La vivienda sigue siendo negocio

               

11 de Diciembre del 2014 | Editorial Metroscubicos


Pese al entorno complicado de cierre de año, “la vivienda sigue siendo un gran negocio”, coincidieron expertos al frente de organismos públicos de vivienda, y especialistas en crédito hipotecario de los principales bancos del país, en el marco del Seminario 'Cerrando Filas, Nuevos Retos Inmobiliarios', organizado por la consultora Softec.

"La vivienda crecerá entre 6 y 7% en 2015, como mínimo al doble de la economía”, aseguró Ernesto Cervera, director general de Grupo GEA, firma especializada en estudios económicos.

Además, señaló que en 2014, el mayor crecimiento se vio en el segmento residencial, mientras que en 2015, la vivienda media y de interés social retomarán el crecimiento.

“La industria dejó de caer, lo que no significa que se ya se haya recuperado”, acotó
Gene Towle, director general de Softec, reconoció que hay zonas que apenas están agotando oferta rezagada que viene desde 2005, y precisó que la recuperación será moderada, luego de que hay factores ajenos a los constructores que habrá que considerar como, la apertura de un mayor crédito puente para construcción, así como la aprobación de las normas 30 y 31 para construir vivienda de interés social en el DF.

Crece el financiamiento hipotecario

En 2014, el financiamiento otorgado por la banca comercial creció a razón del 19%, lo que significa que un mayor número de personas pudo acceder a vivienda de mejor nivel. Enrique Margain, director hipotecario de Scotiabank y representante de la Asociación de Bancos de México en temas de vivienda expuso que de 2003 a 2014 el porcentaje de créditos a la vivienda pasó de 14.4% a 17.6%, lo que significa que pese a las diferentes crisis, el financiamiento al sector no ha dejado de crecer.

Cambió el mercado

Gene Towle remarcó que el mercado de la vivienda presenta nuevos retos, el principal es que las nuevas construcciones respondan a las necesidades de los demandantes y no a las preferencias del desarrollador. “ Hay nuevos perfiles de compradores, que más allá del precio, buscan experiencias, productos únicos y personalización”.

Tras la debacle de las desarrolladoras bursátiles, el mercado tiene nuevos jugadores y difícilmente un constructor tiene más del 3% del mercado. Esto ha permitido que la oferta de vivienda cubra nichos de mercado que venían siendo poco atendidos.

“Los 40 desarrolladores más grandes que construyen para el Infonavit tuvieron un crecimiento de 8%, que para 2015 si podrían crecer entre 6 y 7%, aunque el reto es satisfacer la demanda”, insistió Towle.

Acerca del tema de créditos, el experto reafirma que hacen falta nuevos esquemas de financiamiento y estrategias de apoyo a la vivienda en renta. “Pese a lo anterior, el sector de vivienda seguirá presentando crecimiento sostenido”, finalizó Towle.

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New 335 Unit Residential Project in Nuevo Mazatlán

by Maureen Dietrich

25 Nov 14  

mazmessenger.com

 

“Azul Pacífico,” a new project of condominiums and residences, was presented yesterday to the Asociación Mexicana de Profesionales Inmobilarios de Mazatlán (AMPI).

The 335 unit project is divided into “lofts” and residences and will be constructed on Av. Ingeniero Mario Huerta in front of the Emerald Bay Hotel in north Mazatlán.

The 65 square meter loft will sell for 963,000 pesos and residences of 107 to 200 square meters from 1,400,000 to 2,000,000 pesos. 

(from Noroeste)

Choosing a New Residential Development

ventanamagazine.com
Author: Perry Despeignes



10 sets of Questions to ask a Developer:

Suppose you are considering an investment property or a second house in a Mexican residential development. The shiny brochure is impressive, the website looked great, the pictures blew you away, the marketing representative of the development says all the right things and you’re dead set on getting that beachfront lot with the great view.

Hold on! It’s time to assess whether the development really is right for you, and whether the development will develop as planned. You want to buy into a dynamic community - not an empty shell that will turn out to be little more than its marketing. The following are ten sets of important questions to ask of a developer to ensure that you’re getting what you’re paying for and that the development is on solid ground. A dishonest developer will shy away, while a good developer will respect your attention to these details, so don’t be afraid to ask every last one of these even if it seems overly cautious. It can mean the difference between achieving your dream and being cheated out of your investment.


1.– Property Title

Land ownership and title issues are common problems when buying foreign property. Ask these questions to ensure that you won’t be thrown off the land after you have made the deal. If possible, follow up and make sure that the developer has answered truthfully and get the important points in writing.

Ask the developer:

• Do you or the landowner have full title
to the property in question?
• What kind of title is it? (fee-simple, concession, indigenous?)
• Is title insurance available?
• Have you obtained it?
• If you have, what are the policy exclusions?
• Does a buyer receive title insurance for the
particular piece of the project he or she is buying, or is the policy
• Written for the entire property only?
• If title insurance isn’t available, how long has the developer
owned the property?
• Who did he buy it from and how long did they own it?
• Do you guarantee title in the contract?


2.– Master Plan

If the land is part of a larger community, make sure that it is well-planned.
You could be left to fend for yourself for utilities or stuck with neighbors whose style and habits could make your dream home a nightmare to live in.

Ask the developer:

• Has the property been properly subdivided and have the plans for development been
approved by all relevant authorities?
• Have the appropriate environmental impact reports been submitted and approved?
• Has the lot plan been submitted and approved?
• Will there be a home owner’s association?
• Has it been registered?
• Are the terms and restrictions of homeownership in the development available?
• Will these terms, restrictions and association by-laws be incorporated into all lot titles?
• Are there any remaining government departments that need to approve the project?
• What infrastructure is already in place?
• What is the infrastructure plan and timeline?
• For additional infrastructure and services needed or promised, are those promises available
in writing, by contract, to prospective buyers?
• Does your company have the capital to keep the project moving forward on its own, or are
you relying on sales revenue to be able to make progress on the infrastructure?


3.– Water

Water is essential to life, but that doesn’t mean
that a safe source of it will be provided by a developer.

Ask the developer:

• What is the source of potable water?
• Is it being supplied by the developer,
or is it up to buyers to provide their own?
• Is there enough water for the entire project?
• If there’s a well involved? How high is the water table?
• How quickly does the water table replenish itself?
• If buyers have to source their own water supply,
i.e. drill a well or install a rain collection system,
is a feasibility study available?
• Has the water been tested?
• Is it free of contaminants?


4.– Sewage

Here’s another part of life that you may assume to be a given in any development, but you can’t assume anything when creating your dream home in a foreign land or even in the U.S.

Ask the developer:

• How will waste disposal be handled?
• Septic of sewage?
• Is it up to buyers to install a septic system?
• Is the piece of property large enough to allow buyers
to build what you’re intending to build?
• Compliance with local sewage disposal requirements?


5.– Electricity

Rights to connect to the grids can be tricky in Mexico. Some are public, and some are private.

Ask the developer:

• Where is the nearest electricity?
• Is there electricity already run to the project?
• If not, when will the power lines be installed?
• Will they be over ground or underground?
• Who will run the lines: the developer or the government?
• Who will be responsible for their maintenance?


6.– Experience

Developers who have great ideas are not always capable of seeing them through to completion, especially if they lack experience.

Ask the developer:

• For how long have you been a real estate developer?
• For how long have you been a residential real estate developer?
• How many projects has your company worked with in the past?


7.– What Is “Plan B”?

The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.
Investors need an exit strategy and developers need “Plan B”.

Ask the developer:

• What happens if the project fails?
• What if sales never come in as you expect?
• What if you’re forced to abandon his project?
• Will buyers still have the full use of the property?


8.– Financing

When you put your savings on the line, you need to know the risks and have means of protecting it. This is especially crucial when dealing with foreign real estate.

Ask the developer:

• What are the details of financing and installment payments?
• If the developer is financing, will the buyer receive property title with a mortgage or does the property not transfer until the final payment has been made?
• And for both projects will a deposit be held in escrow?
• Are deposits and other monies held separately or together?
• What is the first installment you require and when must the property be fully paid in the case of these two specific projects?


9.– Closing

If everything goes according to plan, great! But then what happens?

Ask the developer:

• Will we be allowed to handle the closing?
• What is the developer’s law firm?
• What is its reputation?
• Is it recommended by the relevant embassy (U.S., Canada, European, etc.)?
• Who else will be involved in the transfer of legal documents?


10.– References

• Does the developer have satisfied customer letters that can be reviewed?
• Can you put us in touch with past buyers - ideally at least five English- speaking buyers - especially any foreigners from the US, Canada, UK, Ireland or Australia?
• Has anyone started building on their lots?


By the time all of those questions are answered, you should have a clear idea of whether the development will blossom or wither. Take special note of any development you might consider that doesn’t answer these questions directly and promptly. The best of them will have most of the answers ready at hand with supporting independent documentation.

Must I Incorporate a Bank Trust or Fidecomiso?

ventanamagazine.com
Author: 2009 Raúl Jaime


In most cases you do. Remember that the restricted zone only includes land within 50 km of the ocean or 100 km from the border, so if you are buying inland you do not need a bank trust. It is important to keep in mind that the restricted zone and the Bank Trust system are only meant for acquisitions where the main purpose of the real estate is residential use. If you are buying within the restricted zone and the purpose of your investment is other than residential, there is the option of buying property through a Mexican corporation.

In order to decide which acquisition system is best for you, the first thing you have to decide is the purpose of your acquisition. If you plan to purchase a house or condo for residential use and as an occasional rental, buying through a Bank Trust is your best option. If, on the other hand, the main purpose of your purchase is as an investment that will produce regular cash flow from rentals, setting up a Mexican corporation would be the better choice.

While setting up a Mexican corporation will help you save on the Bank Trust fees, there are fees inherent to the set-up and registration process, and you will need to retain the services of an accountant to assist you in preparing your tax returns. As a Mexican entity, you will be required to file annual tax returns and provide valid invoices to your renters.

The advantages of buying through a Mexican corporation only exist if you are truly planning to use the real estate for commercial purposes. As a corporation, you will have a wider range of tax deductions, but you must also keep strict accounting controls and reports. If you are planning on purchasing more than one property or if any of the properties you are buying is a commercial space, it is strongly recommended that you set up a corporation in order to comply with local laws.

A lot of people will tell you that they have never heard of anyone being audited for their income on rentals in Mexico, and that you can have many properties producing rental income and never pay taxes on them. This is fiction; the fact is that even though being audited in Mexico is rare, auditing does happen. When you buy through a Bank Trust, you are also declaring that the main purpose of the real estate is residential and not commercial. So, if you ever were to be audited regarding the income that your properties produce, you could face serious legal consequences if you don’t have the proper ownership system. The risks clearly outweigh the benefits.