For the past 20 years, Craig Sotkovsky has been a real estate investor. A former carpenter, he gave up the trade to go into the investment side of things.
"I got fed up working on people's houses that I would never be able to afford to live in," Sotkovsky said.
After that, Sotkovsky took his credit cards and some friends and relatives, and started buying houses in New Jersey. Although he lost his shirt a few times, he found some competent people and was able to expand his real estate investments throughout the U.S. and eventually the world.
In February of 2006, a vacation to Cancun with his wife sparked Sotkovsky's fascination with the Yucatan area.
"Everywhere I go I look for real estate," Sotkovsky said. "We'd been looking for waterfront property and we...saw this guy who I thought was going to try to sell me some Yucatan swampland."
"This guy" turned out to be Mr. Gary Walding, a broker for International Holdings & Trust.
"Gary's a unique person," Sotkovsky said. "Gary's very personable. He's charismatic and he's sharp. He's very knowledgeable about properties in Mexico."
Even though they were leaving Yucatan the very next day, Mr. Walding took Sotkovsky and his wife to view the property. They had lunch, and afterwards the Sotkovskys ended up buying what they have been seeking in Mexico for years.
"I love Yucatan," Sotkovsky said. "If it hadn't been for Gary, I wouldn't be moving to Merida on a permanent basis."
It was as much Yucatan and Merida as it was the property that persuaded Sotkovsky to make the purchase. Currently, he plans to build a house on the site and move there with his wife and daughter.
Sotkovsky enjoyed the bilingual schools in the area -- cheaper than preschools in the U.S. -- and the health care system also impressed him. But what most attracted Sotkovsky was the Yucatan culture.
"[It's] a different way of life," he said. "Cancun you can't get laid back because it's constantly flowing. I really don’t like Cancun; it's kind of like Miami with its traffic and vendors. Merida is all about culture and real people. You have one of the oldest cathedrals right in the middle of the town, historical and fine-art museums, symphony halls, and a genuine sense that the people of Yucatan have a pride and appreciation of what they uniquely have and call home. There's nobody looking to run for the border from Merida."
The ease, convenience and culture of the Yucatan all appealed to Sotkovsky's laid-back beach attitude. And the real estate investment opportunities appealed to his business nature.
"I can purchase gorgeous beach front property for a fraction of the cost to any other place in the world," Sotkovsky said. "Where are you going to find that? Where else are you going to find the whole package that is offered here that comes with an incredible potential investment return?
"Yucatan will appreciate rapidly within the next five years because it’s at its early point of discovery. The Yucatan right now is becoming one of the hottest trends in the Caribbean. I know investors like myself that are just discovering its natural beauty and unique qualities."
Sotkovsky continued, "I am sure other savvy investors are seeking the same investment profile. That is why I travel to the Yucatan often in search for more properties to invest. Because the market is slow in the USA, I feel the Yucatan is poised for success right now."
Call International Holdings & Trust today to see how they can help you secure your own beachfront property investment. Call International Holdings & Trust at (785) 783-4790 and get started today.
