World News for Students of English

11-04-2025 15:00

Tulum, Mexico, became popular with digital nomads during the pandemic. Its beautiful beaches and relaxed lifestyle led to a big real estate boom.

Many people hoped to buy condos and live or invest in paradise. However, some buyers now say they were tricked. Developers promised finished homes but often only cleared land or built half-finished buildings. In some cases, buyers paid up to 90% of the price and ended up with nothing.

One developer, Akela Development Group, was behind several projects. Out of six promised buildings, only one was finished. Some of the developers disappeared, one was found dead, and another took his own life.

Many buyers lost their savings. Some tried to take legal action, but it has been hard. Local laws are confusing, and some land may not have been legally owned by the sellers. Although people still dream of living in Tulum, many now only buy fully built homes.

Difficult words: digital nomad (a person who works online while traveling or living in different places), condo (a type of housing where you own an apartment but share things like pools, gyms, etc.), tricked (fooled, deceived).

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