Life's a Beach | Expat Life in Playa del Carmen : Luxury Real Estate, Buyer Information, 2008, Mayan Riviera

Marina Turquesa in Puerto Aventuras

Rob Kinnon — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:30:00 GMT

We are delivering another penthouse this week at our own Marina Turquesa Condominiums in Puerto Aventuras and Stuart managed to get some nice updated photos of the property and this recently completed unit. The work is very nearly complete. We are still waiting for the delivery of the globes for the external lighting elements and, of course, the elevator. The entrance to the pool area up from the marina is almost done and everything looks just great. While there are countless things we will do differently the next time around, we are very pleased with the outcome.

View from the second floor down to the pool.

The new perimeter wall has been completed and looks pretty. The lamps are awaiting their globes.

Looking up from the marina.

The clients did a bit of their own redesign in the kitchen and it turned out well.

Bathroom with standard fixtures.

Ticul sinks

All the woodwork in these condos was handcrafted onsite!

Oh yeah! A jacuzzi under the stars!

For dining al fresco, an outdoor food prep. area with mini-fridge, sink and a built-in charcoal grill.

In the end, it's really all about the view.

We have just a very few units remaining to sell and, with the holiday high season almost upon us, it is all smooth sailing from here. For pricing and availability click here or on the link above.

Playa del Carmen Construction Update - May 2008

Rob Kinnon — Tue, 13 May 2008 14:08:00 GMT

As requested by "Life's a Beach" Readers......

Far and away our most popular and fastest selling investment property of the year, The Fives is teaming with activity as the enormous free-form pool that meanders throughout the property gets dug in and poured. Many of the towers have been completed and are getting a fresh coat of paint and windows fitted. We spent several hours onsite today with buyers looking to snap up the few remaining units. Due to the recent purchase of a neighboring parcel, The Fives beach frontage has been dramatically increased and is, as always, spectacular.

In Playacar Phase 2, a large swath of land has been selectively cleared and dug in preparation for the new project from Origo, Vaiven del Viento. This is the first phase of the ambitious Vaiven project consisting of 149 2 and 3 bedroom luxury condominium residences set on over 9000 square meters of property. Features of this project include underground parking facilities, a cinema lounge, a fully equipped gym, Yoga, dance and Tai Chi Solariums, an onsite infirmary and a children's playground. A majority of the mature tropical trees have been preserved on the property and the developers plan to make use of sustainable resources for their building materials and impliment a rainwater catch system to irrigate the massive gardens and green spaces on the property. Delivery is scheduled for Fall 2009.

Playacar Phase 1 has quite a bit of construction going on including this enormous 2 villa project going up quickly next to Casa Vista. Reported to boast a whopping 8 bedrooms each, these new ocean-view homes will certainly be a great vacation rental option for large groups or families traveling together. I should mention that this is the most professional and well managed worksite we have ever seen in Mexico. Notice the hard hats and reflective vests. The clean and orderly appearance of the jobsite, the covered lunch area and laundry facilities make the standards of this builder unique in this region. Bravo. We look forward to seeing the final results!

Back in downtown Playa del Carmen, just one block from the beach, Acanto Condominiums are ready to begin construction. The lot, located next to the popular Acanto Hotel on calle 16, has already been cleared. These luxury 1, 2 and 3 bedroom condominiums have been designed by the same award winning architect who created the Villas Sacbe, Porto Playa, El Taj and most recently, Maya Villas. In keeping with the design of the hotel, these condos will have a romantic appeal with influences from the far East. Prices for full ownership include gym menbership and start in the low $300,000s.

Just next door on Avenida 1, the construction of Maya Villas is progressing rapidly. Today, the crews were putting a smooth finish on the exterior and painting. Some palapa is already in place over the spacious terraces. Delivery of these units in time to capture high season rentals seems very likely. This is a beautiful project with just a few units left to sell.

The construction of El Faro Residences is moving along quickly with its well funded crew. The model unit is ready to show and several of the buildings have been completed. The interiors remain to be finished but it appears that this controversial project will successfully reach completion and delivery.

OK, that's all for this month. Feel free to contact me and let me know if you would like a photo update of a particular property added to June's roster.

Grand Opening - Origo Offices in Playa del Carmen

Rob Kinnon — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:17:00 GMT

Yesterday evening, Rob and I were invited to the grand opening party for the offices of Origo, the prolific developers of the fabulous condominium projects "The Elements, Playa del Carmen', "Vaiven" in Playacar and coming soon...."The Elements, Puerto Aventuras". The offices are located, conveniently, just down the street from our house on 10th Avenue in the Tendenza Building. The offices, which are beautiful and completely reflect the style that these developers are knon for, have been built for the use of local Brokers and Agents working with clients and customers. Access to this chic new space is going to be another one of the great sales tools that Origo provides for us in support of our sales efforts. Bravo!

For more information about Origo and their current projects Vaiven and The Elements, contact us through our website www.BuyPlaya.com.

Marina Turquesa Condominiums - The Pool is in!!

Rob Kinnon — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:51:00 GMT

Rob and Stuart and I visited the jobsite for Marina Turquesa and what a pleasant surprise....our pool is done, filled, clean and beautiful!! The guys were laying the last few tiles of "cool deck" and raking the newly laid sod when we arrived. OMG! We might actually finish this project ;)

A line of palms have been planted along side of the building creating a shady walking path from the parking area to the pool and the marina front.

This the next unit at Marina Turquesa to be delivered, a garden level 2 bedroom that opens right out to the new pool! I know the new owner will be thrilled to see these pictures!

Solid mahogany cabinets.

We now have our carpenters living onsite and the work is moving along quite well. Handcrafted cabinetry and doors makes a huge difference!

Lots of warm red ticul in the bathrooms.

The washer and dryer, plumbed and installed.

Working on the sliding glass door and installing the locking mechanism.

The wide patio opening out to the garden and pool area.

View from one of the penthouse rooftop terraces.

Look at the color of the ocean!

Nice view overlooking the pool.

It's taken us a lot longer to get to this point than we ever could have anticipated but, looking back, I think it was well worth the struggle. We are really proud of the way Marina Turquesa has turned out and excited that the new owners feel the same way. I think I'm ALMOST ready to do it all again!

April 2008 - PDC Construction Update - Issue 1

Rob Kinnon — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:12:00 GMT

In response to numerous inquiries from friends and customers, today I will be starting a series, reoccurring monthly, of construction updates via actual photos of projects going up in and around Playa del Carmen! Many of you have already purchased pre-construction property here in the area and are now back at home, no doubt, wondering what the heck is going on with your money! Well, here you go! At the beginning of every month, I will visit various properties in progress, take pictures and report back. And the best thing.....I take requests! That's right! Even if you are NOT one of our customers, (and shame on you for not coming to us) if you have made an investment here in Playa, let me know and I will be happy to go and snap some photos at the beginning of the month. Hopefully, this will be a good way to not only reassure you, the investor, but also your family and friends who may think that you had too many "Panty Rippers" while you were here on vacation, have clearly lost your mind and might as well have thrown your money into a giant cenote! For those of you still working through the process and trying to make a decision, I hope this helps you feel more in touch with the real estate market in Playa del Carmen and the many options available!

Sabbia - Ave. 20 at Calle 34

Sabbia - May not look like much right now while they are digging and putting in the VERY IMPORTANT substructure but not to worry. There are tons of workmen bustling around the site and everything is moving along well. This is the slowest part of the process to show progress. All good here!

Oasis 12 - Ave. 15 and Calle 12

Oasis 12 - This project is flying along. Lots of people onsite. Their showroom is already complete. This should be a very attractive project, completed on-time if not sooner!

Arena - Coco Beach Area

Arena Condominiums - Done, just cleaning up a bit. Most, if not all, of the units have been delivered. A very nice project, well done.

Costa Turquesa - Coco Beach North

Costa Turquesa - This is a seriously HUGE project! The developers are very experienced and have plenty of money behind them. Lots of activity onsite and one of the condo towers appears to be nearing completion. Once that is complete and the showroom is open, right on beautiful Coco Beach...look out. Sales will start flying!!

The Elements - Coco Beach

The Elements - After what seemed like an eternity of drilling and ground work, (which we like to see FYI) The Elements has finally sprung skyward. The site is teeming with workers and the project is moving right along, it seems, on schedule. If The Elements turns out to be half as beautiful as the plans portray, it will be a real feather in your "investor cap".

Casa del Mar - Coco Beach

Casa del Mar - Moving right along, next door to The Elements. Well priced but no ocean-front condos remaining. Good purchase for those lucky Buyers who got in early!! Lots of workers onsite, everyone is hustling to get open before the next high season!!

Capri II - Ave. 10 and Calle 38

Capri II - Done and most units sold and delivered. Good location, not much from the outside but inside, the units are actually quite lovely.

The Building Loft I - Ave. 10 and Calle 28

The Building Loft I - Putting on the finishing touches, cleaning up and ready to go! The Winery had been open for some time and doing a brisk business. One unit left to sell in Phase 1? The Building Loft 2 is just starting on Ave. 10 and Calle 26. Lots of digging and groundwork for the supports and underground parking.

So, that's what I've got to show for this 1st monthly update. I hope this has been and will be helpful. Let me know what you would like to see michelekinnon@gmail.com and I'll be sure to get it up here. Updates will come in the first week of every month. Bookmark this site www.LifesaBeachBlog.com for easy reference or sign up for an automatic RSS feed if you don't mind suffering through all the entries about raising our children, travelling and the demanding social schedule here in Playa. OK, there's actually some good stuff there...so sign up!!