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But Barroll says safety is a non-issue in San Carlos. If
you act appropriately (don’t flash expensive watches or
K4
Saturday, May 28, 2011
locations on the other side of the mountains great for summer travel.
South of the Border
ter I wear shorts one inch longer than my summer shorts.”
— Colleen Biondi, for the Calgary Herald
Breaking news at calgaryherald.com
Mexico market on road to recovery
San CarloS SnapShot
In the small community of San Carlos (population
jewelry, don’t carry wads of money), just as you would
San Carlos is a haven for those interested in the great
7,000), south of Nogales on the Sea of Cortez, Tom Baranywhere else you travel, you’ll be fine, he says.
outdoors, he adds. “It is not a big highrise hotel resort sort
roll of Re/Max First Choice Realty has experienced a
And because this is an older retirement town, there is
of place; it is a small town of residents and single family
downturn in sales similar to that experienced in other
an attrition factor which is good for buyers.
homes,” says Barroll who has been living there for 11 years.
areas of Mexico.
“There are always properties hitting the market,” says
Barroll echoes comments about heath care (it is cheap,
“We are having difficulty getting people south of Phoe- Barroll. These range from desert units and golf course venbut he adds supplemental coverage is always a good idea).
Colleen Biondi
nix,” he admits
as aCresult
ofhthe
negative press.
ues, to high points of land with views of the sea and cooler
And the weather, he jokingly desribes this way: “In the winFor the
algary
erald
But Barroll says safety is a non-issue in San Carlos. If
locations on the other side of the mountains great for sum- ter I wear shorts one inch longer than my summer shorts.”
ugusto Ambrosino
is semiyou act appropriately
(don’t flash
expensive watches or
mer travel.
— Colleen Biondi, for the Calgary Herald
retired but has never been busier.
As the owner of a travel company
and Calgary’s honorary consul to the
Italian government, the 61-year-old
businessman maintains a daunting
schedule.
But when it comes to down time, Ambrosino knows what to do.
He heads to La Bella Vita just outside
of Puerto Penasco, Mexico.
This development-in-progress (currently in Phase Five) is located 96 kilometres south of the Arizona-Mexico
Colleen
Biondi
border on the
Sea of Cortez
and inside
F
or
the
C
algary
heraldknown
the 16-hectare gated community
as Playa La Jolla.
Ambrosino
semiAt Laugusto
Bella Vita,
you canispurchase
retired
but
has
never
been
busier.
full or partial equity in villas, bungalow
As the
a travel
company
apartments
orowner
single of
family
homes
from
and
Calgary’s
honorary consul to the
to emergency medical transportation.
Buyers enjoy the on-site spa, tennis
$59,900
Canadian.
Ted Rhodes, Calgary Herald
Italian
government,
the 61-year-old
The cost of living is reasonable — a
courts, community centre, pools
Six years
ago, Ambrosino
travelled to
Calgarian augusto ambrosino, left, says
businessman
daunting
litre of gas is 70 cents, a man’s haircut is
and palapas of Playa La Jolla.
the area at themaintains
request ofahis
friend, colthe peacefulness of his Mexican propschedule.
$3. From festivals and fireworks, from
They appreciate the European esleague
and La Bella Vita developer Sam
erty resonates with him and his wife.
But when
it comes
to down
time,imAmscuba diving and snorkelling to whale
thetic and quality of construction in La
Sidhom.
When
he arrived,
he was
la Bella Vita developer Sam Sidhom,
brosino knows
what to
do. its tropical
watching, it is all there, says Marr.
Bella Vita.
pressed
by the area’s
beauty,
above, says that sentiment is common
He heads
La access
Bella Vita
just outside
“And I feel safe here,” he adds.
On the business side, there are propweather,
its to
easy
(a 3.5-hour
drive
among Canadians buying in the region.
of
Puerto
Penasco,
erty managers, lawyers and maintefrom
Phoenix)
and Mexico.
its familiarity to a
Thisclose
development-in-progress
(curnance people available for consultation.
place
to his heart.
rently
in
Phase
Five)
is
located
96
kilo“Everything is taken care of,” says
“I come from Italy,” says Ambrosino.
metres
south
Arizona-Mexico
Sidhom.
“We have
a lotofofthe
coastline
there and
border
on the
Seabeach.”
of Cortez and inside
Sales are picking up again after the
we’re used
to the
the
16-hectare
community
known
downturn of the last couple of years.
Interested
ingated
a place
to escape from
as
Playa La
Jolla. as well as an investThe recession and bad press painting
Calgary’s
winters
At
La
Bella
Vita, you
can purchase
Mexico as a violent destination has
ment, he purchased
a townhouse
in the
full
or partial
equity in timing
villas, bungalow
taken its toll.
complex.
Ambrosino’s
was good;
apartments
or single
homesits
from
But concerns about safety are contoday the property
is family
worth twice
to emergency medical transportation.
Buyers
on-site
spa, tennis
$59,900
Ted Rhodes, Calgary Herald
nected
toenjoy
drug the
gangs
and border
original Canadian.
value.
The
cost
of
living
is
reasonable
—
a
courts,
community
centre,
pools
Six
years
ago,
Ambrosino
travelled
to
Calgarian
augusto
ambrosino, left, says
towns, says Sidhom, not to Canadians
This spring, he added to his Mexican
litre of gas is 70 cents, a man’s haircut is
and
palapas
of Playa La Jolla.
the area atportfolio
the request
of same
his friend,
colthe peacefulness of his Mexican propin resort
communities.
(Foreign Afproperty
in the
develop$3. From festivals and fireworks, from
They
appreciate
the European
esleague
erty resonates with him and his wife.
fairs
and
International
Trade Canada
ment. and La Bella Vita developer Sam
scuba diving and snorkelling to whale
thetic and quality
of against
construction
in La
Sidhom.
Whenhe
hebought
arrived,fractional
he was imla Bella Vita developer Sam Sidhom,
continues
to advise
non-essenFor $189,000
watching, it is all there, says Marr.
Bella
Vita.to the Mexico-U.S. border
pressed
by of
thea area’s
beauty,
itsfurnished
tropical
above, says that sentiment is common
tial travel
ownership
luxurious,
fully
“And
I
feel
safe
here,”
he
adds.
On
the
business
side,
there
are
propweather,
its
easy
access
(a
3.5-hour
drive
among Canadians buying in the region.
areas due to continuously high levels
beach home (called Villa Veneto). At
erty
managers,
lawyers
andtrafficking
maintefrom
and
to a
of violence
linked
to drug
3,500 Phoenix)
square feet,
it its
hasfamiliarity
three bedrooms,
people
available for consultation.
place
close
to his heart.
in those
areas.)
three full
bathrooms,
a guest casita, roof- nance
“Everything
is takenechoed
care of,”
“Iterrace
come from
says Ambrosino.
This is a sentiment
bysays
realtor
top
and Italy,”
a wraparound
porch.
Sidhom.
“We
have
a
lot
of
coastline
there
and
Everything is top-of-the-line, says Am- Lorne Marr, who owns Re/Max LifeSales
are picking
up Escondido,
again after the
we’re used
to the
beach.”
style
Realty
in Puerto
a city
brosino,
from
Italian
marble and granite
downturn
of thepeople.
last couple of years.
Interested
insecurity
a place to
escape
of about 60,000
finishes
to the
and
safetyfrom
in the
recession
and bad
painting
Calgary’s
as uncomfortable
well as an investThis
community,
400press
kilometres
area. “I’vewinters
never felt
here. The
Mexico
a violenton
destination
ment,
he purchased
a townhouse in the
south ofas
Acapulco
the Pacifichas
coast,
I’ve never
had a problem.”
taken
its toll.
complex.
timingatwas
good;
also took
a real estate hit with the crash
There isAmbrosino’s
one other feature
La Bella
concerns about safety are contoday
theparticularly
property is worth
its
ofBut
2008.
Vita that
appealstwice
to Ambronected
to drug
gangsa and
border
original
value.
But there
has been
gradual
increase
sino — the quiet. Although restaurants,
says
Sidhom,
to Canadians
This
spring,
he added
to his
Mexican
in buying,
says
Marr, anot
former
Calgarian.
bars
and
shopping
are just
minutes
away, towns,
in“The
resort
communities.
(Foreign
Af-Alproperty
portfolio
in theand
same
market
is in a good
position.
it’s the beach,
the water
thedeveloppeacefairs andare
International
Canada
ment. that resonates with him and his
bertans
buying downTrade
here now.”
fulness
continues
advise against
non-essenForSylvie.
$189,000 he bought fractional
In PuertotoEscondido,
they’re
purchaswife
tial
travel
to
the
Mexico-U.S.
border
ownership
of
a
luxurious,
fully
furnished
ing $200,000 to $400,000 US condominIn fact, Ambrosino will be seeking
areas
due to continuously
high
levels
beach
(called
Villa
Veneto).
At
iums, houses,
townhouses or
parcels
of
out thehome
solitude
of La
Bella
Vita several
of
violence
linked
to
drug
trafficking
3,500
square
feet,
it
has
three
bedrooms,
oceanfront land. Condos ring in at about
times a year for the foreseeable future.
those
areas.)
three
bathrooms,
a guest
75 per
cent
of sales.
On hisfull
next
trip, he’ll fish
for casita,
marlin.roof- in
This
is
a sentiment
echoedThe
by realtor
top
terrace
and
a
wraparound
porch.
And why
are they buying?
No. 1
“You can’t ask for more than that,” says
Lorne Marr,
who owns
Re/Max LifeEverything“This
is top-of-the-line,
is climate,
says Marr.
Ambrosino.
is the life.” says Am- reason
Realty
in Puerto
a city
brosino,
from Italian
andto
granite
“The
weather
is rockEscondido,
solid, guaranIt’s a lifestyle
that ismarble
attractive
Cana- style
of about
60,000
people.
finishes
to the
security
and safety
the
teed.
From
November
to May it is 30 C
dians,
says
Sidhom.
Albertans
haveinpurarea.
“I’ve
feltofuncomfortable
here. toThis
32 C community,
every day.” 400 kilometres
chased
90 never
per cent
the development
south
of
Acapulco
on the
coast,
I’ve
never
had
a
problem.”
Heath care
is offered
byPacific
professionproperty to date.
also
took a real
hit with
the crash
There
one
other feature at
La Bella
ally trained
staffestate
and comes
cheaply
—a
“This isisan
up-and-coming
community
of
2008. visit is $10. There is a new hosVita
particularly
appeals
to Ambrodoctor’s
whenthat
it comes
to resort
destinations
in
Butinthere
has been a gradual increase
sino — the
restaurants,
pital
the community.
Mexico,”
hequiet.
adds.Although
“It is a very
natural
in
buying,
says
Marr, a former
Calgarian.
bars
and
shopping
are
just
minutes
away,
If you need specialized
treatment
and
area. You can stand in the water and see
“The
market
is inquickly,
a goodthere
position.
Alit’s the
beach, the water and the peacemust
return
home
is access
your
toes.”
bertans are buying down here now.”
fulness that resonates with him and his
In Puerto Escondido, they’re purchaswife Sylvie.
ing $200,000 to $400,000 US condominIn fact, Ambrosino will be seeking
‘This is the life’
A
Mexico market on road to recovery
‘This is the life’
A