Casa Blake
Costa Palmas
Casa Blake is the first collection of Costa Palmas-branded residences coming soon to the heart of the Marina Village. With yachts, serene sunsets and sunrises, a vibrant village, and Sea of Cortez adventures setting the stage, Casa Blake will be a landmark address at Costa Palmas, and on the East Cape.
Surrounded by water on three sides within the Costa Palmas Marina, Casa Blake’s collection of studio, one, two and three-bedroom residences will enjoy the lively yet refined marina-side pool and pool bar scene, the quiet shaded reprieve of a garden oasis, a spa and fitness center, as well as a vibrant tortilleria, and an all-day brasserie that spills onto the Village Esplanade.
Casa Blake will be a home of inspired design, casual glamor, and playful sophistication on the Sea of Cortez. It is here, overlooking the marina, that Costa Palmas is most cosmopolitan, most exciting, and most alive.
As an owner, you’ll become part of the Costa Palmas community—at home on a 1,500-acre resort, with more than 2 miles of calm, swimmable beach to call your own.
As my client, you have the opportunity to learn about this new ownership opportunity before the public sale event.
If you would like more information, please let me know and I will email you a preview kit and sample floorplans.
About Fractional Ownership
Fractional Ownership has grown to become increasingly popular in recent years among people looking to enjoy the benefits of luxurious possessions with shared ownership.
What is Fractional Ownership?
The simplest description of Fractional Real Estate Ownership is ‘shared ownership of a deeded property, with usage rights based on time’. The purchasers have a stake in an asset without having to pay for the entire property.
Because each owner holds an equal part of the Title, the buyer owns partial equity in a valuable asset. As the value of the property appreciates so, too, does the purchaser’s equity.
Generally, a management company takes care of service and amenities.
Can U.S. or Canadian citizens buy Real Estate in Mexico?
Yes, citizens from other countries are eligible to buy real estate in Mexico, but it must be done through renewable bank trusts known as fideicomisos.
A ‘fideicomiso’ is a 50-year, perpetually renewable and transferable Bank Trust which allows foreigners to acquire irrevocable and absolute ownership rights to property in Mexico. This Trust is the legal equivalent of fee-simple ownership and is provided specifically for non-nationals, allowing them to own coastal and border property.
What is the most common types of fractional ownership in Los Cabos?
Fractional ownership properties in Los Cabos tend to be ocean view homes or villas, many of which are part of private residence clubs offering upscale amenities that are shared with neighboring owners. These amenities often include tennis courts, fitness facilities, business centers and concierge services.
The most common and best option is ¼ ownership (.25%), where four owners hold equal ownership percentage.
Typically there are three seasons: Winter, Spring and Summer and each quarter owner would receive one month (30 days) in each season in a rotation each year within a selective lottery process. Each year, each owner will receive a desired month guaranteed.
There is also the possibility of trading time with other ¼ fractional owners.
What is the investment potential?
Fractional Ownership provides an opportunity to build equity, as well as, an ability to rent some or all of your usage rights, allowing you to recoup your initial investment in the process.
Is fractional ownership right for you?
Fractional Ownership is more affordable than a traditional real estate investment model, with a lower overall down payment and fewer worries with regards to maintenance and property ownership responsibilities.
Testimonials
New owners 1808 - 1
We recently closed on a property at Villa la Estancia and we couldn’t be more excited! Giovanni and his team were engaged and instrumental in the process from the very beginning.
Giovanni spent hours explaining the process and walking us through every little detail from the very first call. Giovanni’s guidance and reassuring nature eased our concerns, taking our ownership from a simple dream to reality!
During the purchase process, Giovanni and his team were with us every step of the way, answering questions and following up with all involved stakeholders. His professionalism and expertise were off the charts!
Being new to the process of purchasing property outside the US, we were naturally a bit apprehensive as the process went along, but Giovanni kept us comfortable and held our hand through the entirety of the process. Without his knowledge and continued guidance, we may have never reached the closing of the property.
We highly recommend Giovanni and his team and look forward to a continued relationship with him and his team!
Things happen for a reason
Giovanni has maintained a presence at Villa La Estancia for as long as I’ve owned a unit there (bought it in 2016, and also have served on the HOA Finance Committee since 2018).
In fact, while General Managers at VLE have come and gone, Giovanni has remained a steady presence. He and others started rental businesses (partnering with owners) just a few years after the internet came on its own.
Something that sets Giovanni apart from others is that he, himself, is a VLE owner and, in addition, he is active on the sales side. In essence, mining rental guests might also be qualified buyers.
That is a value-add above and beyond facilitating a nightly rental, and the primary reason why I evolved to rent exclusively through him, with no offense intended toward anyone else who may offer similar rental services.
I really grew to know Giovanni well in late 2016. In 2018, after 12 years of ownership, my life circumstances changed such that I wanted to broaden my travel destinations and not feel bound to our beloved Cabo San Lucas.
Giovanni understood and began the process of vetting qualified buyers which eventually led to our contracting to sell to our friends, The Tillman’s.
It is worth noting that this sale occurred on the heels of a debacle related to a previous owner and their legal issues with the IRS. These owners held several Villa La Estancia properties and many owners expected depressed market values
for years to come, following the forced sale/liquidation of these assets. At the same time, we had two potential transactions come and go, with the typical accompanying frustrations, disappointment, wasted time, and even some harsh words!
Things happen for a reason, though, and seem to have worked out for the best!
In truth, without Giovanni’s persistence and intuitive understanding of the right next steps, many transactions at VLE wouldn’t have happened, including my own.
Our relationship has grown from acquaintances to very close, personal friends (such that I’m not exactly objective). With that said, I only do business with people who get things done, as it is a standard that my clients also expect of me.
If your goal is to complete the transaction – then Giovanni is the one to choose. He is your only logical choice!
Villa La Estancia here we come!
We are the proud new owners of Unit 3301. Giovanni represented both the buyer and the seller.
The panoramic oceanfront villa is truly a gem, sitting on the Sea of Cortez.
Giovanni’s ability to describe the property’s attributes and paint a picture of its beauty led us to purchase the unit sight unseen.
When we entered the unit for the first time, we fell in love with the view and quickly came up with the name we believe best describes it: “Hermosa Vista”.
Giovanni was a wealth of knowledge for us and made purchasing this stunning villa a simple and straightforward process.
Given the intricacies of real estate transactions in Mexico, this was a truly herculean task.
Throughout the process of identifying the property, negotiating the purchase agreement, preparing the escrow, and ultimately closing the transaction,
we felt Giovanni was there with us every step of the way.
His attention to detail and his ability to share his expertise was much appreciated.
We would highly recommend Giovanni to anyone looking to purchase or sell property in Cabo San Lucas!
The relationship has proven beneficial
We love our newly purchased property at Villa La Estancia. Giovanni represented the seller (while we were the buyers).
Despite who represented whom, we found him to be an able “adversary” – one that vigorously supported his client, but was fair to the process.
It is rare to become so impressed with the opposing party’s agent that you engage their services directly. It was the loyalty he displayed to his client and his ability to make everyone feel heard that convinced us to retain his services and act as our rental agent and property manager.
We are so pleased to say the relationship has proven beneficial. We would recommend Giovanni to anyone in need of a professional who places the client’s needs at the forefront while acting with integrity and professionalism.
Seller’s remorse
I am writing as a former owner of an Oceanfront Penthouse Villa (3401) within the Villa La Estancia (VLE) development located on Medano Beach in Cabo San Lucas.
At present, my wife Cheryl and I are managing through seller’s remorse as we were an owner from 2004 up until late spring 2022.
During this time, we experienced too many to count memorable family vacations while establishing lifetime friendships in Cabo.
Our continued ownership and ultimate property management of the villa was made possible by Giovanni Giammarco of “The Agency Los Cabos”.
Giovanni proved to be a very talented, knowledgeable, and trustworthy /ethical real estate professional. Accordingly, we placed great trust in him and his team as they were retained for nearly ten years overseeing our property management activities with discretion. In fact, I often provided Gio with my proxy to attend and vote on HOA matters on our behalf.
Gio’s on-property grounds team, led by private concierge Samantha, proved exceptional in managing our clients.
Suffice it to say, Gio and his team made it possible for my wife and me to be comfortable enough to rent our villa to other families for over a decade. This was a big net revenue generator.
Of course, when it came time for us to sell our villa we leaned heavily on Gio as our listing agent to source a qualified buyer within his network. He delivered on this promise by securing a fair financial offer, and represented both us as the seller and the buyer as well! Of all the realtors I have worked with, I can confidently say, “Gio understands as well as anyone “Price is only an issue in the absence of value “. Importantly, Gio professionally managed the sale process (details associated with the Purchase Agreement, Title Company, fideicomiso (escrow), VLE HOA et.al.)
The bottom line is this: I would recommend Gio to any friends and or family looking to purchase or sell their dream home in Cabo San Lucas or Los Angeles for that matter!
Top-notch professionalism
We have been working seamlessly with Gio for years so when the opportunity to sell our fractional condo and buy a full ownership unit arose, there was no doubt in our minds about selecting Gio and his team to represent us.
Gio brings top-notch professionalism to the table each and every time!
His experience, availability, attention to detail and proactiveness are all the qualities we look for in a realtor especially when it comes to purchasing foreign properties. His team made everything easy for us, including arranging all the logistics for the power of attorney. Gio always makes us feel as if we are his only clients even though we know he is super busy working with others as well. We highly recommend Gio and his team for all your real estate needs.
The ultimate professional
I typically don’t write a review for anything or anyone, but the outstanding service I received from Giovanni Giammarco and his realty team at The Agency Los Cabos calls for an exception. For me, selling a property in Mexico is anticipated to be a very stressful process. Giovanni was candid, provided great feedback, helped explain clearly all details, and
was extremely responsive to every one of my questions, no matter how many (and I had many!!) or how small.
The re-sale real estate market in Cabo San Lucas is currently exceptionally difficult, however, Giovanni and his team made selling my villa at Villa La Estancia a smooth and pleasant experience. They knew exactly what to do at every step of the process and gave me excellent guidance along the way.
I would highly recommend Giovanni and his team at The Agency Los Cabos to anyone selling or buying real estate in Cabo San Lucas.
He is the ultimate professional.
An easy decision for us
After having previously purchased 1/4 fractional ownership in Villa 1301, it was an easy decision for us to purchase a second 1/4 ownership when Giovanni presented the opportunity to us, recently. Giovanni and his team made this second purchase even easier than the first and the Title Company was terrific to work with, too.
Giovanni not only represented the buyer and seller, but he and his rental team also continue to secure rentals with the same consistent professionalism and timely communication we have always enjoyed.
We look forward to many years of friendship and future business with Giovanni and his team.
K and Marge love you!
Once we decided that a Mexico Real Estate purchase was right for us, finding the right realtor whom we could trust became paramount.
Giovanni Giammarco’s name was continually mentioned by those we asked. We heard great things about him and his extensive experience in the local real estate market and the great reviews we read online helped earn our trust.
Being a Villa owner, himself, Giovanni has firsthand knowledge of the market, the resort, and the unique rules and real estate customs in the area which provided us with a great deal of confidence in our choice of realtor.
Giovanni is responsive. He dedicated a great deal of time to our real estate search, answering our questions and assisting us at every turn.
His high level of personal service made us feel as though we were his exclusive clients.
We recommend Giovanni to anyone seriously considering purchasing a property in Mexico or anywhere else he conducts business.
It was invaluable to have Gio on our side
My husband Ralph and I met Giovanni Giammarco in 2007 when we first bought our quarter share of unit 3201.
We have known him throughout the time we have owned our unit and when it came time for us to consider selling our share we immediately thought of speaking to him about the process. We approached him during the annual homeowners meeting in January 2019 and decided to engage his services as our realtor.
He took the bull by the horns and immediately began the process. We are very fortunate in that one of our partners was interested in purchasing our quarter share.
From the beginning, Gio kept us very well informed.
Despite the fact that the buyers and sellers (my husband and I) agreed on a price and the terms very quickly, the process was not as rapid as we are used to in the United States. Apparently, there are money laundering laws in Mexico that must be complied with and the requirements can change on a daily basis.
After beginning the process in January 2019, we are thrilled to say that the closing took place today, August 14, 2019.
It was invaluable to have Gio on our side, not only keeping us informed but following up very regularly with the key individuals in Mexico.
Having gained this experience only makes Gio more valuable as a relator that can be helpful to anyone considering buying or selling property in Mexico.
Ralph and I would highly recommend Giovanni Giammarco.
Thanks, Gio!
Having bought the Clinard’s share of villa 3201, I agree with both Gio and the Clinards that the purchase process was much more complex than it was when we bought our original quarter share. The rules and information required by Mexican authorities and the banks were far more extensive than years ago (and seemed to increase every few months). Clearly, sales still can be completed but patience is needed as is the help of somebody who has been through the process. Gio was great in keeping us informed, coordinating all the parties in the US and Mexico, and constantly moving the process forward. I don’t think the sale would have gone through without him. Thanks, Gio.
We are happy to say that we finally sold our place with Gio's help!
We first ‘met’ Giovanni back in 2010 when we wanted to purchase the beautiful Penthouse 3502 and were having a hard time getting the purchase to move forward. He was able to work with our agent, as well as, the owner to make the deal happen as quickly and efficiently as possible!!
From that point on, we became friends. He made sure to always stay in touch with us and helped us whenever any issues arose, helping us to find a solution as quickly and as painlessly as possible.
After some years of fabulous, wonderful Cabo living, our family started to add grandchildren, we realized that making the trip from Ohio to Cabo for our children and grandchildren was becoming too difficult. We made the difficult decision to rent and list our PH for sale, literally two weeks before the big hurricane hit Cabo. As you may know, following the hurricane, VLE did an amazing job of getting everything up and running quickly and our unit came through the ordeal relatively unscathed.
During the time it took to sell our place, Gio was able to rent it out, securing great rates, with great clients which helped to cover the costs along the way.
We are happy to say that we finally sold our place with Gio’s help, this past Fall. We are now the happy owners of a place in FL, which is more accessible for our children
Thanks, Gio for your dedication to helping our family!!
Another VLE Successful Sale and Happy Campers!
We just wanted to share our happy experience as buyers, which will complement the seller’s comments that are tagged on this blog, below.
In September, we purchased Penthouse 3502 and the experience with Giovanni and his real estate team was a really a great one. Normally, real estate transactions in Mexico can be fairly difficult to navigate but, in this case, all things went really smoothly thanks to Giovanni’s efforts.
The closing title company was great to work with and really good at communicating with us, which was a very welcome surprise.
In this case, Giovanni represented both the buyer and the seller, in addition to being an investor, as well.
It goes without saying that managing all of those aspects can be challenging. Thanks – and kudos – to Giovanni, however, because all things went off without a hitch. A smooth outcome is always welcome, especially when negotiating a real estate transaction in a foreign country.
Thank you, Gio, for your knowledge, professionalism, help and guidance during the process.
We are thrilled to invest further in the VLE community and encourage anyone contemplating the same to reach out to Giovanni and his associates. They are the Go-To Team.
Feel free to contact us with any questions or to discuss further.
I give Gio my highest recommendation!
Oops, he did it AGAIN! After 18 years of ownership at VLE, with all of our kids growing up, it was time for us to sell our 2nd and final unit. Giovanni got Villa 1103 sold in short order. His communication skills, knowledge of his product, professionalism and friendly disposition are just a few of his amazing assets. Gio managed the phases of our 1st and now 2nd Los Cabos, Mexico vacation home sale. He went above and beyond the normal phases of listing, staging, showing, managing offers, inspections, and closing. Gio sold both 1102 and 1103 due to HIS diligence with all the facets needed for a quick sale in a not so desirable market for a seller.
Home-based in California and selling in Mexico, with Gio representing me this was a stress-free seamless process. Make no mistake, this is due only to Gio’s professional attention and work ethic. If ever I had wondered whether hiring a realtor to manage a sale was worth the commission, both of these experiences have made the answer obvious. You just cannot find a more pleasant professional to work with.
I cannot say enough about my most recent experience, I give Gio my highest recommendation! Thanks for getting things done, Gio.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with Giovanni
It’s my absolute pleasure to recommend G. Giovanni Giammarco as an International Real Estate Broker.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with Giovanni and came to know him as a truly valuable asset to anyone looking to purchase property both nationally and internationally. He is honest, dependable, and incredibly hard-working. His expertise in real estate was a huge advantage to my purchase.
Along with his undeniable talent, Giovanni has always been an absolute joy to work with, and I could not be happier with the results.
Please feel free to contact me at my company Southern Home Improvement Center, Inc. I’d be happy to expand on my recommendation.