International Living Magazine, with over 60,000 paid subscribers, has selected this Gulf coast as one of the 7 hottest real estate regions in the world that is easily accessible by plane or car.

Mexico, the wealthiest country in Latin America, offers a safe living environment and a high standard of living, all at reasonable prices. Combined with comparable levels of service and access to foreign products and franchises, North Americans and Europeans quickly feel at home.

The Gulf of Mexico coastline has developed into a summer hotspot over the past 60 years for residents of Merida.  They spend July and August on the coast when it is simply too hot to stay in the city.  This region shares few similarities with Playa del Carmen or Cancun where tourists pay inflated prices for everything.  You can enjoy the same type of lifestyle in the Yucatan as you do back home with all the added benefits of living in a tropical paradise. There is a rich cultural heritage, excellent beaches, outstanding natural beauty and a friendly local population. The Yucatan Peninsula is also a very safe place to live with a very low crime rate compared to any western country.

The climate in the Yucatan, its geographical location, low cost of living, enviable crime rates, cultural life, natural beauty and high quality of life are greatly appreciated and make it a very attractive and desirable area in which to live.  If health services are a concern, rest assured that in Mérida, an excellent group of doctors in different specialties are easily accessible in reputable hospitals.

Beachfront villas can be purchased at a fraction of the cost you would pay on Mexico’s Pacific side and in the Mayan Riviera.  Villas along the Atlantic coast of the U. S. are 3 and 4 times more expensive than those between Progreso and Telchac.   Restaurant meals and drinks are about ½ of what we pay in Canada. The area has many seafood restaurants along the boardwalk.  Fresh vegetables and baked goods are readily available in the local markets at a very reasonable price. Taxes, electricity and water are much less than in the rest of North America. The price of gas is regulated by the government and at this time is about one half of the price Canadians or Americans pay…about 9.70 pesos a litre.

The Yucatan features all the benefits of a large city with the magic of a small town.  Merida – the capital of the Yucatan - is centrally located with a highly efficient transportation system in place to reach any of the beautiful destinations.  With a population of 1 million people, Merida dates back 500 years; the oldest church in the Americas is located in the city centre.  There is a nice balance of the old and the new with wide tree lined boulevards and old colonial mansions.  The community exudes Mexican culture with plays and symphonies produced 12 months a year.  Progreso, the main beach, is only a 30 minute drive along a superhighway from Merida; Cancun and the Riviera Maya are less than 4 hours away; and you can travel to Chichen Itza - one of the 7 new wonders of the world - in only an hour-and-a-half.

Both Progreso and Chicxulub are small communities with 45,000 and 5,000 mainly Mayan inhabitants for 10 months of the year.  The populations grow considerably in the winter months due to Canadian and American visitors.  Mayans are passive, non-aggressive, friendly people who will always greet you with a warm ‘buenos dias’ when you pass their doorways.

The winter season has average daytime temperatures in the mid to upper 70s and drops to the high 60s at night.  Winter months make up the dry season so you can expect only a few days of occasional and brief rain showers.  May and June are hot months with highs reaching the high 80s to mid 90s while in July and August, daytime temperatures hover around 86-degrees and night time temperatures don’t fall much below the high 70s.  The temperature still reaches the mid 80s during the rainy season - September until November. 

If you desire to do business in the Yucatan… welcome; you have made the right decision.  The region is experiencing an unprecedented economic boom and forecasters expect the growth to continue for many years to come.  Business sector growth has in turn exponentially impacted property values.  This area of Mexico was recently featured as one of the top five real estate investments regions in the world by none other than the investor’s bible, “Fortune” magazine. 

The Yucatan… an exclusive paradise.  Everything you could ever want and need for an unforgettable living experience.

 http://www1.internationalliving.com/events/mexico08/ilpost.html