North Shore
The core of our available properties, and our expertise, is the region between La Cruz de Huanacaxtle and Punta de Mita, often referred to as the “North Shore” (Costa Norte), as the properties lay along the northern shore of Banderas Bay. The area includes a number of new developments, as well as a few established ones, along stretches of sandy beaches and coves. While some areas offer beachfront, others provide oceanfront or ocean-view, with numerous options for a luxurious but laid-back lifestyle. This coast has evolved as a purely residential area, with the only towns found on the point of Punta de Mita, where El Corral del Risco and Emiliano Zapata (also known as El Anclote) are located. These towns neighbor the famed resort and residential community of Punta Mita, which lies at the tip of Banderas Bay to the north.
Punta Mita
Punta Mita is the acclaimed 1,500-acre beachfront resort community located just north of Puerto Vallarta, which has become Mexico’s most recognized high-end destination for affluent second-home buyers. A spear-shaped peninsula with nine miles of Pacific Coast shoreline, Punta Mita is surrounded on three sides by gorgeous white-sand beaches and dramatic coves thanks to Banderas Bay (Mexico’s largest natural bay), the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean and Litigu Bay. Residential options at Punta Mita range from Mexican-designed luxury condominiums and villas to exclusive private homes and estates, priced from $700,000 up to $14 million. Average prices for Punta Mita’s oceanfront homes are approximately 30 to 35% less than similar luxury homes in high-end master planned communities in Hawaii, Los Cabos, the Bahamas and Costa Rica. Note: “Punta Mita” refers to the private, gated resort and residential community of this name, whereby “Punta de Mita” refers to the adjacent area.
Costa Banderas
Located along the Bay of Banderas corridor between La Cruz de Huanacaxtle and Punta Mita, Costa Banderas is a purely residential area, becoming known for the high-end homes and communities along its exquisite coastline. This is likely the most rapidly growing area for luxury real estate communities in Mexico, with several currently in the initial planning stages.
Represented Communities:
Riviera Nayarit Norte
This area is found just beyond the northern edge of Banderas Bay. It is accessible either by traveling north from Puerto Vallarta along the main highway (Carr. 200 Norte), or from Punta de Mita, via a back road along the coast from Punta de Mita to Sayulita. For additional information visit: www.rivieranayarit.com
Litibú
Along this back road lies the new oceanfront FONATUR development of Litibú, with a completed (however not yet operational) 18-hole golf course and several residential real estate opportunities. Just beyond this mega resort community in the making are a few small but interesting communities under development, along the coastline as you travel north to Sayulita.
Sayulita
Whereas the Punta Mita area is home to high-end, luxury real estate, Sayulita is decidedly more bohemian in feel, with a mix of mid-upper range real estate offerings. It is, at heart, a surf destination that is evolving into a more stylish yet traditional Mexican beach town. An easygoing attitude still seems to permeate the air here, despite the niceties popping up all over among the inexpensive Mexican food stands, and handmade, hippie-style- shops. It’s quickly becoming gentrified with new cafes, sleek boutiques, aromatherapy-infused spas, and nightlife spicy enough for even the most jaded of partiers. In recent years, visitors and locals who find that the Puerto Vallarta area has become too “cosmopolitan” have started to flock here, in search of the simple charms of beach life. The major travel press noticed this trend, and popularized this place to a tipping point in 2007. At Sayulita, the road cuts back in and connects with the Hwy. 200.
San Francisco (San Pancho)
Further north along the coast is San Pancho (San Francisco), where not only do you find gourmet dining but also beaches, boutique hotels, and the region’s own Polo field, at the La Patrona Polo Club (http://www.designpv.com/polo/index.htm). Matches are held each Saturday during winter months, and really draw a crowd! The real estate market here is blossoming, with interesting opportunities available.
Represented Communities:
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Haixa
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La Tranquila
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Imanta
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Punta Sayulita
La Cruz de Huanacaxtle
Following the curved coastline of Banderas Bay to the west, you’ll find La Cruz de Huanaxcle, site of a new mega-marina project that has recently been completed. Despite residential developments emerging along its borders, La Cruz itself remains a charming seaside town with mucho local color. Where the town of La Cruz is predominately single-family homes, look for condos and townhomes in the surrounding developments, such as Vallarta Gardens, La Joya Huanacaxtle, and the hillside community of Alamar. Marina Riviera Nayarit offers over 350 boat slips ranging in size from 31’ to 400’, as well as fuel services and dry dockage. A Yacht Club with Skybar and an agenda of social activities is open to all in the area, as well as a deli store and fish market. This facility will no doubt transform La Cruz from the quiet and casual anchorage it was known as, to a true beacon for boating enthusiasts.
Bucerias
Located 30km (19 miles) north of the airport at the juncture where the Bay of Banderas curves to the west is Bucerias, a small beachside village of cobblestone streets, homes and small hotels. It has evolved as a popular second home for the foreign community, primarily offering single-family homes rather than developed communities. Its beach is known as the most popular in the area for windsurfing, kite-surfing and sailing, due to the constant breezes. A town plaza and quaint shops lining the street give Bucerias a traditional feel. Across the highway to the east development is growing, with several planned communities and more modern shopping centers among the mix.
Represented Communities:
Nuevo Vallarta
Nuevo Vallarta, or, “new Vallarta” began development as a planned resort, and an extension to the north of the Puerto Vallarta tourism zone. It was initially comprised of a collection of mid-rise hotels located along a spectacular stretch of sandy beach, which is bordered by a series of fresh-water canals on the inland side. A marina and the El Tigre golf course followed soon after—both components of the expansive Paradise Village complex—together with a collection of residential offerings and the Paradise Plaza shopping mall. Today, this area offers one of the largest concentrations of timeshare properties in Mexico. The result is a comprehensive, contained community, which, located about 15 minutes north of the International Airport, makes for a convenient and attractive alternative to Puerto Vallarta for vacationers and resort homeowners. Nuevo Vallarta is also home to the sprawling Mayan Palace complex and golf course, as well as to the acclaimed tour and sport company, Vallarta Adventures.
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta, with its traditional Mexican architecture and gold-sand beaches bordered by jungle-covered mountains, is the second-most-visited resort in Mexico (trailing only Cancún). Situated halfway down Mexico ’s Pacific coast, Puerto Vallarta is located at the foot of the Sierra Madre mountains. Overlooking the Bahia de Banderas, it is on the same latitude as Hawaii. The original town center of Vallarta maintains a small-town charm despite boasting sophisticated hotels, great restaurants, a thriving arts community, active nightlife, and a growing variety of ecotourism attractions in its surrounding areas. Where it has often been called a “sleepy little fishing village”, Vallarta has grown into a sophisticated city with all of the attractions and booming development that comes with this growth. Vallarta offers one of the largest airports in Mexico with an increasing number of flights arriving from major cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
For additional information visit www.virtualvallarta.com
