Tag: local news

Fall has arrived in Puerto Vallarta

For the last week, I can’t help but notice that our sultry summer weather has shifted! The mornings are very breezy and cool, it’s raining less and the sun is setting earlier. 7:53 pm to be exact! The Fall equinox took place just a few days ago, and even though we are in the tropics, you can still feel the change of seasons here.

In general, our weather begins to “improve” in October. We see less rainfall which cuts down on humidity, and temperatures begin to fall. The sun continues its southern track across the sky and means less direct overhead exposure for us as well. I must admit, summertime in the tropics are very magical. Yes, it’s hot, but the storms make for some spectacular evenings and lush bright green foliage. But undoubtedly, the winter months here in PV are truly the best! Perfect beach days for 6 months straight, I will take it!

We’re not quite out of the woods yet. The months of September and October historically have produced more serious hurricanes than the earlier summer months typically do. Infamous Hurricane Kenna hit Vallarta and caused some damage on October 25, 2002. One year ago on September 29, 2019, the heavy rains from Tropical Storm Narda flooded and caused extensive damage to the village of Yelapa in the southern part of our Bay.

Visiting Puerto Vallarta in the Fall means you will be privy to some very fun cultural events. September 16 is Mexican Independence Day and is a great way to celebrate with the locals. At midnight on the 15th, there is the “Grito” where participants re-enact the speech made by Miguel Hidalgo which sparked the Mexican War for Independence. November 1 and 2 are the Dia De Los Muertos celebrations which are absolutely INCREDIBLE! One of my favorite cultural events in Mexico.

Are you ready for Fall in Puerto Vallarta? Have you ever visited at this time of year? I would love to hear from you in the comments below! -Christina

Looking to find your dream home in Paradise? Visit my website www.vallartaluxurylifestyles.com for full listings and great info.

Happy Mexican Independence Day!

Today is Independence Day in Mexico!

As written in National Geographic magazine by Heather Brady:

ON SEPTEMBER 16, Mexicans around the globe will celebrate the anniversary of the country’s independence from Spain. The day is marked by a national holiday in Mexico, a reenactment of a historic moment from the revolution’s leader, and an array of performances from fireworks to dance routines.

Often confused with Cinco de Mayo by people living in the United States, Mexico’s independence day actually marks the moment in 1810 when Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Catholic priest known as Father Hidalgo, made the first cry for independence. After a moving speech in the Mexican town of Dolores, Hidalgo took up the banner of the Virgin of Guadalupe, a Roman Catholic image of the Virgin Mary as she appears to Juan Diego, an indigenous Mexican believer who was later sainted by the church.

As per tradition on Mexico’s independence day, however, the president honors the legacy of Father Hidalgo by performing a reenactment of sorts from the National Palace in Mexico City. Beezley says on the night of September 15 at 11 p.m., according to Mexican tradition and folklore, Hidalgo went into the parish church in the town of Dolores, rang the church bell, and told the villagers who came running that they needed to revolt.

“As a result, September 15, the president of Mexico will step out on the balcony, ring that same bell, and give a speech that is supposedly Hidalgo’s words,” he says. “Nobody wrote down what Hidalgo said. He was beheaded, so who knows what happened to the [real] version of it? But Mexicans across the country, and in the U.S., and wherever they are, can watch it on TV, and that’s what’s celebrated.”

Despite the uncertainty around Hidalgo’s exact words, the speech today celebrates his passion for Mexico and its people—and honors the moment when he pushed the country toward its eventual independence.

How are you celebrating Mexican Independence Day today? I would love to hear from you in the comments below! -Christina

Looking to own your own piece of paradise here in beautiful Puerto Vallarta? Visit www.vallartaluxurylifestyles.com to begin your journey.

Puerto Vallarta, a “Zoom Town”

There’s no doubt that 2020 has seen an enormous shift in housing markets across North America. I just read an interesting article from NPR which used the term “Zoom Town”. Zoom Towns are cities that were just once loved for their outdoor appeal and small town charm. They always made nice vacation destinations, but weren’t viewed as full time residency options due to the lack of job markets. That has all changed as many people realize the potential to work remotely, freeing them from city centers.

Here’s an excerpt from NPR’s article, “Zoom Town and the New Housing Market for the 2 Americas”

“….the housing boom is fed by low interest rates, millennials reaching home-buying age and a demand for more space. Many Americans — especially 30-somethings who remain employed — are ditching their tiny rental apartments in hip districts of expensive cities and moving to buy houses in more affordable cities or the burbs for a life of shopping at Home Depot and spending their Friday nights eating mozzarella sticks at Applebee’s.

“If you look at basically any metropolitan area, you see the most price competition on the outskirts of that area and the least in the city center,” Fairweather says. Spacious, single-family homes are particularly in demand. We’re not witnessing the death of cities — in fact, most cities are seeing a boom in home prices too — but with remote work freeing many people from daily commutes, people are increasingly deciding that it’s OK to live farther away from what used to be the office. You can see it in Redfin’s data, which show more searches and higher price increases in suburban and rural housing markets.

The boom gets slightly less rosy, though, when you consider why national home prices are surging. It’s in large part because there’s not a lot of new construction and because existing homeowners don’t want to sell. “There’s a tremendous shortage of homes on the market,” says Jeff Tucker, an economist at Zillow. “We see about 29% fewer homes that are actively listed compared to this time last year.”

Part of the imbalance between home buying and selling, Tucker says, may be that sellers tend to be older — and with a pandemic still raging, many may not be eager to move and risk their health. Meanwhile, a large number of them are taking advantage of COVID-19 mortgage forbearance policies, which free them to not pay their mortgage during the crisis. “Still over 7% of active mortgages are in forbearance,” Tucker says.

So that’s the market for buying and selling homes. The sort of happy story, considering it’s 2020 and everything is horrible. Where it gets more depressing is when you look at the other America. The one that rents.

Do you think Puerto Vallarta qualifies as a “Zoom Town”? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below! -Christina

Looking to make your move to Puerto Vallarta? Visit www.vallartaluxurylifestyles.com for more information and complete listings.

PV Malecon Update

Puerto Vallarta’s malecon boardwalk has undergone a few changes since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020. For the first three months, the malecon was completely closed to all visitors and residents. This extreme measure helped PV stay on lock down as it deterred tourists from coming to town. As time passed, the malecon was partially re-opened and remains that way today. The western side of the boardwalk is taped off to discourage visitors from sitting along the oceanside and hanging out. However, the bike lane and rest of the malecon remain open for use.

I had the pleasure of going for a sunrise walk on the Malecon this morning. I had not been down to the PV landmark for almost 6 months (since the onset of the pandemic). It was amazing to stroll the waterfront and see other residents enjoying the boardwalk as well. I had my facemask on and so did many of the other people out exercising. There are colorful banners urging the public to wear facemasks and reminding them that all businesses require the use of them to enter.

I walked from the beginning of the downtown at the Hotel Buenaventura to the Los Muertos Pier and back. It was a great outing and left me reminiscing about all the fantastic memories my family has made in this most magical city full of beauty. The full moon was shining on the sea as the sky turned pink and the sun rose up from behind the Sierra Madres. The municipal plaza was aglow with neon lit decorations for the upcoming Mexican Independence Day (September 16). Mornings like today are the perfect reminder to slow down and enjoy the incredible city I live in!

Have you been to the Malecon lately? I would love to hear from you in the comments below! -Christina

Looking to find your dream home in Puerto Vallarta? Visit my website www.vallartaluxurylifestyles.com to begin your journey today!

 

Covid-19 Update July 2020

It has now been a bit more than four months since Puerto Vallarta has begun its active fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. I think we are all due for another update. The state government of Jalisco has issued new warnings as well as put in place a very specific response plan if our cases continue to grow.  The “emergency button” plan will be activated if two statistics hit a certain number.

  1. Hospital Bed Saturation– Currently, Jalisco hospitals are at 26% saturation. If the number climbs to 50%, this will give state government a major red flag to initiate a lockdown.
  2. Weekly Case Numbers- If new weekly cases reach 400 people per million of the population AND hospital occupance reaches 50%, then the “emergency button” will be hit. Last week, we saw an increase of  219 cases per million.

In the case that the state enters this new lockdown phase, we will se sweeping closings of both non-essential and previously essential business for 14 days.

Please stay safe everyone!!

I hope you found this update helpful. How are you faring during this new stage of the Covid-19 pandemic? I would love to hear from you in the comments below! -Christina

Our real estate market has stayed incredible active throughout these months. Are you looking for your dream home in Puerto Vallarta? Check out my website www.vallartaluxurylifestyles.com to start your journey.