I’m looking forward to being back in the Riviera Maya.
As I write, I’m preparing for my flight from my base here in Cabo to this 80-mile stretch of coast that’s one of the hottest places on my beat (in terms of opportunity, though the sun will certainly be shining while I’m there).
In the 18 years since I first started scouting this part of Mexico’s Caribbean coast, things have gone from strength to strength.
The Riviera Maya draws millions from all over the planet. Europeans come in droves during their summer, North Americans escape their winter, Latin Americans are drawn at holidays like Easter…there are direct flights from Russia, Japanese and Chinese tourists are coming…
Jet-setting celebrities, families, snowbirds, package vacationers, work-from-anywhere digital nomads…there’s always people visiting.
If you’ve never been to the Riviera Maya, let me explain why it’s so popular.
The beaches are world class: Mile upon mile of soft, white sands lapped by the turquoise Caribbean and fringed with gently swaying palms. Despite the high-volume of visitors, it’s easy enough to find a stretch of beach to yourself…especially around Tulum.
Cenotes are sinkholes in the limestone rock: The Maya viewed them as sacred and there are hundreds dotted all around the Riviera Maya. The water is often so clear you can see hundreds of feet to the bottom. You can swim in these pristine pools beneath a jungle-framed sky.
Nightlife and dining: You can have a candlelit dinner under the stars or hit the clubs until the sun comes up. Playa’s Fifth Avenue seems to have a different restaurant for every day of the year while Tulum’s eco-chic eateries and beachfront cocktail bars are inspiring copycats in places like Austin and New York.
Mayan ruins: Entire cities wait to be explored in the jungles of the Riviera Maya. Dramatically perched above the beach, the ruins at Tulum were once a busy Mayan port with a city wall eight meters thick. About 40 minutes’ drive and you’ll reach Coba, where the temples and pyramids are spread out.
It’s easy to get there: And cheap…there are loads of direct connections with the U.S. and Europe. It takes less than two hours from Miami to Cancun.
The Riviera Maya has the whole package and appeals to all segments of the market…everyone comes.
But that growing demand is just one element behind the opportunities here that I have brought to members of my Real Estate Trend Alert group.
Construction costs are low: That means developers who have gotten their land at the right price have wiggle room on pricing, which means with our group buying power we can get superb special RETA-only pricing.
Land is key: The price of land has been pushed way up by the juggernaut Path of Progress. But on the Riviera Maya, we are plugged in with the insiders, the big landowners, the savvy developers who got land at low prices.
That means we can craft incredible deals on the very best-in-class…in the kind of premium and special communities that will be in the highest demand from the huge and growing number of visitors.
I’m putting boots back on the ground in the Riviera Maya to check in on the deals I’ve brought to my RETA members
In Tulum, at the southern edge of the Riviera Maya, I’ve made plans to see Tao Tulum, Edena, and the site of Samsara, where we had our most recent deal. Each of these deals have already seen significant paper gains:
- In October 2017, Tao Tulum was launched to RETA with members only pricing from $154,500. In April 2021, the developer’s retail price list showed a hefty uplift. A garden unit that RETA members could lock down for $208,440 was retailing for $311,000—a paper gain of $102,560.
- In Edena, we got in on an opportunity to own spacious two-bed homes for just $149,000 in April 2020. I recently saw retail pricing advertised at $215,000. Those are some rapid paper gains…
- Our most recent deals in Tulum, Samsara, were launched just last December. It’s set to be one of the Tulum’s most exclusive communities nestled right in front of the national park down a quiet road…a secluded upscale retreat from booming Tulum yet close to all the action and the beach. Our get in price was from $212,300, which was a $85,900 discount off retail. I conservatively predict these condos will be worth $350,000 just three years after delivery. That’s a potential gain of just under $140,000.
I’ll also be stopping into Akumal, just to the north of eco-chic Tulum, between it and vibrant Playa del Carmen.
I bought in Akumal myself, when I brought our opportunity in a community called Santamar to RETA members in October 2019.
The development of Akumal has been different to other parts of the Riviera Maya. It attracts eco-minded folks looking to relax with nature, snorkel with turtles, and these people don’t want the all-inclusive resorts that dominate here.
What those coming to Akumal most want is a really nice condo in a luxury community just back off the beach. Something steps from the sand…and that’s what we were able to lock down with RETA-only pricing of just $174,800.
I love Akumal. I’ve been going there for years. My last visit was in January, when I shot the below video as I check in on Santamar. I’m excited to see how much further things have progressed since.
I’ll also be visiting Playa del Carmen, one of the most vibrant places on my beat and the fastest growing city in the Riviera Maya.
Playa hosts millions of visitors each year from around the world, with those from the U.S. and Canada making up the bulk thanks to abundant and cheap flights.
Travel booking site Expedia’s 2022 Travel Trend Report puts the Riviera Maya overall and Playa del Carmen in particular as two of the most searched international destinations for U.S. travelers. But Playa is also a favorite of Canadians, Europeans, not to mention Latin Americans and Mexicans from other parts of the country.
By buying well here, we’ve benefited from the city’s growth, locking down best-in-class real estate at discount pricing in the most exclusive addresses in the city…and securing strong appreciation potential in the process.
- In May 2017, in a community in Playa called Siempre, RETA members had an opportunity to lock down condos just a few minutes’ walk from the beach and 5th Avenue, the city’s bustling heart.
- Then there was our opportunity in Singular Dream, which launched last June. Just a limited number of one- and two-bedroom condos were made available to RETA members at deep discounts. And we’re already seeing strong paper gains. For instance, a condo type available to RETA members at $198,600 is now retailing for $276,000—that’s a $77,400 uplift. (The developer, impressed with the savvy of RETA members, even gave us first shot at phase two of the community in January, spelling more opportunity.)
Then there’s our latest opportunity in the Village community in Corasol, a nearly 500-acre master-planned community on a pristine stretch of white-sand Caribbean coast just to the north of Playa.
The popularity of the Riviera Maya is making it rare to find homes or condos under $500,000 in a true beachfront community.
But that’s what we have in our opportunity in the Village. Our get-in price for two-bedroom luxury condos…$258,600. I predict these condos will be worth $400,000 three years after delivery—a $141,400 lift. And considering what others are paying for a place here, that’s being conservative.
Everything about Corasol screams luxury. It emphasizes low-density development and preservation of green space and is focused on creating an integrated resort experience the moment you pass through the gates.
It’s like an oasis of calm contentment next to a bustling beach town…
I can’t wait to stop by in the coming days.
Wishing you good real estate investing.
Your Daily Dream Home
Navelli, Abruzzo, Italy
€65,000 ($70,235)
If you’re looking to bask in Italy’s rich history, look no further than this charming house in the heart of Navelli. Located right beside Gran Sasso national park, this home has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, ample room for storage, and best of all, a gorgeous terrace, perfect for soaking up that Mediterranean sunshine. Navelli is a picturesque medieval hamlet, just 40 minutes from the clear blue of the Adriatic Ocean, and just 90 minutes from Rome.
Remember, we don’t make money from any listing shared here in the Your Daily Dream Home section. We have no dog in the fight. We’re just sharing cool properties we’ve found.
I haven’t visited this property or done due diligence on it. If you’re interested in the listing, you should hire an attorney and do your own due diligence.