Living in Los Cabos: 10 Reasons to Cabo NOW

Facebook is breaking my heart. On one hand I see wonderful postings about how every man, woman and child is working their buns off in the clean-up/recovery effort and what great strides they are making. There are near-constant reports of workers helping rebuild even though they lost their own homes. Even so they are very concerned about the return of the tourists.

And then there are the other threads: tourists discussing putting off their trips. NO!!!!!! These people rely on you, they are making huge sacrifices to get Cabo ready for high season, and they are winning the battle. So, don’t cancel your trip. Here is my TOP TEN LIST OF REASONS TO COME TO CABO RIGHT NOW.

1. FISHING. Sport fishing is what put Cabo on the map in the first place, and fall is under normal circumstances when it is the best. But fall after a storm? The fishermen tell me that’s when it is spectacular. On the morning of the 19^th at a neighborhood meeting Brian Solomon of Solomon’s Landing restaurant said that as soon as he could get his boat in the water he was going out to catch food for his employees. The next day he posted that he caught 16 dorado!!! A single fisherman with 16 dorado in a few hours???? Oh yeah, the fishing is fine right now. [As an aside Solomon’s Landing is now back open for business and even has live entertainment.]
2. TOURNAMENTS!! Bob Bisbee Sr. has committed that his tournaments will continue as normal. While I don’t know about the other scheduled tournaments, the Bisbee Offshore will be held October 17-19 and the mother of all tournaments Bisbee Black & Blue will run from October 21-25. I don’t lump these into fishing because they really have nothing to with fishing: they are legal, extremely high stakes gambling and everyone gets in the act. At this level one is not a fisherman, but an angler. The B&B is the world’s richest fishing tournament with millions of dollars on the line. Everyone in town gets into the spirit of things, following which boats are hooked up, who’s caught what, going down to watch them come in for weighing, etc. There are booths set up on the marina and it’s basically just a big festival. From the shot-gun starts to the last weigh-in, tournament season is a hoot.
3. FORE THE KIDS. On November 15 at Palmilla you will find one of the rarest events: the 100% fundraiser when Casa Hogar, which is the boy’s orphanage, holds their annual golf tournament. I’ve done fund-raising for years and it’s extremely rare for the charity to have zero out-lay. But in this case the venue, the meals, the beverages, the SWAG bags, prizes and every other element of the fundraiser has been donated by sponsors so 100% of your entry goes to the boys. Wow. So not only do you save money on golfing Palmilla you know that you are helping raise over 40 boys. And this year is very special. The original grant stipulated the money was to build a boy’s orphanage. But recently the board acquired the land to build a girl’s orphanage, too. I work with a board member and the executive director who told me that just from the sisters of the boys they are caring for they would have about 30 residents. Since I’m not in Cabo I don’t have the contact info if you want to participate, but if you call my office at 624-143-3011 you can ask for Chris or Ed and they’ll take care of you.
4. LIFE’S A BEACH. When people talk about beaches in Cabo more often than not they’re talking about Medano beach. Beautiful, swimmable, diverse Medano. From the elegant to the rowdy and raunchy there are restaurants, bars, ambulatory vendors, music, certainly lots of laughter, and oh-by-the-way an ocean. Every day I’m getting more reports of those bars and restaurants re-opening and the beach is clean. There are a number of live web-cams that came back online if you don’t believe.
5. GOLF. Admitted, I’d have a hard time picking Tom Fazio, Arnold Palmer or Tiger Woods out in a line-up. I don’t know golf. But I do know golfers. One friend of mine who plays daily told me that he has to go to the States from time to time to play their “cow pastures” so that he appreciates what we’ve got in Cabo. Cabo is world class golf and this is your opportunity to try it out without the crowds.
6. FOOD. Yum! I’ve said it before and it’s still true: Cabo is a city of Foodies. And our chefs don’t disappoint. But right now? The chefs, the wait staff, and management: everyone is anxious to make your Cabo dining experience over the top. Everything will be super-fresh, and it will be prepared and served with special care to impress our brave first tourists.
7. WEATHER. Right about now God should be flipping the switch. Every year our weather ‘flips’ overnight from summer to gorgeous. Bright sunshine, warm days and cool nights: can you tell me you wouldn’t enjoy that?
8. MOUNTAINS AND DESERT (oh and a few turtles). Cabo isn’t just about the beach. We’ve got gorgeous mountains and deserts to explore with hidden waterfalls, and lush vegetation. The desert in bloom after a storm is a sight to behold. Once seen, it will never be forgotten. Don’t miss your chance. And fall is when you might have a chance to help a just-hatched baby sea turtle find his way home to the sea.
9. FUN. Back in the old days we were a ‘big box’ franchise. I remember being at a meeting during the recession when we were advised to switch our focus from tourism to ‘other industries’. Great, I thought, we HAVE no industry. Then I realized we do have a manufacturing sector. We manufacture fun. If you can’t have fun in Cabo there is no hope for you.

AND NOW>>> DRUMROLL PLEASE >>>>> NUMBER ONE REASON TO COME TO CABO RIGHT NOW IS >>>>>>>>>>>>

THE PEOPLE. It’s not just me. It’s not just the results of the International Community Foundation survey. It’s not just the United Nations survey that determined Mexico is the happiest country. The number one reason people move to Cabo, and the number one reason people visit Cabo repeatedly is the warmth and friendliness of our people. For centuries the Baja, and Cabo, were literally cut off from the world. What resulted was a culture of kindness, respect, manners and most of all caring for one another. That culture, that spirit, lives on today. You will never, ever experience such a loving and nurturing environment. This one you have to experience for yourself. And there is no better time than now. CABO STRONG.

Carol Billups is Broker/Owner of Cabo Realty Pros. She has enjoyed working with both buyers and sellers for over thirteen years and still thinks hers is the best job on earth. She is also the real estate columnist for Los Cabos Magazine. You can read more of her articles on the website blog http://www.caborealtypros.com. You can reach her from the U.S. or Canada at 1-760-481-7694, or in Cabo at 044-624-147-7541. You can listen to our 24/7 broadcast on http://www.livecabo.net for a mix of happy music, weather reports and local information.

© 2014 Carol S. Billups

 

 

Living in Los Cabos: Are We Confused Yet?

 

Yikes what a day! I’ve been working the phones trying to find the earliest flight home and it’s a mad-house. None of the airlines seem to be taking reservations yet, but they all have a different idea of when the airport will re-open. It’s taken all day to compile this, and I figure there may be someone else who needs the info, too, so I might as well post it. I plan on checking daily… it will be interesting to see how it changes…..

Airline	Customer Service Phone	Estimated Date of First Flight
Volaris	866-988-3527	October 5
American	800-433-7300	October 19
United	800-864-8331	October 2
Southwest	800-435-9792	After September 30
Alaska	800-252-7522	November 1
AeroMexico	800-237-6639	October 9
Delta	800-221-1212	September 30 via DF, 24+ hrs
GAP – Owners of airport		On or before Oct 5

Wonder about chartering a plane to the CSL field and how many we could jam into a little jet?

 

Carol Billups is Broker/Owner of Cabo Realty Pros. She has enjoyed working with both buyers and sellers for over thirteen years and still thinks hers is the best job on earth. She is also the real estate columnist for Los Cabos Magazine. You can read more of her articles on the website blog http://www.caborealtypros.com. You can reach her from the U.S. or Canada at 1-760-481-7694, or in Cabo at 044-624-147-7541. You can listen to our 24/7 broadcast on http://www.livecabo.net for a mix of happy music, weather reports and local information.

© 2014 Carol S. Billups

 

Living in Los Cabos: Lessons Learned After the Worst

 

We were prepared for a storm, not a natural disaster. As anyone reading this probably knows Cabo was trashed on Sunday night, September 15, 2014, by Hurricane Odile. On Saturday we went to bed with the prediction of a near miss by a Category 1 hurricane. When we woke up on Sunday the prediction had been changed: a direct hit by a Category 4. By that time there was really not much to do but maybe buy more food and stress.

What actually happened? We got a direct hit by a Category 3 (on winds) and a Category 5 (on pressure), three tornados and a 4.5 magnitude earthquake. Cabo’s perfect storm.

Don’t ask me about the storm. I’m sure it’s just a coping mechanism but my memory of the actual storm has been pretty much blanked out. I recall the family being in the ‘safe’ area of the home protected by hurricane screens, then windows popping and running to another room and finally downstairs into a window-less hallway. I recall driving through the eye to try and find safety, being turned down at the Wyndham because of the dogs, and then driving home. It was harrowing. No wonder the rest is blanked.

Thank God (and I’m not taking that in vain) we were in Mexico. When it comes to disaster relief my adopted country has their act totally together. I’m in awe. Both local people and the officials just instantly starting pitching in to help. I’m not there right now (wish I were) but am keeping close tabs on the recovery and everyone I’m in touch with agrees it is going much faster than anticipated. Cabo should be back open for tourism as soon as next week.

Now, every year I’ve blogged about hurricane preparedness, including this year. I stand by most of it, but have found a few things I’d like to add based on having experienced the worst hurricane in the history of Baja.

In addition to everything in the three blogs previously posted I need to add three items to put in your kit:

1. HEAVY LEATHER WORK GLOVES. I believe I did note real shoes (not sandals) to avoid stepping in glass. But when you’re cleaning up multiple windows and doors you’ll want to protect your hands, too. We’ve swept up before but this is the first time we had to handle window FRAMES full of broken shards. Gloves. Get them.
2. FACE MASKS. My good friend had to be hospitalized for a day from the effects of breathing so much dust. Having face masks in the hurricane kit might prevent that.
3. ANTIQUE PRINCESS PHONE. Remember phones that plugged into the wall? And handsets that had cords to the body of the phone? People who had one of those did not lose their phone service and were able to notify family of their condition. The rest of us were and remain cut off from the world.

One other note. After Hurricane Marty I informed Bob that he need never buy me a birthday, anniversary or Christmas present if he just got me a generator. He did. Much of my preparation was predicated on having that generator up and running. It failed. And so began the migration of the dog’s food. Here’s the thing…. I had to keep moving it (and the wonderful friend now in charge of their care continues to) as other generators failed. So it wasn’t just us. Bob is thinking if we had run it more often, I don’t know. I just know that you can’t bank on your generator. I do know one of the neighbors’ continued to run UNTIL THE PROPANE RAN OUT. So topping off your propane tank should also be added to your hurricane preparedness list.

Wow. We camped out but due to health concerns we evacuated Bob after four days. I can’t say enough about the people who handled that. It’s not easy being here while so much is going on there, but luckily for me we’re surrounded by good people who are taking care of the girls, have secured the house and are staying there for us. I’m just overwhelmed. We’ve even had to turn help away! If you think I loved the people of Cabo before…. Well…. That was nothing to what I feel after the worst. Hopefully these lessons will never be needed, but just in case. I’ll sign off with what has become our rallying cry: CABO STRONG!!!

Carol Billups is Broker/Owner of Cabo Realty Pros. She has enjoyed working with both buyers and sellers for over thirteen years and still thinks hers is the best job on earth. She is also the real estate columnist for Los Cabos Magazine. You can read more of her articles on the website blog http://www.caborealtypros.com. You can reach her from the U.S. or Canada at 1-760-481-7694, or in Cabo at 044-624-147-7541. You can listen to our 24/7 broadcast on http://www.livecabo.net for a mix of happy music, weather reports and local information.

© 2014 Carol S. Billups

Living in Los Cabos: Cutting Your Cost of Living

 

As promised, we’re back on topic with the cost of living in Cabo. Recently I posted the prices of many commodities at the supermarket. For some time now my shopping habits have been dictated not so much by value as time. I need to get in and out as quickly as possible. But if you have the luxury of a little free time you can save yourself quite a bit of cash, get better quality, and have a cultural experience.

 

Once I start naming names you’ll probably realize you’ve seen those names on little trucks all over Cabo. They are the purveyors for the restaurants and hotels and they don’t mind selling retail. Las Palmas, Lizzaraga, ComNor, Ocean Leader, Valle Hermanos are a few you might recognize. I’ve been shopping Las Palmas and Lizzaraga for years (and years) but my colleague and fellow foodie Ed Langton is introducing me to some others. And since he was able to get their price lists I thought a little comparison might be in order. So, let’s see….

 

 

Item	Supermarket	Wholesale
Chicken Breast	$1.74 per pound	$1.52 per pound
Ground Beef	$2.68 per pound	$2.27 per pound
Ground Pork	$2.44 per pound	$1.92 per pound
Pork Loin	$3.67per pound	$2.97 per pound
Ribs not baby back	$3.14 per pound	$1.92 per pound
Baby Back	Not available	$2.65 per pound
Beef Filet Mignon	Not in stock this wk	$8.74 per pound
Beef Prime Rib	Not available	$5.06 per pound

 

Now just a few words on how this works.

 

Looks are deceiving. The two I use are Las Palmas (butcher shop) and Lizzaraga (green grocer). Both are HUGE commercial operations that take up most if not all of the block they are on. But both kept on the little ‘tiendita’ or corner store that started their parents out many years ago. They look like what they are: old. And the products in them are the products that will be in demand in a working class neighborhood. Pay no attention to the butcher case at Las Palmas, after you wait your turn tell the nice butcher what you want. If you’re timid about your Spanish make a list, translate it, and simply hand it to him. Remember: you’re ordering in kilos. A pound is approximately half a kilo so make the adjustment. The butcher will get your meat and bring it to the cash register. They do custom cuts so be ready to tell them how thick you want your chops or bacon, etc. Las Palmas is on Felix Ortega street: go up Hildalgo, turn right on Ortega and go about two blocks.

 

Lizzaraga is on the right side of route 19 (the road to Todos Santos) just past the Bordo (the road that runs from the corridor to route 19). It is sandwiched between the Pemex station and the Chedraui grocery store. If you don’t see what you’re looking for don’t be afraid to ask; they’ll call someone in the commercial department and see if it’s available.

 

Last, I realize I didn’t have any seafood prices in that last blog. So here’s a couple of teasers from the Ocean Leader price list. Giant shrimp (U-15 size, basically a giant prawn) are $7.69 per pound and fillet of sea bass (cabrilla) is only $2.97 per pound.

 

Kind of makes you think surf and turf, right?

 

 

Carol Billups is Broker/Owner of Cabo Realty Pros. She has enjoyed working with both buyers and sellers for over thirteen years and still thinks hers is the best job on earth. She is also the real estate columnist for Los Cabos Magazine. You can read more of her articles on the website blog www.caborealtypros.com. You can reach her from the U.S. or Canada at 1-760-481-7694, or in Cabo at 044-624-147-7541. You can listen to our 24/7 broadcast on http://www.livecabo.net for a mix of happy music, weather reports and local information.

 

 

 

© 2014 Carol S. Billups

 

 

 

Living in Los Cabos: We Interrupt This Topic

We were discussing the cost of living, and we will go back to it. The last post was the cost of groceries in the store, next we’re going to talk some strategies to cut that pretty dramatically. But in the meantime I got sucked into a Facebook discussion about whether to rent or buy if you’re moving to Cabo. And I think what I have to say may be important to someone out there.

First, obviously I *AM* biased. My work is to sell houses, not rent them. So of course I’d rather see someone buy rather than rent. And I was pretty much completely out-voted on that discussion with most people suggesting that it would be better to rent for a year or two before deciding to buy. What really got to me was a whole lot of folks who are not in the business advising the person who started the discussion that there’s no hurry: there are plenty of homes on the market. Well, I have access to a state-wide MLS and I beg to differ.

Most people who are re-locating to Cabo are looking for what I call ‘real people houses’.  They don’t have an unlimited budget but still want a nice home. I don’t know if it’s this blog or just a sea change in the market, but I’m working more and more with this demographic:  people who are moving to Cabo as full time residents. Some are retiring and others coming down to start a business. And their needs are quite different than those of the high end vacation home buyer. Probably the most common search for these full time buyers is: Nice home in a nice neighborhood, located on the corridor near Cabo San Lucas, under $300,000 USD, with an ocean view. Many of them would also like seller financing. So what’s available?

About two minutes ago I ran a search on the MLS. And here are the results:

Single family homes listed for sale: 778.

On the Cabo side of the Corridor: 178

Under $300,000 USD: 90

With an ocean view (yes, we can search on that): 25

With seller financing: ONE.

So my point is that yes, there are too many properties on the market in Los Cabos. But in certain segments (read that real people homes) the inventory is getting very picked over. If you wait too long you might not have many choices. In fact, I re-ran the same search but changed the maximum price to $200,000. There were zero results. And as with everything else, supply and demand are going to determine price. I don’t think it will be too long before prices in this category are going to start creeping upward. So you might want to re-think the rent first option. By staying out of what is the best buyer’s market in Cabo history you may find that when you are ready to buy you are either priced out of the market, or will need to settle for less than you wanted. But what if you buy now and then decide to move back to the US? Well, it is still a buyer’s market but you’ll be selling in the hottest segment. While no one can predict the future, based on current trends you should be able to sell for at least what you paid for the house. I also just ran the closing costs for establishing a new trust on a $300,000 home: $14,480. I don’t do rentals but it seems to me you’d be paying more than that for one year’s rent. So if you’re thinking of coming down here to paradise, and you fit this profile, I’d suggest buying NOW.  Not a sales pitch, just some friendly advice.

 

Carol Billups is Broker/Owner of Cabo Realty Pros. She has enjoyed working with both buyers and sellers for over twelve years and still thinks hers is the best job on earth. She is also the real estate columnist for Los Cabos Magazine. You can read more of her articles on the website blog http://www.caborealtypros.com. You can reach her from the U.S. or Canada at 1-760-481-7694, or in Cabo at 044-624-147-7541. You can listen to our 24/7 broadcast on http://www.livecabo.net for a mix of happy music, weather reports and local information.

© 2014 Carol S. Billups

 

 

Living in Los Cabos: Real Estate 2013 Stats

 

 

Year End Real Estate Report: Baja California Sur

 

Summary

It’s traditional at this time of year to look back and see what the old year brought and what that might bode for the year to come. In real estate it’s no different. These  statistics are from our Multiple Listing Service for 2013 versus 2012. Although we know they are not 100% accurate (agent input error) they are the best we have available.

What we’re seeing, and these numbers back that up, is that the market picked up in 2013 with more sales logged for condos, single family homes, and even raw land. That said, the median sales price (point at which half the sales are above and below) fell for condos and land, and was stable for single family homes. It is still a buyer’s market, and bargains are being had. But that is part of any market recovery. All in all I’m very encouraged by the year we’ve had and the year to come.

One caveat about this report: it is for the whole state. And the market is distinctly different among the various areas. For example, the inventory of condominiums in La Paz more than doubled—an increase of 116%. But on the Cabo San Lucas section of the corridor the inventory dropped by nearly half – a decrease of 45%. You may want to contact me for the breakdown in your exact location.

 

Condominiums

Sold:  This year: 146   Last year: 150  Percent Change: -2

Number Under Contract: This year: 180   Last year: 162  Percent Change:  +11

Sold Volume:  This year: 40,915,636   Last year: 46,584,254  Percent Change: -12

Average Sale Price:  This year: 280,244   Last year:  310,562 Percent Change: -9

Median Sale Price: This year: 199,340   Last year: 216,000  Percent Change: -7

Percent of Asking Price Received: This year: 90   Last year: 90  Percent Change: 0

Number on Market: This year: 959   Last year: 1104  Percent Change: -13

Houses

Sold:  This year: 203   Last year: 185  Percent Change: +9

Number Under Contract: This year: 212   Last year: 203  Percent Change: +4

Sold Volume:  This year: 139,445,888  Last year: 106,240,119  Percent Change: +31

Average Sale Price:  This year: 686,926   Last year: 574,271  Percent Change: +19

Median Sale Price: This year:  279,000  Last year: 275,000  Percent Change: +1

Percent of Asking Price Received: This year: 88   Last year: 89  Percent Change: -1

Number Currently on Market: This year: 1451   Last year: 1315  Percent Change: +10

Land

Sold:  This year: 136   Last year: 125 Percent Change: +8

Number Under Contract: This year: 151   Last year: 128  Percent Change: +17

Sold Volume:  This year: 26,782,765   Last year:  25,735,432 Percent Change: +4

Average Sale Price:  This year: 196,932   Last year: 205,883  Percent Change: -4

Median Sale Price: This year: 78,500   Last year: 91,666  Percent Change: -14

Number Currently on Market: This year: 2097   Last year: 2025  Percent Change: +3

 

 

Terms:

Sold: number of transactions completed

Under Contract: number of accepted offers

Sold Volume: value of all transactions

Average Sale Price: the numerical average: in this market HIGHLY DECEIVING

Median Sale Price: point at which half the transactions are above and the other half below

Percent of Sale Price: also deceiving as it does not account for price reductions

On Market: Currently for sale

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carol Billups is Broker/Owner of Cabo Realty Pros. She has enjoyed working with both buyers and sellers for over twelve years and still thinks hers is the best job on earth. She is also the real estate columnist for Los Cabos Magazine. You can read more of her articles on the website blog www.caborealtypros.com. You can reach her from the U.S. or Canada at 1-760-481-7694, or in Cabo at 044-624-147-7541. You can listen to our 24/7 broadcast on http://www.livecabo.net for a mix of happy music, weather reports and local information.

 

 

 

© 2013 Carol S. Billups

 

Living in Los Cabos: It’s a Wrap!

I feel just like Martha Stewart today, passing on decorating hints. But really, I think my client is just sooo clever that I wanted to pass this along.

You know how you’re on the beach and the vendors come by with those gorgeous pareos or sarongs, and you just can’t resist. So you buy one. Which is great while you’re in Cabo; you can wear it anywhere and feel all sorts of glam. But when you get home? Obviously you’re not going to work wrapped up in a sarong (at least not at most workplaces). And it’s too big to be a scarf. So off it goes to the closet or drawer to just languish. What a shame.

Well, one of my clients came up with a great way to re-purpose your Cabo pareo: use it as a tablecloth (or runner if your table is very large). Of course it helps that her dishes are clear. But it could work with other colors as well. Not only unique, but a great reminder of how much fun you had buying it in Cabo.

Now I’m not saying it was just the pareo (the house was in great shape and priced right and staged perfectly) but this little bungalow went under offer in record time. And this unique touch didn’t hurt at all.

Now, I wonder what other purposes we can find for your beachwear?

Carol Billups is Broker/Owner of Cabo Realty Pros. She has enjoyed working with both buyers and sellers for over twelve years and still thinks hers is the best job on earth. She is also the real estate columnist for Los Cabos Magazine. You can read more of her articles on the website blog www.caborealtypros.com. You can reach her from the U.S. or Canada at 1-760-481-7694, or in Cabo at 044-624-147-7541. You can listen to our 24/7 broadcast on http://www.livecabo.net for a mix of happy music, weather reports and local information.

© 2013 Carol S. Billups

Living in Los Cabos: ‘Twas the Rant Before Christmas…

 

 

I generally don’t make New Year’s resolutions, I don’t believe in them. But this year I believe I’ll make an exception. My project will be to find someone else with whom to share the services of our maid (Erika The Efficient). I am, ahem, more than a little unhappy with my counterpart. Let me explain…

 

One of the cultural divides between native Mexicans and expatriates in Cabo involves the use of domestic help. Generalization is never a good idea, but as a rule Mexican households expect to have a full time person taking care of the casa; and often the maid lives in. This is why you see maid’s quarters but no dishwashers in homes at all price points (if the developers are targeting the Mexican market).

 

On the other hand, most Americans and Canadians living here prefer to have someone who just comes in a few days a week. That means one maid will work for anywhere between two and three different ‘señoras’ a week. These are in general informal arrangements without the benefit of contracts, unemployment or health insurance. But what many Gringos don’t take into consideration is that there is still an obligation, and the expectation of steady employment.

 

The amount maids make here is minimal. Erika’s friends think she’s lucky to be overpaid at 350 pesos (about $27 US) for about a 6 hour day. Perhaps because the cost seems minimal to the employers they fail to understand how vitally important that income is to their maid. Many, like Erika, are single moms trying to raise a family on what they earn cleaning houses. And that’s not an easy task. Like Erika, their dream is to keep their children in school so that they will be qualified for better work (that much is pretty universal, no?). Erika’s son is now in Secondaria (kind of like middle school). I’m pretty sure he’s the first in the family to go that far. Why am I so sure? Because she reminds me nearly every day that he’s in Secondaria! She’s extremely proud of him, and should be.

 

Anyway, my point is that your maid counts on the income from cleaning your house to take care of her family. It is an obligation you are taking on when you hire her. She and her family should not suffer just because you decided to take a vacation. Which is just what my counterpart did last month (presumably Thanksgiving) and I found out today she’s done it again! Simply left town and told Erika she wouldn’t be needed until they get back. Last month she was lucky: a friend of mine needed someone to clean a couple of vacant houses, which took up much of the slack. I don’t know if we’ll be so lucky this time, I’m sure I can pick up one or two days for special projects but that probably won’t be enough. That other señora would never think to go on vacation and leave her dogs to starve, but she apparently does not have the same concern for the woman who cleans up after her and them. I know who she is; she also doesn’t pay her homeowner’s dues. Erika deserves better than that low-life. And I’m going to do everything I can to find a better alternative.

 

Whew! Thanks for listening, I needed to vent. And, I know many of you who read this are preparing to retire to Cabo or some other city in Mexico. So maybe this will be helpful when the time comes for you to hire a maid, or gardener, or other steady worker. And if you’re looking for an honest, hardworking and efficient maid three days a week: let’s talk.

 

Carol Billups is Broker/Owner of Cabo Realty Pros. She has enjoyed working with both buyers and sellers for over twelve years and still thinks hers is the best job on earth. She is also the real estate columnist for Los Cabos Magazine. You can read more of her articles on the website blog www.caborealtypros.com. You can reach her from the U.S. or Canada at 1-760-481-7694, or in Cabo at 044-624-147-7541. You can listen to our 24/7 broadcast on http://www.livecabo.net for a mix of happy music, weather reports and local information.

 

 

 

© 2013 Carol S. Billups

 

 

Living in Los Cabos: ‘Twas the Rant Before Christmas…

 

 

I generally don’t make New Year’s resolutions, I don’t believe in them. But this year I believe I’ll make an exception. My project will be to find someone else with whom to share the services of our maid (Erika The Efficient). I am, ahem, more than a little unhappy with my counterpart. Let me explain…

 

One of the cultural divides between native Mexicans and expatriates in Cabo involves the use of domestic help. Generalization is never a good idea, but as a rule Mexican households expect to have a full time person taking care of the casa; and often the maid lives in. This is why you see maid’s quarters but no dishwashers in homes at all price points (if the developers are targeting the Mexican market).

 

On the other hand, most Americans and Canadians living here prefer to have someone who just comes in a few days a week. That means one maid will work for anywhere between two and three different ‘señoras’ a week. These are in general informal arrangements without the benefit of contracts, unemployment or health insurance. But what many Gringos don’t take into consideration is that there is still an obligation, and the expectation of steady employment.

 

The amount maids make here is minimal. Erika’s friends think she’s lucky to be overpaid at 350 pesos (about $27 US) for about a 6 hour day. Perhaps because the cost seems minimal to the employers they fail to understand how vitally important that income is to their maid. Many, like Erika, are single moms trying to raise a family on what they earn cleaning houses. And that’s not an easy task. Like Erika, their dream is to keep their children in school so that they will be qualified for better work (that much is pretty universal, no?). Erika’s son is now in Secondaria (kind of like middle school). I’m pretty sure he’s the first in the family to go that far. Why am I so sure? Because she reminds me nearly every day that he’s in Secondaria! She’s extremely proud of him, and should be.

 

Anyway, my point is that your maid counts on the income from cleaning your house to take care of her family. It is an obligation you are taking on when you hire her. She and her family should not suffer just because you decided to take a vacation. Which is just what my counterpart did last month (presumably Thanksgiving) and I found out today she’s done it again! Simply left town and told Erika she wouldn’t be needed until they get back. Last month she was lucky: a friend of mine needed someone to clean a couple of vacant houses, which took up much of the slack. I don’t know if we’ll be so lucky this time, I’m sure I can pick up one or two days for special projects but that probably won’t be enough. That other señora would never think to go on vacation and leave her dogs to starve, but she apparently does not have the same concern for the woman who cleans up after her and them. I know who she is; she also doesn’t pay her homeowner’s dues. Erika deserves better than that low-life. And I’m going to do everything I can to find a better alternative.

 

Whew! Thanks for listening, I needed to vent. And, I know many of you who read this are preparing to retire to Cabo or some other city in Mexico. So maybe this will be helpful when the time comes for you to hire a maid, or gardener, or other steady worker. And if you’re looking for an honest, hardworking and efficient maid three days a week: let’s talk.

 

Carol Billups is Broker/Owner of Cabo Realty Pros. She has enjoyed working with both buyers and sellers for over twelve years and still thinks hers is the best job on earth. She is also the real estate columnist for Los Cabos Magazine. You can read more of her articles on the website blog www.caborealtypros.com. You can reach her from the U.S. or Canada at 1-760-481-7694, or in Cabo at 044-624-147-7541. You can listen to our 24/7 broadcast on http://www.livecabo.net for a mix of happy music, weather reports and local information.

 

 

 

© 2013 Carol S. Billups

 

 

Living in Los Cabos: ‘Twas the Rant Before Christmas…

 

I generally don’t make New Year’s resolutions, I don’t believe in them. But this year I believe I’ll make an exception. My project will be to find someone else with whom to share the services of our maid (Erika The Efficient). I am, ahem, more than a little unhappy with my counterpart. Let me explain…

 

One of the cultural divides between native Mexicans and expatriates in Cabo involves the use of domestic help. Generalization is never a good idea, but as a rule Mexican households expect to have a full time person taking care of the casa; and often the maid lives in. This is why you see maid’s quarters but no dishwashers in homes at all price points (if the developers are targeting the Mexican market).

 

On the other hand, most Americans and Canadians living here prefer to have someone who just comes in a few days a week. That means one maid will work for anywhere between two and three different ‘señoras’ a week. These are in general informal arrangements without the benefit of contracts, unemployment or health insurance. But what many Gringos don’t take into consideration is that there is still an obligation, and the expectation of steady employment.

 

The amount maids make here is minimal. Erika’s friends think she’s lucky to be overpaid at 350 pesos (about $27 US) for about a 6 hour day. Perhaps because the cost seems minimal to the employers they fail to understand how vitally important that income is to their maid. Many, like Erika, are single moms trying to raise a family on what they earn cleaning houses. And that’s not an easy task. Like Erika, their dream is to keep their children in school so that they will be qualified for better work (that much is pretty universal, no?). Erika’s son is now in Secondaria (kind of like middle school). I’m pretty sure he’s the first in the family to go that far. Why am I so sure? Because she reminds me nearly every day that he’s in Secondaria! She’s extremely proud of him, and should be.

 

Anyway, my point is that your maid counts on the income from cleaning your house to take care of her family. It is an obligation you are taking on when you hire her. She and her family should not suffer just because you decided to take a vacation. Which is just what my counterpart did last month (presumably Thanksgiving) and I found out today she’s done it again! Simply left town and told Erika she wouldn’t be needed until they get back. Last month she was lucky: a friend of mine needed someone to clean a couple of vacant houses, which took up much of the slack. I don’t know if we’ll be so lucky this time, I’m sure I can pick up one or two days for special projects but that probably won’t be enough. That other señora would never think to go on vacation and leave her dogs to starve, but she apparently does not have the same concern for the woman who cleans up after her and them. I know who she is; she also doesn’t pay her homeowner’s dues. Erika deserves better than that low-life. And I’m going to do everything I can to find a better alternative.

 

Whew! Thanks for listening, I needed to vent. And, I know many of you who read this are preparing to retire to Cabo or some other city in Mexico. So maybe this will be helpful when the time comes for you to hire a maid, or gardener, or other steady worker. And if you’re looking for an honest, hardworking and efficient maid three days a week: let’s talk.

 

Carol Billups is Broker/Owner of Cabo Realty Pros. She has enjoyed working with both buyers and sellers for over twelve years and still thinks hers is the best job on earth. She is also the real estate columnist for Los Cabos Magazine. You can read more of her articles on the website blog www.caborealtypros.com. You can reach her from the U.S. or Canada at 1-760-481-7694, or in Cabo at 044-624-147-7541. You can listen to our 24/7 broadcast on http://www.livecabo.net for a mix of happy music, weather reports and local information.

 

 

 

© 2013 Carol S. Billups