Eric Hurtado: Reconstructions that Coexist with the Environment

Although born in Mexico, Eric Hurtado has spent most of his life in California, where he got his training as an accountant, a profession he practiced in the USA for several years, until he had the opportunity to enter the real estate sector.

“Since I discovered real estate, more than 20 years ago in California, I was fascinated by all that it implies. I believe that my training as an accountant has given me several quite useful tools, because I find it easy to perform a cost-benefit analysis when making any investment. Perhaps this is the reason property renovation projects were the ones that most caught my attention,” he explains.

Hurtado’s first visit to our bay occurred during a vacation cruise in 2008, when he discovered a place with excellent weather, natural beauty and warm people, reasons that encouraged him to move permanently in 2012.

“Since I arrived in Puerto Vallarta, I’ve felt a strong connection with Mexican culture. What surprised me the most was the combination of the charm of a traditional Mexican town and the various modern elements that make for a better lifestyle. That is something that really captures the attention of visitors.”

For Hurtado, Vallarta · Nayarit is a destination with promising real estate development and great economic potential, which is why his involvement with the region’s real estate industry came about following a constant search for property investment opportunities.

“You could say that it all started with the purchase of two apartments in Old Vallarta, which, despite their attractive structure, location and view, had finish materials that did not quite suit me, so I began to make some modifications. Seeing the final result, I felt the need to look for other places to do a similar job, until I found a property on Aguacate Street, where, together with a team of experts, we were able to realize our first complete remodeling: Aguacate 412. Since it is a construction that is more than 30 years old, it was necessary to make internal and external repairs, which resulted in complete satisfaction.”

Even though Old Vallarta was the area of his interest, a visit to the 5 de Diciembre neighborhood was enough for him to be captivated, especially by Costa Rica Street, where one of his most recent projects would be developed: CR1275.

“The planning and renovation of this building took two years and represented a challenge for me because it is a 15-unit building, more than 40 years old, where I wanted to preserve as much of its traditional Mexican style as possible. Although the place had excellent foundations, certain areas were a little deteriorated by the passage of time, so some walls had to be rebuilt. In fact, to preserve the essence of the place, typical materials such as stucco, block and steel were used.”

Unlike previous projects, where he was the only investor, for CR1275 he decided to form a strategic alliance with some marketing companies in Puerto Vallarta for the pre-sale of the property’s units, which was a complete success even before the reconstruction.

Eight years after his arrival in Puerto Vallarta, Hurtado has been in charge of the reconstruction of six units distributed in Old Vallarta, as well as the 5 de Diciembre neighborhood.

“I consider myself a very creative person, because I like to try new things and look for different perspectives when remodeling. This helps turn the challenges that may arise into opportunities, especially because I love to preserve some of the building’s original features and materials.”

Because of the popularity of the projects in which he has played the role of developer, more and more people are interested in investing in this type of construction.

“People have begun to notice this new development model, and it is something that has pleased many visitors, who enjoy the combination of traditional design with modern touches, but above all local residents, because for me it is important that the new building coexist harmoniously with the characteristic style of the community.”

Hurtado mentions that this type of reconstruction could contribute to the development of Puerto Vallarta in a more sustainable way.

Before concluding, he shared that in his spare time he enjoys sailing, in addition to visiting Vallarta · Nayarit’s different beaches (especially those on the South Shore), as well as taking trips to San Sebastián del Oeste to enjoy the pure mountain air or traveling to different cities in our country, where in addition to visiting friends, he finds a source of inspiration for his work.