As students of home design for decades, The Savvy List’s Beverly and Steve Smirnis chose Tulum
as a second home destination and real estate investment.
Ancestral legacy inspires its unique architecture and magical vibe, making Tulum a true case history in sustainable design.
Inspired by its ancestral legacy, Tulum’s masterful example of sustainable architecture left The Savvy List’s founders wanting more and more. And we caught on just in time, purchasing in Gran Tulum, located in Uno Zero Uno, the first full-scale master-planned development in Tulum. And the rising property values are surpassing expectations. Watch this Facebook Reel by Simca’s Chris Gill, one of Riviera Maya’s most active and successful developers. He calls Tulum “a hidden treasure attracting adventurers, investors and travelers from around the world.” (be sure to turn on the sound in the upper right corner of the video)
Watch this video of our property in Simca’s Gran Tulum under construction in the development of Uno Zero Uno Tulum, the gated community that maintains Tulum’s ancestral vibe, and the only one to offer direct access to the beach. Preconstruction at Gran Tulum 2 are still available.
By coincidence at last year’s International Builders Show in Las Vegas, we met designer Vanessa Lomba. She and her family were exhibiting their JAKO Hardware product line there. We got into a discussion about our love of the Riviera Maya and plans for our second home, scheduled for completion in early 2024. We will soon meet with Vanessa at her design showroom in Cancun to explore furnishing options.
While our condo is much more modest in size than these pictures, below are some design Inspirations for furniture and art selections. (courtesy Tile of Spain)
Another prime opportunity to invest in Roth Architecture’s “Habitable Sculpture.”
The AZULIK group set the bar of innovation in hospitality design with the Azulik Hotel in Tulum. And now, Roth Architecture introduces its first residential project. Aptly deemed “Habitable Sculpture,” we would describe the design as a Gaudi-influenced Star Wars-inspired village. Life the hotel, Roth’s construction methods blend ancestral legacy from the Mayan Empire with modern technology. Each building offers ten types of apartments, with free and flexible spaces. Two of the four buildings are already sold out.
About owning property in Mexico
The restricted zone—called the Zona Restringida—refers to land within 50 kilometers (31 miles) of the coast. Since the early 20th century, non-citizens have not been able to hold property in their own name within this zone. But in order to encourage foreign investment, the government created a workaround in 1973, formalized in its current version in 1993. It authorized the use of a trust to purchase property within the restricted-zone.
A “fideicomiso” is similar to a Land Trust in the United States. The property buyer is the Grantor of the trust, and also the Beneficiary… so you fully control the purchase, sale, and management of the property. A bank of your choosing acts as the Trustee. The trust provides a level of asset protection, and more importantly, allows for estate planning—with beneficiaries and contingent beneficiaries—without having to probate a Mexican will or follow normal probate protocols. Fideicomisos must be renewed after 50 years.
Steve Smirnis is your
Riviera Maya Connection Concierge
Contact Steve to set up your personalized real estate tour anywhere in the Riviera Maya.
