Real Estate Development in Baja California Sur: More Than Square Meters, It’s a Social Fabric

In the first quarter of 2025, residential building permits in Los Cabos rose by 18% compared to the same period in 2024.

Building roots, not just real estate

By Valentina Lozano

The real estate market in Baja California Sur is not just growing — it’s transforming. Cranes, renders, and multiplying lots from San José del Cabo to the La Paz waterfront tell a deeper story: not just one of concrete, but of a region reshaping itself and facing the challenge of balancing investment, sustainability, and community.

A market in steady expansion

In the first quarter of 2025, residential building permits in Los Cabos rose by 18% compared to the same period in 2024. La Paz, though growing more moderately, shows a consistent 9% increase, particularly in vertical developments near the historic center and malecón.

This momentum is fueled in part by foreign buyers — primarily from the U.S. and Canada — looking for second homes or retirement residences. But there’s a rising trend: more Mexican nationals from cities like Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey are investing here to work remotely.

Growth must not outpace balance

The real estate boom has brought clear benefits: jobs, private capital, and economic momentum. Yet, it has also highlighted urban pressures — water shortages, overloaded infrastructure, displacement of local communities, and land speculation.

There’s a shared responsibility among authorities, developers, and citizens: not everything that can be built, should be built. Responsible urban planning isn’t a barrier — it’s a promise of continuity.

Today, sustainable architecture, energy efficiency, access to basic services, and quality public spaces must become the standard — not the exception.

Where is BCS real estate headed?

Micro-integrated communities: In La Paz and Todos Santos, small eco-conscious and culturally grounded developments are on the rise.

Space reconversion: Former industrial or underused zones are becoming boutique residential areas.

Mixed-use projects: Combining living, co-working, markets, art spaces, and community gardens.

Building roots, not just real estate

To invest in Baja California Sur is to engage in the story of a land that welcomes with sun, sea, and possibility. Builders and buyers alike must consider not just square meters — but impact over decades.

From this column, week by week, I will continue to share this story — not just in numbers, but through the lens of someone who looks beyond the blueprint.

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Valentina Lozano

BCSRealEstate360