Ron, you spent twenty-plus years building office parks, shopping centers, and apartment complexes in Houston. Then in 1994 you flew down to Palmilla for a golf trip, looked at a stretch of beachfront next to a hotel, and decided to buy it. What did you see in that land that made you believe it was worth leaving Texas for?

I saw a place that could become something extraordinary. The Palmilla hotel, the sweeping beauty of the beach, and the Baja Peninsula were a motivation to build a legacy. I knew that if we treated the land with the respect it deserved, we could create an exclusive retreat community unlike anything else in the world. It was a vision that changed my life.

You came down with Kenneth Schnitzer — your partner, your co-founder, your close friend. You built the first five homes together. You were emotionally invested, you put your heart into it, you planned to raise your families here. And then Ken passed away in 1999 — before he could see what Del Mar became. How do you carry that with you? Is there a version of Del Mar that you’re building for him?

Ken’s passing left a profound void, but it also crystallized our purpose here. The Schnitzer family took up Ken’s vision, and we built our first five homes, laying a foundation for a community where friends would gather for generations. Every day I carry the responsibility of completing the vision we built together. The Del Mar you see today — the uncompromising standards, the enduring quality, the deep sense of community — is a direct reflection of Ken’s spirit and is woven into the very fabric of everything we do. Every stone laid and every sweeping view preserved is a quiet tribute to the legacy we began together.

You became a Mexican citizen. That is not a legal formality — it is a declaration. Most developers who do well in Los Cabos collect the returns and keep their primary identity elsewhere. You chose not to. What made you decide that México was not just where you worked, but where you belonged?

On paper, I may not be a Mexican citizen — but in my heart, I have considered myself one for a very long time. You cannot build a community that feels truly authentic and timeless if your heart remains across a border. For me, living here is not just beautiful — it is about a genuine connection to the land and to the people. It is a sense of place I have not found anywhere else, and it is what made México the place where I truly belong.

You’ve described Del Mar as intentionally and expertly master-planned from day one — unlike the rest of Palmilla, which evolved organically. In thirty years of watching other developers come and go on this corridor, what is the single most common mistake you’ve seen them make? And have you ever been tempted to make it yourself?

The most common mistake I see is developers sacrificing long-term harmony for short-term gain. They let organic growth dictate the flow rather than committing to intentional design. By master-planning Del Mar from day one, we ensured privacy, protected view corridors, and a seamless sense of community. We build homes to endure and endear, and that demands patience and an uncompromising vision.

The Ledges at Espíritu was developed in partnership with MSD Capital — the investment office that manages Michael Dell’s personal fortune. That is not a partner you attract by accident. What did MSD Capital see in Del Mar that convinced them this was where they wanted to place that capital?

MSD Capital recognized our commitment to enduring quality and flawless execution. They manage extraordinary wealth and understand that true value lies in irreplaceable assets and effortless ownership. When they looked at Del Mar, they saw a community with a proven track record of delivering world-class luxury and security. We curate a prestigious, carefree living experience that cannot be found anywhere else. They saw our commitment and trusted us with their investment for those reasons.

You brought American construction standards to Baja in 1995 — central air conditioning, better electrical systems, plumbing to U.S. code. At the time, that was unusual enough to be a competitive advantage. Today every developer in Los Cabos claims world-class construction. What does Del Mar do that still cannot be easily replicated — and how long does that advantage last?

What cannot be replicated is thirty years of history. We understand how our homeowners truly live, and we took that knowledge and built it into everything we created. The discipline of listening and evolving is what has kept Del Mar ahead through every cycle and every competitor who has arrived.

But beyond the home, what truly sets us apart is the service platform we have built around it. Del Mar 365 Management ensures every homeowner is cared for with the same standards we applied when we built the community. Del Mar Destinations handles rentals for those who want their investment working for them. Del Mar Connect brings residential technology to a level our homeowners expect from their primary residence. Del Mar Development is there when a homeowner wants to renovate, expand, or personalize — they never have to manage a single detail themselves.

And if you decide to sell, Del Mar Real Estate is the leading real estate brokerage in all of Los Cabos, the company that helps preserve the market value of these properties.

Your buyer profile has shifted significantly over thirty years — from 65-year-olds buying retirement retreats to buyers in their 40s and 50s with young children, families using their homes as multi-generational gathering places. What does that shift in buyer tell you about what Los Cabos has become, and what does it demand from you as a developer that your original homes were not designed to deliver?

What we have found is that their desire has not changed — it is still about the true luxury experience and effortless ownership. Regardless of age, that is what we offer, and that is what our buyers seek. What has deepened over time is our community itself. Several generations of homeowners have now passed through Del Mar, and the bonds that have formed here are part of what makes this place so enduring. The longer we are here, the stronger that community grows.

Legado at La Montaña is perched on a ridgeline above everything else you’ve built — only eleven homesites, each positioned individually for maximum view and privacy, more than 110 meters above the Sea of Cortés. That is not a commercial decision. What is it?

Legado at La Montaña is the ultimate expression of our dedication to this land. It is the culmination of a lifelong passion, not a commercial endeavor. Positioning just eleven homesites so high above the Sea of Cortés is about offering absolute exclusivity and privacy. It is an homage to the rugged beauty of Baja, with each sightline carefully crafted to capture sweeping coastal vistas. Only five homesites remain — and these are the final five homesites in all of Villas Del Mar.

Los Cabos sold $1.59 billion in real estate in 2025. Average home prices in the San José Corridor jumped nearly 40% in a single year. International capital is arriving faster than at any point in the market’s history. You have been building here long enough to have seen what a real correction looks like. Does this market concern you — and if so, what specifically are you watching?

I watch the fundamentals rather than the frenzy. Thirty years ago we set out to build something rooted in community, legacy, and lifestyle — not speculation. An exclusive gated community built on those foundations can withstand market fluctuations because its value is not tied to a cycle — it is tied to something lasting. As long as we continue to deliver exceptional service and effortless ownership, Del Mar will remain highly sought after, regardless of what the broader market does.

You flew down from Houston in 1994 for four days of golf. You never went home. Ken Schnitzer is in heaven. You are a Mexican citizen. You have built more than 200 homes on this peninsula, spent $5 million on a wellness club, and placed your last and most private development on the highest ridge you could find. If you could stand with the version of yourself who stepped off that plane at the old Los Cabos airport in 1994 — what would you want him to know?

I would assure him that embracing Baja and its people would be the most transformative decision of his life. I would tell him that losing Ken would be heartbreaking — but that his spirit would become the bedrock of something truly extraordinary. I would say: build it with your heart, build it to last. The legacy you are about to create will endure long after you are gone.