate, and the Mexico mortgage market will continue to grow!!!

This article courtesy of Enrique (Henry) Saldana, Mexico Mortgage & Real Estate Solutions Tel: (984) 109-2458   Cell: (984) 116-8528  http://enriquehenrysaldana.point2agent.com/, This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
http://creditoshipotecarios.point2agent.com/

The AMPI Riviera Maya President, Laura Zapata, informs everyone that the Mexico National Real Estate Day was celebrated yesterday. AMPI, Asociacion Mexicana de Profesionales Inmobiliarios de la Riviera Maya, (Mexican Association of Real estate Professionals of the Riviera Maya), is an organization dedicated to the professional development of realtors. At the national level this association has recently obtained through the Secretaria de Educación Publica, (Public Education Secretary), the professional license.  This means that now AMPI has succeeded in having an accredited course that allows real estate agents to take a course and test to receive a professional real estate license in Mexico.

Now there has been an actual course of study for real estate professionals called Técnico Superior Universitario en Comercialización Inmobiliario (Technical Superior College student in Real estate Commercialization).The study program for the career in real estate requires two years of schooling following high school.  It would be very similar to an Associates Degree in the United States.

Aspiring real estate agents will take the test called: Examen General de Conocimientos, (General Examination of Knowledge), the exam is an evaluation to assess the basic knowledge and necessary abilities that are needed for a professional performance and quality in the field of real estate.

"Now more than ever before", indicates Zapata, "is important to have controls and requirements for this profession. When dealing with clients it is the responsibility of the real estate agent to know the legal and tax aspects in order  to protect the client; but a university or associate level degree is not enough. We continued asking for a real estate license at the state level to be able to regulate the people who are dedicated to this profession.
AMPI Riviera Maya is very young in comparison with the 50 years that the National AMPI Association has been in place. This month AMPI Riviera Maya turns nine years old and we have obtained a lot in the region, but the work is far from over."

Zapata has just returned from the XXXVII National Congress of this association which for the first time was held on board a cruise ship that visited the most important zones of the Pacific coast of Mexico: Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and Los Cabos; at each location the AMPI affiliates in those areas welcomed them and gave tours of their real estate products. This was a very prestigious event and many VIP's were in attendance including several civil employees of the government of each area, municipal and state level. "The most important result of the congress was that in the General Assembly it was decided that the next location of the National Congress for 2008 will be the Riviera Maya.  It gives everyone with AMPI Riviera Maya great satisfaction knowing we al have been working for this a very long time," stated Zapata.

Zapata added, "we had the support of Javier Aranda, Ana Mari Irabien, Lenin Amaro. It is important that we had the recognition and support of the government since a Real estate Congress at a national level brings so much credibility to what we are doing here. It indicates that we have grown as an organization and we are ready not only to receive professional real estate people in Mexico but also at a global level.  It was very exciting for us when we learned the Riviera Maya was chosen because there was a lot of competition and it was a challenge. We know that this it is the moment for the Riviera Maya, the eyes of the world are looking here now for real estate. The objective of the congress is to make connections with real estate agents in order to attract more investors. I was surprised, how many agents still don’t know very much about the Riviera Maya or that had not ever visited thinking it is still somewhat of a remote 'fishermen's village'. For that reason it was important that we were given the chance to host next year's congress.  Now everyone can visit the Riviera Maya and see what it has become."

In 2007 there was an agreement reached and partnership formed between AMPI and the agents of the United States of America, National Association of Realtors (NAR), which is the most recognized organization of the world in this union. This year also marks the signing of another agreement with the national real esate organization of Spain and we have confirmed that the presidents of both organizations will be attending in the Riviera Maya next year."

If you would like more information about AMPI or becoming a member please contact Laura Zapata at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it or you can find her through the website www.ampirivieramaya.com

Your own Oasis in the heart of Paradise.... With its magical charm and casual chic atmosphere, it's easy to see how Playa del Carmen has become the stylish trendsetting destination for the worlds most discriminating buyers. Located in the heart of the mystical Mayan Riviera, this quaint, relaxing, cosmopolitan Caribbean village has much to offer. Imagine curling your toes in the beautiful white sands of the spectacular Caribbean beach clubs as your friendly Mexican server delivers a refreshing margarita. Browse the exclusive boutiques and dine in the gourmet restaurants on 5th Avenue. Enjoy the night life on 12th Street. Join us in the heart of paradise to discover the unique treasure that is Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Does Oasis 12 have security?  Altough Playa del Carmen is a safe place, 24 hour security personnel and cameras are provided.  When will the project be finished?  The project should be completed by Fall 2008. Are there grocery stores nearby?  The Wal-Mart Supercenter is located 2 blocks from Oasis 12.  How close is Oasis 12 to the 5th Avenue?  Oasis 12 is just 2 blocks from the famous 5th Avenue, Playa's main shopping street. You will find things from Mexican handy-crafts to designer boutiques, international gourmet restaurants, and bohemian night life just steps away from your suite.

How far away is the beach?  Playa del Carmen's beautiful white sandy beaches are just a 4 minutes walk from Oasis 12. There are a variety of beach clubs all within easy walking distance.

Lisgar Construction is one of Canada's most reputable construction companies has now teamed up with one of Mexico's most prestigious architectural firms. With 50 years of International construction experience Lisgar Capital S.A. de C.V. a division of Lisgar Costruction has now set its sights on setting the standard for quality luxury condos in Playa Del Carmen Mexico and the Rivera Maya.  You can see more information about OASIS 12 in Playa Del Carmen by visiting the site http://www.oasis12playacondos.com  or emailing This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

You can also reach Oasis 12 by telephone at USA (905)-487-8185 or in Mexico +(52)-(984)-803-5197.