| During the past 15 years, International
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| | Escondido is 300 miles even further
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| Living magazine has calculated its Annual
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| | south, the "high season", or the time
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| Global Retirement Index; a resource
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| | during the year with perfect weather
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| intended to assist retirees and future
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| | conditions, is reduced from 7-8 months to
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| retirees in evaluating and comparing the
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| | perhaps 6-7 months. A month extra per
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| world's most popular retirement
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| | year in Paradise is often considered to
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| destinations. It is based on a number of
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| | be substantial to retirees!
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| criteria, giving various weights to each,
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| | Using the above logic, it's no wonder why
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| depending on its importance to retirees.
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| | so many retirees have migrated to Puerto
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| Listed below are those criteria
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| | Vallarta. This beautiful tourist resort
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| considered with their individual
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| | area has become home to thousands of
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| weighting:
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| | North Americans that have traveled the
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| • Cost of Living-20%
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| | world, could afford to live anywhere on
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| • Health Care-20%
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| | the planet, and have chosen Vallarta as
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| • Special Benefits-20%
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| | their winter, if not full time,
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| • Real Estate-15%
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| | retirement destination.
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| • Entertainment, Recreation, and
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| | Located at the same latitude as Hawaii,
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| Culture-10%
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| | Puerto Vallarta has a perfect climate
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| • Climate-5%
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| | with an average daily temperature of
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| • Safety and Stability-5%
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| | 73°F from November through May with
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| • Infrastructure-5%
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| | virtually no chance of rain. With a
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| Believe it or not, until this year,
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| | population of approximately 350,000
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| Panama had topped the list for the past
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| | inhabitants, Vallarta now has a new and
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| six years. It still has plenty to offer
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| | growing infrastructure including roads,
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| retirees, however this year, with 30
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| | water treatment plants and distribution
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| countries being analyzed and ranked, it
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| | systems, power plants and distribution
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| fell to fourth position. Ahead of Panama
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| | grid, airport, maritime terminal,
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| in third position, was Italy with its
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| | hospitals, university, etc.
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| beautiful cities, its fine weather, and
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| | High speed internet, satellite TV, VOIP
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| of course, its historic sites. In second
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| | telecommunications, and US newspapers and
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| position was, of all countries, Ecuador,
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| | magazines are all available in Vallarta.
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| which moved all the way up from the tenth
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| | Most of the mega-stores found in the US
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| position last year. Ecuador offers an
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| | and Canada have come to Vallarta
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| extremely low cost of living, great
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| | including Sam's Club, Wal-Mart, Costco,
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| weather, beautiful land, a growing
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| | Home Depot, Office Depot, Staples, and of
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| economy tied to the US dollar, and a
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| | course, every fast food chain restaurant
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| stable political environment. It might be
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| | imaginable! Vallarta now has seven world
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| a well kept secret, but Ecuador is
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| | class golf courses with three more either
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| becoming a land of opportunity and
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| | in the planning stage or currently under
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| retirees are taking advantage of it.
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| | construction. There are hundreds of
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| Now, for the number one ranked country in
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| | tennis courts, world class deep sea
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| the world for retirement; MEXICO! Aside
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| | fishing, and every other activity
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| from the fact that Mexico is extremely
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| | available that you would expect in a city
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| convenient to the US and Canada, that
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| | of this size. There are numerous new
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| Mexico's Senior Citizens´ Benefits
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| | cinemas, theaters, and hundreds of fine
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| Program offers up to 50% discounts on
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| | restaurants.
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| many services to retirees over the age of
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| | Due to the explosive growth of Vallarta
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| 60, that the Mexican government has
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| | and the influx of North Americans, it is
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| enacted many new laws encouraging foreign
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| | safe to say that its entire economy is
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| investment, Mexico has become an
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| | based on tourism and the retirement of
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| incredible place to enjoy retirement,
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| | North Americans, thus creating thousands
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| offering the quality of life that North
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| | of new construction and service related
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| Americans are accustomed to with numerous
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| | jobs for the locals. It has also created
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| extra benefits.
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| | an atmosphere where speaking English has
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| (As a side note, a few years ago when the
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| | become a prerequisite for a decent paying
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| Canadian dollar was at its weakest,
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| | job. Therefore, most of the younger
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| Canada ranked in the top ten. However as
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| | Vallartenses are now becoming quite
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| the loonie has strengthened, Canada has
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| | fluent in English. The inability to speak
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| slipped well out of the top ten this
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| | Spanish is certainly not an obstacle to
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| year. For reference sake only, the US
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| | retiring in Vallarta! Also, because the
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| ranked 19th this year!)
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| | economy is based on the North American
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| The major Mexican inland retirement
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| | dollar, safety is of prime concern to the
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| communities are located in San Miguel de
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| | locals. You will not find a safer, more
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| Allende, Guanajuato, and the Lake Chapala
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| | hospitable city of this size anywhere. In
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| / Ajijic area. For the most part, these
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| | fact, this was clearly revealed in a
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| inland retirement communities are located
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| | survey taken by Conde Nast magazine,
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| in beautiful colonial cities with
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| | where Puerto Vallarta was ranked the
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| moderate temperatures year round. Most of
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| | friendliest resort destination in the
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| the modern amenities and activities are
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| | world.
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| available to retirees in these retirement
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| | Now, let's return to our quest for the
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| cities with a very attractive cost of
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| | top retirement haven in the world. If we
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| living. Being located inland, these
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| | can accept what the latest surveys,
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| retirees can purchase and own real estate
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| | polls, and indices suggest, Mexico is the
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| with title as they would in the US or
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| | country and Puerto Vallarta is the city.
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| Canada.
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| | We've owned property in Vallarta for
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| For those desiring magnificent ocean
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| | almost 25 years and have lived here as
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| views, the Pacific coastline offers many
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| | permanent residents for over ten years
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| advantages over the Gulf of Mexico
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| | and can attest to its magical
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| coastline; the major one being protection
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| | characteristics resulting in a quality of
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| from storms. The entire Yucatan Peninsula
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| | life that can't be surpassed anywhere in
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| area, including the Cancun and Cozumel
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| | the world. The growth that we've
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| areas are great for vacations; but due to
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| | witnessed since 2000, when the PAN
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| its exposure to hurricanes, it is not
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| | administration took power, has been truly
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| considered by many to be ideal for
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| | amazing; so much so, that the head of the
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| retirement. On the other hand, the
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| | local Chamber of Commerce has projected
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| Pacific Ocean coastline seldom sees
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| | the population of Vallarta will reach
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| troublesome storms and offers more than a
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| | 600,000 by the year 2015. There are
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| thousand miles of incredible Pebble Beach
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| | currently more than 7,000 new condos
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| like views with a climate similar to that
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| | currently under construction with well
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| of Hawaii.
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| | over 20,000 more planned in the future by
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| Pacific Ocean coastal cities such as
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| | Fonatur, the Mexican Tourism Board.
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| Mazatlan, Manzanillo, and Acapulco are
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| | Because real estate sales in Mexico are
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| somewhat popular for tourists, but have
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| | generally done on a cash basis, this
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| become quite industrialized and
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| | economy has not been affected by the
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| commercialized and therefore not really
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| | mortgage related problems seen in the US.
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| considered as ideal retirement cities.
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| | Real estate values have tripled since
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| The most desirable retirement locations
| |
| | 2000 and continue to appreciate daily.
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| from north to south along the Pacific
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| | Owning property here has surely been an
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| Ocean are La Paz and Todos Santos in
| |
| | investment of a lifetime for us.
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| Baja, Puerto Vallarta, Ixtapa /
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| | If you're a baby boomer, either recently
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| Zihuatanejo, and Puerto Escondido.
| |
| | retired or about to retire, you owe it to
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| La Paz and Todos Santos in Baja, Ixtapa /
| |
| | yourself; make PV your next vacation
|
| Zihuatanejo, and Puerto Escondido are
| |
| | destination and consider all the
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| more exposed to the elements than Puerto
| |
| | qualities it has to offer. You'll
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| Vallarta, which is tucked behind the
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| | definitely be impressed with this
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| Sierra Madre Mountains next to Banderas
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| | glorious Paradise along the Mexican
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| Bay, safely protected from Pacific storms
| |
| | Riviera and will probably agree, Puerto
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| coming out of the south. Also, because
| |
| | Vallarta is the best place in the world
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| Ixtapa / Zihuatanejo is approximately 500
| |
| | to retire.
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| miles south of Vallarta and Puerto
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| |
|
