Real Estate Market Perspective in Baja California Sur
By Christopher Miller
Baja California Sur is glistening anew, and not just its pristine shores, blue-water bays and colorful sunsets. Nearly all of its world-renowned hotels have completed major renovation projects while several new resorts and real estate offerings have arrived on the scene. Even with the tremendous growth along the coast, the traditional charm, authenticity and character of Baja California Sur have been preserved, along with the unbeatable lifestyle that has attracted travelers and investors from all over the world for decades.
From Todos Santos to the East Cape, more than 20 resort and residential projects are in various stages of development. One of the most highly anticipated new offerings comes from Cabo’s preeminent developer, Del Mar Development, the developer of the world-renowned residential resort communities of Villas Del Mar, Espiritu and Oasis Palmilla, in partnership with MSD Capital, the investment firm formed to exclusively manage the capital of Michael Dell and his family. The Ledges at Espiritu is a limited collection of Residences and Penthouses featuring the latest in modern residential design and unobstructed ocean, city and mountain views from a majestic perch above Palmilla Bay. With a sophisticated, yet casual contemporary aesthetic and stunning rooftop terraces atop the Penthouses, The Ledges marks the first offering of its kind in the Del Mar communities, home to the exclusive, private Club Ninety Six beach club and Club Espiritu fitness club.
Among the new developments along Cabo’s Pacific Coast, Diamante will soon welcome a Nobu Hotel, the first in Mexico from the luxury brand co-owned by Japanese chef-turned-hotelier Nobu Matsuhisa. On Medano Beach, Hacienda Beach Club & Residences has launched phase two of the exclusive, private community with construction expected to begin this spring.
Along the Golden Corridor, Santa Maria Bay is the site of the new Maravilla Los Cabos community, a project by Ohana Real Estate Investors, which owns Montage Beverly Hills, Montage Deer Valley and the upcoming Montage Los Cabos. In nearby Chileno Bay, the Discovery Land Company, developer of El Dorado Golf & Beach Club, has been brought in to manage the new residential resort community underway. Next door, VieVage Los Cabos, the new luxury brand managed by Auberge Resorts, is in phase one of development and will feature a 29-room boutique hotel.
Towards San José del Cabo, Solaz Los Cabos, operated by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., will include full ownership residences and 131 hotel suites once phase two is complete. At Puerto Los Cabos, the new JW Marriott is open, and plans are in the works for the upcoming Ritz-Carlton Residences.
Not only is Baja California Sur back better than ever, the new development and lifestyle offerings are elevating Los Cabos to a new elite status. Forbes named Los Cabos one of 16 Top Destinations for 2016, among the ranks of Rome, Paris and Taipei. The Wall Street Journal perfectly depicted the small-town charm of Los Cabos recently remarking, “It’s the only resort destination where a taxi driver once invited me for dinner with his family, and where the host of a fancy restaurant once crouched at my table to draw me a map to his favorite local surf break on a napkin.” It’s a sentiment firmly understood by those who cherish the Baja lifestyle and the intangible element that makes it one of the most alluring second-home destinations in the world.