Puerto Vallarta remains a favorite destination for Canadians who wish to own a winter home - there are thousands and thousands of them. There are many reasons why. Here are just a few:

Weather - The average high February temperature:

Puerto Vallarta: 27° C / 80° F
Vancouver: 5° C / 40° F
Calgary: 5° C / 40° F
Toronto: -3° C / 27° F
Montreal: -8° C / 18° F

Summer in Canada. Winter in Puerto Vallarta. A perfect lifestyle!

Strong Currency - The Canadian Dollar has remained strong against the US Dollar and the Mexican Peso for 3 years. This has allowed Canadians to buy real estate at the full value of their currency [in US Dollars] and to pay for day-to-day living at the full value of their currency [in Mexican Pesos]. A big improvement from years past.

Sub-Prime Slump - This has been mainly an American problem as Canadians had entirely different regulatory and banking practices. The global recession has affected everybody, but not as much damage has been done to the Canadian economy as to the American economy.

Community - There is a large vibrant Canadian contingency throughout the entire bay with the highest concentrations in Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerias and La Cruz de Huanacaxtle.

Activities - There is a lot to do in Puerto Vallarta, so it is an ideal place to live for part of the year. Canadians love boating, fishing, golfing, relaxing on the beach, restaurants/nightlife... all the things that make Puerto Vallarta a great resort destination.

Access - A modern international airport that is served by all the major North American carriers. Many non-stop seasonal routes from Canada and easy connections to Puerto Vallarta as well.

Safety - Puerto Vallarta is a low crime city; it is not, and has never been, a foothold in the drug trade. It is rather isolated (Guadalajara is 5 hours away) and the local economy is dependent on foreign investment and tourism. Americans and Canadians are welcome here and you can feel it.

Like any city, use common sense and good judgment - don't check your brain at the border. There are bars which encourage patrons to overindulge, and that's never a good idea. Downtown Puerto Vallarta is safe to stroll, but never late at night after the festivities are over, and it's not a good idea to venture too far off the beaten track. Would you walk down the street drunk at 2 am in your home town? I have lived here 8 years and feel safer here than I did in Dallas, Texas - where I came from.

Part of the Timothy Real Estate Group team, Russell Faulkner has been living and working as a realtor in Puerto Vallarta since 2002 when he fell in love with the area and Puerto Vallarta's real estate industry. With a genuine love of Mexico, he makes finding or selling your property both interesting and informative. He handles the purchase experience with care, diligence, and professionalism. Contact him at Russell(at)TimothyRealEstateGroup.com.

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Timothy Real Estate Group is a full-service real estate sales, rentals and development agency representing some of the most distinguished properties and developments across Puerto Vallarta, Bahía de Banderas and the Riviera Nayarit. For more information, visit TimothyRealEstateGroup.com.

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