PR Friend Press Releases

TOPMexicoRealEstate is currently presenting Cozumel Real Estate as one of Mexico’s safest communities and ideal retirement destinations. Recent national and international acknowledgments have distinguished Cozumel Real Estate as not only a safe community, but one of the safest that exists.  This important factor, along with Cozumel’s small community, beachfront lifestyle and the close proximity to beautiful and protected nature make Cozumel an ideal choice for those looking for a relaxing retirement, or a secure, healthy atmosphere for family living.

Cozumel’s level of safety is obvious in the relaxed, peace-of-mind atmosphere felt on the island, and this aspect of Cozumel has recently been officially recognized on two different occassions.  One was an official recognition on a national level that Cozumel is the safest community in Mexico.  While the island has fewer police than is officially necessary for its population, it has the unique situation of the presence of the Mexican Army, Navy and Federal Police, which work in conjunction with each other, communicating on a regular and established basis to monitor safety on the island, and prevent crime.  The key word in Cozumel security is “prevention,” which can give real estate buyers the confidence that safety is being given attention and priority before it becomes a problem.  While the island’s high level of security gives peace of mind, authorities are also working to keep this status in a proactive way.

Another important recognition for Cozumel is that it was recently named the “Island of Peace.” This designation was given as a part of a recent project called “Child, Sea, Peace and Cozumel.”  The project was undertaken by Manuel Diaz Rubio, a businessman from the nearby state of Yucatan, and the Spanish ship captain, Vital Alsar.  Diaz and Alsar had a ship built in the Mexican State of Veracruz in a combination of ancient styles, including Mayan and Greek, which sailed from Cozumel as its host port carrying its crew, the “International Peace Flag,” and a child from Cozumel from a fishing family of Mayan origins.  Since August the ship has sailed to various coastal cities throughout North America, Europe and Africa.  The ship’s name is Zamna, which is the name of most powerful of the Mayan gods.  At each destination, the child aboard Zamna has delivered a peace flag to local children.  Two key destinations have been New York, where Zamna and its crew arrived on Sept. 11 to participate in the ceremonies remembering the terrorist attacks of 2001, and Santander, Spain, the home town of the ships captain, and its first European destination.  The ship is currently in the Mediterranean.  The project is delivering the message of peace on behalf of Cozumel and its residents, reflecting the peaceful, safe atmosphere of the island.  See TOPMexicoRealEstate’s Real Estate Blog for regular updates on this voyage.

While these two events are simply acknowledgments, they reflect the extent to which people associate Cozumel with safety and peace.  This reputation is, in turn, a reflection of the reality of life in Cozumel.  Safety, a sense of relaxation and peace of mind permeate life on this island, where many homes are integrated into its natural settings, and all properties are within very close proximity of it.  TOPMexicoRealEstate presents these benefits of living in Cozumel as an ideal option for non-Mexican Retirees or families.

TOPMexicoRealEstate NETWORK; Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely.

TOPMexicoRealEstate, a network of  certified professionals that specialize in guiding new buyers through the Mexican purchasing process is currently presenting the Aldea Zama development as one of the top retirement options currently available in Tulum Real Estate.  Aldea Zama offers many benefits for buyers interested in a land purchase where they can build there dream home for retirement, and has already begun delivering lots to excited buyers.

Aldea Zama offers not only a oceanfront community near one of the world’s most beautiful beaches, but the community has been designed in a way to offer the highest level of convenience and lifestyle, ideal for retirees, in addition to other property buyers.  Aldea Zama has been described as a “mixed-use village” with the “pulse of a new generation.”  The community is located next to Tulum’s Mayan pyramid site, and the well known MayaZama resort development, combining the area’s rich history with luxury beachfront living.

With the old town of Tulum just to the north, Aldea Zama is designed with the “village” concept – a residential development with a town center area.  The design of the town center, as well as the area as the whole, will appeal to those who enjoy a high-quality, casual lifestyle, defined by “elegant but hip” style.  The town center will include top-name stores, boutiques and restaurants, and is will offer top international trends.  The visual style in Aldea Zama will be contemporary, using rustic materials such as stone, wood and thatched roofs, with landscaping that likewise combines natural with modern.

While the Aldea Zama community offers many benefits in itself, the new MayaZama development directly to the south will add even more to the community’s lifestyle.  MayaZama will include a Jack Nicklaus golf course and academy, spas, restaurants, small shops with unique items for sale, art galleries, cafes, and many other cultural activities.  The design of MayaZama’s commercial area is a pedestrian walkway, lined with trees and gardens, ending at Tulum’s beautiful, white beaches, overlooking the turquoise blue sea.  This pleasant area provides a beautiful place to enjoy the weekends and evenings out, and a very picturesque walk to the beach.  The proximity of MayaZama and the beachfront, makes all of this within a very short walking distance.  For residents who prefer not to walk, there will also be the option of using golf carts, or, for a more romantic way of spending a relaxing retirement, there are water taxis which use Mayan waterways winding through the village.

Aldea Zama offers real estate options for single family homes, ideal for those who already have ideas in mind for their dream retirement living space.  There are also sites available for condominium   development, as well as commercial opportunities in the village center.

MayaZama is the developer of Aldea Zama, and although the development is in its early stages, properties have already been delivered to customers who completed their purchasing process through TOPMexicoRealEstate, and are now ready to prepare for their retirement.

TOPMexicoRealEstate NETWORK; Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely

Yucatan Real Estate expert, Mitch Keenan, of the TOPMexicoRealEstate Network, has recently joined several of the Network’s other real estate experts in contributing to a new series of articles featured on the network’s website.  Keenan’s contributions can currently be found in “How to Buy Real Estate in Mexico … Safely!” and in the near future will include “TOP 5 Most Common Mistakes made by Non-Mexicans when buying Property in Mexico” and “What to Watch out for in a Promissory Contract.”

While Keenan’s focus in geographical terms is Yucatan Real Estate, especially Merida, Yucatan and nearby areas, his advice for real estate buyers is indispensable for property purchases anywhere in Mexico.  In the article “How to Buy Real Estate in Mexico … Safely!” Keenan summarizes the ideas of the other panel members when he points out that if a buyer does not choose qualified people to carry out their transactions, they are exposing themselves to many risks in a business culture very different from what they are used to.

“The largest risk,” says Keenan, “is to NOT use reputable professionals.”

Keenan also contributed some valuable tips on how a buyer can make sure they are dealing with a true professional, the agent being the most important.  His advice is as follows:

- ask for LOTS of references

- check the references

- find out how many years they have been in the business

- talk to community members – What kind of reputation does he have in the community

- check for certificates from Mexico, as well as licenses from the U.S., Canada, Europe or Mexico

- ask if the agent has taken classes and kept up with the field – check certificates

- find an agent that you feel comfortable with – avoid a situation where you do not feel comfortable

Other professionals important to making a transaction go smoothly who Keenan mentions are the Notary Public, the Title Company and the Bank.  Keenan explains that certain property types – undeveloped land or beachfront in an undeveloped area – present higher risks to the buyer than others. Using a reliable title company will help a buyer avoid these risks.  The bank can also play a part to help the buyer in this area.

“When a fideicomiso is issued by the bank to hold title,” explains Keenan, “it does provide another layer of protection to the buyer.”

In Keenan’s advice, the highlighted issue is choosing experienced, reliable professionals, especially the agent or broker.  A reliable agent will help give the buyer the information needed to choose the other professionals correctly as well.  The article includes further discussion and details from other panel members.

This article, along with 2 others which focus on key advice for non-Mexican buyers of Mexico real estate have been given special attention through a flip page on TOPMexicoRealEstate.com’s main page, linking to each article to ensure that new buyers are made aware of these issues.  In the near future further articles with input from Keenan and others will appear in this section.

TOPMexicoRealEstate NETWORK; Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely

The attractiveness of Cancun Real Estate and tourism have recently prompted the airport’s operator, ASUR, to open a second runway, considerably expanding the airports capacity.  As a part of this move, there are plans to convert the airport into an international hub for flights not only arriving from North America, but for travelers connecting to Central and South American and Caribbean destinations.  While this in turn will mean that real estate owners in Cancun will have even more, cheaper options for visiting back home, it will also mean new growth and opportunities in the market.

For anyone considering buying real estate in another country, being able to visit back home easily is always an important consideration, and Cancun Real Estate can boast to offer the most in this aspect.  The Cancun International Airport  currently offers very regular flights to most major North American cities, in the U.S. and Canada, not to mention many other destinations throughout the world.    Traveling to Toronto, for example, is only a short 4 and half hour flight, and many American cities are even closer.  This second runway will increase this already excellent level of convenience.

Cancun International Airport celebrated the grand opening of the runway on October 20.  The airport is now is unique in Mexico because of the fact that the runways run parallel and can be operated simultaneously, increasing capacity considerably.  The project also included a new control tower, 96 meters tall, making it one of the 20 highest in the world.  The project’s total investment was about 80 million dollars.

This infrastructure improvement has allowed Cancun to set its eyes on converting itself into an international hub, centralizing traffic between the United States, Latin America, South America and the other parts of the world.  As mentioned above, this status for Cancun would offer more flights, and probably better prices for Cancun Real Estate owners to visit back home, not to mention many other destinations.

The expansion of this airport are also an indicator of the ongoing investment in infrastructure improvement supported by the various levels of government.  As a key tourist and real estate destination, not only in North America, but on a world-wide level, Cancun has earned a strong reputation of offering a solid base for government, corporate and individual investment.

At the grand opening of the new runway, Mexico’s President, Felipe Calderon, mentioned that as a hub Cancun would not only grow even more as a tourist center, but also as an international business and real estate center.  Such a move would help put Mexico at the forefront of business in the globalizing market.  As a center for international business, Cancun Real Estate would consequently take on new growth, new opportunities, and perhaps become a more competitive market.

As new growth and opportunities become available, it is necessary for buyers to be sure that they are getting the right information for their investments, and that they are making safe purchases.  Cindy Ader, Cancun Real Estate expert in the TOPMexicoRealEstate Network, offers years of experience in the Cancun market, and specializes in providing accurate information and guiding non-Mexican buyers in making safe purchases and finding the best opportunities available.

Mt Pleasant, S.C. – In the midst of one of the greatest market rallies since 1930 and with 10%+ unemployment, one man walked away from his “cushy” six figure career with a national brokerage firm. The man, Jay Peroni author of two books and Certified Financial Planner, claims he’s found a better way to serve clients than what is being pushed and marketed by Wall Street.

Mr. Peroni has just opened the doors to a new financial services firm, Values First Advisors with an office in Mt Pleasant SC, a suburb of Charleston. The new firm specializes in investing according to a client’s values and faith. And the results are impressive. Since January of this year the “Faith-Based Portfolio” Mr. Peroni assembled has returned a remarkable 35.5% against the respectable, but far less, 9.43% of the S&P 500 over the same time period.

When asked how a small upstart firm can possibly benefit investors, he responded by pointing out the following: “Yes we are small and we might not have the resources of a huge firm, but we can access that type of research, and more, very easily while taking care of investors with a very personal and “Faith-based” approach that no big firm can, or would, ever do.”

Jay Peroni, renowned Certified Financial Planner and author of The Faith Based Millionaire and The Faith Based Investor, has become the globe’s resident authority on the subject of “Faith-Based Investing”. Jay and his firm, Values First Advisors, go beyond just profit and “socially responsible” investing to find investing solutions that are both profitable and in-line with the values of his clients. They have offices in Mt Pleasant, S.C., Abingdon, VA., and Johnson City, TN.

###

Media Contact:
Jay Peroni, CFP
1-877-VF-Advisor (1-877-832-3847)
info@valuesfirstadvisors.com
www.ValuesFirstAdvisors.com

Mt Pleasant S.C. – Amid mounting consumer dissatisfaction with big Wall Street brokerage firms, a new financial services firm is offering consumers an alternative. The alternative? Let your values guide your investing.

Mr. Peroni has just opened the doors to a new financial services firm, Values First Advisors with an office in Mt Pleasant SC, a suburb of Charleston. The new firm specializes in investing according to a client’s values and faith. And the results are impressive. Since January of this year the “Faith-Based Portfolio” Mr. Peroni assembled has returned a remarkable 35.5% against the respectable, but far less, 9.43% of the S&P 500 over the same time period.

When asked how a small upstart firm can possibly benefit investors, he responded by pointing out the following: “Yes we are small and we might not have the resources of a huge firm, but we can access that type of research, and more, very easily while taking care of investors with a very personal and “Faith-based” approach that no big firm can, or would, ever do.”

Jay Peroni, renowned Certified Financial Planner and author of The Faith Based Millionaire and The Faith Based Investor, has become the globe’s resident authority on the subject of “Faith-Based Investing”. Jay and his firm, Values First Advisors, go beyond just profit and “socially responsible” investing to find investing solutions that are both profitable and in-line with the values of his clients. They have offices in Mt Pleasant, S.C., Abingdon, VA., and Johnson City, TN.

###
Media Contact:
Jay Peroni, CFP
1-877-VF-Advisor (1-877-832-3847)
info@valuesfirstadvisors.com
www.ValuesFirstAdvisors.com

For those contemplating investment in fine wine as part of an overall investment portfolio, the latter part of 2008 serves as a good barometer for the resilience of this market.

As predicted, the initial dip seen last October, attributed to the large sell-off of investment grade wines as global economies turned sour, is starting to show signs of sustained recovery, thanks in large part to the unique supply and demand characteristics that influence this market. Increasing worldwide demand for these wines, particularly from the Asian market, has resulted in an inverse supply curve and prices ticking back up.

It would appear that Hong Kong’s intentions are clear in wanting to become the trading hub for fine wines in the region by adopting a zero tax policy on wines and spirits to replace the 40% tax levied previously. This, combined with the weak sterling, has been the catalyst for the major auction houses, (Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Acker Merrill), setting up shop in Hong Kong and enjoying considerable success. Traditionally, these same auction houses hold their monthly sales of fine wines in London and New York to provide added value to their core of art buying clients, which stands in contrast with the fledgling market developing in Hong Kong where wine has taken centre stage.

Rather than being ‘wine investors’, the profile of buyers in the East Asian region suggests that they are buying for consumption rather than profit, however with such a strong track record of performance within the established market, we feel it is only a matter of time before speculation begins to play a greater role and further contribute to the longevity of this present growth cycle.

Although it is often said that the market for fine wines is the last to feel the impact of any economic upheaval and the first to show recovery, there is no substitute for seeing this principal put to the test as indeed we have over the last 10 months.

What has become apparent is that rather than there being a period of inactivity – consumption, collection and speculation have remained unhindered leaving auctioneers bullish and investors currently still able to buy investment grade wines at an advantageous price, indicating probable growth in the medium as well as long term.

www.wilsondouglas.co.uk

enquiries@wilsondouglas.co.uk

Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. (BCCL) has acquired a stake in Lavasa Corporation Ltd., a subsidiary of Hindustan Construction Company Real Estate Ltd, India’s leading construction and infrastructure company.

The investment is the result of the efforts by Times Private Treaties, the innovative venture from the Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. (BCCL) Group, which already has investments in more than 200 companies across various sectors. The Times Private Treaties business model eases the cash flow of a company so that resources set aside for brand development activities can be used toward business growth & expansion.

Lavasa is a complete new hill city being built across 12,500 acres, nestled amidst the majesty of the Sahyadri Mountains. Some distance from Mumbai and Pune, this new city embodies the spirit of human nature to aspire to a holistic life. The town is eco-friendly, based on the principles of New Urbanism and set amidst 7 hills and 60 kms of lake front.

Planned for a population of only 1.5 lakh permanent residents with an estimated tourist inflow of 20 lakh per annum, Lavasa is developing fast, with the first town slated to be ready in 2010.

The residents of Lavasa can access state-of-the-art modern amenities while enjoying the tranquility of wide-open expanses and a scenic natural waterfront.

A self-contained world, Lavasa offers its residents and visitors a spectacular array of business, educational, recreational and rejuvenation opportunities.

“Lavasa is in line with the concept of large scale urban development, specifically catering to special needs of the new economy. Fully integrated township complexes offer a comprehensive modern city infrastructure, encompassing basic amenities, social infrastructure, educational institutions, health care facilities, hospitality and shopping & entertainment options. These townships also set benchmarks in ecological urbanism. In addition, we see significant contribution to the economy and employment arising from such largescale projects. While Times Private Treaties has consistently made risk sharing investments in different formats of enterprise development, Lavasa will be an important addition to the portfolio, given the size and scale of the project.” said Karthik Reddy, Vice President, Times Private Treaties.  The Times Private Treaties business model is designed to share risk, accelerate growth and create value for the brand in the long term.

The Lavasa township is being designed and constructed by architects and contractors of international standing and supported by various experts in the fields of planning, construction, transportation, utility, environment and other infrastructure of the township.

The master plan of Lavasa (approx 12,500 acres) is developed by internationally renowned design consultant HOK, USA and is a recipient of many international awards. It is based on the principles of new urbanism that brings together all the components essential to daily life in a more organized manner thus creating spaces within walking distance from each other. It has many firsts to its credit – technology leadership, e governance, the first Indian city developed using Geographical Information System (GIS) , use of bio-mimicry as a science for planning and using innovative techniques like hydro seeding in environment management.

Lavasa aims to provide a perfect work – life balance with a unique combination of technology and infrastructure advancements. It also offers a diversity of work possibilities designed to appeal to the IT and biotech industry, KPOs and R&D companies, as well as the world of art, fashion and animation.

A complement of global leaders in Hospitality (Accor, ITC), Health and Wellness (Apollo Hospitals) and Education (Said Business School, Oxford University, Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne – Switzerland, GDST – UK, International Business Relations (IBR) – Germany, NSHM Knowledge Park – Kolkatta, Symbiosis, Christ University – Bangalore, Christel House) have already been tied up. SpaceWorld, a 65-acre edutainment park powered by technology from USSRC and NASA, will offer a space-like experience to visitors, and will be operational by the 2010.

Lavasa is planned for a permanent population of 2 lakh residents and a tourist inflow envisaged at 20 lakh per annum. The first town Dasve is slated to be ready by 2010. Lavasa is a prime offering from HCC, with a level of city infrastructure yet to be experienced in India, thus setting a new benchmark in planning, construction and service delivery.

Zurich, July 14 2009: Leading financial publisher Opalesque launches A SQUARE Interactive as a new exclusive service to its A SQUARE (“Alternative Alternatives”) research portal. A SQUARE Interactive has been designed as an idea incubator and forum that addresses topical issues relevant to alternative alternatives investing and its investors.

Opalesque launched A SQUARE in January 2007 as an independent research platform dedicated exclusively to alternative alternatives. Even today, A SQUARE remains the first and only independent web-based research platform solely dedicated to uncovering the investment opportunities in this space. Currently the A SQUARE research platform shelves114 issues with a total of 481 research files on its archive. Subscribers to A SQUARE can access this research here:

http://www.opalesque.com/index.php?act=archiveA2&formsearchorder=category.

Opalesque’s A SQUARE is subscribed to by some of the world’s leading: sovereign, wealth, pension funds, endowments, family offices, sophisticated high and ultra high net worth individuals, consultants, advisors, corporate allocators and academia. Each of whom is at the cutting edge of the alternative investment landscape and has a keen interest in understanding what and how alternative alternative strategies can be implemented to potentially optimise returns.

Share, “interact”, ask, learn … with A SQUARE Interactive:

Beyond producing world class alternative alternative research, Opalesque is now opening and sharing its research platform through A SQUARE Interactive; giving investors and other interested participants the opportunity to raise questions, discuss and share thoughts, opinions and insights.

In each A SQUARE Interactive, Sona Blessing, Opalesque’s Research Director and Editor of A SQUARE  will serve as “anchor” and assemble experts, academics, and leading allocators from the alternative-alternatives universe.

The first A SQUARE Interactive will be held this Thursday 16th, July 2009, at 9am NY time and 15.00 Swiss time with:

* Ray Carroll, Ph.D., CFA, Managing Director and CIO, Absolute Return Hedge Fund, DGAM

* Elizabeth Carey, Managing Director, Clontarf Capital

On: “Do alternative alpha & beta exist?”

* Definitions of alpha, beta, “alternative alpha”, alternative beta

* Strategies associated with alpha, “alt-alpha”; beta, alt.- beta

* Investment Opportunities

* Place in a modern portfolio

* Risks/rewards associated with such strategies

Registration: http://www.opalesque.com/NextWebinar.html

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

1. A SQUARE Interactive is exclusive to subscribers of Opalesque’s A SQUARE publication only.

A SQUARE subscriptions can be set up here: http://www.opalesque.com/indep?act=registration&stype=A2

(Overview on A SQUARE subscription fees: http://www.opalesque.com/SubscriptionRatesA2.html)

2. A SQUARE subscribers are required to confirm participation here: http://www.opalesque.com/NextWebinar.html

Please email support@opalesque.com for any help or information.

ON OPALESQUE

In 2003, with the publication of its daily Alternative Market Briefing, Opalesque successfully launched an information revolution in the hedge fund media space: “Opalesque changed the world by bringing transparency where there was opacity and by delivering an accurate professional reporting service.” – Nigel Blanchard, Culross. This hybrid financial news service, which combines proprietary industry news stories and filtered third party reports, has been credited by many industry insiders with delivering precise, accurate, and vital information to a notoriously guarded audience.

Each week, Opalesque publishes 610,000 issues of its eleven specialist publications to industry professionals in over 160 countries. Opalesque is the only daily hedge fund publisher which is actually read by the elite hedge fund managers themselves (http://www.opalesque.com/op_testimonials.html).

For more information on Opalesque A SQUARE, please go to http://www.opalesque.com/AboutA2.html. For more information on Opalesque, please go to http://www.opalesque.com.