Categoría: Puerto Vallarta Real Estate

The Walls of Puerto Vallarta

Where a wall does not divide but brings together, this is what you will find in Puerto Vallarta. About five years ago more or less, we watched Natasha Moraga, fondly referred to as Nat, begin her mission in Puerto Vallarta. A plain unattractive wall where the streets of Pino Suarez and Basilio Badillo meet in Old Town came to life under her creative hand. A magical transformation began that has now graced other walls, plus benches, stairs, sidewalks and anyplace Nat can find to toss her plaster and shape her sparkling, colorful tiles into a story that is different to each beholder.

Pulling in the community of locals, residents and savvy tourists, who want to contribute to this beautification, Nat actually donates her time and materials to most of the murals you will see about town. Her passion is to paint Puerto Vallarta with tiles and she is finding a way to make it happen.

The art of tile work is a tradition of Mexican culture that reaches back to the mid-sixteenth century. Though there are many styles and methods, color seems to be the delightful foundation that enhances other media, as well, such as the native art of the Hiuchol and rich embroidered Otomi of many native groups of Central Mexico.

Natasha Moraga calls her work Mosayko Vallarta and it’s found around unexpected corners in Puerto Vallarta, as well as the first thing you see as you enter from the north, our city’s name spelled out in large letters.

What Nat has done with her reverent benches in the once drab entrance that leads to the pier in Old Town is amazingly enchanting.  It has turned an unremarkable area into that of charm and appeal. She gives new meaning to “taking a sow’s ear and turning it into a silk purse.”

Anyone can be a part of the thrilling action of Mosayko Vallarta, Nat’s vision of beauty for Puerto Vallarta. During this year of celebrating the 100^th birthday of Puerto Vallarta, the goal is renewing Parque Lazaro Cardenas with Nat’s art to become El Parque de los Azulejos (Tile Park) and to be recognized internationally. With the assistance of her brother Daniel Moraga and the gathered community, Nat’s effort continues every day. Sponsorship tiles are available and this is a good way to support Nat’s dream and to leave you own name engraved in Puerto Vallarta. There are a variety of ways one can sponsor by making a business, commemoration or anniversary tile, or something personal using your imagination. Nat runs workshops on how to do this and there is still time, with classes continuing through April on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Check out the website www.parqueazulejospv.com or find her on Facebook.

Que es cómo es.

Timothy Real Estate Group is a locally-owned and operated real estate brokerage with a strategic location in the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta in the Colonia Emiliano Zapata. Because the Puerto Vallarta area has varying neighborhood personalities, we practice localized real estate. We believe neighborhood knowledge is a top factor in solid sales, and we know our communities well.

We enable our clients to realize their vision for the future.  We understand and plan for their concerns and are dedicated to transforming those concerns to peace of mind and joy.

Our philosophy of transparency, integrity, and professionalism imbues our culture with a tangible sense of purpose and results in the length and depth of the quality relationships we enjoy.  We believe buying or selling a home is first and foremost about people. Of course we have the latest technology, marketing tools, statistics and research, but a successful real estate transaction really comes down to people. Connecting the right buyers to sellers or investors our professional agents structure solid transactions with successful solid outcomes.  We believe in collaboration by connecting people in ways that bring satisfaction and success.

When you combine extensive local knowledge and our long standing reputation for honesty and sound judgment, you have an unbeatable resource at your disposal.  You have Timothy Real Estate Group, a constant leader in Puerto Vallarta real estate.

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Cheaper Living in Mexico

We moved to Puerto Vallarta for many reasons and we will readily admit that fixed income was certainly a priority. The weather’s lovely, especially when we have the opportunity to travel to other destinations in and out of Mexico during the hotter summer months, but a big lure is the cost of living. There are so many ways to save living in Puerto Vallarta; it’s hard to know where to start.

Dentistry and anything medical is one huge expense we have avoided living here. We also attend as many of the free medical events in Puerto Vallarta as we can cram into our beach schedule, because there’s valuable information offered, plus we also get a chance to meet medical staff, which would be rare from the city we hail from. There are great medical insurance plans in Mexico, too. We’ve found medical services in Puerto Vallarta state-of-the-art, though offices and clinics are austere and lack pizzazz, which is just fine with us. We’re happy to know our money isn’t going into fancy art and marble countertops.

Vet bills? Pup and Kitten are in good hands here in Puerto Vallarta and the cost is eye-popping! We’ve even taken our pets in for services and walked out not one peso poorer. When they give you free care for something that would cost the same as a car payment up north, you know you made the right decision. Did we mention that both human and animal doctors will come to your house? Imagine!

We have a gardener in Puerto Vallarta! We have a housekeeper, too and life is so much nicer with people not just taking care of simple things but having knowledge about their jobs, as well. We admit; we don’t know how to wash floors properly here, to keep them skid-, insect- and bacteria-free. And plants in the tropics are far different than those we used to tend.

When something breaks, we call José, who seems to know everything plumbing, electrical, paint-wise and has even picked up furniture around Puerto Vallarta for us. He always brings a receipt and charges so little, we feel guilty. Of course we tip well.

Our carwash man comes to our house, once a week. He brings his own vacuum, which we plug in through the front door; uses our hose and has his own bucket, soap and equipment. His price went up this year; $80 pesos, and our auto looks spit-shined. That’s less than $5, by the way.

Car maintenance is unreal. We broke down on the road one morning; a mechanic came to get the car started, followed us to his shop and told us to come back in the afternoon. He thought we needed a new starter and he would need to get parts. We cringed. That was going to cost us. In the afternoon, we came back to hopefully pick up the vehicle. It was ready, interior vacuumed, windows washed in and out, and the cost for the entire job was $1000. That’s $54 USD and $68 CDN.

Some of our friends complain about the high price of eating out in Puerto Vallarta but we don’t need to eat at the very best establishments every night. There are so many amazing meals for under $100 pesos, all over town. And even the fancy places are very affordable.

Many other advantages are to be had in Puerto Vallarta with such things as party stores, clothing for adults and kids, shoes, hair salons, eyeglasses, hearing aids and batteries, and the list goes on and on.

Que es cómo es.

Timothy Real Estate Group is a locally-owned and operated real estate brokerage with a strategic location in the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta in the Colonia Emiliano Zapata. Because the Puerto Vallarta area has varying neighborhood personalities, we practice localized real estate. We believe neighborhood knowledge is a top factor in solid sales, and we know our communities well.

We enable our clients to realize their vision for the future.  We understand and plan for their concerns and are dedicated to transforming those concerns to peace of mind and joy.

Our philosophy of transparency, integrity, and professionalism imbues our culture with a tangible sense of purpose and results in the length and depth of the quality relationships we enjoy.  We believe buying or selling a home is first and foremost about people. Of course we have the latest technology, marketing tools, statistics and research, but a successful real estate transaction really comes down to people. Connecting the right buyers to sellers or investors our professional agents structure solid transactions with successful solid outcomes.  We believe in collaboration by connecting people in ways that bring satisfaction and success.

When you combine extensive local knowledge and our long standing reputation for honesty and sound judgment, you have an unbeatable resource at your disposal.  You have Timothy Real Estate Group, a constant leader in Puerto Vallarta real estate.

Puerto Vallarta has long been a bustling, active town. It didn’t start with the Hollywood invasion, though the way some people talk, Vallarta was nothing but a sleepy fishing village before the event of movie-making.

Las Peñas, as Puerto Vallarta was originally called by Don Guadalupe Sánchez, got her start as a port in the mid 19th century. Many villages in the mountains were founded by miners seeking their fortunes in silver and gold. With no roads coming into the area, the sea was the logical choice for coming and going. While the precious minerals were shipped out, resources were brought in. Salt, mining equipment and tools, were all in high demand, as well as basic necesseties of life, such as clothing, shoes, housewares and food that wasn’t available locally. Villages such as San Sebastián, Talpa, Mascota, San Antonio de Cuale, Los Reyes became wealthy enclaves on the roads that developed over the mountains. Ladies required gloves and hats, the most recent fashions. Schoolbooks were ordered and delivered. Stoves, building materials, chimney bricks and wagon wheels. Furniture, fabrics, buttons and thread, pots, pans and kitchen supplies. Churches, tiendas (stores), cafés, homes and assorted businesses sprang up like daisies in springtime. Everything of any use was brought into the seashore at Las Peñas and growth from north to south was impressive.

Before long, exports were as vital as imports. Hardwoods and bamboo, harvested from the jungles; animal and crocodile skins; pearls from the ocean, along with whale and shark products and, of course, an abundance of seafood. Coconut and coconut oil, both widely used globally; root and vegetable dyes; silver and gold.

In 1910, with the arrival of the Mexican Revolution, more people migrated to the coast, causing agriculture and livestock to expand exponentially. Huge haciendas and ranches developed and spread over the land, spilling down to the seaboard. Corn and beans in great quantity along with enormous amounts of tobacco became chief exports and Puerto Vallarta, after Luis Vallarta, Ogazón, became a municipality and officially known by her new name and international port.

Four decades later, the road from Mascota to Vallarta was begun and the march to the sea was implemented. The airport and electric plant began construction and all resemblances to a sleepy little fishing village would have vanished in their wake. Once and always a very important west coast port, Puerto Vallarta began to attract tourists. A costal highway began winding down the coastal path; bridges were built, large and small; the marine terminal took root on the banks of the town and people began to flock south along with the birds.

In the early sixties, John Huston chose Puerto Vallarta as the setting for The Night of the Iguana, his movie based on the famous novel of the same name by Tennessee Williams. By the end of that decade, a new era was in bloom.

Que es cómo es.

Timothy Real Estate Group is a locally-owned and operated real estate brokerage with a strategic location in the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta in the Colonia Emiliano Zapata. Because the Puerto Vallarta area has varying neighborhood personalities, we practice localized real estate. We believe neighborhood knowledge is a top factor in solid sales, and we know our communities well.

We enable our clients to realize their vision for the future.  We understand and plan for their concerns and are dedicated to transforming those concerns to peace of mind and joy.

Our philosophy of transparency, integrity, and professionalism imbues our culture with a tangible sense of purpose and results in the length and depth of the quality relationships we enjoy.  We believe buying or selling a home is first and foremost about people. Of course we have the latest technology, marketing tools, statistics and research, but a successful real estate transaction really comes down to people. Connecting the right buyers to sellers or investors our professional agents structure solid transactions with successful solid outcomes.  We believe in collaboration by connecting people in ways that bring satisfaction and success.

When you combine extensive local knowledge and our long standing reputation for honesty and sound judgment, you have an unbeatable resource at your disposal.  You have Timothy Real Estate Group, a constant leader in Puerto Vallarta real estate.

The Mordida

For anyone who asks, if ever pulled over by an officer of the law in Puerto Vallarta, we always advise to keep your money in your pocket and take the ticket. There are still come cops who will accept a bribe (mordida), though we hear and see this practice less and less as the years go by. It seems to be either the older, weathered policemen who do this, or the young, fresh ones trying to make a buck peso on the side.

Here’s how it goes if you decide to take the ticket and not offer a mordida: In many cases, they will simply let you go, give you a harsh warning, (which you will deserve if you were speeding or breaking any other law involving an automobile or motorbike) rather than go to the bother of writing up a citation. They will explain that you must go to the police station to pay. Back in the day, they would take our driver’s license, meaning there was no choice going forward; we had to pay to get it back.

Some people are misled in thinking the authorities in Puerto Vallarta don’t keep computerized records. That’s not true and don’t ever rely on this type of misleading information because it can get you in a lot of trouble, including with any government department….like Aduana (customs), for example.

You will receive a citation written in Spanish, but it will contain your pertinent information, plus the amount of your fine. These tickets don’t amount to much and if you pay within a certain period of time, usually three days, they will actually half it. This means standing in line, sometimes in the hot sun, but the queue moves fast and in the end, you have not broken the law. The address of the station in Puerto Vallarta will be on the ticket and if you have any questions, ask. It is the police officer’s responsibility to make sure you understand and this is a good time to make sure you have his name and badge number.

If you do offer a mordida to a policeman, keep In mind it is illegal, and depending on the time of day, position of the sun, global news, or the mood of your apprehending officer, you could go to jail for doing so. It’s a huge risk to take and one that could ruin your day and that of any passengers who may have accompanied you on your excursion in and around Puerto Vallarta.

Que es cómo es.

Timothy Real Estate Group is a locally-owned and operated real estate brokerage with a strategic location in the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta in the Colonia Emiliano Zapata. Because the Puerto Vallarta area has varying neighborhood personalities, we practice localized real estate. We believe neighborhood knowledge is a top factor in solid sales, and we know our communities well.

We enable our clients to realize their vision for the future.  We understand and plan for their concerns and are dedicated to transforming those concerns to peace of mind and joy.

Our philosophy of transparency, integrity, and professionalism imbues our culture with a tangible sense of purpose and results in the length and depth of the quality relationships we enjoy.  We believe buying or selling a home is first and foremost about people. Of course we have the latest technology, marketing tools, statistics and research, but a successful real estate transaction really comes down to people. Connecting the right buyers to sellers or investors our professional agents structure solid transactions with successful solid outcomes.  We believe in collaboration by connecting people in ways that bring satisfaction and success.

When you combine extensive local knowledge and our long standing reputation for honesty and sound judgment, you have an unbeatable resource at your disposal.  You have Timothy Real Estate Group, a constant leader in Puerto Vallarta real estate.

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We received a frantic call from a friend here in Puerto Vallarta at dusk the other evening. A bat had flown in the bedroom window of our single female friend and she was terrified. This time of year, bats are in generous supply and as this bat swooped and glided around, doing most of its acrobatics close to the ceiling, our friend stooped and kneeled, doing most of hers near the floor. With an occasional shriek, and demands for instructions on how to deal with the flying mammal, she managed to crawl/scramble to her bodegita for a broom. She reentered the bedroom just as the bat flew out the window into the darkness of night.

We explained she should be thankful; the bat most likely had come in for a little before-dinner snack; she needn’t spray her room with toxic chemicals to get rid of mosquitoes that plague her when she’s trying to sleep.

What should one do if a bat visits? First, it’s very important to know that it’s illegal to kill a bat. They are useful and eat insects, other than mosquitoes, that are harmful to humans. This is one end of the feeding chain and Darwin was right about this.

Turn on all the lights; bats are nocturnal and don’t like brightness. Open all the windows and doors. In the case of our panicky friend, this worked without even trying; the bat exited the same way she came in. The broom is not the dumbest idea but please keep in mind that bats have fragile wing structures. Their bones are very delicate and if you whack it, while trying to shoo it out, you could do severe damage. If you have the courage, use a large bowl or jar, and once the bat has exhausted itself, trap it and cap the lid. Outside, remove the cover and step aside. The bat won’t bite you unless you grab at it and you’re not likely to do that.

We know someone who tried catching a bat with a blanket but that turned out badly; she asphyxiated the poor thing and it wasn’t quite itself when she released it. She let it go only to suffer the fate of the neighborhood cats.

Bats in Puerto Vallarta are harmless. They eat insects and fruit and we’ve never heard of one being caught in anyone’s hair; that’s another silly myth. We have many that live in a huge fig tree outside our casa and we’re honored to have them as helpful neighbors.

Que es cómo es.

Timothy Real Estate Group is a locally-owned and operated real estate brokerage with a strategic location in the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta in the Colonia Emiliano Zapata. Because the Puerto Vallarta area has varying neighborhood personalities, we practice localized real estate. We believe neighborhood knowledge is a top factor in solid sales, and we know our communities well.

We enable our clients to realize their vision for the future.  We understand and plan for their concerns and are dedicated to transforming those concerns to peace of mind and joy.

Our philosophy of transparency, integrity, and professionalism imbues our culture with a tangible sense of purpose and results in the length and depth of the quality relationships we enjoy.  We believe buying or selling a home is first and foremost about people. Of course we have the latest technology, marketing tools, statistics and research, but a successful real estate transaction really comes down to people. Connecting the right buyers to sellers or investors our professional agents structure solid transactions with successful solid outcomes.  We believe in collaboration by connecting people in ways that bring satisfaction and success.

When you combine extensive local knowledge and our long standing reputation for honesty and sound judgment, you have an unbeatable resource at your disposal.  You have Timothy Real Estate Group, a constant leader in Puerto Vallarta real estate.

Often falsely credited for the colonization of Puerto Vallarta, Mismaloya is a lovely settlement about twelve kilometers from the city. In 1963 the Hollywood director, John Huston, chose it for the location of his movie The Night of the Iguana based on the Tennessee Williams book of the same name. Though Puerto Vallarta was already a well established town and never the small fishing village so claimed in many publications, the greasepaint image bestowed by the invasion of Hollywood has always been hard to shake. There’s no denying that the sizzling affair between Liz Taylor and Richard Burton put Puerto Vallarta on the map in a particular way but their romance didn’t take place in Mismaloya. Indeed sets were built there and lives disrupted but Liz and Dick did their hanging out in town.

The name Mismaloya comes from the Nahuatl language and translates to “place where they grab fish with their hands” and when one watches the boats come in with their daily catch, it’s easy to see how the name was earned.

A small set for the Huston film has crumbled to ruins, and the remains of separate structures that were constructed for other movies (and often mistaken for those of the Iguana sets) are only a shells left behind. The beach, however, is a fabulous destination and a great place to schedule a boat tour for fishing, snorkeling or SCUBA diving. Many dive-masters make their home in Mismaloya. Their well equipped skiffs, called pangas, are easy to board from the beach and usually supplied with dive equipment and fishing gear.

Palapas hug the shoreline, home to many beach cafés, many belonging to families who have owned them for decades and can tell you all about the rambunctious times of when movies were filmed in Mismaloya. Excellent margaritas, made from scratch, ceviche with the freshest ingredients, and delicious nachos are well priced and well portioned.

Vendors at Mismaloya have great bargains for all the same items you would expect at Playa de los Muertos, the beach in town; silver, beads, blankets, carvings, baskets, hammocks, sarongs, etc. Don’t be afraid to bargain but remember this is how they make a living and feed their families. Mismaloya is also a great place to get hair braids, a foot massage or a temporary tattoo.

The view of Los Arcos is unparalleled and is a quick trip on a panga to this natural formation of volcanic rocks sprouting from the ocean. Angelfish and other tropical species are amazing, along with the cliff-life, including the pelicans, terns and the famous blue-footed booby. It’s long been a destination for swimming and diving. Don’t forget your camera.

Que es cómo es.

Thanks to our Guest Blogger Adam Garcia!

Timothy Real Estate Group is a locally-owned and operated real estate brokerage with a strategic location in the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta in the Colonia Emiliano Zapata. Because the Puerto Vallarta area has varying neighborhood personalities, we practice localized real estate. We believe neighborhood knowledge is a top factor in solid sales, and we know our communities well.

We enable our clients to realize their vision for the future.  We understand and plan for their concerns and are dedicated to transforming those concerns to peace of mind and joy.

Our philosophy of transparency, integrity, and professionalism imbues our culture with a tangible sense of purpose and results in the length and depth of the quality relationships we enjoy.  We believe buying or selling a home is first and foremost about people. Of course we have the latest technology, marketing tools, statistics and research, but a successful real estate transaction really comes down to people. Connecting the right buyers to sellers or investors our professional agents structure solid transactions with successful solid outcomes.  We believe in collaboration by connecting people in ways that bring satisfaction and success.