There is
a new kind of buzz in PV today… The season is coming!

Just
when we are feeling the air start to cool off, the humidity drop to a more
bearable degree and only need two showers instead of four a day….we know it is
coming!

The streets
are starting to get busier, the restaurants are opening again and the hotels & airlines report increased bookings. Local news media tell us the airport is
seeing full flights back on schedule and the prognostic looks good.

So why
Vallarta? November has to be one of my favourite months of the year here. The
foliage and mountains are still a radiant green after the rains but we no
longer have to run for cover fructose afternoon storms. The ocean is still
temperate and great for swimming in. The town has a fun buzz of anticipation
but pools, beaches, restaurants and streets are still calm enough to enjoy.
Just as it’s getting darker, gloomier and colder in other parts of the world we
are about to experience our finest months… 

That’s what’s so great about Puerto Vallarta right now! Come here and see for yourself…

I am often asked what the
healthcare is like here in Puerto Vallarta. Having had my daughter here
locally and an operation to remove my tonsils I have firsthand experience! The
answer actually is that it is top notch. Of vital importance to any destination
with travellers from other parts of the world is access to health care and we
certainly have that.

Vallarta has 6 private
hospitals in the area, the newest being Amerimed just by the Marina on route
from town to the airport. We boast almost 2000 physicians, many of whom are
fully bilingual. Every speciality can be found (all except a rheumatologist but
hopes are we’ll get one soon!) Also impressive is the number of tests and exams
that can be performed locally.

If you consider the array offered, also consider the prices, substantially
lower than in the US. For example I have been told that a simple colonoscopy
can cost up to $4000USD in the States. Prices here for the same procedure are
under $5000 pesos with everything included. X-rays and MRIs are triple the cost
in the States and here you can collect the results immediately or at least
within 24 hours.

The new Amerimed has a laboratory on site offering discount cards to
repeat patients and you can keep the results yourself.

Also important is the time scale. With little to no wait for
consultations and labs it really does make a difference. No need to referrals,
you can go direct to the specialist.

However, it is important to get good advice. Luckily, Vallarta also has
a Health Care Resource specialist, Pamela
Thompson, whose office is next to
the lobby in the new n. She can help guide you if you’re new to PV or if you
have a special diagnosis and need assistance to find the right kind of support
here locally. You don’t need to put off Vallarta for medical issues or for fear
of not receiving adequate treatments, it’s all right here, ready and waiting.

Visit the Health Care Resources Puerto Vallarta website for more information.  http://healthcareresourcespv.com/ 

The price of beachfront land need not always be prohibitive for buyers. Recent sales in the hotel zone and in Mismaloya show 1 bedrooms just over $100,000 USD for a well appointed furnished ocean view unit with views.

The drawback of beachfront is that most of the units have higher monthly maintenance fees in the complex due to additional charges for the concession of the federal zone beachfront access and due to the need to paint/seal/sand/varnish/waterproof and replace oxidized materials at a greater rate than inland property.

The views are straight out to the ocean and you might be lucky enough to see to north or south sides of the bay (or even both!).

Buyers tend to ask how safe views are and although I never like to say never, your best bet for ‘never’ having your view blocked is beachfront. However, the interiors of the unit, especially any mirrors, wood, paintwork and metal need frequent treatments and more frequent replacement as their life span is less given the salt breeze that does take its toll.

I’m pretty sure that the positives out weigh the negatives as you\’re lulled to sleep at night by the waves, have beautiful ocean view sunsets all year round and take morning strolls along the sand….

Check out these stunning beachfront options:

Icon Vallarta
La Jolla
Albatros

Many of us have heard all the rumblings about Philippe
Starck and his outlandish design concepts but what it is like to live in Icon Vallarta!?
I asked one of its residents what she thought about all the hype and whether it
lives up to the dream…

On arrival to the complex, the friendly security guard takes
note of your name and calls through to the concierge of the tower to alert the
resident of my arrival. Driving in, I am presented with a valet parking
attendant who carefully and courteously drives my vehicle away. 

Each tower has
a concierge desk with bilingual helpful staff on hand.  The first impression is a wow. The large
sculptures, the long pool, the beach and restaurant below, the glass library,
the well stocked bar and gym. The elevator opens up into the unit itself with a
private code and up on the 20^th floor the view is wide and
wonderful. 

Her experience has been nothing but positive, regarding the staff,
the complex, the security and her enjoyment of the unit is plain for all to
see. Her decoration took on the Starck theme and is wild and wonderful
&colors abound.

So maybe it is all it is cracked up to be….

For a never lived in unit in Icon check out unit 2-1803 for
just $399k with its gorgeous south facing views, 2 beds plus den and 3 full
baths. Add your own touch of colour to the blank slate…Check out: http://www.sarahelengornrealestate.com/sales/condos/icon-1803/

The first guests can now check in to the brand new Hilton
Hotel located next to Icon condos in the hotel zone. The sign was erected last week on
the main boulevard. This marks the opening of the Hilton’s first all-inclusive hotel.  With 259 luxury rooms and suites now open, a
beautiful pool, lounge and “KI” spa, the newest addition to the PV Hotel scene
has a lot to offer its visitors.

The news of the Hilton opening comes alongside the
revelation by the Mexican Tourism Secretary SECTUR that hotel occupation over
the summer in Vallarta increased by 10% compared to the same months in 2011.
The occupancy rate was at 62.18% last year, compared to 71.75% during this
year’s summer season (July to end of August)

Compared with other Mexican destinations for international
travelers, Puerto Vallarta was ahead of Cancun and Los Cabos in the number of
occupied rooms, giving a total of 8,199, nearly tripling the rivals’ number of
rooms occupied by day. Maybe this spike was directly related to the successful
Tiangis Turistico that took place here in Vallarta earlier in the year or maybe
the word is getting out… 

Puerto Vallarta is THE place to be in Mexico!

To read more on what is happening around PV,click here.

Photo source: http://visitpuertovallarta.com/news/

Some excellent news this week for
all of us culture-starved Vallarta locals and visitors… the Municipal Theatre
here in Puerto Vallarta has struck a deal with the world famous Metropolitan
Opera in New York City. 

This eagerly awaited deal will allow us to go to the
local theatre and watch live feeds of the NYC operas!  

Our Teatro Vallarta has been working hard to
reach all the necessary requirements for the licenses and audio tests that the
Met has in place, but it has been concluded. For the last few years the Met has
been sending live HD feeds to several select theatres around the globe and now
our town will be in that elite few. 

More exciting for us is that the season
kicks off almost immediately on Saturday Oct 27^th with the first
live broadcast of Othello at 12 noon. 

For full details of the 2012-2013 season
you can go to the website http://www.teatrovallarta.com/met.html
or also take a look at what will be broadcast by clicking on to the Met’s web
for their Live in HD listings: http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/liveinhd/LiveinHD.aspx

This is great news for all of us
and I hope we all get along to the theatre and make the most of it!

For the first time last week I decided to head out on to the
water with a friend of mine to try out Paddle Surfing. All the range now here
in Vallarta and in many places across the globe I am sure.

 Not really knowing
what to expect, as not being a surfer or sailor…I was pleasantly surprised. The
calm feeling of coasting throught he Pacific waters was relaxing and envigorating
at the same time. I shall certainly be going again. 

We went to Bucerias with
Vero at the Bucerias Pacific Paddle centre located on Lazaro Cardenas (at de
Cameron entrance) for more information on the services they offer, including
the hourly rental we used or private lessons, check them out at http://www.pacificpaddle.net/

There are competitions for the more able and they have a SUP
club every Sunday in Bucerias. If you are this side of town, there are new
venues all along the bay that have caught on to this idea and are offering
hourly rates to rent you the board and paddle. 

Last I heard El Dorado in Old
Town, & Los Mangos Beach Club in downtown were the perfect spots to
practice. So, what are you waiting for? The waters and still warm and it is a
fabulous work out!

E-readers have
made a huge impact on how people read and are steadily increasing in
popularity.  But for some, holding a book in your hands and turning each
page is an important part of the reading experience.  And for those in Banderas Bay, there are several options for finding English language books.

Costco and Sam’s Club always have a small
selection of best sellers, both hard cover and paperback, and generally have
the best prices in town for foreign
books.  You can also find paperback
novels, albeit at a higher price, at shops located on the Arrivals level of the
Puerto Vallarta International
Airport.

A Page in the Sun
bookstore and coffee shop in Puerto
Vallarta has the largest selection of used books available in the Banderas
Bay region and generally has a small selection of French and German books as well as English.  They also accept books in trade which is a great way to recycle your books to keep your home uncluttered and
environmentally-friendly.  Stop in for a latte,
smoothie, glass of wine or a meal while you cozy up and thumb through
interesting titles.

The Los Mangos
Library also has a wide selection of English
language books available for checking-out. 
To register for a library card, visit the Los Mangos Library with a piece of photo identification and proof
of residence, like an electricity bill.

Nothing is better than stretching out by the pool or ocean
and spending the day reading a great book
and with all the options in Banderas
Bay, you’ll always be able to find something to catch your interest. 

Old Town Puerto Vallarta most recent development is under construction and
is reaching the finishing stages.

Signature has been a long time coming but it
is finally making its own splash on the real estate market in Vallarta. With a
superb location in the heart of Olas Altas offering easy access (they are
revamping the many stairs on Olas Altas and Pulpito to create a more
user-friendly walk way and a funicular for those who cannot do stairs) and the
added bonus of being high up giving wide ocean views, this will be hard to
beat. Most of the 1 bedroom units were an instant success and were snapped up
in preconstruction but there are still some units available.

Interestingly, the Developer altered the original project
which had much larger, more expensive units, to keep up with current market
conditions, it seems to me to be a very good thing that he did. The smaller
units sold faster, showing us yet again that price is important in the decision
for buyers. The quality features and rental possibilities of these units are
extremely appealing and will set to make this project a great success. It has a
wonderful pool, lobby, underground parking, elevator, nice wide terraces and
those unforgettable views of town and ocean. As the views are west, north west
and south west, the residents will be treated to sunsets all year round. 

Click here for more information on the Signature by Pinnacle properties.

I’m often asked what is more costly in the long run, having
a home with no monthly maintenance payments but with your own maintenance to do
or a condo with a monthly bill that runs all year whether you are there or not. 

The response isn’t an easy one and unfortunately it cannot be answered so
neatly. Each buyer is different and that’s why we need to address the personal
needs, wants and uses for each one. For small homes that are not costly to run,
there are several down town options available, I even have a couple on the
site, see Casa Ambos Mundos and Casa Alejandro  these are great examples of renovated
Mexican style homes that have views and are in a central location. Yes, they
have stairs but have decks, views and privacy. 

The huge benefit of an
individual home is not having a monthly fee and this can really be the
important deciding factor when people are working with a budget or when they
are going to coming in and out and don’t like having to pay when they aren’t personally
in residence.  

There’s also the charm of
owning a small authentic piece of Mexico that you can decorate as you like and
live as you like in, with no condo rules to abide by and having to live in a
real community rather than the condo complex life. 

It is a tough call but as I live in a home
myself, I can certainly see the benefits it has. What would you chose?