Blog  |  Thursday, October 17, 2019

The History of East Cape’s Luxury Housing Boom

Luxury homes in Malibu or the Hamptons are fairly common, but East Cape‘s luxury housing has just begun to gain interest from luxury buyers. In the last few years, East Cape real estate has burst onto the market with lavish beachfront homes – but it wasn’t always like this.

East Cape real estate got its start decades ago. The exponential growth of luxury homes in the area has occurred in the last five years or so. Between updated infrastructure, airport improvements, and high-end developments offering VIP homes complemented by natural beauty and unparalleled amenities, it’s not surprising to see why more people want to purchase East Cape real estate.

Here’s a look at how East Cape real estate grew into the place to buy luxury homes:

Where is East Cape?

Before exploring the housing market, let’s start by exploring where East Cape is. While the area is growing in popularity, it’s still not a mainstream destination.

East Cape sits at the end of Baja’s 760-mile strip of land just south of California in Mexico. There are several tourist cities along the narrow peninsula. The biggest and most popular one sits at the southern-most point, Cabo San Lucas.

East Cape sits to the northeast of Cabo by about 40 minutes. East Cape Baja covers the entire eastern side of the peninsula from Punta Pescadero down to San Jose del Cabo.

The location straddles the Sea of Cortez’s sapphire waters with views of the Sierra del la Laguna Mountains.

The history of tourism in East Cape

East Cape’s luxury housing marketing started as a result of tourism in the area.

Tourism in East Cape began back in the 1950s when a small hotel opened as a fly-in fishing resort. Rancho Buena Vista Hotel, located in the northern end of East Cape, was the first tourist destination in the area. The hotel had its own runway for guests to arrive, but it was far from the kind of runway tourists are accustomed to today. The runway was a semi-dry strip of land next to the hotel called an ‘arroyo,’ which translates to ‘dry creek bed.’ Planes could only land when the creek was dry. Stormy weather delayed arrivals.

Despite the challenge of getting to the resort, Hollywood elites and well-to-do business executives loved the resort and its abundance of game fish like marlin, tuna, and dorado.

Word spread about this remote destination, marking the start of tourism in East Cape.

To the south, Cabo San Lucas started developing similar resorts. By the 1970s, better infrastructure was built to accommodate guests. Roads were paved and marinas were built. Soon after, beach homes and resorts followed suit.

Activities

Until the 1990s, the area was widely known for its fishing, but Jack Nicklaus changed that by adding a premier golf course in Cabo.

Now, there are many golf courses in and around Cabo, including a new addition to East Cape, an 18-hole Robert Trent Jones Jr. course in the Costa Palmas resort.

Tourists now flock to Cabo San Lucas, a city that’s known for its abundance of activities and active nightlife. East Cape, however, is a tourist attraction – but for different reasons.

Old Baja

East Cape is quieter, calmer, and more relaxed than Cabo. Many compare East Cape to “Old Baja,” a time before development took over the area. The resorts on this side of the peninsula maintain a laid-back atmosphere, where there’s no need to rush.

As for Rancho Buena Vista Hotel, the hotel that started it all, it’s still open. The iconic resort has remained true to its origin, with no TVs or fancy furnishings. It’s a remote, quiet hotel focused on hospitality and fishing.

East Cape’s luxury housing boom

Baja tourism inspired luxury housing. As the rich and famous started visiting Cabo with regularity, luxury real estate wasn’t far behind. Cabo had the first influx of luxury homes and resorts, but East Cape real estate soon followed.

Many of the prestigious homes were built near the Tourist Corridor, which is a 20-mile stretch between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. However, that area becomes popular quickly and buyers started looking for more secluded, high-end homes. Enter East Cape real estate.

The developments in East Cape offer some of the most impressive beach-side homes in the Americas. From grand residences with a view of the Sea of Cortez to picture-perfect casitas on sandy beaches with a super-yacht marina, East Cape real estate has as much diversity as it does amenities.

Exclusive amenities

As East Cape’s luxury housing developed, many designers and engineers wanted to create more than just lavish homes. To add to the prestige of East Cape real estate, many developments started to include exclusive amenities that complimented the lifestyle of high-end buyers.

The Costa Palmas East Cape resort, for example, has an exclusive beach and yacht club, a private 18-hole golf course, on-site restaurants run by renowned chefs, and excursion guides available at the whim of every guest or resident.

The homes are equipped with top-tier furnishing, the latest technology and built with privacy in mind. The luxury homes in East Cape exceed guests’ privacy expectations. Many guests, especially A-list Hollywood stars, want secluded, secure homes free of nosy neighbors and pushy paparazzi.

Suggested luxury real estate in East Cape

If you’re looking to explore East Cape real estate, there are a few properties to check out.

Four Seasons has both a resort and residences in East Cape. Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos offers multiple pools, a sports and activities center, spa treatments, and five-star restaurants serving food with ingredients sourced on the 18-acre on-site farm.

Aman, another locale on East Cape, offers both a resort and private residences as well.

Consider staying at one of the resorts while browsing East Cape real estate options.

East Cape real estate is in high demand with luxury buyers. The area wasn’t always a hot spot, but its growth is thanks to the area’s beauty and diverse array of prestigious houses. Whether you’re looking for a primary residence or a vacation getaway, East Cape is a worthy spot to call home.