Mexico is struggling with a number of serious problems, including failed real estate developments along the Baja coastline–just south of the San Diego border. From the northern tip of Tijuana’s coastline down to Ensenada, Baja beach areas are spotted with the rusting remains of failed high rise condo projects.

And one of the biggest failures is the Trump Ocean Resort Baja just north of Punta Bandera, where unwitting U.S. investors thought they were buying into one of the safest investments possible: A beach condo development offered by none other than Donald Trump and his family.  Up to 600 buyers paid 10 to 30 percent down on condos ranging from $274,000 for a 485-square foot studio to nearly $3 million for a 2685 square foot penthouse.

Today,  infuriated real estate investors have lost millions of dollars–with scant chance of getting anything back.

Some people refinanced homes in 2006 to come up with the $100,000 to $1 million deposits–which were subsequently and legally spent by the developer. Today, all that remains is an aging billboard with a large photo of The Donald, a shuttered sales center and showroom, a parking lot and a number of excavation holes and standing construction equipment.

This year, parents are warning kids not to head to Baja for Spring Break.  Mexico’s drug violence has escalated and kidnappings are all-too-frequent.  These tourist fears coupled with the global economic meltdown make real estate speculation investment in Baja a risky proposition.

In 2009, our family will remain in Southern California for Spring Break.  And until Mexico gets drug violence under control, we join countless others in avoiding a border crossing.

Call it a protest–or just protective parenting instincts.

The post Trump’s Baja Luxury Resort Fails appeared first on Luxury Home Digest.

Azulera Resort Village on Costa Ricas breathtaking Guanacaste coast promises to be the luxury resort destination within the next two years.

By then, it is projected, Greg Normans challenging beach-to-mountain golf course will be completed as will the five- star Hyatt Regency Hotel and the 64 ultra-luxury condos that will be contained within this gated Brasilito complex.

The bio-sensitive Hyatt Regency Azulera Resort and Spa will coexist within a pristine tropical forest that stretches from mountain peaks to the white Pacific beaches below.

Following this first phase of development will be a large shopping and medical plaza and another projected 1000 condos, town homes and ocean view luxury estates.

We just returned from visiting the site and watched as Azulera owner-developer Anil Kothari (CEO Global Financial Group), golf legend Greg Norman, Hyatt executives, and Costa Rican Ministers of Transportation, Environment and Energy, and Tourism gathered for the formal groundbreaking ceremony that was finalized with the planting of a native Guanacaste tree near the beach.

We joined about 30 other real estate brokers from the US and Canada for the ceremony, and would spend the next few days learning more about the province of Guanacaste and this precious paradise. The spectacular natural beauty of the area struck us all, as did the gentle warmth of the Costa Ricans and, of course, the balmy climate. We learned that there is more biodiversity in Costa Rica than along the Amazon. This is because the climate is both sub tropical and tropical, and a varied terrain that ranges from plains to beach to jungle to mountains.

We all appreciated that Costa Rica is both a highly-educated country and one that fiercely protects its flora and fauna. Hunting is not allowed, and children are taught from an early age to treasure their natural environment, which includes magnificent foliage, various breeds of wild monkeys, parrots, macaws, and other exotic birds, along with reptiles of all sorts including iguanas and red-eyed lizards.

The Guanacaste coast is being developed with great care. The Four Seasons has developed a private resort to the north, Marriott is building a golf resort in nearby Pinellas and the Ritz Carlton is planning a luxury hotel with golf course and a 200-slip marina to the north of Azulera.

And just last month, Steve Case, founder of America Online (AOL) announced plans to open an $800 milllion beach resort with two boutique hotels just south of Playa Hermosa. At around the same time, two Minnesota developers announced that they would also be building a 150-room Regent Hotel on Guanacastes Papagayo Peninsula.

Guanacaste is a Costa Rican province abuzz with carefully-planned and eco-sensitive luxury development and we are honored to be among those representing the developer in the sale of the 64 Azulera luxury condos.

Additional articles about Azulera Resort Village, Guanacaste and Costa Rica will be forthcoming.

In the meantime, if you would like additional information about Azulera condo availabilities and pricing, please feel free to email me (roberta@sandiegopreviews.com) or call 877-818-8197 or 760-402-9101.

Read also:

Dreaming of Luxury Costa Rica Real Estate

The post Azulera: Costa Rica Luxury appeared first on Luxury Home Digest.