Weather and Tourist Seasons in Mexico

Colorado resident Darwin Horan leads Ventana Capital, Inc., a real estate company based in Englewood, as the president and owner. When he’s not busy overseeing his company’s operations, Darwin Horan enjoys traveling and particularly likes visiting Mexico.

Mexico’s high tourism season typically runs from mid-November through Easter. During these months, the majority of the country experiences its warm, dry season, thus making it attractive to tourists seeking to escape the cold, wet weather in the U.S., Canada, and elsewhere. This warm weather is perfect for visiting the beaches, and Mexico’s beach resorts are typically crowded during these months. If it gets too hot, tourists can find some relief by visiting the country’s mountainous regions. These areas are much cooler between November and April and may have lower hotel prices as well.

The low season starts after Easter and runs through summer into fall. During these months, prices in the country drop between 20 and 50 percent. This makes summer and fall perfect for tourists looking to get a discount on their travel. However, the weather at that time is not ideal. Heavy rains are frequently seen in the southern regions of Mexico, and coastal areas become extremely humid. In addition, it is hurricane season on the Yucatan Peninsula between June and October; this may result in strong winds and rain along the Caribbean coast.

Quarterback Mason Rudolph Chosen as FCA Magazine Cover Athlete

As owner and president of Ventana Capital, Darwin Horan raises funds for land entitlement and development activities and serves on a variety of metro district boards. In addition to his professional pursuits, Darwin Horan is a regular supporter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).

The FCA publishes a bi-monthly magazine that includes feature stories about individuals and organizations inspiring positive change in their respective lives and communities through a relationship with Jesus Christ. The November-December edition of the magazine features 41 profiles of prominent college football players, including cover athlete Mason Rudolph, who is the quarterback for Oklahoma State University (OSU). In the story, Rudolph details his Christian upbringing and explains how attending college and being separated from his family strengthened his relationship with Christ. 

Now in his senior season at OSU, Rudolph is having the best year of his career, with 33 touchdowns and 4,115 passing yards through 11 games. Last season, through 13 games, the 6-foot-5, 230-pound quarterback recorded 28 touchdowns and 4,091 passing yards. Throughout his four-year collegiate career, he has accumulated 88 touchdowns and 12,829 passing yards.

To view a digital copy of the November-December FCA Magazine, visit http://www.fca.org/fca-magazine.

Donating to Special Olympics

As the president and owner of Ventana Capital, Inc., Darwin Horan oversees raising capital for new land development and entitlement projects. Aside from his career, Darwin Horan charitably supports Special Olympics.

Founded in 1968, Special Olympics aims to provide sports training and competition for both children and adults who live with intellectual disabilities. As a nonprofit organization, Special Olympics relies heavily on donations from the public to achieve its goals.

Donating to the organization is easily accomplished through its website. Hopeful donors can choose either to make a one-time donation or to commit to a reoccurring monthly donation. Donors can either enter their own amount or choose from a selection of suggested amounts ranging from $35 to $1,500.

All donations made within the United States are tax-deductible, with over 80 percent of each donation going to support the athletes. Credit card donations can be made using a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover card.

To learn more about Special Olympics and other ways to help the organization, including volunteering opportunities, visit SpecialOlympics.org.

Special Olympics Healthy Athletes Initiative

Colorado resident Darwin Horan serves as the CEO of Ventana Capital and has worked in the development industry for over 20 years. With thousands of acres and square feet of land and office spaces as well as 17 subdivisions in the works, Ventana's portfolio is one of the largest in the state. Darwin Horan makes use of his successes as an executive in real estate to give back to his community, contributing to schools and nonprofit organizations like the Special Olympics.

The Special Olympics were founded in 1968 after decades of advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities. Since that time, the organization has helped those with learning and developmental disabilities grow in their confidence, fitness, and friendships. The Special Olympics emphasizes making health service provisions accessible to the underserved and underprivileged, and its Healthy Athletes program helps fulfill this mission by providing free health exams for its athletes around the world.

Within the last few years, the Healthy Athletes program has expanded its services with the Healthy Communities initiative. This addition increased the number of the program's available health clinics, broadened its range of care, and increased the number of people it serves. The initiative ensures health education for athletes as well as their families and coaches. Free health screenings before and after Olympic events are offered, and there are numerous accounts of athletes having their lives bettered after their exams caught illnesses early or discovered ailments that were treatable. With screenings offered in seven different areas of specialization, including vision care, dentistry, and podiatry, the organization's medical team can meet each athlete's individual needs.

Four Factors That Influence Home Sales

Darwin Horan, a Colorado-based builder and developer, has constructed and sold more than 15,000 single- and multifamily new homes. Throughout the process, Darwin Horan has closely watched the economic factors that influence the real estate market.

One major driver of housing sales is demographics, the make-up of the population as a whole. Right now, baby boomers (those born from 1945 to 1964) are beginning to retire. This raises the question of how many retirees will buy second homes for vacations. Many retiring people own large homes. How many will sell those homes for smaller ones as their children move out?

Interest rates also have a great influence on home sales. Low interest rates make obtaining mortgages easier, and as more people qualify, they go into the real estate market, looking to buy. This higher demand drives home prices up. As prices rise, sales tend to flatten. Similarly, if interest rates rise, demand and prices drop.

The general condition of the economy also affects demand and prices. Influencers such as employment, gross domestic product, and the cost of goods all have an impact. When these indicators are down, so are real estate values.

Government policies also affect housing sales. For example, in 2009, nearly a million first-time home buyers took advantage of a federal income tax credit. This was a significant boost; however, its effect was temporary, lasting only as long as the federal intervention did.