Andy Welbourne,  Broker By Andy Welbourne
2011-06-20

Since its humble beginnings as a fishing village on a sandy beachfront, within the past few decades Playa del Carmen has developed and transformed itself, almost on an ongoing basis, always offering new real estate possibilities and higher quality of life for expat buyers.  One of the most recent developments is the transformation of the south end of downtown, and the appearance of upscale Riviera Maya condos.

To understand this transformation, it is first necessary to understand a little of the background of Playa del Carmen’s growth over the past couple of decades.  As tourism first appeared in Cancun, the original fishing village on the beach first grew into a little town at a ferry port.  As tourism spread and Playa showed up on the international radar, this little town expanded northwards along the beach, first into an upscale condo area with a distinctly European flavour, then into a little working-class community.  As resorts and gated communities of new homes and condos opened on the Riviera Maya beachfront, growth of the town spread back away from the beach, where new subdivisions and malls appeared.

This all happened so quickly that all of the areas still remain in the process of development, even as new areas are opened to the west, away from the beach.  The only exception is the original town that grew around the fishing village; this now forms the south half of downtown and is the first of the areas to see significant re-development beginning.

The transformation being seen is that the original homes, many now in disrepair, and many original owners having moved north or west as the price of properties in the central area rose, are being replaced with new boutique hotels, elegant shops and upscale condo developments.  Although prices have risen according to the fishing-village standards of the past, prices are still low by international standards, especially since the new development is offering elegant condos, with multiple units in the space of what used to be one simple working-class home.

These Riviera Maya condos offer one of the best locations to be found.  They are a walk away from the beach, the Fifth Avenue shopping, dining and nightlife area, stores like Walmart and Office Depot, and much, much more.  They are also being offered with amenities like elegant rooftop lounges and pools, elevators, underground parking, spas and fitness centers.

What’s more, as more boutique hotels and nice international shops begin to replace the original homes, there is a very good likelihood that values will rise.  All signs seem to indicate that now is an excellent time to invest in the new image of downtown Playa del Carmen.

 

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