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THE KNOWLEDGE CENTER

 

            BUMPS IN THE ROAD

             LEARN ABOUT GAS STATIONS

            HOW WILL THE STOCK MARKET IMPACT YOU?

            FUTURE INTEREST RATES IN THE USA

            POPULAR EXPAT WEBSITES

             OTHER WEBSITES OFFERING PROPERTY

              NEW ARTICLES ON INVESTING IN BAJA LAND

               DEVELOPMENTS, GATED COMMUNITIES

            TO RICARDO BARRAZA'S WEBSITE

                    CITY MAP OF ENSENADA

            KNOW THE BAD WITH THE GOOD!

Did you know the North American Free Trade Agreement forbids any unequal or discriminatory treatment of foreign investors by Mexico.  Am I missing something?  I don't recall a "restricted zone" in the United States!  I think there's a Constitutional problem here.

Did you know that foreign application for ownership of 2,000 square meters or more of raw land within the "Prohibited Zone" may only be approved with a requirement that you agree to construct improvements of at least $250,000 within two years of acquisition. Improvement requirements are increased for every 500 square meters thereafter. This rule has been established to encourage foreign investment while discouraging many of the problems which are associated with land speculation.  According to Jonathan Pikoff of Pikoff, Sztrigler & Soriano     

Did you know  a Mexican company with foreign investment, even 100% foreign investment, may acquire property in the "restricted zone" as long as it is not used for strictly residential purposes

Did you know  the typical Settlement Statement
Residential Property for a condo in Cabo San Lucas looks like:

Purchase Price (US Dollars)
$200,000
Appraisal Fees
$300
Certificate free of liens
$25
Certificate of Property Tax
$5
Pro Rata Property Tax
unknown
Acquisition Tax (2%)
$4,000
Notary Public Fees:
$1,500
Trustee Fee-Initiation (350 p/yr thereafter)
$700
Registration of Trust (.25%)
$500
National Registry of Foreign Investment
$150
Permit from Foreign Affairs Minister
$1,000
Attorney Fees:
$2,500
Total Purchase Cost (US Dollars)
$210,680

   *

Mexico Real Estate Information   By: Jonathan Pikoff   Pikoff, Sztrigler & Soriano    *I recommend adding title search $1,000.00, Escrow fees $500.00 title insurance $2,000.00 and $500.00 attorney fees.

Did you know  the Sindicatura is the outfit that is supposed to investigate corruption

Did you know   

Economy
Nominal GDP (2004): $677 billion (rank in world: 12).
GDP (PPP method, 2004): $1.01 trillion (rank in world: 12).
Per capita GDP (2004): $6,517 (rank in world: 51).
Per capita GDP (PPP method, 2004): $9,774 (rank in world: 54).
Annual real GDP growth: (2005 est.) 3.0%; (2004) 4.4%; (2003) 1.3%; (2002) 0.9%; (2001) -0.3%; (2000) 6.6%; (1999) 3.7%.
Avg. real GDP growth (1999-2003): 2.1%.
Inflation rate: (2005 est.) 3.2%; (2004) 5.2%; (2003) 4.0%; (2002) 5.0%; (2001) 6.4%; (2000) 9.5%; (1999) 16.6%.
Natural resources: Petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber.
Agriculture (4% of GDP): Products--corn, beans, oilseeds, feed grains, fruit, cotton, coffee, sugarcane, winter vegetables.
Industry (24.0% of GDP): Types--manufacturing, energy, construction.
Services (72% of GDP): Types--commerce and tourism (20%), financial srvs (12%), and transportation and communications (10%).
Trade (Goods): Exports (2004)--$189 billion. Imports (2004)--$197 billion. Exports to U.S. (2004)--$165 billion (87% of total). Imports from U.S. (2004)--$110 billion (55% of total). Major markets--U.S., EU, Japan, Canada, China.

GOVERNMENT
The 1917 constitution provides for a federal republic with powers separated into independent executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Historically, the executive is the dominant branch, with power vested in the president, who promulgates and executes the laws of the Congress. The Congress has played an increasingly important role since 1997 when opposition parties first made major gains. The president also legislates by executive decree in certain economic and financial fields, using powers delegated from the Congress. The president is elected by universal adult suffrage for a 6-year term and may not hold office a second time. There is no vice president; in the event of the removal or death of the president, a provisional president is elected by the Congress.

The Congress is composed of a Senate and a Chamber of Deputies. Consecutive re-election is prohibited. Senators are elected to 6-year terms, and deputies serve 3-year terms. The Senate’s 128 seats are filled by a mixture of direct-election and proportional representation. In the lower chamber, 300 deputies are directly elected to represent single-member districts, and 200 are selected by a modified form of proportional representation from five electoral regions. The 200 proportional representation seats were created to help smaller parties gain access to the Chamber.

The judiciary is divided into federal and state court systems, with federal courts having jurisdiction over most civil cases and those involving major felonies. Under the constitution, trial and sentencing must be completed within 12 months of arrest for crimes that would carry at least a 2-year sentence. In practice, the judicial system often does not meet this requirement. Trial is by judge, not jury, in most criminal cases. Defendants have a right to counsel, and public defenders are available. Other rights include defense against self-incrimination, the right to confront one’s accusers, and the right to a public trial. Supreme Court justices are appointed by the president and approved by the Senate.

Principal Government Officials
President--Vicente FOX Quesada
Foreign Secretary--Luis Ernesto DERBEZ Bautista
Ambassador to the U.S.--Carlos DE ICAZA
Ambassador to the United Nations--Enrique BERRUGA Filloy
Ambassador to the OAS--Jorge CHEN Charpenti