I want good, durable furniture, but everything is so expensive in the Riviera Maya!

So you finally did it! You have a brand new condo near the beach, everything you dreamed of… You went through the high and lows of buying Mexico real estate, the jitters and the cold feet of finally signing the paperwork and owning a beautiful home in the magical Riviera Maya.


Everything in Mexico is cheap, right?? You went looking for furniture stores in Playa del Carmen and almost had a heart attack when you saw the prices, wishing there was an Ikea close by and you could just furnish your home and be done with it!


There is one thing about the Caribbean that is never shown in the shiny brochures for properties. You live a few meters away from the beach, the humidity and the sea salt destroy many common furniture materials. Buying cheap furniture will probably backfire, as it will not withstand the elements and the heat: chromed metal, vinyl and MDF; will be rusted, peeling or rotting within a few months or a couple of years.

So what do when you need affordable furniture and your budget is tight? Think outside the box and visit Temozon, Yucatan.

The Mayans living in this area have had it right all along, the secret to furniture that last forever is to use hardwoods or cedar wood. This is a great location to shop for wood furniture and spend your hard earned money in something both cheap and durable.

If you are looking for ultramodern furniture, this might not be the place for you; but there is a good variety of styles and finishes available. They also specialize in garden furniture, so you can find seating sets, dining tables, sun chairs and so many more!

When I left America, I had to leave my beloved World Market table and chairs, they were just too bulky to bring them all the way to Playa del Carmen. In Temozon I had the same table and benches that had cost me thousands in America, made by Mayan artisans with locally sourced wood. The cost of the table and two benches to the exact specifications and measures from the World Market web site, was of 3,900 pesos which to today’s exchange rate translates to about $295.00 USD.


It would be great to bring a Spanish speaking friend, so you don’t get the “gringo special prices” and can explain or haggle if necessary. Make sure to have photos and measurements in metric system of the furniture you need and to see samples of their work, it is customary for made to order furniture to pay 50% in advance. Make sure you get a receipt and all the contact details of the person building your furniture.


If you visit Temozon, do not leave without visiting the nearby archeological site of Ek Balam, and trying the traditional Temozon delicacy: smoked pork! A platter with smoked pork, beans, rice and salad with plenty of handmade tortillas sells for about 50 pesos, we always take friends and family and everyone loves this meat!





Now if you have any question of this or any of the TOP MEXICO REAL ESTATE properties we have listed in Playa Del Carmen, The Riviera Maya or anywhere throughout Mexico, please feel free to contact any of our TOP MEXICO EXPERT SALES TEAM and we will be glad to help you find your very own piece of paradise.

And remember, here at TOP MEXICO REALESTATE…

We make it happen!

Sisal: Yucatan’s Untraditional Margarita

If you ever visit the city of Merida, you will be amazed by the splendor of the city and its traditional Haciendas. Stroll through El Paseo de Montejo and admire the European style mansions, which will transport you to the France of the Belle Époque.

The economic boom that made Merida one of the richest cities in America spanned from the late 19th century to the early 20th century; and it is largely due to the exploitation of the Sisal plant.

The Henequen plant or Sisal (Agave fourcroydes), is native to the Yucatan Peninsula. Its use dates back to pre-Columbian Mayan culture that inhabited the region and its use became widespread among the Spaniards who colonized the area.

The Sisal name was given to the fiber in other parts of the world because the fibers and its products were shipped from the port of Sisal, in the north coast of the Yucatan. Even today, a variety of the agave grown in Brazil is called Sisalana, and it is the product of genetic hybridization of the Agave Foucroydes native of the Yucatan.

The lightness, flexibility and strength of their fibers made it indispensable to make ropes and bags used world-wide for shipping and international trade; at a time when synthetic fibers were nonexistent.

Social movements such as the armed uprising of the Mayas in Yucatan known as the Caste War in 1847 and later the Mexican Revolution in 1910 began to weaken the economic and political framework that allowed the production of this fiber. Similarly, the appearance of synthetic fibers derived from petroleum, much cheaper and durable ended the period of exploitation of this fiber.

Something about the Henequen or Sisal that not a lot of people know is that is a plant related to the Agave Plant, the same plant used to make Tequila and Mescal. This plant is used to make a spirit known as Liquor Izamal or Sisal Liquor, and it is crafted only in the Yucatan. Casa Izamal, the distillery that produces it, offers two varieties: Blanco and an Anejo (aged)

If you want to try a much smoother and refreshing version of the traditional Margarita Cocktail, feel free to try the “Margarita Sisal”. This cocktail is a staple in the Live Hacienda “Sotuta de Peon”, where I tried it for the first time. This hacienda is the perfect place to learn more about Henequen fiber or Sisal and to enjoy a wonderful tour.

It took a little bit of begging, but the bartender agreed to share the recipe with me. It is a wonderful twist on the classic Margarita cocktail; made 100% with local ingredients. There is no need to add Cointreau Liquor, since the sour orange is not as sweet as traditional oranges, so it makes for a very simple recipe.

Margarita Sisal:

(Courtesy of Sotuta de Peon Hacienda Viva)

1 oz. freshly Squeezed sour orange* juice

1 ½ oz. ounces of Liquor Izamal or Sisal Distillate

Sugar or natural syrup to taste

Ice cubes

Salt

*Sour Orange: It can be found in supermarkets, the name in Spanish is “Naranja Agria” and it is different from regular oranges because the skin is thicker and darker. If you can’t find them, regular orange will work but you might need to add Cointreau Liquor to reduce the sweetness.

Directions:

1.       Use an orange wedge to wet the rim of the glass

2.       Pour some salt in a plate

3.       Dunk your glass in the salt and make sure the rim is covered with it

4.       Use a cocktail glass to mix all the ingredients and shake them vigorously

5.       If you want a frozen margarita, empty the mix in your blender and blend until all the ingredients are mixed

6.       Pour in a margarita into the salt rimmed glass

Now if you have any question of this or any of the TOP MEXICO REAL ESTATE properties we have listed in Playa Del Carmen, The Riviera Maya or anywhere throughout Mexico, please feel free to contact any of our TOP MEXICO EXPERT SALES TEAM and we will be glad to help you find your very own piece of paradise.

And remember, here at TOP MEXICO REAL ESTATE…

We make it happen!

TOPMexicoRealEstate.com NETWORK; “Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely!”

Top Dog Reporting-My sweet life as part of the Top Mexico Real Estate Family!

The whole entire Top Mexico Real Estate family!

I would like to start off by introducing myself to the world!  My name is Topper and I am the Top Dog here at Top Mexico Real Estate!  I spent two years of my life in and out of shelters!  The most recent being the Playa Animal Shelter where I was loved and cared for by so many people!  Until the day that I found my forever home with my masters Liam and Tanya and the whole entire Top Mexico Real Estate family! 

I feel truly blessed to be in such a loving home where I receive plenty of attention and love!  I get to play, snuggle and take lots and lots of baths! I love baths!  They are my absolute favorite!  And besides, living in the Caribbean can be a little hot so a dog needs a refresher every once in a while; you know? 

Topper with Liam and Tanya

When my masters are away at school my life is far from boring!  I have lots of work to do!  First I greet all of the team members when they come to work!  I feel that I make a great hostess! I know I do because when everyone arrives they pet me and talk to me like a king!  

Once everyone is settled and working I take a little snooze to get ready for the upcoming events of the day! 

Then I get to spend some fun time assisting my masters’ master (otherwise known as dad)…Tom Lloyd!  Don’t tell Liam and Tanya but he is my third favorite person to hang with!  And he has given me a very special job! I get to go out and see all different kinds of Playa del Carmen real estate projects and communities!  

It is my job to sniff the area to be sure that each community we visit is pet friendly!  If I like it then they get my “Topper Stamp of Approval”.  This is a very important certification for dog lovers all over the world!  If you own a pet and are looking for homes or condos in Playa del Carmen or in Mexico search for this stamp as a guaranteed pet friendly community!

So far I have gotten to visit Hacienda del Rio (love) and Quadra Alea (also love) and I recommend all dogs all over the world to encourage their owners come and sniff out these sites! Excuse me, I forgot that human’s don’t sniff; rather they observe with their eyes!

In any case, after a very exciting work day, I need to be home before Liam and Tanya arrive from school as it is very important that I am there to greet my masters.  Besides, I love to see there smiling faces!  Then it’s play time! Yeah!  All the toys come out, the water hose and we run around and play tag!  

Topper with Tom

In the evening the Top Mexico Team starts to leave to go home!  I like to walk them to the door to say good bye.  Afterwards we get ready for dinner and Liam and Tanya fill my bowl with delicious food.  Of course after dinner it is rest time and I hang out with Liam and Tanya while they do their homework and watch a bit of TV!

I have such a great life and so many great adventures! There are so many things that I would love to share about my life with Liam, Tanya, Tom, Bea and the whole Top Mexico crew!  Stay tuned for more Top Dog adventures!

Playa del Carmen Opens First Wheelchair Accessible Beach in Mexico!

Wheelchair accessibility and beaches are not ideas that people would imagine to be very compatible. Yet, a few weeks ago, Playa del Carmen combined innovation, creativity and sound practical thinking to open Mexico’s first wheel-chair accessible beach!

The beach is Fundadores, located right next to the ferry dock in the heart of downtown, which is also one of the widest beaches in the region.

The service offers wheelchairs and walkers specially designed to work on the beach, a wooden board-walk style path going out onto the sand, and accessibility to the beach showers.

Take a look at the pictures:

We’re proud of Playa del Carmen for putting in the effort to make this beautiful beach more accessible and enjoyable for everyone!

Xcalacoco Beach - Perfect Beachfront, Just Out of Town

In this video, you are enjoying relaxation at its best on Xcalacoco beach.  Xcalacoco is located at the north end of Playa del Carmen, forming the beachfront for one of the trendiest up-and-coming areas with new resorts and golf course.  The attraction of the beach speaks for itself; you can enjoy complete relaxation watching the waves of the turquoise Caribbean and the tourists walk by - all relaxed as can be!

If you enjoy walking on the beach, you can walk from Xcalacoco towards the town center passing through a number of Playa del Carmen’s most beautiful beachfront areas, watching the people relax on their lounge chairs sipping cold drinks and enjoying life - the way it was meant to be.

TOPMexicoRealEstate.com; Mexico's Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely

1st Ave. is a Quiet Secret Right in Bustling Heart of Playa del Carmen

Sometimes it happens that if you go right to the heart of it all, to the busiest area with the most action, the most people coming and going you can find a surprisingly quiet corner that no one seems to notice.

In the case of Playa del Carmen, this place is an entire street – 1st Ave.  This quiet street which starts and stops again a couple of times, runs parallel to Fifth Avenue between that bustling, trendy street with all its shops and restaurants and the beach.

In a way, it’s not surprising that this street remains quiet and unknown.  Its basically serves as back access to the restaurants and hotels of Fifth Ave. on one side, and those on the beachfront on the other.  If you walk by and look down, there are a couple of shops and a bar or two, as well as a few nice little hotels, but generally speaking there’s not much of interest.

The Best of Both (or All?) Worlds

Yet, when it comes to the question of finding a Playa del Carmen condo for sale, it doesn’t get much better than 1st Ave.:

• Fifth Ave. with all its shops, dining, boutiques, bars and clubs is on one side
• The world’s most beautiful beaches are on the other (with more restaurants)
• It’s a quiet access street to get to your condo; you can walk out your front door without landing in a crowd (yet, all the action is just around the corner!)
• The street offers driving access (Fifth Avenue does not.)

Best Communities Downtown

1st Ave. couldn’t reasonably be considered a “community” but it runs through many of the best communities downtown.

It starts of right in the heart of it all, in the old downtown, and has a little jog running down towards the beach called “1st St.”  It then runs a few blocks north into Little Italyand finally through the Mamitas Beach community.

At this point the street ends and starts up again in the Coco Beach community (see a nice video of the community here) although at this point the character of the street is quite different and there are several smaller streets running between Fifth and the beach.

Tomorrow, I’ll offer  a peak at some of the many beautiful condos to be found on 1st Ave.

TOP Mexico Real Estate is here; Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely!

Playa del Carmen Real Estate - Could This Be the World’s Best Place to Retire?

There’s a lot talk going around about what the best place to retire in the world is.  Many people claim to have found a definitive answer of the “best city,” or “favorite area” or something similar to that.  While these bold can rarely be backed with solid data, there are some items that almost all retirees would love to see in their lifestyle.  If we look at some of the most important items, we’ll see that  Playa del Carmen real estate  is an excellent choice for retirement, perhaps even the best one – that is, if a retiree is interested in this kind of a lifestyle …

 

Close to Beaches – Residents of Playa del Carmen don’t only live a walk away from a beach, they live a walk away from some of the best beaches to be found, anywhere.  The sand is white and soft.  The water is a bright turquoise and is always warm. A brief look at the  beaches in the Riviera Maya  (the name of area surrounding Playa del Carmen) will show that, besides the fact that it would be difficult to find anything better, there is a good deal of variety in the beach styles, locations and nearby properties.  Good retirement properties both downtown and out in gated communities can be found a walk away from these wonderful beaches!

 

Warm Weather – The weather in Playa del Carmen is warm all year.  While it may get chilly enough during the late evenings in January to put on a sweater (60 is about as low as it gets,) especially if you’re enjoying a late dinner or little snack on the beachfront, daytime is still warm and sunny enough to walk around in shorts and sandals.  The year-round average is 76 degrees.  Seeing an entire day without sunshine is very rare.

Walk-Everywhere Lifestyle – Most retirees are looking for a relaxing place where they can walk to shops, restaurants, bars, galleries, etc. to enjoy their hard-earned leisure time, as well as to supermarkets, banks, clinics, pharmacies and other such services to make taking care of day to day needs simple; after all, what’s more relaxing when you have errands to run than walking 5 minutes to the bank to take care of a payment (for example), then stopping at a nice cafe near the beach on the way home?  Playa del Carmen has a number of great, comfortable gated communities (like Quadra Alea Condos) that offer precisely this kind of comfortable, walk-everywhere lifestyle in the nice north end of downtown.

 

Friendly Neighborhood Lifestyle – Retirees want to know their neighbors, chat with people on the street, enjoy a drink with other Americans and Canadians at their condo poolside.  Playa del Carmen not only has a significant expat community (some estimates say as much as 15,000) but it is a friendly community where people not only say “hi” but stop and chat, join you for a coffee.  The local Mexican people are also very friendly; many speak English and love to hear the stories of those newly arriving to their country.

Low Cost of Living – Playa del Carmen is a place where both real estate and the cost of day to day life is low.  Excellent condos in nice locations can be found for just about any budget.  For those who enjoy larger spaces with a good number of onsite amenities within their complex, beautiful luxury condos can be found for a surprisingly low price per square foot.  The cost of living is also low.  For less than $2000 USD per month, a retired couple can live very comfortably with plenty to go around for travel and those little treats people don’t like to give up. Of course, it’s entirely possible to live comfortably on a good deal less …

Excellent, Affordable Healthcare – Healthcare is important for retirees.  Playa del Carmen is home to a state-of-the-art private hospital and some excellent little clinics.  Prices are surprisingly low for top-of-the-line medical service (typically between 50 and 70 % less).  There is also a public insurance system which has a nice new hospital; a flat fee of about $350 USD per year covers all check-ups, procedures, prescription medication (in and out of hospital), basic dental work and even glasses.  There are more line-ups and paperwork involved (unheard of in the private system) but those who use it feel the service covers their needs.

While it may be difficult to say beyond a doubt which retirement haven is the best or favorite, Playa del Carmen is certainly an excellent candidate.  Most importantly than worldwide rankings or what international newspapers is that retirement here is excellent, it’s affordable, and the average retiree can see their dreams come true here.

TOP Mexico Real Estate; Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely!