Vancouver and Beyond

Courtesy of www.canada2mexico.com
Featuring Darlene & Bill Jones from Comox,
British Columbia

We live in Mexico 4 to 5 months of the year. We started going south to escape the cold prairie winters. A couple of years ago we decided to invest in the property market in Mexico and we built
Bungalows Casa Ana. We purchased a lot close to the beach, and the adventure building in Mexico
and living through the construction process is something we will always remember. We chose the
resort town of Rincon de Guayabitos in the state of Nayarit for its’ wonderful beaches, small town feel,
lack of crowds and its proximity to Puerto Vallarta.

We feel we chose wisely as property values along the entire Nayarit coast have appreciated significantly during the past few years. In fact, we are delighted because during our first year in
business we were full for the entire tourist season!

Besides the wonderful weather, we love the camaraderie of the friends we have made, the exercise of body boarding, the food, the music, the margaritas… As, we are in Mexico part of the year only, we are able to enjoy the best Mexico has to offer and maintain the best of our home in Canada.

Of course we have faced some challenges, particularly when we were constructing the bungalows. Fortunately, we had a Mexican son-inlaw working for us and our daughter who lives in Mexico full time speaks fluent Spanish.

Now that the construction is complete, our life is much more relaxed and we enjoy spending our
winters in Mexico, visiting our daughter, and relaxing poolside at Casa Ana. We are learning Spanish and find each year that the town’s people speak more English so daily life is simplified. We still find it wise to be cautious in transactions, to check that the prices are correct and that the correct change has been given as some vendors and store staff will try to take advantage of tourists.

We always carry travel insurance and have had to use it for minor illnesses only. If you are visiting
Rincon de Guayabitos we highly recommend Dr. Lydia, in La Penita, but her English is a bit limited.
We recommend bringing enough of your medications with you, for the time you will be in Mexico. Medications are sold over the counter here, but they are not always the same dosage or prepared as we know them. For a major emergency, go to the San Javier Hospital which is located close to Wal-Mart in Puerto Vallarta. There are two new modern dental offices in town. We have not used them but we hear good things about both.

We have driven from Canada to Mexico, twice and we will not do it again only because it is such a long
drive. The toll highways are great–much easier to drive than the highways in the USA. Our advice is
to stick to the toll highways and find a hotel early to avoid driving in the dark. Local two lane roads
require patience and defensive driving skills, and an understanding that if someone tries to pass, can’t
make it, and has to cut in front of you, you let him in–don’t think the driver is cutting you off deliberately–it’s simply typical of Mexican drivers.

Truck drivers will often signal that it is okay to pass but don’t take their judgement as gospel. What
they think is a safe passing distance and what you think can be two different things. Also, if you have
to slow down suddenly or warn others of something on the road (e.g. animal, accident, construction)
put your four-ways on to alert the drivers behind you, a common practice in Mexico.

In four years of driving in Mexico, we have come to know the Guayabitos area well and know how to
drive there. We have only had one negative experience with the Transit Police in Guadalajara. The policeman said my husband had made an illegal left turn. He was going to take his driver’s license away but then said we could pay the fine on the spot and named a price. Don’t expect a receipt!

There are many things to love and enjoy in Mexico but after 18 years of visiting the country annually, we are always cautious in all our dealings as the fact remains, we are foreigners in a third world country. Living in Mexico is definitely less expensive than in Canada but prices are rising.

Depending on the life style you want, you can no longer expect to live on a shoestring. I would strongly advise anyone wanting to live in Mexico year round, to spend four to six months in the area of their choice before buying–go in the worst heat of the summer–June to October and if you can handle that, you’ll be fine.

Submitted by Darlene & Bill Jones from Comox, British Columbia. Darlene & Bill spend their winters in Rincon de Guayabitos, in the state of Nayarit with their daughter Leeme who lives there full time with her husband Gabriel, and manages Bungalows Casa Ana. Leeme and her husband, are expecting their first child, and have made the difficult decision to sell Bungalows Casa Ana so they can move to Canada so their child can be close to their grandparents, and be schooled in Canada. For more
information about Bungalows Casa Ana please contact Leeme directly by email at saanam@hotmail.com or by calling 011 52 327-274-3291.

Calgary Herald

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Canada2Mexico Consulting is offering a seminar with information about the growing real estate market in Mexico.

It covers everything from real estate in Mexico to visa requirements, with speakers including David Ingram, Canadian and Mexican taxation expert, and Luis Brasdefer, corporate and real-estate law expert and founder of Mexico Consulting.

Other speakers include Caren Cross, award-winning documentary filmmaker and director of Lost and Found in Mexico.

The seminar is slated for Sunday, Oct. 19, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Delta Bow Valley at 209 4th Ave. S.E.

Online registration can be made at the website, www.canada2mexico.com/registration, for $95 per person — with a discount for realtors and travel agents.

by Rick Cropp and, Barbara Braidwood
The Province

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Have you ever thought about owning a piece of waterfront property in Mexico or retiring there? The Canada2Mexico Retirement Seminar (www.canada2mexico.com) will save you hours of Internet research and answer the hundreds of questions you may have.

Subjects include the many options and benefits of buying real estate in Mexico for holidays or retirement, whether it is best to buy or rent, the pros and cons of coastal or inland lifestyles, medical and healthcare costs, documents and immigration, banking, cost of living and info on the treaties between Mexico and Canada that cover pensions, taxation and investment.

The event takes place on Oct. 18, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Simon Fraser University Harbour Centre.

In addition to the seminar, there is a free lifestyles exhibition where you can find people willing to answer specific questions. The seminar tickets start at $98 for a single ($120 at the door) to $185 for couples.

Mountain pampering

Head to Whistler this fall to relax and recharge. Indulge with Whistler Spa Escapes until Oct. 31 and take advantage of the Fall Spa Specials offered by nine participating spas. Plus, if you pay for your spa treatments with your Visa, you can get added savings.

For example, the Avello Spa and Health Club at The Westin Resort and Spa is offering a Fall Spa Special of 25 per cent off selected spa treatments. Pay with your Visa card when you indulge in an 80-minute massage and you’ll receive a complimentary Heavenly Milk Bath.

Have a look at www.whistler.com/ spa_escapes for details. Room rates start at $99 per night.

Famous house tour

The Hammer Museum in Los Angeles is exhibiting Between Heaven and Earth: The Architecture of John Lautner (1911-1994). Chances are you’ve seen one of his houses. At least two of them have been in numerous films. The most famous is the “Chemosphere,” which is a flattened sphere with wrap-around windows that stands high above a canyon on a single support.

The exhibit runs until Oct. 12. On that date there will also be a special tour of the 1963 Sheats/Golstein House. Tickets are $55 US.

See www.hammer.ucla.edu/exhibitions/139/ for details.

Britrail savings

You can save 20 per cent on a BritRail Consecutive Day Pass or a BritRail FlexiPass for travel between Nov. 1 and Feb. 28 when you buy it before Feb. 15. BritRail passes are not available in Britain and must be purchased before you leave home. Contact www.britrail.com or a travel agent.

Barbara Braidwood and Rick Cropp are Vancouver based-writers.

© The Vancouver Province 2008

Location: 135 Southland Drive S.E.
When: Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Email: canada2mexico@gmail.com
WebSite: www.canada2mexico.com
Taking a beach vacation to Mexico is one thing – moving there involves much more planning. Find out everything you need to know about investing or retiring in Mexico. At the Retire & Winter Seminars and Exhibitions you will access all the important information you need to make an informed decision about moving to Mexico. Come and hear our highly trained experts from Canada, the US and Mexico. You will learn about tax benefits for Canadians, legal matters to consider, health care issues, Mexican culture, real estate and more.
Remember, our exhibitors and speakers are there to give you the tools, resources and tips to make your investment or move to Mexico a complete success.

Toronto

Canadians Interested in Mexico Real Estate Opportunities Learn the Ins and Outs from Canada2Mexico Consulting

Customized for Canada, winter seminar series delivers keynote speakers and
ready-to-use information about the growing Mexico real estate market.

September 3, 2008 – For Canadians looking to benefit from the Mexico real estate opportunities now available, leading event-organizing specialists Canada2Mexico Consulting is inviting holiday-home buyers, baby boomers and retirees to what is set to be this year’s key event for Canadians looking to live part-time or retire in Mexico. Held over a week in October at three locations across Canada – Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto – the seminars will cover everything from real estate in Mexico to Visa requirements and more.

“Mexico is the top destination in the world when it comes to retiring and enjoying winter breaks, particularly for Canadians,” says Cecilia Ronderos, founder of Canada2Mexico Consulting.

“The reason for this is simple – Mexico offers first class healthcare at a fraction of the cost of its Canadian equivalent. Add in affordable beachfront properties, the abundance of opportunities for starting your own business and the genuine friendliness and warmth of the locals, and you can see why living or retiring in Mexico offers such an attractive prospect. Our seminars will help to make that prospect a reality.”

The Canada2Mexico seminars are now an annual event following their successful introduction in 2004. This year’s seminars see some of the foremost experts in Mexico’s investment, taxation and medical fields bring their expertise to answer any questions attendees may have.

• David Ingram – Canadian and Mexican taxation expert and media personality.
• Luis Brasdefer – Corporate and Real Estate Law expert and founder of Mexico Consulting.
• Caren Cross – Award-winning documentary filmmaker, director of Lost and Found in Mexico.
• Victoria Pratt – Formerly a resident of BC, who worked as public relations director with Mexico Boutique Hotels before entering the Mexico real estate field in 2004.

Offering an insider’s angle to the seminars will be Tom and Diane Barroll who moved to Mexico from Calgary in 2000. Owners of a successful property management business that was founded in Mexico, the Barrolls will offer their insight into why living or buying real estate in Mexico is the ideal step for Canadians planning for the future.

Rising house prices, an unstable economy and increasingly expensive medical and healthcare costs in Canada is changing the way many Canadians consider their future. The Canada2Mexico seminars will show why these same Canadians should look at buying real estate in Mexico.

Seminar Dates and Locations
• Vancouver
Saturday, October 18, 9 am to 5 pm
Simon Fraser University, Harbour Centre, 515 W Hastings Street

• Calgary
Sunday, October 19, 9 am to 5 pm
Delta Bow Valley, 209-4th Avenue SE

• Toronto
Saturday, October 25, 9 am to 5 pm
University of Toronto, 89 Chestnut Street

To RSVP and for more information about media trips to Mexico, please contact:
Laura Serena
Immedia PR
604.408.6511
laura@immediapr.com

About Canada2Mexico Consulting
Canada2Mexico Consulting is an independent company that organizes the annual Winter and Retire in Mexico Seminars and Exhibition, the largest event of its kind in Canada. The company continues to offer expert advice and help for Canadians who are looking to purchase real estate or retire in Mexico.

Further information about the seminars can be found at www.canada2mexico.com

Contact:
Cecilia Ronderos
Canada2Mexico Consulting
647.892.4052
cecilia@canada2mexico.com

Taking a beach vacation to Mexico is one thing – moving there involves much more planning. Find out everything you need to know about investing or retiring in Mexico. At the Retire & Winter Seminars and Exhibitions you will access all the important information you need to make an informed decision about investing and moving to Mexico. Come and hear the experts from Canada, the US and Mexico. You will learn about tax benefits for Canadians, legal matters to consider, health care issues, Mexican culture, real estate and more.

Remember, our exhibitors and speakers are there to give you the tools, resources and tips to make your investment or move to Mexico a complete success. (no time share are sold)

Dates & Venues:

Vancouver – Saturday, October 18, 2008 — Simon Fraser University, Harbour Centre
Calgary — Sunday, October 19, 2008 — Delta Bow Valley 209-4th Avenue SE, Calgary
Toronto — Saturday, October 25, 2008 — University of Toronto, 89 Chestnut Street
» REGISTER ONLINE » ENTER TO WIN A HOLIDAY FOR TWO

Program
We bring Mexico to you! We have the answers you are looking for about living, wintering and investing in Mexico. Get information about taxation; visas, immigration and real estate. Learn practical tips for a smooth transition to Mexico. Find out about Mexican culture; the people and their national heritage.

——————————————————————————–

Lifestyles in Mexico Exhibition
Free Admission – At this exclusive exhibition we feature Real Estate opportunities, Travel information and services, Spanish schools, Medical tourism and more. Learn about San Carlos, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, La Paz, Baja, Playa Del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Ajijc and Lake Chapala and other favourite destinations for snowbirds and retirees.

——————————————————————————–

Speakers
Canada2Mexico connects you to experts with up-to-the-minute detailed, information. Whether you have been at our events in the past, or this is your first time, you will get new perspectives with this year’s new speakers and experts. The Agenda will be posted on September 15th.

The Ottawa Citizen

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Re: We’ll stop vacationing in Mexico, April 26

I think it’s time people really took a good look at what the odds are of something actually happening to you when you are vacationing or living in places such as Puerto Vallarta.

First, comparing the risk to that of Costa Rica or the Dominican Republic, you need to consider that Mexico receives many more Canadian tourists than either of those countries, so the odds of something happening to a Canadian outside of the country will be greater in Mexico.

I’m an Canadian ex-pat. I feel much safer walking the streets of Puerto Vallarta than I do the downtown streets of my old hometown of Vancouver!

You need to take into consideration the chance you may be taking or situation you are putting yourself in, no matter what country you are in. If I’m going to walk the streets of downtown Vancouver at midnight, I’m taking a risk. If I’m going to go out and party all night, get very drunk, so drunk that I have trouble making my way back to my Vallarta hotel, I’m taking a risk. Compound that with the fact that I am in a foreign country, a third-world country with a legal system that is quite different than Canada’s, and I am actually not just taking a risk; I am being outright foolish.

Before you start writing off Mexico, please put it all into perspective. Mexico has proven to be a wonderful country to visit and to live for many Canadians. Mexicans are wonderful people, they have a beautiful country, and its a very safe place to live if you just live your life in the same way you would anywhere else.

John Youden,

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

© The Ottawa Citizen 2008

The Ottawa Citizen

Saturday, January 12, 2008

- Check out International Living’s retirement havens and quality-of-life lists. (Go to www.internationalliving.com)

- It helps to make a list of what’s important to you. What factors will allow you to enjoy a good lifestyle? Is it warm weather you’re after? What cultural and leisure activities are important to you? Is it important to be a short airplane trip from home? What kinds of communications do you need — Internet? Cable TV?

- Once you’ve chosen a prospective country, you’ll want to zero in on a particular area that offers those characteristics. Climate varies widely in a country as diverse as Mexico. The central highlands boast what the locals call “perpetual spring.” The north is hot and dry. The south coastal regions are hot and humid.

- Once you’ve selected a possible country, contact the embassy or consulate to ask about health care, education, property ownership and residency requirements, culture, taxes, special benefits for seniors and any other topics that are important to you.

- Spend time exploring the country and specific area you have in mind. What a great excuse for a vacation — “I’m scouting out prospective retirement places.” Do not buy property impulsively on your first trip.

- Consider political stability, climate, housing prices, cost of living, red tape and whether foreigners can own property. And talk to Canadians who’ve done it already. They’re your best source of information.

- To obtain more information about moving to Mexico, go to www.canada2mexico.com or contact the Mexico Tourism Board in Toronto at 1-416-925-0704, ext. 24. Montreal and Vancouver also have Mexico Tourism Board offices.

© The Ottawa Citizen 2008

Cancun

The Mexico Tourism Board’s Toronto office is partnering with consulting company Canada2Mexico to offer two days of seminars, workshops and exhibits for Canadians considering retiring to or spending extended stays in Mexico. The event will take place on October 27th and 28th in Toronto.

During the two day event, prominent guest speakers will cover topics relevant to living in Mexico including health, taxes and savings, visa strategies, residency issues, insurance and real estate investment. Participants will also join special guest Cary Mullen, Canadian ski Olympian and World Cup Downhill champion in his compelling presentation, “Why I changed Snow for Sand and the 44 Factors to Consider When Buying Retirement Property.”

“It is estimated that over 700,000 Canadian and U.S. residents have made Mexico their permanent or temporary residence,” says Cesar Castañeda, Director of the Mexico Tourism Board Toronto and Montreal offices. “Mexico’s easy access, the quality of its services, its infrastructure and the variety of available destinations, from colonial cities to charming sea towns make it the ideal destination for retirement and long-stay holidays,” added Castañeda.

Cecilia Ronderos, founder and president of Canada2Mexico added that tax benefits and quality healthcare in Mexico (for a fraction of Canadian prices) are two additional pluses to retiring or spending a winter in Mexico.

Weekend passes are $175.00. Couples’ discounts and individual day passes are available. For more information, visit www.canada2mexico.com

Last Updated: Friday, October 12, 2007 | 11:49 AM ET
CBC News
Canadians settling in to spend the winter in Mexico are revelling in the way the loonie is stretching further, allowing them to splurge on everything from groceries to winter homes.

‘For Canadians the high dollar and the flat market, if they’re interested — this is the year to buy.’
—Paul Hart, expatriatePaul Hart, a retired senior civil servant from Manitoba, said the power of the loonie — which was trading Friday morning at $1.0268 US — is allowing him to trade up and buy a bigger home at Lake Chapala in central Mexico.

“The loonie’s doing terrific! We’ve been coming down here about six years,” Hart said of the community with a large contingent of Canadian expatriates.

“When we first came down, the dollar was really low. We were getting as low as 5.6 pesos to the Canadian dollar and now we’re getting 10.8, so it’s just fantastic!”

Hart said Canadians considering buying real estate should cash in now with market conditions being highly favourable.

“The market here is also flat because it’s been somewhat overbuilt and the flat housing market in the States has really impacted sales here,” he said. “For Canadians the high dollar and the flat market, if they’re interested — this is the year to buy, this is the winter to buy I think.”

Realtor Trudie Nelson says she’s seen an influx of Canadians in the area since she moved down from Toronto a decade ago.

“It’s the largest community outside Canada for Canadians to retire now,” she said. “I think larger than the American market at Florida. It is a huge market.”

But Nelson cautions Canadians against purchasing real estate hastily, saying it demands a strong commitment on the part of the consumer to relocate.

Rent burden eased by loonie’s ascent
Barb Madren, formerly of Windsor, Ont., now rents lodging in the lakeside community of Ajijic, also in Central Mexico. She describes the loonie’s ascent as “sensational” and has taken to teasing her U.S. friends about the flagging greenback.

“My rent is in U.S. dollars which means I’m doing better,” she said. “I’m not paying as much rent as I was before.”

For years Canadians in the region developed a reputation as being typically tightfisted, Madren said, a stereotype bound to change with more Canadians expected to flock to the region.

“The first joke I heard when I came here from an American of course was, [what's] the difference between a Canadian and a canoe? A canoe tips. Can you believe?” she said.

According to a Statistics Canada first-quarter travel report, sun-seeking Canadians made Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Cuba the top three overseas destinations. Over half a million overnight trips were made to Mexico between January and March of 2007, up 24.6 per cent from first quarter of 2006.