The Ultimate Los Cabos Homebuyer Guide
Considering buying property in Los Cabos? Our Ultimate Los Cabos Homebuyers Guide is essential for understanding numerous aspects of purchasing a home in this area. From choosing the right location to deciding between a condo or house, furnished or unfurnished options, evaluating amenities, and capturing breathtaking ocean views, this guide will get you started.
Pair this with our comprehensive Buying in Mexico Online Tutorial, you’ll be fully equipped to turn your dream of owning a home in Cabo into reality!
Are you an investor? Will your property be a primary or secondary home?
Buyers will look for different property attributes depending on their intentions. Investors prioritize properties with high rental returns and long-term holding potential. Those looking for secondary residences prioritize different features compared to primary residences. Often, buyers plan to rent out their secondary homes until retirement, when they intend to occupy them more frequently or full-time.
Regardless of whether you decide to rent out your property in Los Cabos, investing in a property that has strong rental potential will prove to be a wise decision when the time comes to sell.
If you are an Investor or thinking about renting your Los Cabos property then check out our feature page for Investment-Rental Properties.
What kind of property?
Condo — Owning a condo offers worry-free, lock-and-go living. The homeowner’s association (HOA) takes care of exterior maintenance and manages the complex amenities. You might only require a property manager to oversee your unit while you’re away and handle bill payments. It’s crucial to prepare for hurricane season and ensure your condo is safeguarded, and a property manager can assist you in making necessary arrangements.
House — Owning a house typically involves more responsibilities to maintain both the house and the property while you’re away. This includes watering and tending to gardens and plants, regular cleaning of pools, and conducting routine checks on home equipment such as water pumps, cistern levels, and pool pumps to ensure they are leak-free, functioning properly, and structurally sound. You will need a property manager to oversee your house while you’re away and handle bill payments. Again, preparing for hurricane season to ensure your is safeguarded is necessary and your property manager make the necessary arrangements.
Fractional Condo — If you enjoy short stays of up to four weeks and frequent visits, a Fractional condo offers an ideal solution to own a resort condo at a fraction of the cost. Similar to owning a regular condo but more hassle-free, Fractional ownership includes resort operators overseeing regular checks and maintenance of the unit. Owners can also rent out their share when they’re not using it themselves.
Furnished or Unfurnished?
Unlike back home, properties in Los Cabos are predominantly sold with furniture. The market here is largely a second home market, so when owners sell, they have little or no use for furnishings. Properties often come “turn-key” with dishes, pots, pans, cutlery, and even those Tommy Bahama beach chairs.
Don’t worry much about the furniture you see in property listings. Importantly, you have furniture to use right away, so you are immediately operational and having fun in Cabo. Over time, you can change pieces out and help them find a new home with the help of the folks at Tienda 17, the largest furniture consignment store in Los Cabos.
If you buy pre-construction then you will get to furnish your property. Developers may offer furniture packages or you can do it on your own or hire a decorator.
In any event, check out our blog on Furnishing a home in Los Cabos.
Number of bedrooms?
Give serious consideration to the number of bedrooms you really need. Our experience is that many buyers end up with more than they really need. People have a vision of lots of family coming to Cabo so the space is essential. For many the reality is their family isn’t that interested in coming to Cabo for every vacation – particularly those with younger children where time off is structured around schooling and destinations like Disneyland are higher on their list. Consider seeking out a location with short-term rentals nearby to accommodate larger family influxes instead.
Ocean Views
Many buyers are looking for ocean views in Los Cabos. Its important to understand Zoning in Los Cabos and factors that go into having a sustainable ocean view. We have the only website in Los Cabos with a page on Zoning. Read our blog on Securing your Ocean View which will help you understand what you can do to secure that great ocean view.
Home Décor
Many buyers will be surprised by the distinct lack of white kitchens and white box contemporary homes and condos. White and contemporary is coming but Mexican developers do favor wood and earthy tones. Expect it even in more contemporary properties. Older properties will definitely have darker wood finishes. If that’s not your thing your options will be limited. Renovating is always an option. Make your list of priorities and have location and ocean view at the top of the list. Everything else can be changed.
How do you see yourself living in Los Cabos?
There are many settings that buyers look for in Los Cabos. There are three common settings that buyers and investors look for:
City and Beach Walkable – This setting is for someone looking for that close connection to the downtown life of Cabo San Lucas or San Jose del Cabo with the beach close at hand. A walk on the beach in the morning, a swim at the complex pool in the afternoon and then out and about for the evening. This is also something a lot of renters are looking for, everything walkable and free of having to drive. For more about this setting we recommend you check out our City and Walkable Condos pages for Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo for all the listings we think are walkable.
Toes in the Sand – This setting is all about being beachfront! Going to sleep and waking to waves crashing on the beach and the smell of the sea air. Vacationers will pay top dollar to be “toes in the sand”. This setting comes in many locations and price points from the Hacienda Beach Club in Cabo San Lucas with its immediate walkability to the city to distant seclusion of El Encanto de la Laguna east of San Jose.
Secluded & Private – The secluded and private setting is about getting away from it all while having pools, fitness facilities and other resort type amenities nearby. Being able to wake up to quiet, peace and tranquility knowing hustle and bustle are some distance away. There are a number of condo complexes that can give you degrees of this but none better than our own favorite Copala Condos.
These won’t be the only lifestyle settings to consider just the popular ones. Buyers will also look for close proximity to swimmable beaches, snorkeling beaches, surf breaks and other great things about Los Cabos.
Give serious thought to how you see yourself living in Los Cabos. If you’re an investor or planning to rent before occupying your property more give serious consideration to the three settings noted above. They represent experiences that short term renters are looking for.
Where in Los Cabos?
Knowing where you want to be in Los Cabos is important. Depending on your preferences you may value close proximity to beaches (any), swimmable beaches, snorkeling spots and surf breaks. Keep all these in mind as you determine how you want to live here and to help your agent find you a property that fits your plans.
Cabo San Lucas (CSL) – has a reputation as a party town that is known for night clubs, spring breakers and big yachts in the marina. While you don’t need to participate in any after dark fun, its always there if you’re inclined. You may pick CSL or close to CSL just because the Costco is there.
San Jose del Cabo (SJD) – known as a quiet artsy seniors town that rolls up early, San Jose may be exactly what you’re looking for.
On the Corridor – in between the two cities there are numerous communities along the corridor. Many are exclusive oceanside playgrounds with golf, spas and countless amenities. No matter where you choose to live on the corridor, SJD or CSL will be less than 20 minutes away. There are two sides to the Corridor, the San Jose Corridor and the Cabo Corridor.
Pacific – starting with Sunset Beach at Quivira and heading up the coast are the growing communities of Quivira, Diamante and Rancho San Lucas. Each with their own unique amenities and house and condo offerings. The Pacific side tends to be cooling with onshore breezes from the much deeper and cooler Pacific Ocean. Keep that in mind if you are planning to live full time on Los Cabos.
East Cape – is renowned for its pristine, sandy, and sparsely populated beaches, making it a haven for those seeking natural beauty and tranquility. Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities, including fishing (both by boat and from the shore), diving, snorkeling, sea kayaking, windsurfing, kite surfing, and off-roading on the beaches and in the nearby hills. Its remote location attracts people looking to immerse themselves in nature and engage in these pursuits, as well as those seeking a simpler, off-the-grid lifestyle.
Choosing a Real Estate Agent
In Los Cabos there are plenty of real estate brokerages, many affiliated with recognizable brands. If you surrender your contact information to a brokerage you have no guarantee who will be assigned to you as your agent. Excellent agents will have a substantial online presence where you can inspect their testimonials on their website, their reviews on Yelp and Google Business. Do you research and pick your agent. Don’t let that big brokerage pick one for you.
About the Los Cabos Real Estate Market
The market here is predominantly a 2nd home market. It functions differently than real estate markets you’re used to at home. For the most part buyers don’t have to buy here. Nothing is pressing you to buy a 2nd home here other than straight up desire to have a place in Cabo. Buyers tend to view properties when here on vacation as they feel out their Cabo dream or on specific trips when they have become more committed to that dream. Conversely, sellers don’t have to sell their 2nd home either. Many sellers will wait for the right buyer to come along at the right price. This means historically properties here will have longer Days on Market. Before the continent wide real estate run post COVID, 150 Days on Market was still relatively new. Our quarterly real estate market reports are a great source of current information on the market.
Interested in knowing more?
There is a lot more to know about buying real estate here before its time to come to Cabo and start looking. This guide is a big first step to get you thinking. Next you need to go through our Buying Tutorial.
