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Learn Spanish Today  - Learn Spanish on-line for free, using interactive audio/visual lessons.   Jaltemba Sol...the heartbeat of the Riviera Nayarit August 19th 2009 Freak Wind gust last week blows Matejas big Sol Tent up on the roof Important Deadline for U.S. Taxpayers Linda Neil - settlement-co.com August 10, 2009   U.S. taxpayers are required to file certain reports with the U.S. government if they own property in Mexico, have a business in the country, or are shareholders in Mexican corporations. Uncle Sam, U.S. tax watchdog, has instituted a voluntary disclosure program for those people who may have omitted reporting in the past. This program is designed to limit penalties that may be imposed on those U.S. taxpayers who have failed to make the required declarations previously. A tax specialist, familiar with the law and reporting requirements in both the U.S. and Mexico can provide details. However, the most common issues that need to be addressed are the following: Property Owned in Trust (Fideicomiso): Under Mexican law, any residential property located in the "restricted" zone when foreigners are involved, must be placed in a Mexican bank trust, fideicomiso. The "restricted zone" is an area 50 kilometers (approximately 30 miles) wide along all the Mexican coastlines and 100 kilometers (approximately 60 miles) from the Mexico U.S. and Mexico-Belize borders. Under the U.S. regulation section 6048 (b) Taxpayers must report ownership interest on Form 3520-A yearly and on form 3520 initially and if there are any changes. The penalty for failing to file these information returns is five percent of the gross value of trust assets determined to be owned by the U.S. taxpayer. Bank and Financial Accounts: U.S. taxpayers must annually report direct or indirect financial interest in a financial account that is maintained with a financial institution located in a foreign country if, for any calendar year, the aggregate value of all foreign accounts exceeded $10,000.00 USD at any time during the year. This report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts is commonly known as an FBAR, and the penalty can be as high as the greater of $100,000. USD or 50% of the total balance of the foreign account if the failure is deliberate omission. (Sec.31 U.S.C. 5321(a)(5). Nonwillful violations are subject to a civil penalty of not more than $10,000.00 USD. Shares of Stock or Interests in Mexican Corporations and/or Partnerships: Generally shareholders or partners with a 10% or greater interest in the partnership or corporation must inform the IRS of same through Forms 5471 or 8865. Failure to file can be quite costly. As in most countries the U.S. tax regulations are complicated, especially when dealing with properties or assets located outside the United States. Accountants, tax advisors and tax preparers do not always know the rules regarding filings for international assets nor the ramifications of failure to file. For this reason it is highly important that the US taxpayer consult with experts in these bi-national transactions. For further information on these matters you may wish to contact and consult with attorney and accountant Don D. Nelson. (dondnelson@yahoo.com). Mr.Nelson is a property owner in both countries and has been preparing US declarations and US tax filings for international clients for over thirty years. Tax Obligations in Mexico: Any foreigner with real property or business income in Mexico must also plan to pay taxes in Mexico. The good news! When paid with the proper receipts, certain of these taxes can become a CREDIT or a DEDUCTION in the country of tax residence! For example: Property Taxes: are due and payable every two months, or can be paid in one annual payment, usually with a substantial discount, during the first two months of each calendar year. Property taxes are based upon the value declared by the property tax office where the property is located and are generally relatively low in comparison with rates in the U.S. and Canada. On-going Taxes on Business Income: If you have a Mexican corporation or partnership, no matter what the activity, a monthly declaration must be filed for IVA taxes (Added Value Taxes) and for Impuesto Sobre La Renta which, in this case, is more like an income tax. A local Mexican accountant should be hired to review the accounting procedures and to prepare and file the monthly declarations. The monthly tax payments are generally considered as provisional and an annual declaration will show either a refund or a payment due. These taxes can also be a credit or a deductible expense in a home country, depending upon how the companies are established. An attorney-accountant with international expertise in this will be an important advisor to help avoid double taxation on profits. Again you may wish to consult Mr. Don Nelson at dondnelson(at)yahoo.com. Impuesto Sobre La Renta when a Property is Sold: is a capital gains type of tax. For foreigners who are tax residents of another country, the tax is calculated in two ways: 1. It is a flat amount of the total selling price; without deductions, or 2. It is a percentage of the difference between selling price and the tax basis shown in the seller's deed, less allowable deductions. This calculation should be made both ways. The good part of this is that it is the LOWER of the calculations which shall be due and payable from seller proceeds. The Mexican Notary Public drafting the deed generally makes these calculations and the seller needs to confirm that it is the LOWER of the two figures which will be paid. The Notary Public should also provide the seller with a copy of the tax payment for use with the tax authorities in seller's tax residence country. Impuesto Sobre La Renta when income is received from a rental of Mexican property: All income received from Mexican property is taxable in Mexico, regardless of the nationality of the owner. Thus, the US or Canadian citizen who rents a condominium or home regularly, or occasionally, through a property manager or via internet, is obligated to file declarations MONTHLY. Failure to declare income can cause very high penalties. The good news... taxes paid are credits or deductions in taxpayer's home country. For additional information on this very important filing, please contact Lic. Quirino Parra at: info(at)settlement-co.com. Linda Neil is the founder of The Settlement Company, which specializes in real estate transfers, escrows, and consultations. Just added as a new service, Settlement will now prepare monthly tax declarations, file them and perform additional essential landlord accounting services. For reprints of this article or for further information on tax paying services, please contact The Settlement Company at 01-800-627-5130 if in Mexico; or 01-877-214-4950 or 011-52-612-123-5056 if calling from outside Mexico. Email: info(at)settlement-co.com, Website: settlement-co.com.   Become a Friend of Riviera Nayarit on Facebook click here Headline News Chrysler may build Fiat 500 minicar in Mexico Chrysler Group LLC, now being run by Italian automaker Fiat Group SpA, is planning to build the Fiat 500 minicar at a factory in Mexico..Click Here to Read More Mexican Rights Rport Sent To Congress The Obama administration has sent to Congress a favorable report on Mexico's human rights record that could allow the release of $100 million in U.S. aid to help the country fight drug traffickers. ..Click Here to Read More Mexico Puts New Officers on the Job at Customs In a sweeping move to root out corruption among customs agents and reduce the influx of huge quantities of illegal drugs into the country, ..Click Here to Read More Mexico's VW workers declare strike for higher pay Workers at Volkswagen AG's plant in Mexico - the only one in the world turning out the company's trademark new Beetle - went on strike Tuesday after negotiations for a salary increase collapsed. ..Click Here to Read More Mexican Museum plans shows to mark rebirth A long-shuttered collection of Mexican art that once filled a popular San Francisco museum appears destined to gather dust for five more years ..Click Here to Read More Visit to Colombia by Mexican President Felipe Calderon In response to an invitation by Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Vélez, Mexican President Felipe Calderón paid a State Visit to Colombia on August 12 and 13, 2009. ..Click Here to Read More Mexico Corn: Gene Therapy A historic moment for Mexico’s agricultural sector. After years of debate and open confrontation between private companies and environmentalists, the Mexican Ministry for Agriculture changed the Bio-Safety Law, which regulates the use of genetically modified organisms (GMO), to allow the planting of genetically modified corn for experimental purposes..Click Here to Read More Amid health care debate, many head to Mexico Retired police officer Bob Ritz has health insurance that covers his medical and dental care in the United States. ..Click Here to Read More     Federal and State funds allocated to clean up beaches, potable water and sewage in La Penita area   Firman SEMARNAT y el Gobierno de Nayarit Convenio de Coordinación Sectorial As result of “5th Clean Beaches National Event” , Minister of Natural Resources and Environment ; Ing. Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada , signed together State Governor Ney Manuel Gonzalez Sanchez the 2009 Sector Agreement , which says Government is committed with environment development. Elvira Quesada said : The agreement represents 668 million pesos investment. 485 million from Federal Government ( 73 %) and 27% from State Government. He said most of investment is going to use for : Water , dirty water , and water cleaning . One of the most important activities is going to be the construction of Acueducto Costa Sur 2nd Step at La Peñita de Jaltemba , Compostela .   North American summit begins in Mexico President Barack Obama huddled Monday with the leaders of Mexico and Canada for a swift North American summit, where the swine flu epidemic and knotty disputes over cross-border trade dominated a lengthy agenda. ….Click Here to Read More Discovery Confirms Partial Use of Bricks in Ancient Maya Settlements Remains of Prehispanic domestic architecture and an offering of ceramic and marine elements were found at Jonuta Archaeological Zone, in Tabasco….Click Here to Read More Mexico Peso Surges to 2-Month High After Moody’s Affirms Rating Mexico’s peso surged to a two-month high after Moody’s Investors Service affirmed the government’s bond ratings and stable outlook, damping speculation the country will suffer its first downgrade since 1995. ….Click Here to Read More Vintage Mexican Sci-Fi Beams a Blast From the Past, con Queso They came from outer space a half-century ago and landed in Mexico, where moviegoers embraced big-headed freaks in Mylar tights and busty female invaders from Venus. Fighting for the survival of Earth: mummies, wrestlers and mad scientists. ….Click Here to Read More  US returns $2.4M in stolen oil money to Mexico U.S. officials handed to Mexican authorities Tuesday $2.4 million paid as restitution by an oil importer after the company president admitted knowingly buying and reselling petroleum products stolen from Mexico's oil monopoly. ….Click Here to Read More   Sonia Sonia Sotomayor and the Reconquest of America When Puerto Rican judge, Sonia Sotomayor took her oath of office on Saturday, August 8th, and was sworn in as a Chief Justice to the United States Supreme Court, she represented, for many Hispanic Americans….Click Here to Read More How come? Stairs make weird echos If you've ever heard the doubled sound of your own footsteps in a long, empty hallway, you're familiar with echoes. Like an undeliverable letter, an echo is sound returned to sender. ….Click Here to Read More Mexico's IMEF Manufacturing Index Rises To 50 In July   Mexico's Institute for Finance Executives, or IMEF, said Monday its manufacturing index rose in July to its highest level in a year in a sign the slump has probably hit bottom. ….Click Here to Read More       A magical night in Guadalajara...Ballet Folkloric at its best. Photography by Bill Bell   Click the ad to go to our site

 

Reproduction:                       Lack of North American Leadership Laura Carlsen - Foreign Policy In Focus go to original August 14, 2009     Mexican President Felipe Calderon, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barack Obama enter a news conference in Guadalajara, Mexico. (Reuters) Times of crisis require bold leadership and innovative solutions. Crises demand the casting aside of old, failed paradigms and the mobilization of people to create new ones. Exactly the opposite happened when the leaders of Canada, Mexico, and the United States met in Guadalajara from August 9-10. Presidents Calderon and Obama and Prime Minister Harper spoke in generalities, avoided conflict and controversy through evasion, and repeated the formulaic proposals of a discredited past. Faced with profound economic, environmental, health, and security crises in the region, the leaders proved once again that North America doesn't exist as a united bloc by punting on the big issues. They also called into question NAFTA's Security and Prosperity Agreement (SPP) that launched the summits in 2005 by refusing to even talk about it. U.S. and Canadian leaders used the forum to reaffirm their priority on national policies, while beleaguered Mexico received little more than declarations of support for Calderon's faltering drug war. Summit meetings like this are often a symbolic show of unity, while the real work goes on at lower levels below the public radar. They don't tend to produce many "deliverables." However, this is no excuse for the shallowness and contradictions of the Summit in Guadalajara. More than any previous North American summit meeting, this one should have taken the bull by its horns. The populations of all three countries need deliverables from their governments — and fast. Civil society organizations in all three nations have long protested against the NAFTA-SPP. These protests tend to flare and fade, depending on the summit calendar. An analysis of how the leaders responded to three issues at the summit provides an idea of what a more sustained civil society agenda for regional integration could include. The Crisis and NAFTA Renegotiation The economic crisis that began in the U.S. economy has deeply affected its neighbors in the region. The Mexican government calls it the worst crisis in 30 years. Mexico faces a 7% contraction in its economy this year. More than half a million workers lost jobs in the formal sector. Real wages fell, the government has cut back on social programs, and the foreign debt has gone up. The combination of lower oil income, reduced U.S. demand, and other factors has hit the poor hardest, resulting in a spike in poverty. The summit's joint statement pays only lip service to the volatile situation in Mexico with its statement that "by working together, we will accelerate recovery and job creation, and build a strong base for long-term prosperity." It shunts the issue to the G-20 meeting in Pittsburgh, dominated by wealthy nations, and ignores regional obligations. It also calls for a stronger role for international financial institutions, especially the Inter-American Development Bank, and drops all calls for reforms in those institutions to provide greater representation of developing countries, and more sustainable and unconditioned loaning. The three leaders emphasize further deregulation of business and reject "protectionism," with no stated role for governments, even at a time when the U.S. government is injecting unprecedented amounts of public funds into the private sector. The declaration calls for stronger intellectual property protection, as Mexico confirms its position as net payer by further cutting back on education and research. On Drugs If Congress approves the 2010 appropriations for the Merida Initiative, it will wrap up the three-year package proposed by the Bush administration and authorized by Congress. Obama used the summit to announce his continued support of the initiative, and to express his "great confidence in President Calderón's administration applying the law enforcement techniques that are necessary to curb the power of the cartels, but doing so in a way that's consistent with human rights." His statements respond to concerns about human rights violations in the Mexican drug war that led to a refusal from Senator Leahy (D-VT) to accept a report from the State Department approving 15% on part of the Merida Initiative funds held up by human rights conditioning. This is not a lack of initiative but an irresponsible repetition of past errors. The Calderon war on drugs and the Merida Initiative have resulted in the presence of 45,000 Mexican Army troops in the streets of Mexican communities. There has been a six-fold increase in reported human rights violations by the army, 12,300 drug-related homicides, and no measurable decrease in the flow of illicit drugs to the U.S. market. Drug cartels have entered into violent turf wars and a process of reorganization as a result of arrests, but interdiction actually fell by about half between 2007 and 2008, according to the 2009 U.S. Narcotics Control Strategy Report. Polls show Mexican citizens losing faith in the strategy, which has no end in sight. Swine Flu North America has a responsibility to the world to get to the bottom of what happened with the swine flu pandemic. The H1N1 virus first broke out in a community called La Gloria in Mexico. It was quickly dubbed the NAFTA flu because the community is next to a Smithfield hog farm that relocated to Mexico after NAFTA. The virus spread because of the movement of pigs and labor within the region. No independent investigations have been carried out on this relationship. The summit's Declaration on H1N1 repeated platitudes about cooperation and a commitment to "inform future public health decisions, including the use of vaccine, antiviral, and non-pharmaceutical interventions" — mostly end solutions that enrich pharmaceutical companies. It did not report any specific funding for research or prevention, nor discuss the heightened risk for poor populations and women. The three governments have touted their response to the swine flu as a "success story" of the SPP. In fact, nearly a week was lost in responding to the crisis. The SPP never provided its most vulnerable partner, Mexico, with the capacity to analyze viruses. Instead, Mexican authorities sent samples for analysis to the Center for Disease Control, which lost valuable time and added to the delays of the Mexican authorities in reporting the outbreak in La Gloria. By emphasizing the importance of assuring "the flow of people, services, and cargo across the borders during a severe pandemic while striving to protect our citizens," the SPP mistakenly prioritized commerce over technology transfer and prevention. The press reported that Mexican officials admitted that the trilateral strategy to confront the flu pandemic includes no obligations on the part of the United States and Canada to assist Mexico, despite being ground zero and suffering from a seriously deficient health system. What They Should Have Done The three North American leaders missed an opportunity to take real leadership on these issues of NAFTA, drugs, and swine flu. On NAFTA, the summit should have announced a full review of the impact of NAFTA carried out by each country, with input from civil society to prepare for renegotiation. Obama stated before the summit that renegotiation would not be on the agenda, despite his campaign promises to renegotiate. While political timing is important and understandable in the United States, a review can begin immediately to provide information for a future commitment to renegotiate. The minimal reviews to date have focused only on investment and trade flows, ignoring the social and environmental impact. There has also been no civil society participation. The effect of the agricultural chapter on Mexican farmers must be a central point of the review. In addition, the summit should have established a trilateral crisis-response fund. The three governments could direct money from such a fund at sectors and regions where the crisis has hit the hardest. Mexico would receive special attention since the government has little budgetary capacity to restore its economy. As such, the fund would redirect money away from scandalously security-heavy aid, currently flowing primarily to U.S. defense contractors and private security firms, and toward Mexican regions with high rates of emigration. The fund could also support long-term capacity-building in education and research. Part of this redirection of aid must follow from a critical review of the results of the Merida Initiative. A more peace-oriented approach to U.S. aid to Mexico should place a high priority on human rights in the fight against organized crime. No more funds from the United States or Canada should be authorized until such a review is carried out. Alternatives to the "drug war" approach include a health-oriented approach to addiction treatment and reduction of consumption, selective legalization and regulation to remove economic incentives for organized crime, and focused intelligence cooperation on financial structures and criminal activities. Although Obama emphasized co-responsibility, reduction demand suffered a proportional decrease in funding under his administration. On the issue of swine flu, the summit should have created a trilateral scientific commission to investigate the origins of the outbreak, with a focus on the "ground zero" discovery of the virus in La Gloria. This commission would demand independent analysis of pigs at the farm and hygiene conditions found there. The NAFTA countries missed an opportunity to do this when the disease first broke out and so may not be able to establish a cause-and-effect relationship after the fact. Nevertheless, this commission should include a scientific assessment of the possibilities for factory farms of this sort to incubate new and even more lethal viruses. The NAFTA leaders should now request NAFTA's Commission on Environmental Cooperation to do a fact-finding report on environmental conditions at Smithfield-Carroll and other industrial feedlots, and investigate the relationship between NAFTA and increased environmental risks stemming from the location of these operations in Mexico where environmental laws and enforcement are weaker. Finally, the leaders should establish a fully funded and equipped Virus Analysis Center in Mexico, including open technology transfer and licensing for public production of needed antivirals and vaccines during any public health emergency. Integrated Risks After 15 years, rather than a united region with common interests, NAFTA-SPP has created a region of integrated risks rather than risk management. Regional cooperation must find ways to resolve the increasingly conflicting national and domestic interests by incorporating all stakeholders. NAFTA and the SPP as they stand now formally exclude all but security and commercial interests. As Obama has noted repeatedly, the subordinated labor and side agreements do not mitigate that central fact. If North America really functioned as a bloc in the international market, or even as a region of shared challenges, the three leaders would have tackled the above issues — as well the issues they didn't address, such as migration — instead of covering them up with rhetoric. If the three leaders are unwilling to produce substantive results in the SPP process, or whatever they currently choose to call these summits, then U.S., Canadian, and Mexican taxpayers should demand a stop to these costly summits until a new structure is in place that takes civil society's diverse interests into account in grappling with issues firmly, fairly, and openly. Foreign Policy In Focus columnist Laura Carlsen (lcarlsen(at)ciponline.org) is director of the Americas Program for the Center for International Policy in Mexico City. Editor: John Feffer                                 Medical Tourism: Plastic Surgery in Paradise Pamela Thompson - PVNN August 11, 2009     For more information, including complete pricing and personal assistance for accommodations, post-op care, transportation and anything else to make your "surgical vacation" as easy and relaxing as possible, send an email to info(at)healthcareresourcespv.com. If you put "medical tourism" into a Google search, you will come up with page after page of surgical options (and not just plastic surgery) from Thailand to Brazil. People from both the United States and Canada are traveling halfway around the world to have various types of plastic surgery performed, at a much lower price than they would find it at "home." It has been until only recently that Canadians and Americans are discovering how modern and up-to-date health facilities are in Mexico, and at the same time at a much lesser cost. As I have stated before, Puerto Vallarta is blessed to have state-of-the-art facilities along with board-certified, honest, bi-lingual and very caring physicians. Plastic surgery options here are basically the same as in other parts of the world including liposuction, tummy tucks, breast reduction, breast enhancement, face lifts (from mini's to a full face lift), eyes, full body lift, neck lift, nose re shaping, lower body lift and as well, Botox and other types of fillers. Prices in Puerto Vallarta run approximately 30% to 40% less than in the United States. Another important thing to remember is that in the United States, when a price quote is given from a physician it rarely includes the hospital fees, which can be quite substantial. Something that is very important to note is that when you are searching for a plastic surgeon here, be sure that they are board certified (if necessary, ask to see the actual certification rather than just taking their word for it.) Board certified plastic surgeons here are few and far between. This is probably the most important item I can mention. Hospital stays for plastic surgery vary depending on the type of surgery performed. Many are "in and out," which means you will check in early in the morning and be discharged in the evening. Other types may require a one or two night stay. All of the hospital rooms here are private, with air conditioning, satellite TV, some type of couch or chair for a friend or family to stay with you if you like. Remember the nurses are not bi-lingual for the most part, so best to practice up on your Spanish and bring a Spanish-English dictionary! You will find the physicians here extremely patient, relaxed and compassionate, not rushing through either the consult or hospital visit. As well, please know that I have seen on several occasions a person wanting to have plastic surgery, going for a consult and having the plastic surgeon refuse to do the surgery for one reason or another whether it be health-related, unrealistic expectations or some other type of contra-indication. This may be a disappointment to the patient, but a sign of a true professional physician. Now, I ask you - what better place to recover from plastic surgery than here in beautiful Puerto Vallarta? Relaxing on a balcony overlooking the ocean (in the shade of course!), for a price less than half in the United States you can have a masseuse come to you, or have your hair done, or have a manicure and pedicure! All the time relaxing to the sounds of the sea. Now THAT is a great recovery! As Medical Tourism becomes more and more popular, people are discovering that geographically, Puerto Vallarta is much more accessible than Thailand or India. They are taking advantage of lower prices, top-notch plastic surgeons, and choosing to come to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for their plastic surgeries. Pamela Thompson is a registered nurse who has lived in Puerto Vallarta for over 17 years, 10 of them in health care. Pamela now leads HealthCare Resources Puerto Vallarta, a local healthcare resource network. Her years of experience and expertise are available to you by emailing your questions to pamela(at)healthcareresourcespv.com or by visiting HealthCareResourcesPV.com. Click HERE to learn more about the health and well-being services offered by HealthCare Letters My last trip to the Isla Isabela caught dorado up to 50#. When you run into a dead whale you could hook hundreds if you wanted too. I only keep what I can consume the limit is 2 per day. Dorodo # for # are definetly the stongest and most exciting fish I've ever caught.  Good eating and beautiful too.       Investing South of the Border im Scherrer - PVNN August 07, 2009     Jim Scherrer, a Houston entrepreneur who retired to Vallarta ten years ago, shares his experiences with other baby boomers who are considering Retirement in Mexico. Click HERE for more articles by Jim Scherrer. Those of us that have been fortunate enough to be invested in Mexico during the past decade have fared very well. Even though we’ve felt the impact of the financial downturn during the past couple of years, our Mexican stocks and Mexican properties have more than doubled in value while those in the US have lagged well behind. Let’s start out by assuming that you’re a pretty savvy investor; your 401k, IRA, or personal investments have kept up with the S&P 500 average during the past ten years and you’ve lost only about 35% of your life’s savings! Did you realize that the Mexican Exchange Traded Fund (EWW) which represents the Mexican stock market, even though it was annihilated during the current recession along with all other markets throughout the world (but is recovering rapidly), has advanced by 200% during the same time frame? In other words, $100 invested in the S&P 500 in 1999 would now be worth $65, whereas if it were invested in the Mexican EWW fund it would now be worth $200. Please refer to the ten year graph below in order to see the comparisons between these two areas of investment and perhaps you can speculate as to where might be the best market to place your next bet! One of the most significant reasons for this steady and rapid growth in the Mexican stock market (Bolsa) must be attributed to the policies of the new governing party that has been in control since 2000. Mexico has been governed by a couple of pro-foreign investment Harvard alumni during most of the timeframe shown above and will continue under the same leadership for at least another three years. The PAN party, led first by President Fox and currently by President Calderon, has brought Mexico from a Third World Country to a Newly Industrialized Country standing in a matter of seven short years. Among their numerous accomplishments, they have cracked down on corruption, have promoted free market capitalism while maintaining a relatively firm peso/dollar relationship, and have elevated tourism to the top of their list of strategic objectives. We have lived in Puerto Vallarta during the entire ten year period and have witnessed the changes and growth firsthand. As the economy has boomed, unemployment in Vallarta has been virtually eradicated while the population has doubled, prices for materials, labor, and land have tripled, and of course, real estate prices have also tripled.     10 Year Graph of SPY versus EWW Now, let’s compare this growth and real estate value appreciation in PV to what has been experienced in the US. The latest government released graph from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) shows that average housing prices in the US appreciated by nearly 70% from 1999 through 2006. Since then, the rate of appreciation has dropped precipitously until the fourth quarter of 2007 when values actually started depreciating. Throughout all of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009, prices have plummeted by about 10% and as you can see in the graph, we can project prices to fall by another 5-10% before they once again start appreciating. In other words, the average investment in housing in the US made 10 years ago will have increased in value by 40-50% by the end of 2009. Even though housing values have recently been crushed, real estate has still way outperformed the stock market during the past ten years; hopefully, your real estate gains have more than offset your stock market losses! With the US real estate market currently experiencing a serious recession, no real appreciation in housing values is expected for at least two more years. In summarizing, most Americans have enjoyed roughly a 40-50% gain in their property value over the past ten years and can expect the equity in their residence to be, at best, essentially dead money for the next couple of years. When we compare the above data to what we’ve experienced in Vallarta, where real estate values have tripled during the past decade, we can only thank our lucky stars for letting us be among the first to participate in the ongoing land rush in Paradise! Fortunately for the about-to-retire baby boomers, it’s not too late. Due to the extreme demand in second homes and retirement properties in resort destinations, Vallarta has witnessed an explosive ten year period of growth. So much so, that with the current global recession, the developers of the large condominium projects requiring long term planning, financing, and construction have been caught totally off guard. Once they committed, most of them (the reputable and fully capitalized ones!) felt it necessary to complete their projects regardless of sales. Consequently, with the recession driven reduction in demand and a supply of more than 7,000 units, prices for new condos are at a bargain basement level with some of the developers selling their surplus inventory at not much above their cost. This is truly a buyer’s market in PV for new condos however this supply/demand imbalance has had minimal effect on the value of existing condos. The situation regarding the resale of existing homes and condos south of the border is entirely different than in the US. In Mexico, there are seldom any promotions or transfers requiring a housing upgrade or relocation, i.e., business related issues almost never require the sale of a resort property. Also, very seldom do owners decide to upgrade or downsize once they own a retirement property. More importantly, almost all real estate purchases in Mexico have been done on an all cash basis and therefore, regardless of the economy, there are no foreclosures on these fully owned properties. Mortgages became readily available in Mexico about five years ago however they require at least 20% down and substantial documentation proving one’s ability to pay. (Sorta like the good ol’ days in the US!) With this kind of financially solid buyer and this level of equity, there are virtually no foreclosures in Mexico. Although the rate of sales of existing properties has slowed to a snail’s pace, in the absence of foreclosures, prices of resale properties have held up fairly well; certainly not plummeting as in the US. In summarizing, those of us that have been fortunate enough to be invested in Mexico during the past decade have fared very well. Even though we’ve felt the impact of the financial downturn during the past couple of years, our Mexican stocks and Mexican properties have more than doubled in value while those in the US have lagged well behind. As we look to the future, we see very promising growth in the Mexican Bolsa as well as in Mexican real estate sales. In fact, FONATUR, the Mexican Tourism Board is still forecasting explosive growth in the Nayarit Riviera area, just north of Puerto Vallarta, during the next decade; only time will tell. As they say, “past performance is no guarantee of future results”! Assuming the global economy eventually rebounds, it is a given that the millions of baby boomers, just starting to retire, will be heading south for the benefits that Mexico has to offer. When this stampede of boomers hit the beaches in Vallarta, real estate prices that have been essentially flat for a couple of years, will continue escalating. Aside from the fact that we have seven months of perfect winter weather in PV from November through May, when the average temperature is 73*F with virtually no rain and blue skies, we have eight magnificent golf courses, hundreds of tennis courts, world class deep sea fishing, hundreds of fine restaurants, clean food and water, and 50,000 other gringos to play and party with, our portfolios of stock and real estate investments south of the border are “en fuego”! If you’re recently retired or considering retirement in the near future, you really ought to check out the investments that lie south of the border; enjoy your retirement to its ultimate, and put your dead money to work for you in beautiful Puerto Vallarta. The founder of Puerto Vallarta Real Estate Buyers' Agents (PVREBA), Jim Scherrer is a retired entrepreneur who has owned property in Puerto Vallarta for 24 years. Utilizing his experience and extensive knowledge of the area, Jim has written a series of informative articles about travel to and retirement in Puerto Vallarta, which you can read on his website at PVREBA.com. Click HERE for more articles by Jim Scherrer.    Become a Friend of Nayarit on Face book click here     Mexico Nabs Gas Thieves; US Refineries Implicated Martha Mendoza & John Porretto - Associated Press go to original     Bottles containing gasoline with Mexican Attorney General stickers on them, aftere they were seized at a small shack where a Pemex gas pipeline was being tapped are shown to the media on the outskirts of Tijuana, Mexico, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009. (AP/Guillermo Arias) Mexico City — They bleed the fuel lines just about anywhere, drug cartel members and other criminals, sucking millions of dollars of Mexican petroleum from makeshift taps hidden in sheds or on remote desert stretches, with thousands of gallons ending up in U.S. refineries. Mexican police busted gas thieves twice this week, said Carlos Ramirez, spokesman at Mexico's state oil monopoly Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex. In a colonial village a few hours west of the capital, police caught nine people Thursday who had siphoned more than 17,000 gallons (64,350 liters) of fuel from a pipeline into waiting tanker trucks. On Wednesday, just one hour south of the California border near the popular beaches of Rosarito, police plugged three different taps, including one that was operating inside a small, wooden shack. But those busts will do little to plug a stream of stolen petroleum products, millions of dollars worth of which is smuggled across the border and sold to U.S. refineries, according to the U.S. Justice Department. While Mexican authorities try to patch the leaks, U.S. officials are tracking proceeds from various Texas bank accounts and taking a close look at several Texas companies to quell the theft at their end. To date, the companies identified are small fuel distributors, not the major U.S. refiners. Houston-based Trammo Petroleum president Donald Schroeder, the first to be convicted as part of a cross-border investigation, agreed to pay a $2 million fine to the U.S. government while he awaits a December sentencing. In addition, on Tuesday U.S. officials handed their Mexican counterparts a separate $2.4 million refund check from Trammo to partially compensate Pemex for its losses. Schroeder pleaded guilty to buying and reselling stolen condensate, a liquid hydrocarbon that refiners can blend with crude oil as they produce fuel and other products. Mexico's federal police commissioner, Rodrigo Esparza, has said the Zetas, a fierce drug gang aligned with the Gulf cartel, used false import documents to smuggle at least $46 million worth of oil in tankers to unidentified U.S. refineries. Mexico froze 149 bank accounts this year in connection with that crime. U.S. federal officials say further arrests are expected, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have served 10 federal search warrants on bank accounts in Texas. In May, the U.S. government seized $102,525 from San Antonio-based Valley Fuels Ltd. saying, in court records, that ICE investigators had "confirmed that the gas condensate sold by Valley Fuels had been stolen from Mexico." Valley Fuels president Stephen Pechenik responded in court records, denying that the funds had anything to do with a conspiracy to buy or sell stolen oil. In response to an inquiry from The Associated Press, Valley Fuels said in an e-mail this week that it has been deluged by news media calls for comment. "As much as we would like to tell our side for the world to hear, our attorneys have advised us to 'No Comment,'" the company said. Its Web site says Valley Fuels' business is to buy, sell and move petroleum and petroleum products worldwide. The company says it also specializes in "structuring transactions that offer the best possible value to our suppliers while at the same time providing the lowest cost to our customers." Court records show another $40,000 was seized from Continental Fuels Inc., whose Web site lists a Houston address. That seizure has not been contested. Continental Fuels, which also deals in the distribution of petroleum products, did not respond to phone and e-mail requests. John Auers, senior vice president at Turner Mason & Co., a Dallas-based petroleum consultancy, said it's unlikely any major U.S. refiner knowingly bought stolen products. One possible way stolen condensate could find its way to a refinery is if it was "laundered" through a smaller processing company and then shipped to one of the big refiners, Auers said. A small plant that buys and distills condensate – and then sells to refiners – might not be as rigorous as a major refiner checking a shipment's origins. "We're talking about very small volumes of material," Auers said. "In small volumes, that stuff can move through these (small processing plants). ... I don't think any of this stuff would have gotten into the finished petroleum product market without it somehow being laundered in between – sort of like laundering dirty money." Auers noted that stolen gasoline would be even more difficult to sell because imports are heavily regulated. "Any reputable refiner ... would have to first have detailed paperwork from the importer," he said. "I have a hard time believing any refiner in the U.S. would not be able to see through stolen gasoline or stolen diesel." Porretto reported for this story from Houston.      Learn Spanish Today  - Learn Spanish on-line for free, using interactive audio/visual lessons. Photography by Bill Bell  to view Mexico Photography click below Colonial Cities and Towns   Archeological Sites       Click the ad to go to our site Speak Spanish - That Should be Your Goal! Learn Spanish Today   Make 2009 the year that you learn Spanish Can you Speak Spanish? How long have you been studying Spanish? Between high school classes, college classes and you own efforts you could easily have a couple years already under your belt. During this time you have likely built up a good Spanish vocabulary, along with a basic understanding of Spanish verb conjugation. But can you speak Spanish? Why is speaking Spanish so hard? Would you feel comfortable approaching a native Spanish speaker and starting a conversation? Why not? Why is it so hard to speak Spanish evenBeginning high school and college Spanish classes, as well as most self study Spanish courses start off by teaching vocabulary and verb conjugation. You practice speaking, but the focus is on the individual word or phrase. Lists of words are memorized and tests are given on verb conjugation. So when it comes time to speak, the words and phrases are separate in your mind. It becomes a matter of trying to pull all the pieces together and form them all into a sensible sentence, not just speaking. The key to becoming more comfortable in speaking situations is to practice and learn the sentences as a whole, not in separate pieces. This way when you are trying to remember what to say, the whole sentence pops in your mind, not just one word. You will speak Spanish more correctly, more fluently and more confidently than ever before. The Visual Link Spanish Course allows you to utilize this effective way of learning and practice speaking Spanish. In our free online demo lessons, you can see how we utilize these strategies to truly teach you to speak Spanish. You will be able to recall everything you learn and words will come into your mind as a complete sentence not separate individual words. You will already be on your way to speaking Spanish more fluently and more confident  Learn Spanish Today  - Learn Spanish on-line for free, using interactive audio/visual lessons.

New 2009  Nogales to Puerto Vallarta Road Log and Driving Guide We are confident that our road logs and driving guides will make your highway experiences just that much better and easier. Regardless of whether you are driving an RV or a suburban, a bike or a pick-up, our road logs will assist your journey. Even 20 year veterans of the route have benefited from the information. We decided to present the road from a driving perspective going SOUTH. When your are looking at the Log, you read from the bottom of the page and read up. The Pacific Ocean, for example, would always be on your right, just as you would view it from your driver's seat. The KM markings are the markings that you will see as you drive. It doesn't matter if your vehicle reads in miles or kilometers. You just read the signs on the road to get your bearings. Sometimes one highway combines with another and old kilometer signs are left up. Not to worry, just continue to read the guide. Some of the best navigation points are the Pemex Station numbers clearly marked on all gas station signs. Topes (Mexican speed bumps) are marked in the guide just to remind you to go slow. We included Military and Agriculture check points even though we know these can change frequently. (Generally they are on one side of the state border or another between the Mexican states.)       How to download and buy the Road Log Click on the buy now button and you will be directed to a merchants page.  Once you pay for the road log you will redirected to an easy to use download page where you will be able to receive your product immediately.  Now only $8.99                               Jaltemba Sol Copyright 2009 Custom Search