Friday, January 27, 2012

Dear Reader,

Our readers often tell us why they want to buy overseas property. Some want a second home for vacations or a sunny bolt hole when it’s cold and wintry back home. Some want a retirement property, where they’ll live year-round. Some buy for investment, looking for strong price appreciation or rental yield. Some want to diversify, and own assets in another country.

And one of the projects on our beat manages to tick all those boxes - and more.

The Tao community was the #1 opportunity in 2011. That’s not surprising when you consider how much bang you get for your buck.

Tomorrow sees the launch of the next phase at Tao. The starting price for units is $182,000. Pathfinder readers can get in with with a 5% discount, cutting the starting price to $172,900.

Want to know why Tao beat all the other projects we brought you in 2011? Here are five reasons why:

1. Location, location, location. This isn’t an outpost where you’ll land in a tiny plane and then bounce along for hours on dirt roads to get to your destination.

Located between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, Tao is easy to get to. (You can see all the locations I mention on this map.)

First, you fly to Cancun international airport. Cancun is one of the busiest airports in the Caribbean, with direct flights to cities across North America. Many budget airlines fly to Cancun, so you’ll also find low-cost flight options.

From Cancun airport, you’ll drive for 90 minutes on a modern, smooth highway to get to Tao.

Getting here’s a breeze. And not just for you, but for friends and family when they visit – and renters, too.

Government plans call for an international airport close to Tulum –and only 15 minutes from Tao. The plan aims to triple the number of tourists in this area. That’s good news for property buyers. It means an even wider pool of potential renters.

2. Appreciation/Potential.  With the Caribbean Sea on one side, and more than two million acres of land in protected national parks on the other, there’s relatively little land available in the Tulum area for development. Then you need to factor in tight planning laws that place strict limits on building height and density. It’s a developer’s nightmare - and a property investor’s dream. Limited inventory in a location that’s attracting more tourists, renters and property shoppers…

Tao is on the Riviera Maya, an 80-mile section of coast that runs south of Cancun to Tulum. It’s a tourist hot spot. Occupancy rates in the Riviera Maya averaged 70.6% for the first five months of 2011. They’re expected to go higher in 2012.

The government wants to triple the number of tourists visiting the Riviera Maya. But they don’t want crowds of spring breakers or budget-conscious backpackers. They want well-heeled travelers to visit, the kind that wants yoga on the beach at sunrise and hot-stone massages. 

Tao is in the right place…with the right mix of amenities… that will suit these upscale independent travelers.

You can see the potential unfolding already. Tao is the developer’s second project in the resort. Your fellow readers bought condos in his first project for $199,000 in 2009. Only ten months later, similar units were selling for $244,000.

3. The Quintessential Caribbean. Powder-sand beaches and turquoise seas. Clouds of rainbow-bright fish over a shimmering coral reef. Nature reserves with candy-pink flamingos, curious monkeys and gentle manatees. Ancient Mayan temples in thick forests. This piece of coast is simply breath taking. And it’s not short on amenities, either.

4. Amenities.  The biggest amenity is the coral-sand beach and turquoise Caribbean. But this beachfront resort offers more…starting with Tao’s focal point, the Tao Center. Here, you can swim in lap pools, work out in the gym, or take classes in salsa, Spanish or cooking.

Then there’s a 27-hole golf course and luxury clubhouse. Hop on a resort shuttle and you’ll have a choice of restaurants and cafes, a gym and spa, swimming pools, and entertainment. Tao owners get a heavily discounted rate to access the main resort amenities.

Outside the resort, you’ll find Mexico’s best beach at Tulum. You’ll like shopping or dining in Playa del Carmen, or dancing the night away. There are ancient Mayan ruins and a huge biosphere to explore. It’s a hot spot for golfers, with a dozen or so golf courses. In fact, there’s something for everyone, making your Tao home much more attractive to renters and potential buyers.

5. Affordability. Tao condos are priced from $182,000. That’s a bargain price for a home in a Caribbean resort. It’s also much lower than what you’ll pay for a similar property in the beach town of Playa del Carmen, only 20 minutes away.

There’s a special 5% discount on the purchase price for Pathfinder readers. And developer finance makes your Tao home even more affordable. You can buy a luxury condo here from $999 a month with a manageable downpayment and annual balloon payments.

Tao was the #1 choice for readers in 2011. And you can still get in from $999 a month.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s Pathfinder Alert, when Ronan will give you the lowdown on this new opportunity.

Margaret Summerfield