This week, we’re talking “Paths of Progress”…
A Path of Progress is anything that makes a place easier to get to or more desirable. Think new roads, bridges, or airports, or a 5-star resort where previously there were only budget accommodations.
Getting ahead of a Path of Progress can lead to big real estate profits.
That’s why my team and I spent more than $1 million on travel and research every year. So we can get out ahead…track the next Paths of Progress.
Yesterday, you heard from my scout Eoin Bassett, who went to investigate the under-the-radar Aegean coast of mainland Greece (check out the scouting note from Eoin here).
Today, a note from my scout Ciaran Madden, who was tracking a Path of Progress in Baja California.
Read on…
Wishing you good real estate investing,
P.S. My scouts and I are spread out across the world and constantly on the move, but the one time of year we all get together is for The Gathering.
The Gathering is the annual meetup for Lifetime members of my Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA) group. This is where I, my team, and key contacts from my global network converge to share insights, intelligence and deals with RETA Lifetime members…all in a fun, intimate setting. Next year, we’ll be meeting from March 12 to 14 in the 5-star Santa Maria country club in booming Panama City. More on this, including how you can attend, very soon…
Where the Opportunity Is Going Next in Cabo
By Ciaran Madden
To my right, Darth Vader was playing golf in front of a solid-gold Death Star…
To my left, a frog in a bikini was strolling on the sand…
And all around, a dozen or more Frida Kahlos—variously dressed in Day of the Dead costumes, punk attire or ornate traditional garb—were staring back at me beneath their signature unibrows.
This wasn’t a fever dream, just a regular Thursday night at the Art Walk—a local tradition in the town of San José del Cabo when artists from near and far gather to showcase their creations.
Ronan asked me to come to San José to track the transformation of this colonial town in Baja California. What I found was one of the most beautiful, livable and charming coastal destinations I’ve ever scouted.
I also found a place now on the cusp of a new era. More on that in a moment. First, a little geography…
My scout Ciaran Madden at the Art Walk in San José del Cabo. This walkable, livable town is a more laidback alternative to neighboring Cabo San Lucas in Baja California.
Set at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, the municipality of Los Cabos is made up of two towns.
The town of Cabo San Lucas is what most people mean and imagine when they say “Cabo.” This is where, for generations, tourists have descended.
Cabo San Lucas is home to the iconic Cabo Arch rock formation…renowned beaches like Medano…one of the world’s most prestigious marinas…nightclubs, luxury shopping, casinos, mega-resorts…
San José del Cabo is a bit different.
The towns of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, which together form Los Cabos, are set at the base of the Baja California peninsula.
San José is quieter and more authentic, noted for its well-maintained colonial square, excellent dining, and laidback atmosphere.
I stayed in San José del Cabo for a week.
By day, I met with brokers, developers and other insiders. By night, I wandered the streets of the town, stopping into the numerous trendy art galleries, browsing the boutique clothing and jewelry stores, and sampling the incredible local restaurants (try the suckling pig tacos in La Lupita and the short rib pasta in Come a Casa, easily the best pasta dish I’ve had outside Italy).
During my evening wanders, I fell in love with San José.
I loved the energy, vibrancy, and beauty of its colonial architecture. Most of all, I loved the sense of community. On the night before the Art Walk, I paused in the square as local students, dressed in their Sunday best, gathered to be presented with their school graduation certificates as proud parents watched on, snacking on churros and ice cream in the warm air.
I’m sold on the lifestyle in San José.
And in my morning and afternoon meetings with brokers and developers, I became convinced of its future.
Vibrant and culturally rich, San José del Cabo is known for its walkability and its charming colonial architecture.
In the past, much of the development in Los Cabos was focused in Cabo San Lucas.
Then, as the town became built out, it spread along what’s called the Cabo Corridor…the road linking Cabo San Lucas to San José del Cabo.
San José also saw development, to be sure, but much of it was focused on the ultra-high-end. On the edge of town, you’ll find some of the most prestigious resorts in the entire region. For instance, a junior suite in the ultra-luxe Palmilla resort just outside San José will set you back more than $16,000 per night.
But San José hasn’t seen the development of residential communities on the scale of other parts of Cabo.
Now, though, the “Path of Progress” is extending all the way down the Corridor to San José.
The stunning coast around San José is dotted with stunning resorts, beach clubs, and low-density, high-end communities, where homes and condos come with big price tags.
Word is out about the charm, the food, and the walkability on offer in San José.
Demand is growing for real estate that falls in the “good-value luxury” category. And I met with developers here that have big plans to meet this demand.
While in San José, several well-regarded developers showed me their plans to build amenity-rich condo communities in good locations with ocean views. Communities that respect the culture and lifestyle of San José, while putting you on the edge of the town and everything this incredible destination offers.
I was impressed. The opportunity in Cabo is spreading to San José.
RONAN SAYS: My Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA) group has long been ahead of the Path of Progress in Los Cabos.
We were ahead in Cabo San Lucas as it exploded in popularity. In 2015, I brought RETA members an exclusive deal to own in the 5-star Quivira resort here. Our price to own stunning two-bed, two-bath ocean-view condos in the Copala community in Quivira was $336,156. I bought alongside members in this deal and still use it today as a winter base.
In September 2022, I got an email from a real estate agent saying they had buyers ready to pull the trigger and asking would I sell for around $600,000. This year, a condo in my building similar to mine listed for $729,000. That’s $392,844 more.
We were also ahead as the “Path of Progress” spread down the Cabo Corridor.
One example, I brought a deal to RETA members in August 2021 to own in a community called Cabo Costa on the hill of El Tezal. The starting price for RETA members was from just $188,200 for two-bed, two-bath ocean-view condos. In May 2025, a condo that was available to RETA members for $197,300 listed for $380,000—that’s $191,800 more.
Now, we’re tracking the Path of Progress as it moves to San José del Cabo. The potential here is incredible…
Ciaran will be sharing more details on his scouting in Baja California very soon in RETA. You’ll need to be a member to get all the details including the real estate opportunities he uncovered. (Learn how you can join RETA here.)
