When Dick Peterson, who sells custom yachts in

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R E A L E S T A T E Judy Kenninger Down Mexico Way Finding a dream home south of the border as exciting as ever with the release of six resort-style communities.

pool with his wife, doing nothing most of the time. He was wrong. There s so much to do here, I need a break after vacation, he says with a laugh.

1 R E A L E S T A T E Judy Kenninger Down Mexico Way Finding a dream home south of the border as exciting as ever with the release of six resort-style communities. When Dick Peterson, who sells custom yachts in San Diego, bought a new vacation home at Bahia de los Sueños in Baja California Sur, Mexico, he expected to laze around the pool with his wife, doing nothing most of the time. He was wrong. There s so much to do here, I need a break after vacation, he says with a laugh. We love the ocean and outdoors fishing and diving and hiking. With a new Tom Doak-designed golf course open for preview play, Peterson predicts he ll be even busier. The course is just incredible, he says. 52 = May 2010

2 But what makes Peterson s new home more special to him is its location. I just love the culture of Mexico; I ve been coming here since I was 9, he says. That affection for Mexican culture along with great value for the investment is leading many other Americans and Canadians to buy vacation homes here, too. Making it easy for part-time residents are planned developments that include all the amenities pools, fitness centers, golf courses, etc. along with property management services to maintain and possibly rent your residence when you re not there. Here, STRATOS profiles six developments that make it easy to own in Mexico. Beautiful in Baja One destination that has proved popular is Baja The iconic arches of Los Cabos, located at the southern tip of Baja California Sur. California Sur, with active developments centering around La Paz and Los Cabos. Nearly 1,000 miles from the United States border, the area is relatively free of the violence in other parts of Mexico that has grabbed headlines, but still a short flight from many U.S. cities. Bahia de los Suenos, where Peterson owns, is a 4,300-acre planned community 35 miles southeast of La Paz and 100 miles northeast of Cabo San Lucas. The property is on a peninsula, which creates unique elements, says Paul Jennings, President of PCS Development. With water on three sides, the temperature stays more moderate, and we have six and a half miles of beachfront. Planned for the bay of dreams are 600 custom homes (on lots ranging from 1/3 acre to more than three acres and priced from $300,000 to over $6 million) and 450 casita-style residences, the Tom Doak-designed 18-hole golf course, a luxury spa and hotel, a private airport, and boutique commercial centers. Everything seems to be coming together as more than 50 home sites have been purchased, about a dozen homes have been built, and the golf course just opened for preview play with a grand opening scheduled for this fall. We gave Tom a clean slate to design the course, Jenning says, meaning there were no parameters as far as working around the real estate. Ironically, what he created is a course that adds to the real estate. While most of the custom home sites overlook the water, many of the casitas will abut the course, which incorporates rocky ridges, Cardón cacti and wide vistas of the Sea of Cortez. The vacation home Scot and Karen Barker, recent retirees from Colorado, built in Puerto Los Cabos, located just outside San Jose del Cabo, has rapidly become a true second home. We re both active in local philanthropic projects that help students with scholarships and plan to be active with the Humane Society, Karen says. One of our favorite pastimes is to visit San Jose to watch the Mexican families celebrate the holidays with music, dances, and carnivals. We like to end our evenings on Thursdays with a stroll through the Art District, sip the wines and meet the artists who bring a wealth of knowledge about their work and Mexican life. That s exactly what developer Eduardo Sanchez Navarro of Grupo Questro intended. Residents have the opportunity to get involved in a more authentic Mexican experience, he says. The experience also includes plenty of creature comforts as this 2,000-acre planned community offers three miles of private beachfront, Mexico s largest private marina, Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus signature golf courses and an assortment of amenities for owners, including an activities center, beach club, walking trails, gardens and concierge services. More than 250 homes have been built, with lots ranging May 2010 = 53

from $195,000 to $15 million, depending on location and view. The Barkers new home is typical here as it s a traditional hacienda with Mexican tiles and courtyards.

Our master bedroom was placed right up front so we can witness the spectacular sunsets and wake up to the whales skimming along the surface of the sea.

3 from $195,000 to $15 million, depending on location and view. The Barkers new home is typical here as it s a traditional hacienda with Mexican tiles and courtyards. What catches your eye right away is the beautiful view of the Sea of Cortez, says Karen. You see four different topographies: The sea, the golf course, the desert and the mountains. Our master bedroom was placed right up front so we can witness the spectacular sunsets and wake up to the whales skimming along the surface of the sea. Just outside La Paz is Costa Baja Resort and Marina, 550-acre planned community with homes priced from $650,000 to about $4 million, plus a boutique hotel, spa and a 250-slip marina. The newest amenity, set for a November grand opening, is the Gary Player-designed golf course and the clubhouse. Fourteen holes overlook the ocean; the views are spectacular, says Alejandro Yberri, CEO of Costa Baja. Jim and Marlene Fletcher, semi-retired investors from Seattle, Washington, eagerly await playing the new course, although they ve found plenty to do since buying a luxurious, 3,100-square-foot condo here five years ago. We enjoy everything from water skiing, boating and snorkeling to tennis, Jim says. There are so many things you can do, and the environment is conducive to an active lifestyle. Residents can boat to nearby Isla Espiritu Santo. It s one of the greatest marine reserves in the world, along with the best sport fishing in all of Baja Sur, Yberri says. Local explorations also include the city of La Paz. It s a 400-year-old Mexican city, Yberri says. Tourists are welcome but they don t dominate life. The town is a big attraction for the Fletchers, who love to watch the local families strolling the Malecon. It seems like there s a celebration every week, Marlene says. Although the Petersons, Barkers and Fletchers were attracted to quiet communities, Brian Jessel, a BMW dealer from Vancouver, British Columbia, wanted to be in the center of the action. At the Hacienda Beach Club and Residences, a 22-acre beach club and residential community, steps from downtown Cabo San Lucas, he is. Located on 1,600 square feet of Medano Beach, Hacienda consists of 109 homes with three distinct styles: two-story detached beachfront villas, attached resort residences and penthouses atop four- to six-story buildings. Prices start around $750,000. When it comes to activities, Jessel also take a different approach: I m in a group that prides itself on doing nothing, he says. We like just going to the beach or boating. Upon further conversation, Jessel s affinity for Mexico is clear as he recalls coming here frequently since Ricardo Ramirez, the community s general manager, says that s usually the case among buyers here. People love the Planned for Bahia de los Suenos, or the bay of dreams, are 600 custom homes and 450 casita-style residences, a Tom Doak-designed 18-hole golf course, a luxury spa and hotel, a private airport and boutique commercial centers. 54 = May 2010

culture and the Mexican people, he says. They re very hospitable and friendly, and you become emotionally attached very quickly.

available for fishing or cruising, and local restaurants. Yucatan Experience Across the continent, Mexico looks quite different as the Yucatan jungle landscape contrasts with desert vistas.

She and husband William spend 10 to 15 weeks a year at La Herencia Residence Club at Tres Rios, an eco-conscious resort in Playa del Carmen, about 45 minutes south of Cancun.

4 culture and the Mexican people, he says. They re very hospitable and friendly, and you become emotionally attached very quickly. A full-service spa, two restaurants and the beach club means that residents find plenty to do on property, but most want to explore the area, including the nearby marina, where charter boats are available for fishing or cruising, and local restaurants. Yucatan Experience Across the continent, Mexico looks quite different as the Yucatan jungle landscape contrasts with desert vistas. What remains the same is enthusiasm for the local culture among buyers. We just love the people here, says Francine Crowley, a retired Treasury Department official who lives in Nokomis, Florida. She and husband William spend 10 to 15 weeks a year at La Herencia Residence Club at Tres Rios, an eco-conscious resort in Playa del Carmen, about 45 minutes south of Cancun. We have been all over the world, and as we get older we wanted a place to escape to, she says. Here, we have restaurants and nightlife, archeology, and the resort itself is breathtakingly beautiful. Keeping that beauty intact is developer Orlando Arroyo, who restored the 326-acre nature park that s home to the resort. Our goal is to be a zero-emission resort, he says. We are creating a program to compensate for our electric use in the facility we are very serious about this. Testifying to his commitment are the many awards the resort has earned, including being named as Mexico & Central America s Leading Green Hotel 2009 by the World Travel Awards. Because the residence club is part of an all-inclusive resort, owners, who purchase fractions of four weeks or more (priced from $280,000), can choose from their meal plans, from none to all. Other amenities include a yacht club and an equestrian center. We have 48- to 70-foot yachts, Arroyo says. It includes captain and crew, somebody to be a bartender, and food. They can take you places you wouldn t otherwise be able to go, all over the Riviera Maya. Even it with all that, it s the people who make the resort special, Crowley says. They can t do enough for us, she says. We are so pleased we bought here. David Boyle, a sales director from Albany, New York, his wife and four sons now make their home at Yucatan Village and Resort, an 800-acre exclusive residential resort and golf community in Merida, Mexico. Near the famous Mayan pyramids of Chichen Itza, this $180 million project combines custom home sites (from $140,000-$600,000) and luxury homes with athletic instruction from some of the most famous names in sports. Welcome home to Puerto Los Cabos, a 2,000-acre planned community with three miles of private beachfront, Mexico s largest private marina, Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus signature golf courses and other amenities. May 2010 = 55

Located on 1,600 square feet of Medano Beach, Hacienda Beach Club and Residences consists of 109 homes with three distinct styles: Two-story detached beachfront villas, attached resort residences and

5 Located on 1,600 square feet of Medano Beach, Hacienda Beach Club and Residences consists of 109 homes with three distinct styles: Two-story detached beachfront villas, attached resort residences and penthouses atop four- to six-story buildings. The concept is called Signature Academies, state-of-theart facilities that include the Jack Nicklaus Academy of Golf (including El Jaguar, a 7,282-yard Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course), Mark Spitz Swim Academy, Signature Soccer Academy, Signature Fitness Academy and a tennis academy. Our main goal is that the people who live here will have their children out of the home, being active, says Roberto Kelleher, the vice president and CEO. Everything revolves around sports. Merida, the capital of Yucatan, is 550 years old and considered one of the safest places in Mexico. Its close proximity to the beautiful beaches of Progreso allow for residents to enjoy both ocean pleasures and the cultural extravaganza of a true colonial Mexican city. There are a lot of cultural activities here, Kelleher says. The quality of life is very high. Boyle agrees, saying that his entire family loves living here. There are so many social events; it s easy to make new friends, he says. = Details BAHIA DE LOS SUENOS Bahia de los Suenos, Baja California Sur...(866) COSTA BAJA Costa Baja, Baja California Sur...(866) HACIENDA BEACH CLUB AND RESIDENCES Los Cabos, Baja California Sur...(800) LA HERENCIA RESIDENCE CLUB AT TRES RIOS Playa del Carmen, Yucatan...(52) PUERTO LOS CABOS San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur...(877) YUCATAN VILLAGE AND RESORT Merida, Yucatan...(52) = May 2010

Beachfront properties Where to look and some tips to keep in mind

Beachfront properties Where to look and some tips to keep in mind Top Mexico Real Estate 1 A quick note about this kit Owning a beachfront property is not for a few lucky people you too can afford a nice