Casa de Playa is a beautiful 3 bedroom luxury home, located in the very exclusive gated and private Palmilla Development. This home is located on the 9th fairway of the Palmilla Golf Course and offers spectacular views of the Sea of Cortez.

Appointed with all the amenities, Casa de Playa is the perfect location for you to relax around the heated swimming pool or spa and enjoy your vacation.

We look forward to your visit to Casa de Play and welcome you to our “Paradise”.

Sleeping Accommodations:
3 King Beds

Refundable Security Deposit - $500.00

Yes, you can own property in Mexico however we recommend that you work with a reputable Real Estate Company and Notary that will work in your best interest.  One important bit of information you should know is that when you record your property you should  ALWAYS RECORD THE FULL VALUE

Some brokers recommend to clients that they should record a lower value on their Trust than what was actually paid for the home.  The thought process is that you save money at closing because the Mexican acquisition tax is 2% of your purchase price.  Never let anyone talk you into recording a lower value on your Trust.  It will cost you big when you sell your home.  Recording the property’s true value benefits you and establishes your cost basis in the eyes of Mexico. The amount you pay for a property has no impact on your annual property taxes.

In the Trust document the value is shown in Pesos, not U.S. Dollars.  Prior to signing your Trust and taking title, simply divide the Pesos by the current exchange rate and you will see what the value is.  Never take it for granted that an attorney or a Notary will record the full value.  As in any other document you sign always check before signing.

The value of your home when you sell is determined during the closing process.  The Notary will take your cost basis in Pesos and apply the exchange rate used on the date of Closing.  One trick to make it easy and to ensure your value is recorded correctly when you get your Trust is to have the Notary hand write the exchange rate and the date on the front page of your Trust document. Capital gains taxes paid in Mexico can be applied to your U.S. taxes.

***Information in this article provided by Snell Real Estate.

March 1-4  Amy & Vince’s Fred Duckett Challenge.  Benefits the Los Cabos Children’s Foundation.  Info in the US call 602-275-6305 or by e-mail: brendakuyper.lccf@gmail.com                                                                       Registration www.loscaboschildren.org

March 20-25  6th International Art & Culture La Paz Festival  For more information call o11-52-612-122-0000

March 23  Liga MAC’s 8th Annual Jazz Fest.  Gourmet buffet dinner, drinks and entertainment.  For more information contact jazzfest@ligamac.com

March 22-25  Baja Shakespeare’s 2012 production, Cindrealla at Rancho Buens Vista.  It’s not Shakespeare but it’s a “Bajafied” fairy tale filled with silly humor and music that’s guaranteed to delight.  Contact tyfield1@hotmail.com for information.

The following is information reported by the Gringo Gazette, the local paper in Cabo San Lucas.

New Mexican Government Office to Assist Foreigners

English speaking staff will assist you with government related matters

There is now a Mexican government office created to reach out to the foreigners who live in Cabo  full or part time. Alicia Cota is an ombudswoman for foreign residents, speaks excellent English and enjoys assisting foreign residents with government  red tape such as tax matters and permits. She can even help you fill out Spanish forms, telling you which department is in charge of what form.

Her office is inside City Hall, second door down on your right. You can call her at 146 7600 ext. 1009 or cell 624 117 8249. Office hours are currently 8-3 pm.

This is good news for locals.  If anyone has used this service we would love to have comments posted on this blog.

There are a number of hiking alternatives in the Los Cabos area but one you might not have thought of is hiking in the Pedregal community.  This community is located in Cabo San Lucas and built on a desert mountain, referred to as The Pedregal Mountain.  Homes on what we call the marina side have views of downtown Cabo San Lucas, the marina and bay.  Homes on the other side of the Pedregal Mountain have views of the Pacific Ocean.

I have hiked in the Pedregal since moving to Cabo in 1998 and always enjoy the scenery.  The cobblestone roads weave throughout the community offering a variety of options.  I have what I call my short walk (about 20 minutes) that is mainly on the Pacific side and takes me by a number of our vacation rental properties.  I can vary this walk by taking a different way back and add 10-15 minutes. I start near the Pedregal Beach and head for the Valley of the Blue Moon, then back home.

For a more challenging walk I have walked to town but lately enjoy walking to the very top where the tower is located now that the road is finished to the top. It is pretty much straight up hill for most of the walk (about 2 miles) but once at the top there is a bird’s eye panoramic view of all of Cabo, the bay, marina, and Pacific side.  It’s definitely worth the effort!  Of course you can always drive to the top for the view but it’s a great hike with great scenery.

They are cutting new roads in the Pedregal which will offer even more variety in routes.  You could virtually take a different walk every day for a number of days.

If you are staying in Cabo and want a challenging walk try the Pedregal next time.  And remember we have a large variety of Cabo Vacation Rentals in the Pedregal, in downtown Cabo, along the corridor and in San Jose del Cabo.

Check our inventory at www.bajasurvacationrentals.com