First Visit for Mexican Temple
First Visit Report
On this first trip, we focused on visiting the southeastern area of the State of Mexico, searching for properties available on the market that meet the requirements for the construction of a temple in Mexico.
To select the properties to visit, an exhaustive research of available properties in the area was conducted by searching online and later with the help of brokers from that region.
The properties that were found to be most suitable according to our research were located in the towns of Villa Guerrero, Malinalco, and Valle de Bravo (click here to see the interactive map), which are popular destinations where people from Mexico City typically build their country homes and use them as weekend getaways.
During this first trip, which took place on Thursday, October 3, and Friday, October 4, 2024, we visited the properties that most closely met the project's requirements to physically assess them and verify the following:
- The ease of access to the property and the characteristics of the surrounding area
- The type of land, infrastructure, and the condition of any existing buildings to evaluate the feasibility of constructing the temple
- Understanding the reason why the property is for sale, its history, and confirming that it holds a valid property title, as well as evaluating the professionalism of the broker
- Identifying the exact location of the property to assess the infrastructure and safety in the area (e.g., hotels, Airbnb, security, etc.)
The qualitative evaluation of the properties can be found in this downloadable file:
Below is a summary of the properties visited over the two days. The properties are arranged in order of relevance, with number 1 being the most relevant concerning the characteristics required by the project, and so on.
You can click on the property title to view its details, including detailed information, photos, and videos.
🥇 Property 1. Valle de Bravo - $2,000,000 USD
Summary: Access to the property is easy, on a paved road. The surroundings are very good, and the land is beautiful. Although it is in the mountains, it is not very steep and has many flat areas ideal for constructing the temple, with no need for deforestation. There are several buildings on the property: 3 large houses, stables, and an industrial kitchen. It has water service, but it needs reconnection, and the electricity is already contracted with good capacity. The property has a valid title and is being sold in its entirety. Its price is very low because the family needs to sell the property due to the high cost of maintaining it, as well as their need of the money.
🥈 Property 2. Malinalco - $4,615,000 USD
Summary: Access to the property is easy, as it is located in the city center. The surroundings are very good, and the land is flat with ideal areas for constructing the temple, with no need for deforestation. There are two houses on the property, as well as water, sewage, and electricity services. The property has a valid title and is being sold in its entirety. We consider this to be the second-best option from the visit. The only downsides are the high price due to its central location and its proximity to a Catholic church, which could be challenging given the religious nature of the community.
🥉 Property 3. Valle de Bravo (prices in the link)
Summary: Access to the property is easy, and the surroundings are very good. The land is flat and clear, which facilitates obtaining construction permits. It can be sold with or without buildings. The property currently lacks water and electricity services, but they are easily accessible nearby. This is a large piece of land that the family is selling in parts, and they offered us four options within the property, each with an independent property title. The price is very high because it is located in the most exclusive area of Valle de Bravo, called Avándaro.
Summary: Access to the property is somewhat complicated, the surroundings are fine, the land is slightly uneven but does have flat areas suitable for building a temple. There are three houses already built, as well as water and electricity services. The property has a valid title, but the owners have changed their minds and now wish to sell the land in parts, making it no longer a viable option.
Property 5. Valle de Bravo - $2,256,410 USD
Summary: Access to the property is relatively easy, and the surroundings are very good. The land is flat in one area and heavily forested in another, which limits the ability to obtain construction permits. There are no buildings, and water and electricity services are not currently contracted, though they are accessible. The property has a valid title and is being sold in its entirety. The price is high for the area because it is located in the most exclusive part of Valle de Bravo.
Summary: Access to the property is somewhat complicated, and the surroundings are a bit unattractive. The land is mostly mountainous, with some flat areas, but they either have constructions or are forested, which could make obtaining deforestation permits costly and difficult due to environmental regulations. There are two luxury homes on the property, as well as water and electricity services. The property has a valid title and is being sold in its entirety.
Property 7. Valle de Bravo - $974,350 USD
Summary: Access to the property is difficult as it is on a dirt road in the mountains. The surroundings are very good, but the land is highly uneven, with few flat areas, and those are heavily forested, making it challenging to obtain a construction permit due to the area's strict environmental regulations regarding pine tree logging. There are no other constructions aside from a small palapa, and it lacks any services, but there is feasibility to bring water and electricity. The property has a valid title.
