Los Cabos: Your Home Away from Home?
If you spend any time eavesdropping at local coffee shops and gringo bars, you'll find the Baja peninsula is full of Americans, Canadians, and Europeans who came for a visit and never left. Owning property in Mexico is no longer as simple as plunking an RV on the beach, a la 30 years ago, but if you fall in love with Los Cabos -- or Baja in general -- you never have to leave either.
Mexico has made it easy for foreigners to own their dream home on its shores. Through a fideicomiso, which is essentially a renewable trust, your home, condo, fractional ownership, or land by the sea is within reach. If you want to learn more about what's available in Los Cabos, check out the Baja Real Estate Guide (www.bajarealestateguide.com), a Los Cabos listings magazine that's not sponsored by any one particular real estate company and therefore showcases an unbiased range of options. Second, choose a reputable real-estate brokerage, such as Snell Real Estate (tel. 866/650-5845 in the U.S., or 624/105-8100; www.snellrealestate.com). A good agent will walk you through the process and help you find the ownership option that's right for you.
Another great resource for investors thinking about buying in Mexico is Mitch Creekmore and Tom Kelly's book, Cashing in on a Second Home in Mexico: How to Buy, Rent, and Profit from Real Estate South of the Border.
