Numbers do not lie. People can lie, brokers might not tell you all the truth, and even the developers can hide something from you, but if I have learned something during these past years as an investor is that numbers are always trustworthy. This is the reason why investing in real estate in the Riviera Maya is a great idea.
In the Riviera Maya, tourism numbers are on the rise and demand is getting past supply. Today, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Mexico is the 8th most popular vacation destination in the world, and Cancun and The Riviera Maya are the most popular tourism destinations in the country. Thus, buying property in this growing area has been very much proven to be a solid and smart investment strategy.
And how not to, this unparalleled region spans more than 80 miles along the turquoise waters of the Caribbean coast. Its weather is perfect, with 300 days of summer and an average of 85 degrees throughout the year. Its location south of the Cancun International Airport offers easy access for millions of annual visitors around the globe. It is home to award winning beaches and tourism hotspots such as: Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras, Akumal, and Tulum. To all that we add world-class shopping and dining, water activities, and unforgettable adventures we have as a result an incomparable magical place.
Investing in real estate in the Riviera Maya was very easy and quite affordable for my wife and I. When we started looking for a place to buy we realized all the advantages that the Riviera Maya has both for tourists and investors. This is why I want to share with you the reasons and benefits that make this region such a great place to invest.
A busy region
Like many of us, we first came to the Riviera Maya on a getaway weekend. So we experienced this firsthand. We rented online a very popular condo for the weekend and, during our stay, we started talking to some locals and expats. The condo was full and it was not high season. So we were wondering if there was some kind of event that we didn’t know about. They told us that the average occupancy rate is 85%, which we could confirm by then and we still can see it today. 85% it’s quite impressive even for a top vacation destination!
In the Riviera Maya, rental demand is high all year long, and future projections show continued growth, which is beneficial whether you intend to rent your property short or long-term. By investing in a rental property, you can enjoy the appreciation of your property’s value over time, while benefiting from monthly cash flows.
A top destination
When we landed at the Cancun International Airport
we were shocked to see how many tourists were arriving at the same time. It is
obvious that it is one of the most popular destinations in Mexico.
Hundreds of flights from all over the world come in
and out every day. As a result, more than 20 million passengers visit the
Mexican Caribbean each year. The Mexico Tourism Board plans to build on this
growth by the year 2021. The goal is to achieve 50 million international
visitors!
Cheap, cheap, cheap!
Although some people consider Playa and Tulum
expensive places, we realized the cost of living is quite low. I would risk
stating you pay about half of what you are used to in the U.S., Canada and
Europe. In fact, after President Trump was elected, the peso dropped by 15%.
This helped the tourism industry since the rates were a lot cheaper due to the
weaker currency. You can also expect to enjoy world-class shopping and fine
dining at a fraction of the cost you would pay anywhere else.
So, when we were there for the first time, we
started making some calls and found out that real estate prices in the Riviera
Maya are much lower than other top beach vacation destinations worldwide. As a
result, we were going to get a higher ROI and enjoy faster appreciation. And we
did!
On top of all, Mexico has extremely low property
taxes, which come in at around 1/10th of 1% annually.
Ideal
weather, incredible beaches and great activities
The tropical weather at the Riviera Maya is one of
the reasons we decided to invest. It is so warm and pleasant. When you come
down here, you will definitely meet some snowbirds and people running away from
the winter for a while. The weather is normally hot during each season; perfect
to enjoy the beautiful white-sand beaches and cool cenotes that run along the
coast.
Not many people know that the Riviera Maya is also
home to the world’s second largest barrier reef, habitat for an innumerable
number of marine species, so snorkeling, diving, world class water sports and
deep-sea fishing are very popular, along with a wide variety of other
entertaining options, such as exploring ancient Mayan ruins and swimming in
freshwater cenotes.
Fastest
growing real estate market
The world is filled with beautiful beach
destinations; nevertheless, the Riviera Maya has the most rapidly growing real
estate market in all of Latin America. Since the prices are much lower here
than in any other beach vacation destinations, you will have better value for
your money.
Great
ROI
The one thing we could prove in 18 months, which we
were a little skeptical is that investment properties here are beating the
stock market! Vacation home rentals are truly providing an average 8 to 14%
return on investment per year.
Strong
annual appreciation
In addition, the Riviera Maya has a constant annual
capital increase of 8 to 14% as well, with a continuous growth of the area
projected for the next decades (with projects like the Mayan Train or Amikoo,
which is the Maya cosmology themed park), which means real estate will continue
appreciating.
Modern
infrastructure
The Riviera Maya is very close to one of the best
airport and highway transportation systems. We noticed that because of this,
modern infrastructure and world-class amenities are present all the way south
starting from Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras, Akumal, and
Tulum.
If you are looking to invest in real estate, there
are many opportunities and variety in The Riviera Maya that will fit your
budget. It doesn’t mater the size of your investment, you can find studios, one,
two, and three-bedroom units, penthouses, lofts, entire buildings, residences,
single-family homes, and even commercial offices.
Playa del Carmen and Tulum are both trendy spots
based on opportunity, variety and great ROI, but I will definitely recommend
you to keep an eye on Puerto Aventuras and Akumal, two wonderful small towns
full of luxury and entertaining activities.