Foreigners can now own property outright, just as they can in their home countries, if the property isn't near the coast.
Altozano is guarded 24/7. The only access gate is manned round the clock and nobody enters or leaves without clearance from security, with their identification and car license being photographed, and their vehicles being monitored once inside the gates. Additionally, each sub-section has barriers that require a residence pass to enter, ensuring nobody can wander the community once inside (workers, guests). There are also twenty-four-hour patrols, as well as security cameras monitoring the entire community. And finally, the entire development is encircled by a high stone wall, topped with electric fencing, rendering unauthorized trespassing an impossibility. Some of the most prosperous families in Colima reside in Altozano, including the developer, so no expense has been spared to guarantee the community’s safety. It is one of the most secure locations in Mexico for that reason.
El Encanto homes range from 1615 to 2500 square feet of interior, air-conditioned space, plus decks, parking structure, overhangs, shade elements, and options like extra storage, pools, hot tubs, exterior kitchens. Prices are reasonable because we do volume buys of materials and land, and due to a large, dedicated labor pool that’s busy year-round. Larger homes are available on a custom design basis.
There is a HOA responsible for maintaining construction rules, collection of garbage, ongoing 24-hour security and security cameras around the community, road integrity, infrastructure (plumbing, sewage, etc.) and related maintenance, groundskeeping. Cost is 3500 pesos a month, which is roughly $150 USD at 23 pesos to the dollar.
It can vary based on the size of the lot and the home, but typically is in the $250-$500 USD a year range.
El Encanto doesn’t sell raw land. It focuses on turnkey homes, with the lot included.
From the receipt of the initial down-payment, depending on other project starts, 7-8 months.
5% deposit with contract signing, 30% down-payment to start construction, then 5% every month for seven months, with 30% due and payable upon completion and acceptance (when you’re handed the keys).
You can be, but it’s unnecessary. While you’re welcome to visit as often as you like, we provide photos of the process so you can track your project’s progress from the comfort of your home.
After you have selected a home and location, you can specify to one of our project managers any special requests, and we will happily quote them for you. We want you to get the home of your dreams, so we are more than willing to work with you to make your project exactly what you want.
In myriad ways, starting from the foundation, to the wall and roof materials, to the plumbing, to the electric, to the finishes. All of Mexico is seismic (as is California), so structural integrity is critical, and no corners are cut in ensuring our homes will withstand anything mother nature throws at them. We also specify heavier gauge wiring (U.S. spec, not cheaper Mexican), larger plumbing runs made from commercial grade material instead of less expensive PVC, larger breaker panels, innovative insulative materials for walls and roofs, etc. The floorplans are also designed to be friendly on the knees and back, and eliminate all stairs or potential slip and fall hazards (except for the two-two story model, which necessarily has stairs, but which the owner’s party never needs to climb unless they want to), for a more pleasant overall experience. They’re better built and designed, which translates into a superior investment with stronger resale potential.
Only one of the two volcanoes at the north-eastern edge of the state is active, and has a hazard radius up to 5 kilometers, with a moderate hazard radius up to 10 kilometers, meaning if there were a large eruption, the lava flow might endanger the towns inside that 10 kilometer radius. At over 10 kilometers the danger drops closer to zero. Outside that radius there’s virtually no risk, and Colima, at 30 kilometers, would experience nothing but a dusting of ash, as it has several eruptions in the past – an annoyance and boon to car washers, nothing more.
All of Mexico is a seismic zone, and Colima is no exception. El Encanto homes are over-engineered well past anything required by local codes, and are designed to withstand the most severe earthquakes imaginable without structural damage – one of the only projects in the region that takes the extra construction steps, ensuring a worry-free ownership experience.
El Encanto works with a property management group that, for a nominal cost, will look after your home in your absence. Services range from the basics (toilet flushing, a periodic check for leaks, bill payment) to more comprehensive care (maid service, gardening, preventive maintenance, pest control). So whether you’re here for a few weeks, or a few decades, someone else can sweat the details so you don’t have to. And if you wish to rent your home, our rental concierge can help turn your investment into a profit center with little effort on your part.
El Encanto can arrange for furniture and window packages, so the only thing you’ll have to do is come to pick up the keys with your suitcase in hand. While some enjoy the challenge of dealing with local vendors and coordinating deliveries and verifying they receive what they ordered, many don’t, and the El Encanto staff can help, whether it’s something as simple as blinds, or furnishing and decorating an entire house.
Fill out our contact form, and someone will get in touch via email. And if you’d like to fly down and spend a long weekend, we’d be delighted to show you around. We believe seeing is believing, and El Encanto and Colima offer an experience unlike anything else in Mexico, so we’re proud to introduce folks to its charms.
Imagine discovering Cabo in 1975, or PV in 1970, or Tulum in 1985. That’s how unknown Colima is today among foreigners, but every week word is spreading. Fortunately, the area is still one of the country’s best kept secrets, so it’s an unsurpassed value for at least a little while longer. Touch base with us for more information - once you get to know Colima, we’re convinced you too will be enchanted and want to become one of the El Encanto family. So why wait? Carve out your own personal slice of paradise, and start living the life you’ve always dreamed of.