Tag Archives: neighborhood

House Sitting in Mexico

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I’m sure you have heard stories of folks who come down on vacation and return having purchased real estate.  And then there are folks who sign a long-term lease and move a container full of furniture. But maybe for you, the idea of living in Mexico is elusive. You wish moving down here but cannot pinpoint the best place for you.

The good news is that there’s an easy way to explore your options about moving to Mexico, and it happens to be free. It’s called house sitting and it’s a very good way to explore your options for a move to Mexico. Instead of a hotel, house sitting allows you to stay in a “real” home, similar to what you might consider for yourself when you move. You can stay there long enough to see what it’s like to live there, while you are informing yourself, meeting people, exploring various neighborhoods and forming your own opinions about the town.

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House sitting is typically a no-cash exchanged relationship in which a sitter receives a place to stay in exchange for keeping the home occupied while the owner is away, plus other responsibilities as required.  In this “win-win” relationship, house sitters have an opportunity to see what daily life is like.  Typically the homeowner introduces their house sitter to neighbors and friends, so there are people to get to know, and opportunities to benefit from their experience, plus enjoying the lower cost of living of their new host country.

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If you want to know more, there is a website that brings homeowners in Mexico together with people like you who might want to house sit for them. It’s www.HouseSitMexico.com and easy to use, highly functional website that offers two types of interactive maps of Mexico (helpful as you get to know the country), sophisticated search capabilities, private messaging and email updates of new house sitting opportunities.

If you want to learn more about house sitting, visit the HouseSitMexico website and contact them for more information.
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Neighborhoods of Playa del Carmen – Zona Diamante

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El Camaleon

Playa del Carmen is growing at an amazing rate. In 10 short years it has transformed from a small fishing village into a bustling city, with a growth driven by all the locals and expats returning and relocating to the area.

This is why I have decided that every few weeks I will choose a Playa del Carmen neighborhood and let you know what you can expect living in that area.

For our first neighborhood I have chosen the Zona Diamante, which is spread between the Grand Coral Resort and the Selvamar Residences, with easy access to the Cancun – Playa del Carmen highway.

It’s located just 15 minutes away from downtown Playa del Carmen, and is a fast growing area made up of several gated communities with condos, family homes and a condo hotel.

Prices in this area start under 100,000 USD, making this area perfect for all stages of life, whether you are looking for a starter home or the perfect place to retire.

Grand Coral

Grand Coral

If you are looking for an investment property, Zona Diamante can fit those needs also. The Fives Luxury Condo Hotel is located right on the Xcalacoco beach, and is a great option for investment, especially if you’re looking to avoid all the hassle of managing a property yourself.

The Fives will look after all of the maintenance of your investment property and even find tenants to rent it.

Xcalacoco beach, which had been previously named as #5 in the top 25 beaches in the Riviera Maya, is the closest to all the communities located in the Zona Diamante.

It is still partly untouched, but offers a wide range of activities. Those who crave adventure can try their hand at jet-skiing, parasailing or even the ever popular jet powered hover boards.

For something slightly more relaxing, Xcalacoco beach offers scheduled fishing trips with seasoned fishermen who will take you to the best fishing spots, depending on the season.

If these activities are not for you, there is always the option for a relaxing massage on the beach where you can listen to the ocean rolling up and feel all the tension ease away. Or you can just sit back and enjoy a refreshing cocktail (or 2) at one of the beach clubs.

If you don’t feel like driving or taxiing into downtown Playa del Carmen to have a few sociable beverages or to enjoy a meal, Zona Diamante can accommodate you.

You can try one of the laid back restaurants and bars on Xcalacoco beach like Coco Cabanas which offers both European and Mexican cuisines and is well known for their pizzeria.

Another choice is the Petite Lafitte, which is a quaint bungalow resort that offers a range of seafood dishes.

The open front bar & grill allows you to sit back and enjoy your cocktail and meal while soaking in the sun, sand and sea.

Petite Lafite

For a more special evening out in Zona Diamante there is Le Reve Hotel & Spa, which is a beachfront boutique hotel that offers a gourmet menu and wine from their own cellar.

The menu includes a selection of cut meats, poultry and fish, along with freshly caught lobster from the Caribbean Sea.

When you have had enough of lounging around on the beach and at the beach clubs and are looking for a change you can visit the famous Nick Price Golf Club, located just 5 minutes away in the Grand Coral Resort, or try out the Mayakoba Golf Club, the El Camaleon, which was designed by golfing great Greg Norman.

Related: Snowbirds Beware: Mexico has Perfect Year Round Golf

It hosts many golf tournaments big and best known for the OHL Classic yearly tournament.  It doesn’t matter if you are not a golf pro or have never even swung a golf club, because the Mayakoba has a state of the art Jim McLean Golf School.

With private lessons on offer your golf skills will improve in no time.

And remember, here at Top Mexico Real Estate…

We make it happen!

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Life around Xel-Ha Park – Being Part of an Eco-Friendly Community Pays Off!

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It’s no secret that Riviera Maya is the closest thing to Paradise! There’s no doubt or question of that, and there’s also no room for doubt that we, as its inhabitants are the ones with the power to change it for better or for the worse. Having said that, I am very happy to say that I am particularly aware of the nature and special environment that my family and I live in and  do my best to keep my mind and actions as eco-friendly as possible.

I’ve never disguise my preference for this park (as well as all the other parks belonging to the Experiencias Xcaret group) for different reasons. I love the fact that you can spend all day enjoying the inlet with many water activities, eat delicious food, learn about the delicate eco-system existing within the area and snorkeling in the water’s larger natural aquarium.

Xel-Ha De Oro; environmental sustainability for visitors and the community!

Last Saturday was an exceptionally special day for Xel-Ha Park as well as the Tulum and Chemuyil community.

We were invited to the press conference in which the park was being awarded with the EarthCheck Gold Certification for its environmental policies and efforts in this natural reserve.  There we we also learned about the work that they have been doing with the neighborhood community of Chemuyil.

It is necessary and worth mentioning that Xel Ha first attained the EarthCheck Silver Certification in 2009, being the first park in the world to have ever to gotten this kind of recognition.  They have steadily maintained this status for 5 years which has driven them to achieve this new level of Gold Certification.

The most valuable asset to this event was not only the scenery (which of course is to die for) but the tour around the village of Chemuyil, to the parks recycling center and the plant nursery.

In Chemuyil, the outstanding efforts include a baseball field, a library and a clean façade program in which Xel-Ha gives away the painting materials and colors, and Chemuyil’s residents make a compromise to keeping their homes clean and spotless façades.

For me, the library was one of the biggest hits because as a result of the educational efforts, all of the community residents are alphabetized. Isn’t it wonderful?!

Keeping it clean and green!

The recycling center was a revelation to everyone on the tour because basically, about a 75% of the disposable waste generated within the park is actually recyclable (they call it “Valuable Material”). The entire Xel Ha family and the Chemuyil community are involved in these programs as well. At the plant nursery, about 50,000 plants are planted every month and then transported to different places around the country.

Maintaining this beautiful place is not a business, it is a true labor of love for the beauty and nature surrounding us. There are generations of families working at the park for more than 15 years now, from fathers to sons and nieces and nephews; everyone’s involved.

Why is this so cool?

Xel-Ha Park is located between two of the most tight and eco-friendly communities in Riviera Maya, which are Akumal to the north and Tulum to the southern end. Both are strong and its residents are pretty much hands-on with environmental issues, whether is with the different sea turtle conservation programs or community wellness centers.

So, if you happen to be living in Tulum and want to watch the programs and community efforts done by Xel-Ha nearby, just do your homework and research and get in touch with any of the non-profit organizations they support or look for others within the area. Let´s keep our home as the natural wonder that it is!

-By Bea Lozano