Today, I was reading this article from Yahoo about buying eco-freindly homes. According to the article, it’s a tough task with lots of work and obstacles. “It isn’t as easy as it looks,” is the first tip given. Have I missed something, or is it actually easier to buy an eco-friendly home down here in the Riviera Maya in Mexico? Down here, it is pretty easy. Let’s look at their points one by one:
Be ready to look (and look, and look).
Environmentally friendly houses and even neighborhoods that are sensitive to the environment are out there, but they are not as plentiful as you might think. Your search will require some patience.
Well within the Playa del Carmen – Tulum area alone, off the top of my head, I could list a handful of very nice eco developments (such as Holistika, Tulum, Sacbe Village and Los Arboles); I’m sure that one of them would suit the tastes of most eco-friendly buyers. It wouldn’t be so drawn out or complicated.
Be ready to spend. That is a big reason the 21st century isn’t yet full of solar-paneled houses built out of recycled steel and walls that are insulated with old denim jeans. These homes are expensive.
Well, I’ll admit that these homes are a little more expensive than similar non-eco homes in the area, but it’s a minimal difference. And, the homes are much nicer than what you’d get for the same price back in the U.S. or Canada (especially if compared to eco-homes there, apparently.) I’d say a very nice eco-home could be obtained for around $250,000 USD.
Be ready to build. Because eco-friendly homes aren’t part of the mainstream yet, you will probably have to hire a builder if you want a house that doesn’t rob resources
Building is certainly an option! However it’s by no means mandatory here. As I’ve said, there are eco-homes sold completed here. 
If you do choose to buy a lot and build (in Sacbe Village or Los Arboles, for example,) there are excellent options for builders who make the process easy, overseeing the process from drafting and planning to hanging the curtains. They also have online systems set up to make it very easy to monitor the progress and expenses.
The writer of that article is surprisingly pessimistic – and, maybe, up there it simply is that complicated.
But it’s encouraging that in Playa del Carmen real estate, and I’m sure many other markets around the country, it’s already quite easy, and becoming easier.
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Andy Welbourne, from London, Ontario, has been living in Playa del Carmen and working as a part of the team with Thomas Lloyd for 7 years. He has worked with many Canadians and Americans to assist in finding their dream home in the Mexican Caribbean; many of these clients have turned into great friendships. Contact Andy at (512) 879-6546. The TOP Mexico Real Estate Network; “Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely!†
Hoy leÃa un artÃculo de Yahoo news acerca de las “casas ecológicas”. Según el artÃculo, encontrar una “casa ecológica” no es tan fácil como deberÃa ser, existen bastantes obstáculos y me gustarÃa revisarlos con ustedes.
Primero: Debes estar preparado para buscar, buscar y buscar. La paciencia es un tema sensible en esto de las casas ecológicas. Porque aunque existen, hoy en dÃa sigue siendo difÃcil encontrarlas. Asà que primero que nada, prepárate para una larga búsqueda.
En los casos de los bienes raÃces en Playa del Carmen y Tulum este caso cobra cierta particularidad. Por alguna razón estas áreas turÃsticas han desarrollado una basta oferta de desarrollos ecológicos. Algunos ejemplos serÃan: Holistika (en Tulum), Pueblo Sacbe (en Playa del Carmen) o Los Ãrboles.
Segundo: Prepárate para gastar. Llenar tu casa con paneles solares y construir tus muros con acero reciclado, hoy en dÃa, significa dinero. Esta es la razón por la que las casas ecológicas no son nada baratas.
En el caso de Playa del Carmen y Tulum, esto no aplica del todo. Los precios de algunos de estos desarrollos ecologistas son realmente accesibles. Después de todo estamos hablando de casas en promedio de $250,000 USD, que en comparación a otros mercados, son verdaderamente baratos.
Tercero: Considera construir. Aunque ya existen desarrolladores que ofrecen casas ecológicas, siguen siendo la excepción. No hay mucha oferta, asà que considerar comprar un terreno y construir podrÃa ser tu mejor opción.
Asà como existen desarrollos residenciales ecológicos existen constructores enfocados a este mercado. Después de todo es algo hoy en dÃa en voga. En el caso de Playa del Carmen y Tulum, esto es toda una realidad. Bien, aunque el artÃculo pudiera parecer un poco pesimista de inicio, al final no sirve como guÃa de lo que debemos y podemos esperar cuando busquemos nuestra casa ecológica. Definitivamente es una buena lectura como punto de partida. www.topmexicorealestate.com la empresa lÃder en bienes raÃces en México.