Timothy Real Estate

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  • Dolphins & Puerto Vallarta

    Dolphins

    Dolphins, those happy little creatures who squeal with delight communicating with one another, seem to have a language of their own. We wonder what they would say if they had any idea how much they’ve been in the news lately.

    Keeping wild creatures in captivity has never been one of our favorite subjects and leads to much discourse on both sides of the view. However, we have found that most of these discussions boil down to one thing: m o n e y.

    Barnum and Bailey recently declared they would no long use elephants as of 2018 in their circus acts, which brought much praise from those who champion the freedom of all living creatures. What B&B failed to reveal in their press releases was the fact these elephants will continue to be chained and subjected to size XL cattle prods. B&B’s elephants are going into cancer research in Florida, where their blood samples will be used in an extensive DNA study. Imagine retrieving blood samples from elephants. This will allow the famed circus to stand on their self proclaimed rights to keep their elephants in the family, get paid for doing so, and thumb noses at the accredited sanctuaries with thousands of acres to roam.

    As much protest as there seems to be, the popularity of swimming with dolphins is not decreasing. Those who insist on participating in this activity have not been informed that dolphins, like elephants, suffer from dramatically shortened lives in captivity. Many not only die young, they often don’t survive capture or transport in tank enclosures that are more like cells of torture.

    People like to think that dolphins are much like us and enjoy our company. Given that, imagine a human under these same conditions, held in an extremely confined space with absolutely no chance for escape. Dolphins deprived of their freedom suffer from depression, behavioral abnormalities, a range of illnesses and lowered resistance to disease and death. When captured in the open ocean, they are torn from families; their feeding, resting and breastfeeding disrupted. It’s no wonder they don’t adjust well and have been known to attack human swimming partners in substandard environments.

    Some tour groups insist they have an alternative, a better way to swim with dolphins, in their own environment. Boats will transport tourists to lagoons and bays. Once again, it would be fascinating to have the dolphins’ point of view on this activity, which also includes profiteering motives. Scientific investigation into this form of entertainment has demonstrated that dolphins aren’t keen to be constantly invaded in their habitats by boatloads of enthusiastic, noisy, often inebriated swimmers. They will leave their homes, seeking calmer areas to avoid being disturbed, only to be followed by humans with the capacity to track them and repeatedly disrupt their routines. Also to be taken into account are pollution and injuries caused by boat propellers.

    We have experienced dolphins visiting at sea, even swimming very close to vessels. Dolphins are, after all, playful and friendly in their natural environment. If one is swimming in the ocean and approached by a dolphin, by all means, interact as safely and genuinely as possible.

    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.

  • It’s Tax Time! Are You “Active” Enough to Get The Best Tax Breaks?

    Tax Breaks

    If you are a veteran to investing in real estate, you are already likely aware of some of the bigger benefits that surround this asset class such as the appreciation on a leveraged asset, which improves cash on cash returns, and even the ability to create tax free cash flows when leverage is coupled with deductions. However, the benefits that are often not fully utilized occur at tax time.

    Before describing how to reduce tax obligations we need to make sure that income types are first identified.

    There Are Broadly 3 types of Taxable Income

    •Active Income – This category consists of earned income such as salaries, wages, bonuses, and commissions.

    •Portfolio Income – This category consists of Interest, dividends, and capital gains.

    And finally,

    •Passive Income – This category includes rents from real estate and royalties from oil and gas rights.
    Your involvement with your real estate business will directly impact your ability to realize tax benefits and impact the classification of the income stream. If you are an arm chair investor in real estate and do not actively participate in the operations the classification of cash flows as a passive income loss source will not be able to reduce active or portfolio income. In fact passive losses may only be used to reduce passive income. In my opinion this completely ignores one of the greatest benefits associated with real estate investing. There are two exceptions that will allow an investor to use passive losses against non passive income. This brief overview should only be viewed as an introduction. The first reference at the end of this post will be able to clarify any additional detail needed.

    Related: I Like Paying My Taxes (You Might, Too, After Reading This!)

    Exception 1 – Permissible losses capped at $25,000

    The first exception will only allow you to deduct up to $25,000 in passive losses against non-passive income. In order to receive this benefit the investor cannot be an arm chair investor and must be actively involved. Active involvement can be broadly defined as substantial when you are deemed the decision maker that decides rental terms, approves expenditure or tenants and other like decisions. The point here is that you are effectively making real estate an active source of income.

    Exception 2 – Permissible losses to apply are limitless

    The second, and more cumbersome, exception will allow you to take an unlimited amount of real estate paper loss against your other non passive income. This rule is often referred to as the real estate professional rule. This exception will require that the investor work for 750 hours a year in real estate work and materially participate. Some may believe that as a real estate professional working 750 hours per year is all that you need but this is not the case. As is the case with many BP readers this may just be a part time job, and even if you are able to hit the 750 hours you still need to make sure that the second requirement is fulfilled. The second requirement is that 51% of total working hours in the year must be in the field. This means 51% of total hours worked, including your day job. This is when most beginning investors wishing to apply this exception realize that it is not possible. If you have a full time job it is unlikely that you will meet this second hurdle.

    If you are contemplating the use of this second exception your records will be vital. My accountant has provided me enough anecdotal evidence over the years of audited investors to convince me to make sure that I line item every single minute in order to defend myself if the need arises. I literally write down my daily tasks in a journal so that I can account for my time spent. This is not much different from what you may already be doing when logging your driving miles to account for vehicle allowances, and it will similarly help you when you need it most and are facing an auditor who is contesting your eligibility.

    The one “gotchya” moment that I had my first year as an investor was that I failed to request that all of my properties (at that time just two) be combined in order to account for my hours when gauging my material participation. In other words I defaulted to treating each parcel forcing me to show a minimum number of hours (500) for each and property. Not only is this more cumbersome for recording purposes but it also resulted in a number of hours that simply could not be met. Once I elected to treat properties in a combined manner it will remain in effect until a change is requested. Needless to say this has helped out tremendously.

    The IRS link at the bottom of the page will provide more detail on the tests that get used to gauge material participation. The most commonly used one that I have seen is when an investor does not meet the 500 per property requirement but still spends more time than anyone else. This exception will act as a safe harbor and can be beneficial to know when defending yourself and realizing that you may not have hit the 500 hours.

    While cash flows, equity appreciation, and general wealth creation are certainly benefits to investing in real estate the benefits associated with using passive losses against non passive income is a benefit that cannot be ignored. I often tell my students that as their income increases in life real estate can act as a great shield against taxes. Our general goal is to not only increase our portfolio wealth but to also reduce our taxable obligations in every legal way possible.

    Additional Resources:

    • http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Passive-Activity-Loss-ATG-Chapter-2-Rental-Losses
    • http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/469

    The post It’s Tax Time! Are You “Active” Enough to Get The Best Tax Breaks? is property of The BiggerPockets Blog. and is Copyright

  • Puerto Vallarta – Spanish Language Lesson #304

    Titulos and Formalities

    In Puerto Vallarta, did you know it’s important to address professionals by their title? Unless you’re on a first name basis with your Doctor, he or she is Doctor (masculine form) Garcia or Doctora (feminine form) Diego. However, just as significant are the titles of your engineer Ingeniero or your architect Arquetecto, who are responsible for the building and design of the home you’re having constructed. Titles mean a lot in Mexico and are a key facet of etiquette; many ex-pats are unaware of this. You should address teachers as Maestro or Maestra; people with high skills and fine arts are also given these titles, out of respect for their achievements. People with degrees are referred to as Licenciado or Licenciada.

    When learning Spanish, and we always recommend doing so, it’s important to know the difference between tu and usted for the word you. It can get complicated but once you catch on, it’s easy. Tu is used informally, whereas usted is both formal and polite. You would use usted when talking to someone in general, like the bank teller, grocery store clerk, or one of the professionals we mentioned above. Tu is reserved for family, close friends, your peers and loved ones. Using tu when addressing someone upon meeting, especially in a business situation or a person of esteem, could create awkwardness.

    Tu is also used by someone in authority when speaking to another person who would be considered of less authority and it isn’t construed as being rude. For example, if you were their elder or teacher, addressing a student with the informal tu would be acceptable, as well as when talking to your maid or gardener, though we often find ourselves opting for usted, out of politeness.

    The use of the word tu can be difficult to assess at the time in a relationship can one switch to using the less formal tu; this can make a lot of difference when it comes to the dating game. If you’re getting to know someone on a basis that can possibly turn into an intimate connection, the last thing you want to do is make them feel like you’re being aggressive.

    Since our early days of speaking Spanish in Puerto Vallarta, we’ve found it wise to let the shoe be on the other foot. Wait until the tables are turned, so to speak. Especially if you are uncertain as to how one should be spoken to. When you have been addressed informally, then it is okay to use the less superior form of language. North of the border, we have dropped many customary terms of engagement, but Mexico is not only a different country, they also have their own standards.

    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: Yum!

    Holiday Dinners in Puerto Vallarta

    We’ve recently been involved in conversations about scarcity and abundance of familiar foods during the holidays in Puerto Vallarta. We’ve talked about this before but there are always new and old ideas to share with newbies and also with faithful oldies.

    This year, once again, turkeys seem to be the subject of discussion at cocktail hour; who’s having them, where to find them and how to cook them. Once was a time we couldn’t find a turkey in Puerto Vallarta but now they’re in every big box store. You’ll also find imported hams, cheeses and delights such as cranberry sauce. It’s not longer a matter of trying to duplicate what one would have prepared “back home.” Costco even has fresh bags of cranberries so you can still make your own, and ingredients such as walnuts and oranges are not scarce. On the other hand, you could try making other sauces that will delight your gourmands. Why not use papaya, mango, pomegranates, passion fruit, and make a compote that will go well with all meats.

    Add some variety to your New Year’s Eve dinner. Consider tamales for your menu. They’re traditional and can be found everywhere. We actually buy ours from street vendors, have done so for a couple decades, and never had a problem. The work that goes into tamales can be left to someone else and leave you more time in the hammock.

    Potatoes are always a problem. Those found in Puerto Vallarta are very high in sugar content. When mashed they end up soggy and pasty. The solution is to peel and cut them in half the previous day. Soak them overnight completely covered with water and about half cup of salt. Drain the water the next day, rinse well and cook as usual. You will feel like you are home for the holidays, if you so wish.

    Vegetables are abundant here in Puerto Vallarta, fresh and basically organic. They aren’t as pretty as you will find in your fancy supermarkets in the north but they’re tasty and healthy. Carrots have robust flavor and are as pure as to leave orange stains on the cutting board. Brussels sprouts are smaller but bursting with tastiness and go well with local cauliflower and broccoli. Chayote is a Mexican vegetable that can be treated and cooked like squash and is delicious with a bit of butter and desired amount of salt and pepper. Buen provecho!

    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.

  • Vallarta: Day Tripping

    Get Out of Town

    As Ella Fitz sang “Get on your mark, get set, get out of town,” this is the time of year to do so. There are many places to go where the air is fresh and the nights much cooler than the summer heat of Puerto Vallarta. Wonderful excursions are to be had, within a car or bus ride. Some are overnight destinations, whereas many you can day-trip and be back to your own ceiling fans by dusk. However, we highly recommend these economical journeys that will not just broaden your horizons, but open your eyes to the surrounding culture. As the weeks go by, we promise to visit landmarks and tourist sites, so keep tuned to these pages.

    Buses in and out of Puerto Vallarta are a great way to travel and very reasonable.  The more you pay, of course, the classier the bus but we have been aboard most of them and have few complaints. If budget is a problem, a cheap bus will get you there just as fast as an expensive one.  The bus station is off the highway at Bahía de Sin Nombre 363; all taxi drivers know its location right behind the Corona building, which can’t be missed off the main highway.  Buses go up and down the coast, into the mountains to Mascota, San Sebastian, Talpa, Las Palmas, to Guadalajara.  It’s possible to see all of Mexico on a bus, and can be a fun and adventurous trip, regardless of length and stopovers.

    Driving is an option and it’s not as scary as some media represent. We have driven over the years on both east and west coasts, through central Mexico and from the US border to Puerto Vallarta and beyond, without incident. We don’t recommend driving at night but it has nothing to do with banditos; that’s a myth. Free range cattle can wander out on the highway in areas that are unfenced. Horses, cows and sheep are hazardous when driving at any time, but at least in the daytime you can see them. There are also the famed topes, traffic bumps that will slow you down going into and out of towns, villages and cities. Hitting a tope unexpectedly is guaranteed to do serious damage to your vehicle. Always obey traffic signs; if it says you should slow down to 50 KPH heading around a corner or over a hill, do as it says. Speed limits have been tested and established; you aren’t smarter than a crash dummy.

    Travel agents abound in Puerto Vallarta and we recommend consulting one for either long or short trips. They’ll definitely save you money and can let you know what sites to skip and those not to be missed.

    ¡Buen Viaje!

    Que cómo es 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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  • First 3 Quarters of 2015 – Vallarta Real Estate Market Report

    The Puerto Vallarta real estate market for the first 3 quarters of 2015 shows signs of a slight but healthy growth in the number of sales and the price adjustments that had to take place in order to generate those sales. Across the board sales volume is up, and albeit modest the average sales price is up as well. Condominiums have done better than houses but the growth over last year is great.

    volume-of-new-real-estate-listings

    Timothy Real Estate Group remains the dominant force in the Puerto Vallarta – Riviera Nayarit market with more than double the sales volume of the number two agency in the bay.

    Condominiums have seen an increase in sales volume in the bay while the average sales price for a condominium has gone down by -8%. The increase in sales is most likely the result of sellers getting more realistic about market values.

    The number of condominiums that have sold have gone up 11% over last year and the percentage of list price has gone down by -1%. Both factors are good news for the market.

    Houses have not faired as well this year. Sales volume for sold houses has gone down -14% and average sales prices for houses has gone down by -15%.

    The number of sold houses has basically remained the same and the sales price percentage of list price has gone down by -3% to 89% of asking

    New listings in 2015 have gone down by -17.5% which is a great sign that inventory is reducing and sold listings have gone up by 16.7% which is also a positive sign in the market.

    Puerto Vallarta has a number of exciting new projects that are in their design stages for the Romantic Zone and Amapas areas as well as South Shore waterfront developments. Construction is going strong in Riviera Nayarit in many areas with new 5 Star Hotels in the planning stages as well. Generally speaking developers are looking to create residential products that meet the needs of foreign investors with exciting smaller, more affordable products. It is a great time to invest in the Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta markets before appreciation really starts to take off which can make some of the newer pre-construction projects and current re-sell inventory very attractive for the upcoming 2016 season.

    With any questions about the market or help in finding or selling your home, please contact a Timothy Real Estate Group representative.

    All statistics taken from Puerto Vallarta – Riviera Nayarit Multiple Listing Service

    Inspired living, why wait any longer?

  • Make Pan Muerto In Puerto Vallarta

    Soon it will be Day of the Dead and we wouldn’t be caught dead in Puerto Vallarta without a good recipe for Day of the Dead Bread! Pan Muerto in Spanish is traditional bread that is shared at either the shine for the departed or at the actual gravesites. In the shape of a bun, and with the usual flare for amusement, Pan Muerto is covered in bones in somewhat of a geometric pattern. These represent the departed (difuntos) and the top is a tear shaped piece, denoting the goddess Chimalma. These are not tears for the dead but for the living who must remain in their earthly bodies until it is their time to go to wherever it is we go.

    Dia de los Muertos is observed November 1 and 2 but the bread can be eaten many days ahead of the celebration. This gives us an opportunity to perfect our recipe and experiment on our friends and relatives (the pup gets a nibble, too.)

    We are pleased to share our favorite recipe with you. Good luck!

    Ingredients: ½ cup butter; 1 ¼ cup water; 6 cups flour; 2 packets dry yeast; 1 teaspoon salt; 3 teaspoons whole anise seed; 2 tablespoons orange zest (we prefer to zest our own oranges, make sure to wash them ahead of time); ¾ cups sugar; 4 eggs. Start with all ingredients room temperature (water should be very warm.) Mix together butter, sugar, anise, salt and half the flour in one bowl. In another bowl, combine the eggs and warm water. Slowly add the contents together while adding the remaining flour. Add the yeast at this time and continue adding the remaining flour. Knead on a well floured surface and cover with a slightly damp towel. Allow to rise for an hour and a half. Punch down and divide in two pieces, your bun and with the remaining dough (about ¼ of the mixture) enough to create your bones. Place the bone shapes on the bun and allow to rise for another hour. (It’s easier than you think to make the bones. Roll out cylinder shapes and form little balls to attach to the ends.)

    Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until golden. Once the bread has cooled, brush with the following sugar glaze: Bring to a boil ¾ cup sugar and ½ cup orange juice. Using a pastry brush, glaze the bread and sprinkle a bit of sugar on top. Buen provecho!

    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.

  • Is Puerto Vallarta The Friendliest City?

    Many years ago, upon one of our first visits to Puerto Vallarta, before we decided to make our residence permanent, we read a sign on our way into the city from a day trip returning from Sayulita. We’d just crossed the border from Nayarit into Jalisco and there it was: La ciudad más amigable del mundo. At the time our Spanish was severely lacking and the only word we could translate was más, meaning more.

    Without someone to tell us what the sign meant, we often drove by and puzzled over its meaning. As time went by, we began to pick up some language skills. We took classes off and on and began to learn how to put a sentence together. It took years, but one day passing this sign La ciudad más amigable del mundo, we were able to read it with pride and revelation.

    The most friendly city on earth.

    Of all the differences we were aware of whenever we left Puerto Vallarta and went back to the States, it was the disparity in how we were treated. Not just by shopkeepers and neighbors, but doctors, business associates and children.

    While walking the pup (and the pup before the pup), we’ve always been greeted by every person we pass, whether a gardener watering lawns, a pedestrian on the street, or the lady who lives next door. In the States, we didn’t know our neighbors. We never met, though we passed one another on a daily basis and sometimes would nod. Our neighbor in Vallarta invited us to spend Christmas Eve with her family!

    Our doctors in Puerto Vallarta greet us with a hug and often a kiss on the cheek. I think I can safely say, our doctors in the States wouldn’t recognize us if they sat next to us on a bus.

    Children! We have smiled at youngsters in the States and been frowned at, scowled at and hid from. Parents glare and clutch the hands of their offspring. If in an elevator with a child, or anyone for that matter, it’s best to stare straight ahead or risk someone calling the Etiquette Police. Children in Mexico grin at us and it’s perfectly acceptable to give them a small pat on the head.

    It is common in Puerto Vallarta and all of Mexico, when conducting business, to first ask about family and spouse, chat about the weather and inquire after everyone’s health before proceeding. Up north, the requirement is to conduct business as quickly as

    possible, don’t pry into personal matters, and move things along so as to get to the next money making meeting as rapidly as one can.

    We knew we’d made the right decision moving to Puerto Vallarta, when one day we sneezed in the supermarket and suddenly, an unknown, unseen voice, from the aisle over said Salud! (to your health).

    Que es cómo es.

  • Guidebooks for Vallarta?

    Do I Need a Guidebook for Mexico?: Remember back in the day when the first thing you did planning a trip was to buy a Fodor’s or Baedeker’s? Later it was Lonely Planet, Let’s Go, Moon Handbooks and countless other guidebooks on the market. Browsing at the bookstore was fun and choices were sometimes difficult. For some, a guidebook was the beginning of a big adventure, planning months, sometimes years into the future.

    Then the internet hit and who needed a guidebook when everything was right there at your fingertips?

    Well, you do, especially if you don’t have an available keyboard or your phone isn’t picking up a WiFi signal. That can happen in jungles, mountains, broad plains and anywhere else you might find yourself traveling in or out of Puerto Vallarta. How many times have you been able to find a connection but you don’t have the password? You’re charting out the day and can’t find a signal so you’re lost.

    Guidebooks are valuable for a lot of reasons. Some of the information contained within those knowledgeable pages: restaurants and bars; places to stay and whether they have pillows, bedbugs swimming pools and windows; transportation; spas; gyms; beaches; nude beaches; cultural, historical and educational information. Find out the best place to take your kids; how gay friendly a city is or isn’t; what’s the best and safest route; how to tip, or not tip; prices; hikes; where to rent a bike, a car, a boat, a kite, a babysitter.

    Some locations around the world, including Puerto Vallarta, have guides for specific focuses; sexual orientation, dietary restrictions, surfing, fishing, bird-watching. A guidebook might have a section on phrases in the language of the country you’re traveling. If not, buy a small phrase book with a pronunciation guide. It will be of great assistance when you’re shopping. Take for instance the similarity of two Spanish words that can easily be confused; jabon is soap; jamon is ham.

    Arthur Frommer was an soldier from the United States stationed in Europe in the 1950’s; he later wrote a book that started an extensive series; Europe on $5 a Day. Travel was no longer only for the wealthy. Eugene Fodor was an immigrant from Hungary who used his knowledge to introduce US citizens to continental Europe. Both wise travelers shared their experiences with the encouragement for the curious to see the world and meet the people in it. Travel opens people’s minds, breaks down mental barriers and removes preconceived notions.

    We love guidebooks that we can pass back and forth among our friends, dog-eared, highlighted, post-it tabs galore and notations in the margins for what was best, what was best to avoid.

    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

  • Who Should Retire in Puerto Vallarta Mexico?

    Puerto Vallarta is a well-known retirement and vacation destination and anyone who has ever been here knows why. The cost of living is low but the quality of life is high. There is always a fun activity going on or an event to attend or a place to just do nothing and relax. Puerto Vallarta has it all. The latest article in the Huffington Post chose Puerto Vallarta as one of the top five retirement destinations to pick from for different personality types. This is what the Huffington Post had to say about Puerto Vallarta;

    Romantic. That might be the best single word to describe Puerto Vallarta. The city also offers shopping and fine dining, boating and golfing, country clubs and community, gourmet shops and designer boutiques…all alongside a beautiful stretch of the Pacific Ocean.

    Puerto Vallarta could be called glamorous, but the cost of living and of buying real estate here aren’t jet-set. This is one of Mexico’s most sophisticated resort spots, with more cachet than Mazatlán and more chic than Cancún. Walking around Puerto Vallarta, you get that happy, vacation-time feel that successful beach resorts exude.

    And that’s the would-be retiree overseas who should consider Puerto Vallarta–the beach-loving soul who likes the idea of retirement as a perpetual, fully appointed vacation.

    I think all of us who love Puerto Vallarta can agree, and those that do not, need to come take a look and see for themselves how wonderful Puerto Vallarta really is.

    Timothy Real Estate Group

    Ignacio L. Vallarta #130 Local 7

    Col. Emiliano Zapata
    T: 322.223.5300

    Toll Free USA/CAN: 877.204.7730

    inspired@timothyrealestategroup.com