Houses

Real estate development in Cancun and the Riviera Maya has been constant since these destinations were founded in the 1970s. Although Cancun was the first tourist destination in the Mexican Caribbean. Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos, and Tulum have caught the eye of real estate investors almost immediately, especially having such a good example like Cancun.

Population growth in both Cancun and the surrounding tourist destinations has not stopped in the last three decades. Currently, the population of Cancun is around 800,000 inhabitants, while that of Playa del Carmen is close to 250,000 and behind are Tulum and Puerto Morelos with less than 50,000 inhabitants each.

Thus, the housing market has spread throughout all towns of Riviera Maya and, especially, in Cancun.

Given this situation and the emergence of different digital platforms to support vacation rental activity, many owners have decided to make their properties available to tourists. So, there’s one more alternative for accommodation services in Cancun and Riviera Maya, one that usually is cheaper than resorts and hotels.

If you are thinking about renting a house to spend your vacations in Cancun or Riviera Maya, you have to consider some factors among which are the following:

• Location

The most relevant factor in the process of selecting a vacation rental in Cancun and Riviera Maya is location. This is crucial when you want to find the perfect balance between a peaceful and relaxing place, but also close to the main tourist areas.

In Cancun, the areas where you can find the nicest houses as vacation rentals are: Puerto Cancun, Bonampak Avenue and Puerto Juarez. In these neighborhoods you can find residential complexes with private security and they are located close to the beach and the hotel zone.

One of neighborhoods in Cancun that is experiencing a fast and dynamic growth in real estate development is Avenida Huayacan. This area is located south of Cancun, towards the airport. There, you can find many residential complexes with modern houses. The downside is they are not close to the main tourist attractions.

In Playa del Carmen, the most attractive area to look for a house is the streets around Fifth Avenue. It is also very convenient to take a look to the houses in the nearby neighborhoods like Playacar or, a few miles to the south, Puerto Aventuras.

• Transportation

This factor is strongly linked to the location of the vacation rental. Depending on the location, it will be easier or more difficult to get on a bus or a taxi.

If you plan to stay in a residential complex in one of the neighborhoods outside the hotel zone in Cancun, it is likely that you’ll need to rent a car to have a comfortable stay. In case you are staying in the hotel zone, public transportation is still an option.

In the case of Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos and Tulum, the situation is similar. Unless the house is very close to downtown, having a car or paying taxi cabs will be required to make the best of your stay.

• Food supply

A house as a vacation rental will hardly have any on demand meal service available as in other types of accommodation. So, when you choose to rent a house in Cancun and Riviera Maya there are two options to fulfill this need:

• 1. Buying groceries to cook meals on site.
• 2. Going out to bars and restaurants.