The Future of Social Media and much more.

THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL MEDIA • THE AIRBNB BUSINESS • SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION AS ADDED VALUE • DIVING IN THE RIVIERA MAYA

THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Here are 10 expert predictions about the future of social media that you can start taking into account today to be prepared for that future that will soon surprise us with its arrival.

If we continue to believe in Moore’s Law, which has proven reliable to date, we can expect significant increases in computer and Internet connection speeds in the coming years.

“Moore’s Law states that approximately every 2 years the number of transistors in microprocessors doubles. Although the law was originally formulated to establish that the doubling would take place every year, Moore later redefined his law and extended the period to two years.”

If we consider Google’s Loon project, we can also expect the number of Internet users to grow as Internet penetration grows. If we assume that consumer confidence on the internet also continues to grow, then we can expect more people to shop online, and if we look at Amazon’s delivery drones, we can see this becoming the norm.

All of the above tells us that there are several directions that social media will take, so we can conclude by making some bold predictions. Twitter founder Biz Stone recently stated that he believes social media is “just getting started.” So, there is a long way to go, and therefore it will be quite possible to expand this list:

1. Social networks will make all of their content, including individual posts, searchable through Google.
2. Purchases will be more common on social media channels.
3. Social media sites operating within specific vertical interests will be increasingly successful, such as sports, finance, motorsports, music, film, and other high-volume opportunities.
4. Social pages will be more conducive to allowing customers to respond directly without creating potential brand damage.
5. Creating and sharing media material will become easier as wearable technology becomes more widespread.
6. Businesses will get smarter about how they use social media. They will no longer shout about their greatness, they will develop strong content strategies and have unique strategies for each social channel, operating only on the relevant channels.
7. Everything will be mobile. Responsive and able to work on any device will be the norm. Pinching and swiping to try to read content will disappear as a concept. Social interaction will be at the heart of this as it hits 100 percent mobile usage.
8. People will use social networks more to participate in massive activities with people they do not know but with whom they have things in common. Crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending opportunities will grow. The world will become more and more of a community.
9. SMS texting will all but disappear, perhaps just for emergencies, as messaging apps take over.
10. Cloud content will increase as people become comfortable with the concept and begin to release their psychological attachment to ownership. This will allow even more sharing.

There you have it, getting ready for what the future brings is very important in this ever-changing world of cyberspace. Unfortunately, the future is so uncertain that there are probably a thousand things we haven’t thought of. Let’s just deal with what we know now. 

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The Airbnb Business

The popular short-term home rental site, Airbnb, offers unique opportunities for both hosts and guests. The company, which started in 2007, has since expanded to include almost every country. As of September 2020, the platform encompassed more than 4 million hosts, 5.6 million active listings, and more than 800 million guest stays.

The site acts as an online marketplace for accommodation, allowing hosts to “List” rental spaces ranging from private rooms to entire homes. If you have space available, Airbnb could be an opportunity to generate additional income or even turn it into a full-time business.

The popularity of Airbnb

The various hosting options, competitive rates, and user-friendly platform all contribute to the company’s success, evident through its rapid growth. According to Airbnb, there are 100,000 cities with active listings, located in more than 220 countries and regions (as of September 2020). The interest in short-term rentals and shared housing also increased in 2020 with the need to work from home and more people became “digital nomads” while many offices were closed due to the COVID 19 pandemic.

Airbnb allows travelers to experience an area as a local, often granting more privacy than hotels can offer. Many guests are drawn to the unique accommodations available such as tiny houses, boats, castles, modular homes, and treehouses. Airbnb is often a budget-friendly option, as accommodation costs can be split between groups and kitchen access can help reduce dining expenses.

The Airbnb Accommodation Opportunity

According to Airbnb data, hosts have earned a total of more than $110 billion through the platform, as of October 2020. The company estimates the average annual earnings of a host to be $7,900 USD

Data from lending company Earnest put the median monthly income for an Airbnb host at $924 and the median monthly income at $440. The company reported a wide range of host earnings, with some generating more than $10,000 USD per month and others less than $200.

Hosting with Airbnb can also open up other opportunities, like encouraging more self-travel through the connections you make with guests, or the ability to buy and rent more properties.

How does Airbnb hosting work?

Creating a listing is the first step in getting started with Airbnb. We’ll go into more detail later on how to make your listing stand out, but you’ll want to include all the basic information, have great, well-lit photos that show off the space, and emphasize what makes your place unique.

You decide how much to charge for your listing and you can vary your rates depending on the day of the week or the time of year. The platform offers an optional Smart Pricing tool that automatically adjusts your listing rates based on demand in your area, seasonality, and other factors. While listing on Airbnb is free, once the reservation is made, the company charges hosts a 3-5% service fee.

Airbnb offers a Host Guarantee that can provide up to $1 million in property damage protection, as well as Host Protection Insurance, a liability insurance program that can provide up to $1 million. (In the United States) in liability coverage. Some countries and programs are exempt from coverage. So you may want to purchase additional insurance.

TIP

Homeowner insurers have various rules regarding short-term rentals and what they will or will not cover. Some insurers offer specialized policies for short-term rentals. Check with your insurance company before you list to make sure what your policy covers.

There are some more aspects that you should consider before you start in the complex world of being an Airbnb host and they have to do with:

• Measure your degree of commitment to the business of being an Airbnb host since it is not for everyone and requires a lot of time and effort
• Make sure you can rent your space as there may be regulations that limit or prevent it.
• Have you considered all the costs? From the amenities to the necessary licenses have a cost that will affect your utilities and
• Prepare a good promotion plan from the “listing” of the property and the investment in advertising to guarantee the occupation as much as possible.

If you need guidance on any of these issues, do not hesitate to contact us and we will gladly support you. However, the most important thing will always be to have a property that, due to its location, is attractive for those who wish to rent for the short term, either for business or vacation. To do this, Select Riviera Maya Real Estate has a very interesting portfolio in the Riviera Maya for you to choose the property that best suits your needs and interests.

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Sustainable construction as added value

What is a sustainable building design and what does the future look like?

Previously, we have written about the effects that construction has had on natural resources. The growing concern about climate change has forced many to act. Responsibility for reducing environmental impact no longer falls solely on construction companies, but also on architects and building designers. As well as in those who hire them to build housing according to our needs and budget.

Sustainability is the future of architecture, and today we discuss what this could look like.

What is sustainable building design?

Sustainable building design can be defined as one that is constantly evolving and has minimal impact on the environment.

If we were to analyze this further, a sustainable building is one in which the structure and processes are environmentally responsible and efficient in the use of resources throughout the life cycle of the building. That includes everything from design and construction, maintenance and renovation, to demolition.

A sustainable building is also designed to preserve the surrounding environment as much as possible and subsequently use green energy methods, such as renewable energy, to operate as a net producer, rather than a net consumer of resources.

Sustainable buildings are all around us. Worldwide examples include The Crystal in London, Bosco Verticale in Milan, and Robinson Tower in Singapore.

Why is sustainable building design important?

Simply put, the Earth has a finite number of resources. The rise of construction developments, from new construction to office buildings and the need for new habits, has caused natural resources and habitats to diminish, without our planet being able to keep up with the pace of modernization.

According to the UK’s Green Building Council, around 10% of the country’s carbon dioxide emissions are directly associated with ongoing construction activities and going further, that figure rises to 45% if you take into account the entire sector of the built environment.

But it is not only the construction process that is having an environmental impact. Most of a building’s carbon footprint comes from the energy used in the buildings. Heating alone accounts for 10% of the nation’s carbon footprint, with homes contributing more significantly than all other building types combined.

Switching to a sustainable architecture brings numerous benefits, not only for the environment but also economic and social, such as greater ecology and a reduction in energy use. Other benefits include:

• Protection of natural ecosystems and environmental biodiversity.
• Improvement of air and water quality.
• Competitive advantage, allowing architects to win business based on their sustainability commitments.
• Improvement of the living conditions, health, and comfort of the occupants of the building.

6 important principles of sustainable building design

As sustainable architecture and green buildings have gained popularity and naturally evolved over time, what has remained the same are 6 core principles that govern how sustainable buildings are designed and constructed. They are:

1. Optimize the potential of the site
2. Optimize energy use
3. Protect and conserve water
4. Optimize construction space and use of materials.
5. Improve the quality of the indoor environment
6. Optimize operational and maintenance practices

Let’s look at each in more detail.

1. Optimize the potential of the site

The design of sustainable buildings begins with the selection of the site on which they will be built. This means researching the surrounding environment and how the location and landscape of your future building might affect local ecosystems, energy use, etc.

The WBDG (Whole Building Design Guide) Sustainability Committee also suggests that the sustainable building site should seek to reduce, control, and/or treat stormwater runoff and, where possible, support natural habitat in the landscape design.

2. Optimize energy use

In a world where climate change is a hot topic at the forefront of media and government policy, a building’s energy and resource use and operational efficiency have become even more important.

Sustainable buildings need to find ways to reduce their energy load while increasing their energy efficiency and maximizing the use of renewable energy. As climate change policy continues to evolve, more and more buildings are beginning to operate at net zero, as a commitment to significantly reduce their dependence on fossil fuels.

3. Protect and conserve water

The construction of a building can drastically reduce the ecological and hydrological function of the land on which it is built, so a sustainable building must seek to minimize this and reduce those impacts.

It is also important, where possible, to use water efficiently, such as reusing or recycling water for on-site use. Wastewater treatments also need to be planned as they can also have environmental and financial costs.

4. Optimize building space and material usage

It is estimated that the world population will continue to grow to more than 9 billion by 2050. As a result, the demand for natural resources will also increase, so it is of the utmost importance to design a sustainable building using sustainable construction materials, to help minimize the impacts. environmental, such as resource depletion and toxicity.

This poses numerous benefits for all parties involved. For example, sustainable materials not only improve the life cycle of the building but also reduce the impact on human health and contribute to improving occupant safety.

5. Improve indoor environmental quality

Indoor environmental quality also has a significant impact on the health of a building’s occupants, as well as their comfort and level of productivity.

Sustainable buildings maximize the use of daylight and implement proper ventilation and humidity control. It is also important to optimize the acoustic performance of the building and give occupants control over lighting and temperature systems.

6. Optimize operational and maintenance practices

The ongoing operation and maintenance of a sustainable building focus on reducing the building’s impact on the earth. Here, it’s important to hire and train maintenance staff who are equipped to operate an increasingly sophisticated building.

It is also important to keep track of the process of any sustainability initiatives you have implemented, such as reducing energy and water use, etc.

At Select Riviera Maya Real Estate, we have a commitment to environmental awareness and sustainability, therefore we work with developing companies that share the same values and drive. If you are interested in acquiring a property with an ecological backbone please do not hesitate to contact us and we will gladly help you find what you are looking for. 

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Diving in the Riviera Maya

10 reasons why the Riviera Maya is one of the best diving destinations

Here are some tips and suggestions to find out why.

Imagine a diving tour or a diving course in the crystal clear waters of Akumal, Tulum, or Cozumel, the best destinations in the Riviera Maya, one of the best ways to spend your vacation learning or perfecting your diving skills in the Caribbean. Likewise, the magnificent caves and cenotes of the region are hidden gems that belong to a huge underground water system that extends throughout the Riviera Maya and the Yucatan Peninsula.

The Mexican Caribbean Coast is part of the wonderful coral reefs known as the Mesoamerican Arrecifal System (SAM) by its acronym in Spanish, which extends for 621 miles along the coasts of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras.

It is important to highlight the fact that coral reefs are one of the most important ecosystems, providing a home for more than 4,000 species of fish and varied underwater flora and fauna. In addition to habitat for fish life, coral reefs also provide protection against coastal erosion and support the economic activities of nearly 500 million people around the world, from fishing to a host of water sports, including Diving. Aquatic tourism provides vital income in many countries around the world. It is vitally important that we help protect this wonderful resource for our future enjoyment and the economic benefit of local resident populations.

That is why we ask you to respect the reefs and avoid touching them as they are fragile and can be damaged very easily, thus affecting the ecosystem of the Mexican Caribbean Sea for many years.

Here are 10 reasons why the Riviera Maya is one of the best Diving Destinations:

1.- Reef diving

Near the coasts of Cancun, Isla Mujeres, and Cozumel; Puerto Morelos, Akumal, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum, in the Riviera Maya, we find the Mesoamerican Reef System, which is the second-largest barrier reef in the world; -the largest being the Great Barrier Reef of Australia.- These reefs run through the entire Yucatan Peninsula and are also known as the Great Mesoamerican Reef. 

Fortunately, along the Riviera Maya, this reef system is very close to shore and also has the status of a National Marine Park, which means that this natural wonder is a protected area. Within the area we can observe more than 14 species of multicolored hard corals; we can also find turtles, nurse sharks, eagle rays, barracudas, and an impressive variety of fish and mollusks.

2.- Diving with turtles

Akumal is the Mayan word that means “Bay of the Turtles”. Here in Akumal, we have a large resident population of green sea turtles, some hawksbill turtles, and in the breeding season, loggerhead turtles. The local area is an important nesting site for these turtles and it is common to see them on the beaches late at night during the nesting season when the females come out of the water to lay their eggs in nests on the beaches. Diving with turtles is possible throughout the year here in Akumal.

Diving with turtles in Akumal is an opportunity not to be missed!

3.- Deep Diving

Just 14 miles from Playa del Carmen and 20 from Akumal, a ring of coral reefs, known as the Great Mayan Reef, rises near the surface, creating a shallow “lagoon” around the island of Cozumel. The coral walls mean we get a chance to do some deeper dives and due to the regular and slightly stronger currents, we can see beautiful coral gardens there. 

It is one of the most popular destinations for deep diving, thanks to its coral gardens and beautiful formations; Year-round warm waters and wonderful visibility (typically 150 feet) make Cozumel Island a must-see dive spot. It has more than 42.47 square miles of the protected reef system in the Cozumel National Reef Park.

4. Cozumel Wall Diving

Cataloged in the Top 10 diving places in the world, Cozumel offers a wonderful view and an unforgettable experience diving along the Santa Rosa Wall with its beautiful blue waters, fish with a great variety of colors and sizes, Black Cap Basslets, green turtles, and lobsters and rich ecosystems where the tunnels and the great “swim-throughs” are the ideal places to look for many species. 

The island is separated from the mainland by a deep ocean trench that creates a funnel for the constantly nutrient-rich currents and thus attracts lots of wildlife. Here we can also find the Splendid Frogfish, an endemic species of the Island of Cozumel.

5.- Cenote diving

Expand your horizons, Cavern (cenote diving) is not only for those with special training but for those seeking new horizons. Diving in the Cenotes, which the Mayans considered windows to the underworld, gives divers a totally new experience. These flooded cave systems stretch for hundreds of miles under the Yucatan peninsula and if you stay out of the genuine cave systems you can experience the wonders of diving in crystal clear fresh water and see vast numbers of stalactites, stalagmites, and other rock formations created over millions of years. behind.

For certified cave divers, there is still the opportunity to dive into “virgin waters” and be the first to venture into new unmapped areas.

6.- Night dive

Nothing could be more spectacular than diving at night in the Riviera Maya, with a completely different underwater environment than during the day. A wide variety of nocturnal marine life appears to give you new and wonderful experiences. The marine world seems to be more beautiful, colorful, and mysterious. Tiny underwater plankton-like organisms emit bioluminescence at night when they move. Just waving your hand is enough to trigger an amazing “light show”.

Bioluminescence is something you definitely have to experience during a night dive. A wide variety of fish can be seen sleeping in small holes. Likewise, many different shrimp and lobsters are much more active at night than during the day and can be seen on reefs. Various types of reef plants extend their tentacles at night to catch plankton for food. Moray eels and octopuses are also generally much more active in the dark and can be found prowling the reefs in search of food.

7.- Diving education

The PADI e-learning ® system offers students the opportunity to complete the theory section of various dive courses at their own pace before their vacation even begins. There is no need to spend time studying or in a classroom while on vacation, just dive! If you are looking to start your dive certification or advance to higher levels, there are multiple dive schools throughout the Riviera Maya.

8.- Diving with Bull Sharks.

Another experience you can enjoy here is diving with bull sharks. An adrenaline rush for any certified diver that can be experienced between November and March each year is just a short boat ride from the beaches of Playa del Carmen. The female sharks gather from November to March to feed for 3 to 4 months before heading south into the shallow mangroves to give birth to their 8 to 10 “pups”. 

Young sharks stay in the mangroves for the first 1-2 years to protect themselves while they grow before heading out to the ocean. Professional divers and marine biologists from around the world come each year to learn more about the life cycle, habitat, and social behavior of these majestic animals, more commonly known as one of the least predictable shark species.

9.- Wreck Diving

There are many natural wrecks off the coast, but one of the best wrecks to dive here in the Riviera Maya is C56, which was sent to the bottom in 2001 for the sole purpose of creating an artificial reef for diving.

Over the years the C56 has become home to a wide variety of fish and it is very common to see many rays on the sandy bottom around the wreck, eagle rays are also regular visitors along with a large barracuda or two, lots of angelfish, pufferfish, moray eels and much more colorful fish life. The entire wreck has become an anchor point for large numbers of soft and hard corals. For those divers with their wreck certification, the interior offers the opportunity to explore and view the engine room where we regularly encounter lionfish and 2 very large resident lobsters.

These ships are all protected by the Mexican government through the INAH (National Institute of Anthropology and History), due to the interesting information for historical and archaeological research.

The C56 is a “must-have” dive for wreck diving enthusiasts while in the Riviera Maya.

10.- Snorkeling with whale sharks

Snorkeling with whale sharks, the largest fish in the ocean. They are called “Whales” because of their impressive weight and size. With an average length of 19 feet (5.7 m) and a weight of 9 tons, they really are very big fish! However, they have been recorded at 45 feet (13.6 m) and just over 20 tons in weight in other areas of the world’s oceans.

These whale sharks congregate in large quantities each year, between May and September, just north of the peninsula around Holbox Island, where they feed on plankton and other small marine life that are pushed to the surface due to the meeting of two ocean currents. Hence we find these magnificent fish on the surface day after day filtering their food from the ocean. It is not uncommon to find more than 200 whale sharks in the area on any given day.

Although they are spread over a large area of ​​the ocean, finding groups of 20-50 in small areas is normal! Since 2005 SEMARNAT and CONANP have worked to create a large area of ​​the open sea as a National Protected Area, where they can monitor fish and establish rules for their protection. Since 2017, these rules have been increased to prevent the exploitation, harassment, and injury of these very special fish.

And of course, if what you like is diving, we also know that it is a good idea to have a property where you can arrive when you come to dive. At Select Riviera Maya Real Estate, we have a portfolio of properties that we know can meet your needs and budget. So don’t hesitate to contact us. We will gladly help you.