July 2011 Newsletter - Acapulco Condos, The Beach & The Mall

Hello again from Acapulco,

I've been watching the Canadian and US weather reports this summer.  It appears that much of the west coast has been unseasonably cool and rainy.  Vancouver, Canada, as example, has only had about 3 or 4 sunny, warm days so far this summer - the rest being rainy or cool.  Meanwhile, as many of you who are currently melting in the East know, they've been having a scorching heat wave with temperatures often above 110F/43C.

I've taken note of this, in particular, because Acapulco's weather is, really, just perfect year round (if you like the hot, tropical heat).  Rarely is there ever a day with highs of less 82F/28C or more than 95F/35C and there are probably less than 2 weeks total per year of overcast days, the rest are all sunny.  It has to be one of the most predictable climates in the world.

REMINDERS OF WHY IT IS SO NICE HERE

Having lived here for nearly 4 years now I can sometimes forget about some of the great things about Acapulco.  But, last week, I had a friend visit Acapulco for the first time, so I got to see Acapulco through a newcomer's eyes again.

He was only here for a week but he really packed as much in as he could.  He went parasailing, scuba diving, went on a tour and visited many of Acapulco's great dining and drink spots including Forza Italiana, Mango's, Beto's and many more.

He had to leave today and I've never seen anyone who looked sadder.  He even said that he is going to find a way to come live down here in the next year or so.

Upon leaving I went around with him because he had to say goodbye to all the new friends he had met, including the guy who took him scuba diving and the bartender at Mango's who bought him a present because he liked him so much! That's Acapulco and the people here... incredibly friendly.

THE MALL

As I write this I am sitting at Starbucks in La Galerias Diana mall.  The wife and kids are taking in Harry Potter in the luxurious VIP cinema here complete with waiters and reclining seats.  Total cost for a ticket is about what you pay in the US for standard cinemas.

It is 10:30pm on a Sunday night and the mall is still completley crowded with an upscale, happy looking crowd of people and families, enjoying a Sunday out together.

Las Galerias Diana

Acapulco has two really nice malls.  La Galerias Diana is only about a 10 minute walk from our location.  And La Isla is a world-class outdoor mall with dozens of restaurants, bars and upscale shopping.  It is partly owned by Luis Miguel, the famous Mexican singer.

La Isla

ACAPULCO CONDOS FOR SALE

We've had a large uptick in interest for the current condos we have for sale in the last week.  We've been inundanted with interest - people must already be looking at the cold winter around the corner and are preparing now - so the condos we currently have may be selling fast.

These are still the 3 best units we have:

• 2809S - Studio Suite - $72,500 USD  (click here for more info and photos)
• 2909S - Studio Suite - $50,000 USD as is or $69,500 USD with full renovation (click here for more info and photos)
• 3003S - **NEW!** 2 Bedroom Penthouse Unit $121,900 USD as is or $161,900 USD with full renovation package & rental income capability (click here for more info and photos)

There really is no where in Mexico where you can get such nice beachfront units for so cheap - and definitely not with the ROI we can get you by renting the unit whenever you are not using it.

If you haven't been to Acapulco then you don't know what you are missing.  Email us at sales@acacondos.com if you have interest in buying or would like to come down and stay in one of our suites first to see how you like it before you buy.  We offer discounts to prospective buyers.

That's all for now... Harry Potter just finished so it's time for me to go.

Until next month,

Jeff Berwick

Proprietor

June 2011 Newsletter

Hello again from the beach!

I told you, June is about the quietest month in Acapulco, so I don't have too much to update you on this month.

We've actually had a decent amount of unit rentals that we rent for owners this month, which was a bit of a nice surprise - often we have next to no rentals in June - but other than that it has been quuuiieeeettt.  Around this time of the year I am often the only person in the building - and it is two, 30 story towers!  That is a lot of space to be alone in!  If you like quiet, though, June is your month!

CHIHUAHUAS

Since I don't have much new to tell you I thought I'd tell you a cute, yet scary, moment that happened to me at the beach recently.

I have a 6 month old chihuahua... I figured, if I live in Mexico I should have a Mexican dog!  He's the cutest little thing - his name is Bruce Lee.  Here is a pic of how he looks when he wants to come up on the bed with us!

I take him for a walk on the beach nearly every day.  He loves it. He loves to chase the birds on the beach.  But every time I've tried to take him into the water he gets very scared.  So scared that he often will run away and hide if he knows I want to go in the water with him.

So, because of this, I wasn't expecting any problems when I went in for a dip by myself.  I figured he'd just wait for me.  So, I went in and swam around a bit.  The waves were quite large that day - maybe because Tropical Storm Beatrice was a few hundred miles offshore.

Bruce Lee was busy playing with some kids on the beach but then I saw that he realized I was in the water... he stared for about 2 seconds, assessing the situation.  He must have figured I was drowning, or something, because he galloped towards the water.

Some of the waves were over 5 feet high... even for me to get past them to go for a swim I had to time the waves or I'd get thrown back!  But, Bruce, he is about 0.5 feet tall and about 2.5 pounds!

My heart froze as I saw him get thrown about by a wave!  I paddled as hard as I could over to him!  He was getting tossed about!

Luckily I grabbed him... and learned a lesson, don't go for a swim with Bruce around!

That little 2.5 pound thing with giant ears thought I was in trouble and raced into the water he is normally petrified of to save me!

Chihuahas.  Little dogs, huge hearts!

WEATHER

I've brought this up a few times in the past, but again after another very cool winter in most of the world I thought I'd mention it again.  There appears to be some major weather pattern shifts happening all over the world.

In this part of the world, even places like Cancun are having winters where a sweater and hot chocolate at night is par for the course!  It snowed in Miami this year.

We had so many guests who normally rent a vacation apartment in south Florida or in other parts of Mexico who came running to Acapulco in search of heat.

This has been going on for the last few winters and could be par for the course now.  So, if you like heat, keep that in mind when choosing a place to buy a place or vacation.  Acapulco is very far south in Mexico - it's quite close to Guatemala... they don't know what cold weather is here.  But it's still north enough to receive Canadian and US HDTV satellite programming - which I used to enjoy the NHL Playoffs and the subsequent Vancouver riots from the beach.

UNITS FOR SALE

Nothing has changed from last month, we still have the same 3 units available.  All three, by the way, are as good as any we have ever had, IMO.

2809S is great because it has been in our rental pool for a while and has been recently completely renovated so it is the easiest... you just buy it and it is ready to go.  And it currently is pulling in an income of 7% per year AFTER ALL EXPENSES.  That beats most investments today... plus there aren't many investments that you can stay in on the beach, for basically free, whenever you want!

2909S is excellent because it is the 2nd floor from the top... Sub-penthouse.  I am surprised no one has bought this yet... for $50,000, you can't go wrong with this one!

3003S is a 2 bedroom penthouse and has one of the nicest views in all of Acapulco.  Again, a 2 bedroom penthouse right on the beach in the heart of Acapulco Bay for $121,900... can't go much wrong with that!

All those prices are in US dollars too... so for you Canadians are Europeans, they've gotten cheaper over the last year.

If you don't see a unit that interests you, send us an email to sales@acacondos.com and let us know what you are looking for... we can probably find it for you.

MEDIA ARTICLES

Here are a few of the most interesting tourism related articles about Mexico and Acapulco this month:

• Acapulco Dives into Tourism Revitalization
• Why You Should Go to Mexico

HOTEL DEALS

July and August can get a little crowded in Acapulco as all the Mexican families go on vacation... but if you don't mind that, send us an email... we'll give you a good deal on one of our owner's suites that we rent for them through our hotel concept: Las Torres Gemelas Private Suites.

Until next time,

Jeff Berwick

Manager

May 2011 Newsletter

Hello from beautiful Acapulco!

Officially, yesterday, the "rainy season" has begun.  Being from Vancouver, Canada, a place where it rains literally non-stop from October until May, I always laugh when I hear that.

However, to be fair, I saw some clouds for the first time in six months yesterday, so they did a pretty good job of picking the date.

But how rainy is rainy season in Acapulco?  Well, to put it simply, it rarely ever rains - at least on this side of the mountains (more on that below).  At the worst of it, there may be a rain shower lasting 20-30 minutes in the evening two or three days a week.  It's actually quite nice as it cools things off as the period over the summer gets almost a little too humid and hot.  We've been running our air conditioner non-stop for the last few days.  That is a big difference from the period between November and April where we would never run the A/C in the day - the breeze from the ocean was always more than enough to keep the temperature in our condo very comfortable.

It can rain a lot here on certain occassions though.  Those occassions?  Hurricanes and tropical storms.

Acapulco is quite nicely situated in the very south of Mexico and is only about 100-200 miles from where the hurricanes in this part of the world usually form.  So, it is very rare when a hurricane gathers sufficient strength so quickly that it causes much problem in Acapulco.  Any hurricane usually passes by as a weak storm and usually gains strength as it approaches Puerta Vallarta and Cabo up north.

The last major hurricane in Acapulco was fourteen years ago with Hurricane Pauline in 1997.  There was no major damage here where we are but unfortunately much of Acapulco is built onto the hillsides and many people lost their homes and lives in mudslides.

Not many people realize, but Acapulco is a very large city and a large part of the city is actually on the other side of the large hills - a totally different world, really, if you ever go over to 'the other side'.  That side, by the way, are where there are sometimes some drug trafficking related problems.

One neat geological irregularity here in Acapulco is that those hills actually keep out a lot of precipitation from inside the bay - where we are situated.  But, because there is a fair amount of rain on the other side of the hills and at the top of the hills, Acapulco Bay is incredibly green and lush year round despite rarely ever having rain here.  It is a very special place for this reason alone.

PENTHOUSES SELLING LIKE HOTCAKES

There are only a total of 24 penthouses (12 per tower) but we've sold two just in the last few weeks.

As expected, 3009N sold the day after we listed it.. we knew that one was going to sell fast as it is one of the only penthouses with its own private roofdeck.

Then just this week 3006N sold after being on the market for quite some time.

Since then I've had a few other enquiries for penthouses so I've been scrambling to find other penthouse owners who may want to sell.  Luckily I have found one and we just listed it on our site yesterday.  It is unit 3003S.  You can see more including a video I just took from its balcony yesterday - you can see the first clouds we've had in 6 months on this video here: http://www.acacondos.com/3003s/

Here is more info on it:

3003S - 2 Bedroom Penthouse Unit- $121,900 USD as is or $161,900 USD with full upgrade package

View from the Patio of 3003S

This 1060 square foot (98.50 sq. meter) 2 bedroom, 2 level Penthouse suite has one of the best views in all of Acapulco. The large kitchen and living room are located on the first level. A spiral staircase leads upstairs to the very large master bedroom which has its own large private patio and is complete with ensuite. The second bedroom with ensuite bathroom is also located on the 2nd level.

The unit can be purchased as is with existing furnishings for $121,900 USD but you will not be able to rent the unit through our hotel brand Las Torres Gemelas Private Suites (http://www.ltgps.com) as it will not meet our furnishing criteria. For $161,900 USD we can have the entire suite repainted, renovated and all new furnishings installed including the following:

• * Modern Sectional Sofa and coffee table
• * Large Living Room Table
• * 2 King size beds (or 1 King and 2 Double Beds)
• * 3 Wall Mounted (one 50", two 42") LCD flat screen TVs (one in living room, one in each bedroom)
• * US & Canadian roof mounted Satellite HDTV hookup
• * 3 newly installed minisplit Air Conditioning Units
• * New large, soundproof entry door
• * Dining table & chairs
• * 3 piece patio loveseat, chair and table
• * New modern blinds in all 3 rooms
• * New kitchen cabinets and large refrigerator
• * New modern Mabe stovetop
• * New laminate flooring throughout
• * Large hot/cold bottled water station
• * Pots, pans, dishes, glasses and utensils for use for guests
• * Completely repainted, all new electrical installed and other renovations

To see examples of past renovations we have done on behalf of new owners click here.

Once the suite is outfitted with these furnishings we can rent via our hotel at rates averaging $150+ USD/night.

These are photos of the unit in its current condition:

Living Room Area

Kitchen

Master Bedroom View2nd Bedroom

3003S is in reasonably good shape for someone who just wants an inexpensive beachfront penthouse without having to put much work into it.  However, we can completely renovate it to very modern standards, with all new furnishings, appliances, flat screen TVs in each room and much more for a total of $161,900 USD.

If you go for the full renovation package then we can rent this unit for average prices of $130-$150 USD/night for excellent income through our boutique hotel, Las Torres Gemelas Private Suites.

STUDIO SUITES

We also still have two studio suites available.

2809S is already fully renovated and currently in our rental pool so it is an excellent vacation home/income property.  In the last 6 months, after expenses, 2809S has netted $3,000 in income.  That is an excellent ROI on this unit which is for sale for only $72,500!  If you are looking for something you can move into in a matter of days, 2809S is the condo for you... or if you want something with a proven rental income, again, 2809S is the one for you.  See more here: http://www.acacondos.com/acacondos-2809s/ 

2909S is one floor above 2809S but needs some work.  It is for sale for $50,000 USD as is or for $69,500 USD completely renovated with all new furnishings, flat screen TV, new A/C, new kitchen, new bathroom, new flooring and more.  If you don't mind waiting a month or so to renovate the suite and don't mind starting from a lower rental base then you can save a few thousand dollars by buying 2909S.  See more here: http://www.acacondos.com/2909s/

IN CLOSING

That's all for this month... we are now getting into the heart of the quiet period (June is the quietest month in Acapulco) so if you like tranquility and silence, come on down and stay in one of our suites in June.  We'll offer you a good discount and you'll be one of the only people in the building, besides myself!  It's pretty funny being in a 30 storey tower and being the only one here but that is how it usually is in June, prior to July and August when it again gets very busy with Mexican tourists here enjoying their summer vacation.

Until next month!

Jeff Berwick

Manager

April 2011 Newsletter

Hello from Paradise!

It's Semana Santa here in Acapulco... Easter week.  In many places Easter is celebrated by a four day weekend - usually Friday and Monday.  Here in Mexico, as with all holidays, they celebrate it for the entire week before Easter and the entire week after as well!  That is fairly typical for Mexico - a place where they seem to have more holidays than days of work - something I think we should all aspire to!

Acapulco seems to be a main gathering spot for Mexicans and so this entire last week and the week ahead is jam packed here.  All our rooms are rented and the city is wall-to-wall people.

However, as soon as Easter ends, things really wind down here in May and by June I'll be one of the only foreigners here.  June is the quietest month of the year by far.  Then all the Mexicans' return for school holidays all through July and August.  I'll still be the only foreigner here but instead of the streets being eerily quiet, the streets in July and August will once again be packed with people.

LUIS MIGUEL IN ACAPULCO FOR 3 NIGHT ENGAGEMENT

Luis Miguel - Click to EnlargeIf you don't know who Luis Miguel is then you aren't Latin American!  By far the most famous celebrity in Mexico and most Latin American countries is singer Luis Miguel.  He is here this week entertaining at the beautiful new Emporium concert hall.  Luis has many business ventures here.  He was the main investor behind La Isla, the new luxurious outdoor shopping mall in the Diamante area of Acapulco.  If you enjoy shopping, or just spending a nice day amongst nice restaurants, bars, cinemas and shops, definitely check out La Isla.

SOME INTERESTING WRITE-UPS ON MEXICO

I came across a few more articles this month which I thought were interesting.

The first is an article by one of my favorite writers, Fred Reed.  He is an American who, like me, has lived in Thailand and currently lives in Mexico.  He always has some really interesting insights and his article this month on Mexico I found particularly enlightening.  You can see it here: http://www.lewrockwell.com/reed/reed203.html.

The other article is one from The Atlantic where he visited Acapulco and discusses the so-called "danger" of visiting places like Mexico.  You can see it here: http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/04/the-most-murderous-countries-safer-than-you-think/236891/

NEW PENTHOUSE WITH PRIVATE ROOF DECK FOR SALE!

The most interesting development of the last few weeks is that the owner of one of the only penthouse suites in the building with a large, private roof deck, is offering it up for sale.

We have a waiting list of people who have all been waiting for a penthouse unit with rooftop deck to come available so we don't expect this to last long at all.

It is, IMO, one of the best deals I've seen anywhere.  It is a 3 level, 2 bedroom, penthouse suite with a very large, private rooftop deck with jacuzzi.  It is very modernly designed and includes a flat screen TV hooked up to US & Canadian HDTV programming.

As well, it has been in our rental pool for the last 1.5 years and earns excellent income for someone looking for a vacation property that earns a good income.  It regularly rents out for $150-$250 USD/night.

They are only asking $179,000 USD.  Go here for more information: http://acacondos.com/3009N

Living Room

Living Room View to Kitchen

 Master Bedroom

Master Bedroom ViewView from Chair on Roof Deck Rooftop Deck Patio View Patio View 

DISCOUNTS IN HOTEL FOR INTERESTED BUYERS

As always, we offer discounts for anyone who wishes to come down and stay in one of the condos we've renovated and rent out on behalf of the owners at Las Torres Gemelas Private Suites. Send us an email at sales@acacondos.com and we'll let you know what we can offer based on availability.

Until next month,

Jeff Berwick

Manager

March 2011 Newsletter

Hello from always beautiful Acapulco!

I just returned from a two week business trip through South America.  I visited Lima (Peru), Santa Cruz (Bolivia), Asuncion (Paraguay) and Salta Province (Argentina).

Lima isn't that great and Santa Cruz has nothing going for it.  But I did enjoy Asuncion and Salta.

But, upon returning, nothing compares, weatherwise and for beauty, like Acapulco.  That's because it is so tropical here!  It is my favorite thing to step off the plane and smell the heat and humidity in the air and hear all the different sounds of all the tropical birds.

It was, for the most part, freezing cold everywhere I went in South America - and it is only late summer/early fall there now.  In northern Argentina - where it should be warmer - I stayed at a ranch and had to buy a sweater and a jacket and sit around the campfire at night to keep from freezing. Not many people realize it, but most of South America is quite cold.  The only areas that I have been that are regularly warm and tropical are in Brazil.

MEXICO DRUG WAR

The so-called Mexico Drug Wars continue to make headlines.  And, to be fair, there is a fair amount of violence between the rival gangs... but this rarely if ever affects the locals and tourists - and the media plays it up to make it sound like anything that happens occurred right in the heart of the main tourist areas.

These are three articles which give a better understanding of what is really happening on the ground here in Mexico - one of which I wrote:

• Mexico's Biggest Problem is the US Government - Simon Black, Sovereign Man
• I Survived a Week in Mexico - Marni Jackson, The Globe & Mail
• The Rumors of Mexico's Death Have Been Greatly Exagerrated - Jeff Berwick, The Dollar Vigilante

Be careful to believe anything as presented by governments or the mass media (who are often one in the same with the government).

MEXICAN OPEN TENNIS

As is always the case each February, the Mexican Open tennis championship was held at the Fairmont Acapulco Princess.  Part of the ATP Tour, this tournament offers some of the best clay court tennis in the world and is always a highly enjoyable event to attend.

Mextenis Stadium during the Women's Final between Argentine Gisella Dulko and Arantxa Parra of Spain on February 26, 2011.

Mexico's rich and beautiful usually descend on Acapulco to celebrate the competition.  The tennis is world class and quite a bit cheaper and easier to attend than in Paris or at Wimbledon.

SUITES FOR SALE

The following are the three suites we currently have for sale:

• 2809S - Studio Suite - $72,500 USD  (click here for more info and photos)
• 2909S - Studio Suite - $50,000 USD as is or $69,500 USD with full renovation (click here for more info and photos)
• 3006N - 2 Bedroom Penthouse Unit- $110,000 USD as is or $154,000 USD with full renovation package(click here for more info, photos and video)

There are other possibilities and units (including two combined front units) available so feel free to ask what other options are available and we will let you know what we can do.

COME TO ACAPULCO IN APRIL OR MAY

Despite many Americans and Canadians avoiding Mexico this winter we still managed to have a very good winter in terms of rentals of the units we offer for rent on behalf of owners when they are not using them in our boutique hotel concept: Las Torres Gemelas Private Suites.

However, now that we are nearing the end of March things are slowing down so we have some availability in most of our suites in April and May.

I just checked the weather in places like Chicago, today, and it is still gripped in the heart of winter.  Here is the current weather in Acapulco... it really never changes.  If you like sun and heat, this is the place:

Enquire directly with me at sales@acacondos.com or reservations@ltgps.com and I'll give you a nice discounted rate in one of our suites on the beach.  Get an early start on a tan... and find out for yourself that Acapulco is as safe or safer than most large US cities.

Until next month!

Manager

AcaCondos