Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - There are many joys associated with purchasing a new home, but exploring the possibilities of an older house opens the doors to creativity.

Anita Dabbs, a real estate agent with Ron Morgan Properties, specializes in buying and selling older homes in Bucerías, which is situated just north of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. "I love to watch the transformation. The older villas have distinct features and all the charm of Mexico," says Anita.

The stairway in an older home, before rehab

She has a history of rehabbing properties in the U.S. and began that endeavor in 1995. Her last effort was remodeling an old church into a home just outside of St. Louis, Missouri.

Zona Dorada in Bucerías is the stretch of land lying between the highway and the Pacific Ocean. It covers roughly nine square blocks and many homes for sale there are at least 15 years old. Purchasing one of these is an awesome opportunity to have a house in a great location because there are not a lot of chances to live this close to the beach in a populated area that has no empty land available but plenty of shops, entertainment and restaurants.

"Property values in the Zona Dorada area will continually increase, whereas if you purchase property east of the highway, it may take a few years to see value growth," says Anita.

The same stairway, after the home's rehab

Remodeling an older Mexican house may intimidate some, but Anita says to go into a home with your eyes open to all the possibilities. "You get to put your personal touch into the new place," says Anita. "Plus the older properties have yards and/or gardens surrounding the house, which you just do not get in homes this close to the beach - or in newer residential developments."

Anita has several homes available in Zona Dorada, Bucerías and she would be happy to show them to you. There are many reputable, caring contractors that she has worked with on other homes in the area and she can pass along their information and show you their work. "A reputable real estate agent will encourage you to get a home inspection before buying," says Anita. "I have sold many older homes over the past four years and have watched them bloom."

Anita bought her Zona Dorada home in 1998, rehabbed it to her desires and eventually moved in to live full time in 2004. She knows the town, the properties and specific blocks intimately, and is the perfect estate agent choice, especially if you are looking for an older home that is only awaiting your personal touch.

For more information, you can contact Anita at the Ron Morgan Properties office in Bucerías at (329) 298-0492, or by calling (314) 723-5187 from Canada or the US.

Ron Morgan Properties specializes in luxury real estate in the Marina Vallarta area and beyond to La Cruz de Huanacaxtle and Punta de Mita, as well as along the southern shores of Banderas Bay, from the Romantic Zone, Amapas and Conchas Chinas down to Mismaloya and even Costa Alegre. For more information, visit RonMorgan.net.

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