The La Paz real estate market continues to grow.

Hi Friend,

The new year is off to a great start, as the real estate market in La Paz continues to move at a rapid pace. Many homes are selling almost as soon as they come on the market, with multiple bids often in play. New construction is also growing rapidly, with communities and homes springing up both in downtown La Paz and in El Centenario, where land is still more affordable and lots tend to be a bit larger. So what's driving all of this activity?

In the past, most of the properties here in La Paz were being purchased as vacation and part-time seasonal homes. Now, we are seeing many more clients who are retiring early and moving here from the US and Canada to live full time. We understand, we did the same ourselves several years ago, and have never regretted it! This trend toward more full-time residents means that many of our clients are now looking for something a little different, including homes with more storage, a garage, and room for parking extra vehicles. Of course, an ocean view is always in high demand, as are properties with a third bedroom or guest casita.

That's just one of the reasons the new master-planned community of Villas del Centenario continues to attract buyers, with 16 lots now under contract. We are now getting ready to begin construction on the first set of homes as well as the common areas. For more details on this new community of ocean view properties, see our article below.

Our Spotlight on El Centenario this month highlights a new restaurant addition to El Centenario, La Casa del Bagre. If you haven't been yet, check out our article below and on our blog. This place is definitely worth a visit! We also continue our Helpful Spanish series. Picking up where we left off in an earlier newsletter, we offer you some tips on how to introduce yourself.

We hope your new year is off to a great start. And if this is the year you are planning a house hunting trip to La Paz, be sure to check out our Resources page and download our handy guides to help you plan your trip. We hope to see you here soon!

Regards,
Jim & Rebecca MacDonald
Baja Life Realty

Your private oasis awaits! Casa Esperanza is a gorgeous 2BR/2BA home featuring multiple open and covered patios for outdoor entertaining, a heated pool and mature landscape. One of the most popular models built in Lomas del Centenario, this beautiful home on a quiet street feels like home the moment you walk in the door. The large, 1,244m2 lot has been meticulously landscaped, with mature trees, stone paths and thoughtful terracing to create a zen-like feel. The property is also fully walled/fenced for privacy and security for pets. Surrounding the home are several natural stone patio areas offering private spaces to relax, including a rooftop patio with ocean view, and a heated pool on the main terrace. Inside, the main living area's soaring 13' ceilings and large cupola create an open, airy feel. A spacious kitchen with breakfast bar opens onto the large living/dining room. The huge master retreat features doors that open out to the front patio, a master bath with tub, natural stone shower, walk-in closet, and double vanities with stone sinks. The guest suite is also spacious, with an included murphy bed, with separate doors that open onto the garden terrace. The home includes a covered carport with automatic entrance from the street, large workshop, separate fenced areas for pets, 15,000 liters of cistern capacity, automatic landscape irrigation, city utilities and fiber-optic Internet service. Offered at $349,000 USD, MLS Listing ID #22-409.

View more photos and listing details here.

We continue to see strong interest in the new Villas del Centenario neighborhood from buyers, with 16 lots now reserved in this master-planned community of ocean view homes in the hills of El Centenario. Congratulations to the first 4 lot owners who have closed on their lots! These first homes are now ready to break ground, as are the common areas, including the neighborhood entrance, office/gym building and front wall. We are also very happy to report that the subdivision plan has been submitted to the city and approved, along with the Neighborhood Association legal structure. We are excited to be moving forward with the first set of homes, stay tuned and we'll be sharing pictures with you soon!

See more about Villas del Centenario here.

View the Villas del Centenario available floor plans here.

When you first move to La Paz, getting everyday things done, such as signing up for utilities, paying property taxes, getting a local phone number, or signing up for a Mexican bank account can seem daunting, especially if your'e not conversant in Spanish. Fortunately, you can find help from someone who is not only bilingual, but who knows the ins and outs of the processes and paperwork required to get you settled in. Meet Blanca Corral, a local "problem solver" who can go with you to set up your accounts, help with residency applications, and answer your questions. In this video with our good friend Brighton West, Blanca explains why having a local help you navigate these transactions can help you save time, so you can spend more time doing the things you love.

Watch the video here.

Perched atop the highest hill in El Centenario, overlooking the Bay of La Paz, is La Casa del Bagre, a great new addition to the local dining scene. Serving up creative, delicious food and cocktails under a huge palapa, with a view of the bay shimmering below, La Casa del Bagre has quickly developed a loyal following among El Centenario residents. Owner Walter “Bagre” Graen has long considered himself to be a “foodie”, and he and his partner, Teresa Arredondo, are passionate about sharing creative, delicious food sourced from local ingredients. Their goal is to make people happy, and since opening seven months ago, they’ve been doing just that.

Get the details here.

Everyday Spanish
Each month, we'll bring you a useful Spanish phrase or tip to help get you started speaking like a local.

Continuing our theme from November, when we covered typical greetings (buenos días, buenas tardes, buenas noches), here are a few tips for introducing yourself in Spanish. To tell someone your name, you don't literally translate the English phrase: "my name is". Instead, we say "Me llamo (name)" which means "I am called (name)." Similarly, to ask another person's name, you would ask: "¿Cómo se llama?" or "How are you called?" Don't forget, it's also polite to say "Mucho Gusto" (MOO-choh GOOS-toh)!, which means, "Nice to meet you!" And here is a great tip, if someone says "Mucho Gusto" to you, you can say, "Igualmente" (EE-gual-MEN-tay); which means "equally". We hope you have fun practicing these greetings with your local neighbors!