Prudential Vallarta Blog

The Prudential Vallarta family extends congratulations to Sales Executive Marilyn Newman who wed Gary Amrine in Las Vegas August, 2011.

Elvis was not in the house!

We wish this wonderful couple the absolute best!

Salut!

Congratulations to Kim and Petr on their lot purchase in La Pechuga!

Prudential agent Nicole Martin says. ¨My sister and her husband had been looking all over the bay for months to find the perfect property to build their family home¨ ¨When we came across this lot high above Puerto Vallarta in a neighborhood known as La Pechuga, there was no doubt about it. This was to be the site¨

Thank you to Maria O¨Connor, general counsel of Tropicasa and her seller Dean Ross who were a pleasure to work with!

Coming soon………Ground Breaking Party!

Normally during Puerto Vallarta´s summer season most people would complain about issues like: lack of parking, slow moving traffic, beach clubs packed with tourists, common area pools hinting on shades of green and crowded grocery stores.

PV seems to be experiencing some growing pains again. This summer feels like it did before 911,  pre-swine flu, pre-negative economies, pre-bashing by the US media; We are busy! At Marina Vallarta there is an excess of cars parked along Paseo de la Marina the majority with out of state license plates. Some restaurants are closed during regular low season Sunday or Monday but establishments that are open might have large tables with groups of 6 to 10 and lots of kids and there is plenty of foot traffic to people watch!

The reality is that there has been tremendous support for our local economy by the Mexican nationals and it is evident in all the out-of-state license plates  we see. San Luis Potosi, Aguascalientes, Nayarit, Colima and Mexico City.

With up and coming events like the Pan-American games and next year the highly anticipated Tianguis Turistico Travel Expo 2012. The energy and excitement  in Puerto Vallarta is flowing thanks to our faithful Mexican National Tourists.

The Hotel and Real Estate deals that our US compatriots are not taking advantage of will be picked up by our Mexican contingency. Our northernmost neighbor´s, Canadians, especially British Columbians and Albertans are here now to grasp opportunity even though their summers are spectacular. Why? The are looking at all the deals that are available before the shift in the economy begins and the prices start to increase.

This article is courtesy of Prudential Agent Grace Ramirez 

By Marilyn Newman

Moving to a new home can be stressful, to say the least. Make it easy on yourself by planning far in advance and making sure you’ve covered all the bases.

1. Plan ahead by organizing and budgeting. Develop a master “to do” list so you won’t forget something critical on moving day, and create an estimate of moving costs.

2. Sort and get rid of things you no longer want or need. Have a garage sale, donate to a charity, or recycle.

3. But don’t throw out everything. If your inclination is to just toss it, you’re probably right. However, it’s possible to go overboard in the heat of the moment. Ask yourself how frequently you use an item and how you’d feel if you no longer had it. That will eliminate regrets after the move.

4. Pack similar items together. Put toys with toys, kitchen utensils with kitchen utensils. It will make your life easier when it’s time to unpack.

5. Decide what, if anything, you plan to move on your own. Precious items such as family photos, valuable breakables, or must-haves during the move should probably stay with you. Don’t forget to keep a “necessities” bag with tissues, snacks, and other items you’ll need that day.

6. Use the right box for the item. Loose items are prone to breakage.

7. Put heavy items in small boxes so they’re easier to lift. Keep the weight of each box under 50 pounds, if possible.

8. Don’t over-pack boxes. It increases the likelihood that items inside the box will break.

9. Wrap every fragile item separately and pad bottom and sides of boxes. If necessary, purchase bubble-wrap or other packing materials from moving stores.

10. Label every box on all sides. You never know how they’ll be stacked and you don’t want to have to move other boxes aside to find out what’s there.

11. Use color-coded labels to indicate which room each item should go in. Color-code a floor plan for your new house.

12. Keep your moving documents together in a file. Include important phone numbers, driver’s name, and moving van number. Also keep your address book handy.

13. Print out a map and directions for movers. Make several copies for friends or family who are lending a hand on moving day, and highlight the route. Include your cell phone number on the map. You don’t want them to get lost!

14. Back up your computer files before moving your computer. Keep the backup in a safe place, preferably at an off-site location.

15. Inspect each box and all furniture for damage as soon as it arrives.

16. Make arrangements for small children and pets. Moving can be stressful and emotional. Kids can help organize their things and pack boxes ahead of time, but, if possible, it might be best to spare them from the moving-day madness.

Marilyn Newman is a sales associate with Prudential California Realty-Vallarta Division.  She can be contacted at  marilyn.newman@prurealtypv.com .

At the beginning of the housing crisis, sellers turned to gimmicky tricks like YouTube love letters about their homes and burying St. Christopher’s figurines upside down in the front yard to try to move their homes off the market. These days, though, many sellers are getting smarter and more strategic, turning the transaction on its head to get buyers off the fence with a phenomenon called the reverse offer.

Usually, the buyer makes an offer for a certain price and on certain terms. A reverse offer goes in the opposite direction: from seller to buyer. In some cases, a seller whose home has been on the market for ages with lots of viewers, but no offers, may enlist their agent to go back and approach several or even all of the buyers who have come to see the property, and make an offer to the buyer. In other scenarios, the seller’s agent extends an offer to a particular buyer who has come to see the property multiple times and seems very interested, but has been hesitant to make an offer.

Reverse offers generally offer to sell the home at a price lower than the list price, and they often sweeten the pot by throwing in added incentives like paying some or all of the buyer’s closing costs, buying down the buyer’s interest rate, paying for HOA dues or fees or even throwing property like flat-screen TVs, cars or other valuables into the deal.

Here are 3 best practices for sellers making reverse offers:

• Give the buyers a short period of time to respond. The whole point of a reverse offer is to create urgency where the buyer currently feels none. Extend a reverse offer with the caveat that it is only good for a day or two, to push the buyers into moving quickly. Similarly, if you have extended the reverse offer to multiple buyers, let them all know that this is the case and that the first buyer to bite takes the house.

• Great candidates for reverse offers include sellers facing lots of competition. If your home is nearly identical to neighboring homes for sale at the same price, or you are struggling to position it competitively with foreclosures and short sales in the area, consider making a reverse offer. A proactive, reverse offer differentiates your house in the minds of home buyers and, again, creates urgency to act on the part of buyers who otherwise have so many homes to choose from that they feel they have all the time, choice and bargaining leverage in the world.

• If one buyer has viewed your home repeatedly, check in with their agent directly before making a reverse offer. Contact the broker for any buyers who have made more than one visit to your home, to inquire into what is keeping them on the fence. This will boost the likelihood of making a successful reverse offer by making sure the offer addresses the issues that have made buyers hesitant to pull the trigger.

Critics of the reverse offer express a concern that it may make a seller seem desperate. However, when you talk to home buyers on today’s market, their biggest beef is sellers who are unrealistic and inflexible, not sellers who seem overly motivated to sell.

No serious home buyer gets turned off by a seller who seems willing to go the extra mile to help them solve the problems that are stopping them from buying a home. Also, a reverse offer doesn’t have to chop tens of thousands off the home’s list price to work – a percentage point or two can often do the trick. In any event, sellers who extend a reverse offer don’t limit their options for responding to low-ball offers from the prospective buyer in any way; if the buyer senses desperation and comes back with a low ball offer, the seller can still take it, counter or leave it, just like they would have been able to do before making the reverse offer (but they end up with a buyer, which they didn’t have before the reverse offer).

I have been lucky enough to live in Puerto Vallarta Mexico for 11 glorious years since the impressionable age of 10. This is why I really do think I can give you an un “jaded” view of what it is really like to live inside those tall cement walls that also happen to have electric shock barbed wire, El Tigre Golf And Country Club.

I was 9 years old when my parents sprang LIFE CHANGING news that we where to be moving to Mexico for good. Now first of all, at such a young age when you hear the words “Mexico” you AUTOMATICALLY think of the desert, sombreros and men on horses shooting at each other. Maybe all those western movies you watch as a kid really do make you believe that life is actually like this. Well to my delighted surprise it was not! Beaches and jungles and food OH MY! When we first arrived to Puerto Vallarta we lived in Flamingos golf club, which is so different to anything id seen I couldn’t believe it. But to be honest with you at that age stick a pool in the middle of ANY country and you will be happy now add in the crocodiles that lay on the outer part of every little river on that course and I was ESTATIC (constantly asking my grandfather to take out on the cart to look for them, was my own version of Crocodile Dundee)

After moving from Flamingos we moved a few more times, To Nuevo Vallarta , Palmar De Aramara, Punta iguana, Marina Vallarta and finally moving from Marina Golf to El Tigre.  Having been included in the whole house building process made the moving a lot more exciting. Being allowed to plan your room decide what color paint etc etc was way too much fun for a 14 year old girl. Originally the plan was to build a duplex, my grandparents bought the piece of land next to ours so we would know we liked out neighbors no matter what! Sadly enough my grandfather died a few months before we moved in.

My experience living in El Tigre has been the most impactful that any of the latter moves. Pristine bright green grass where NEVER will you see a brown spot, constant security, being able to walk to your gym and if by the time you get there you are tired you can simply go sit in the Jacuzzi and just tell people you worked out. The life that people live inside those gates I honestly feel goes un- appreciated. If all your life you have lived in places like that one you will never understand the little things that make living there so amazing, Along with the BIG things as well.

Never coming from a “rich” family makes me appreciate my parents hard work and dedication to allow my brother and myself the opportunity to realize what you can achieve if you simply put your mind to it and work your tush off.  BUT now imagine if you lift El Tigre and place it 1 country away in Orange County for example. Do you have any idea the amount you must pay to live in places like El Tigre? Its insane.  This amazing community basically gives you the chance to live in style for a lot less then you would back home. So if you cant afford to live in a place like this where you live. Why not decide to invest and vacation this way instead? Because here’s what….If you do decide you want to show your children what hard work gets you. This is a way to do it that will not fail.

Jayme McSweeny is in a mentor program at Prudential Vallarta working aside Executive Sales Nicole Martin

Follow the everyday happenings on The Real Housewives of El Tigre on facebook page http://ow.ly/5MW8a 

First time purchasers in Puerto Vallarta make the same mistakes over and over again when it comes to furnishing a property.  Many come from colder, dryer climates but Puerto Vallarta is far from cold and dry.

We have new, modern highrises that rival Miami´s Brickell neighborhood and, yes, the units enjoy air-conditioning.   But part of Vallarta´s true charm is to be found in the older, rustic and superbly charming properties throughout downtown, including Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton´s old stomping grounds in Gringo Gulch, all the way to majestic Mismaloya Bay on the South Shore.  It is common among the latter mentioned to find homes/condos that do not have any doors or windows and are fully open to the Pacific Ocean and Sierra Madres.  You might ask ¨what about air-conditioning?¨ and I can respond:  fans and fabulous breezes!  Being in the real estate industry and discovering these older treasures reminds me why I live, love and enjoy being in Puerto Vallarta.

Puerto Vallarta´s growing population of Baby Boomers and national vacationers acquiring second homes has brought such a demand for home decor needs that many of Guadalajara´s large furniture stores have opened up locations to serve the Bay of Banderas.

Here are some tips on what you can do to maximize your pesos when it comes to decorating your Puerto Vallarta property:

1. HIRE A DECORATOR:  Interview various candidates and compare prices, attitude, and check references!   A relationship with a decorator is like a marriage and chemistry is a must. Decorators are accustomed to being interviewed and will respect your telling them that you are interviewing various candidates. Compare estimates and don’t hesitate to negotiate and be firm on your budget.  Many homeowners reside out of country so hiring the service is a must.  There are very reputable décor companies to choose from. The furniture selection/creation process can be done via internet and he/she can coordinate delivery and installation of all items/remodel/paint etc.

1. DIY (DO IT YOURSELF):  If time is not an issue, you could spend one full week in Puerto Vallarta checking out all that our wide selection of home decor shops have to offer.

1. RENTAL PROPERTIES:  If your property is going to be on the vacation rental market, beware! This is where a decorator’s expertise can come in handy as they spend most of their days furnishing properties that have a lot of traffic. Upholstery fabric, linens, and window treatments must be carefully selected using fabrics that can handle bright sun, and of course children, damp with salt water and sand!  What many homeowners will do is have separate sets of linens and slip covers for their own use.

1. CORROSION ON METAL:  Avoid furniture/drapery that has metal details. Corrosion is frustrating for persons living in the tropics. WD40 is used as frequently as toothpaste.

1. USING WOOD:  Tropical wood is fantastic, but termites share the same feeling.  If you must have wooden furniture, preventative fumigation is a must and recommended on a regular basis.

1. PLASTIC:  There is some fabulously funky modern furniture available that fits well with our modern skyscrapers. Remember that plastic needs to stay out of direct sunlight as it will slowly disintegrate sometimes bringing an odor similar to that of an armpit.

1. LESS IS BEST:  Anything you do, keep it to a minimum and don’t jump the gun feeling that you must furnish quickly. Some of the best pieces can be found over time, so keep it minimal and add furniture and splashes of color little by little. Making friends is a great way to get decoration ideas.  Other people´s homes can be inspiring and imitation is the finest form of flattery.

This article is courtesy of Prudential Executive Sales Nicole Martin who made her move to Puerto Vallarta in 1989.

Asociación Mexicana de Profesionales Inmobiliarios (Mexican Association of Real Estate Professionals By Marilyn Newman

At both national and local levels, A.M.P.I. represents the formalizing of a stringent code of ethics and procedures for the countries’ real estate professionals.  Local chapters are formed to serve the community in each region to insure that real estate clients will be aided by well qualified and experienced brokers and agents.

Vallarta is proud to have three such chapters in the region, comprised of A.M.P.I. Vallarta, A.M.P.I. Riviera-Nayarita and A.M.P.I. Compostella.  These three organizations have been working together to bring a higher level of professionalism to the industry by the coordination of continuing education courses, community service projects and oversight.

Each Association meets monthly to provide area realtors the opportunity to network and be informed of changes and topics relevant to their real estate markets which has recently included a change in the MLS Vallarta system.  While it isn’t mandatory that an individual be a member of A.M.P.I., those who are can be counted on to conduct themselves and their brokerages in a professional and ethical manner through the guidelines brought forward both nationally and regionally.

Marilyn Newman is a real estate consultant with Prudential California Realty-Vallarta Division. She can be reached at marilyn.newman@prurealtypv.com.

Many real estate agents ask why they should belong to an Association.  Their question implies, what can it do for me?  If we make just a little mind shift and see it as not outside of ourselves, but as an integral part of who we are, we can see that what we do for an Association, then we do for ourselves.

What do you want from your Association?  Professional Status, Code of Ethics and Conduct, Oversight and Professional Growth are just a few of the benefits one can receive. Those who choose to stay outside of the Association must “prove” they possess these qualities and attributes individually and with every client and contact; those who qualify to join the Association receive this “proof” as part of their Association benefits.

If you don’t need or want any of the previously mentioned benefits, then an Association might not be for you. But, if you want to work with other like-minded professionals and want to be seen as someone who belongs in this profession, maybe it is worth the time and money to join.

Marilyn Newman is a real estate consultant with Prudential California Realty-Vallarta Division. She can be reached at marilyn.newman@prurealtypv.com.

Home owners in Puerto Vallarta live with different bugs than many cities in the US and Canada due to our fabulous tropical climate year round. Getting used to this difference is sometimes challenging but many have made the move south of the border and truly have enjoyed it.

During the rainy season which starts mid-June ending in October, every day holds a new adventure. The first rain brings new creatures many harmless and some potentially dangerous and knowledge of these bugs can make your lifestyle easier and let you sleep at night with confidence. During the summer months, you can see a variation in the bugs and it can be fascinating especially the ones that glow in the dark or the jolly Mayates (June Bugs) that can drive one crazy with their antics

Condominium owners usually have a preventative fumigation plan in place by their HOA fumigating once a week inside their unit and common areas. This is to control mosquitos and roaches.

Homeowners depending on where the house is located whether it be jungle/downtown/beachfront/golfcourse/canalfront will each have a different method of prevention. Many of our fabulous homes in the Bay of Banderas have Palapas! These are wonderful to look at but house many critters and need fumigation.

Keep in mind, many chemicals are toxic and an expert should be hired. Many homeowners now that Puerto Vallarta has super stores purchase their own spraying machine and prefer to do it themselves. I suggest asking your realtor if he knows of a reputable fumigator he/she can recommend.

Pets and your neighbors Pets! Be very careful if you are going to fumigate without the help of a professional that you are familiar with the chemicals you choose to use always moving animal food dishes out of harm’s way and keeping your furry friends well away from chemicals for a determined period of time.

Here is an informative site by Puerto Vallarta resident Biologist Petr Myska to familiarize yourself on who will be your neighbors if you choose to have a home in the fabulous tropics!

This article is courtesy of Executive Sales Agent Nicole Martin who looks forward to the summers where never is there a dull moment in the Bay of Banderas. Be good to Bugs!