La Vida Buena Beckons Boomers to Mexico

And one of the biggest misconceptions about Mexico, says Goakey, is that health care is not up to standard. "The Mexican government has figured out that its No. 1 or 2 industry is tourism," Goakey explains. "So they're doing everything they can to protect tourists."

Many doctors are trained in the U.S., prescription drugs are available and inexpensive, and health care costs are about half of what one would expect to pay in the U.S. because the system is less crowded, Lopez adds.

Calling All Boomers

Tripp Dubois, vice president of sales for the U.S.-based KOR Group, estimates that about 50 million to 75 million baby boomers will retire to Mexico in the next 10 to 15 years. And Mexican developers are targeting this demographic with projects that have come to fruition in the last two years, says Lopez.

U.S. developer The Related Group recently announced it is going to build up to one billion dollars worth of real estate in Mexico, and the KOR Group is working on Tides Playa del Carmen, an 18-acre urban retreat to be completed in 2008.

According to the tourism office Data Tur, Playa del Carmen has had occupancy rates of over 80% over the past three years.

Goakey is seeing developers spend more on ads competing for the North American retiree. "It seems every party you go to you hear, 'Oh yeah, I'm thinking about Mexico,'" he says. In response to demand, his Mexico Buyer's Guide will soon come out with a updated online version, in which properties will be sorted by area and price range.

Retiring in Real Time

And for the still reluctant, there's Luma, the first American developed, full-ownership, active adult beachfront community in Nuevo Vallarta from Front Porch Development Company, set to open in summer 2009.

Luma offers residents the added security of a retirement community -- including an on-site physician and nurse, but combined with a sense of lifelong learning, adventure and spiritual growth aimed at the active senior.

Front Porch's biggest market is California, but it fields inquiries from all over the U.S. and Canada. "It's a concept that is really resonating," says senior vice president Ratte. "People want more than just real estate; they want a lifestyle."

"People our age are not going to retire the way our parents and grandparents did," says Ratte.

Though I may still prefer a brush with danger, Mexico offers, for the older and no doubt wiser, the out-of-the-ordinary with increasing creature comforts.

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