Bob’s Cabo Mansion Stinks: He did not know that when he purchased it, and perhaps neither did his real estate agent. Truth is, not too many people in Los Cabos understand the complexity behind some of the luxury estates that line our beautiful coast. Bob was one of those unfortunate buyers.
Bob spent a lot of time looking for his dream home. He flew down to Cabo several times and toured most of the luxury communities by the beach. He talked to a few real estate agents and chose to work with one who he felt comfortable with. The agent had many options and seemed knowledgeable about the area and the market.
After a few months, Bob finally found his dream home: a six-bedroom, six-bathroom residence with a large pool deck and 180-degree views of the ocean. The large kitchen opened up to both the oversized living room and the outdoor living area with a resort-style swimming pool and Jacuzzi. Bob’s house was very well furnished, and the lighting provided an ambience like he had never seen before. The agent showed him the paperwork and confirmed that the house had all of the proper services and equipment. The house was in great shape. Bob was thrilled.
A few months ago, Bob became the proud owner of his dream house in Los Cabos. He was so excited that he invited five of his closest friends and their significant others to come and stay with him for the week. Everyone was able to schedule in a much-needed vacation and head down to Cabo with Bob for an unforgettable trip.
Upon arrival, Bob had a butler and maid waiting for him and his guests. They were greeted with a skinny jalapeno margarita and freshly made guacamole with blue sun-dried chips. The sun was out and the glare from the ocean continued on into the infinity-edge pool. The umbrellas were open and provided great shade to the lounge chairs. Everyone unpacked and hit the pool. By days’ end the entire house had been used and everyone was having a great time. Bob was thrilled and so very happy to share his dream home with his friends.
The next morning, however, it all went down the drain, quite literally. After breakfast, as some of the guests went back to change into proper pool attire and others hung out in the outdoor living area, a peculiar smell took over the house. At first, Bob thought one of his guests had clogged a toilet, but the smell did not come from inside the house. Time passed and Bob noticed that the smell was getting stronger and more constant. He called the butler and had him look into it. Bob’s guests started to notice it, and all showed a look of shock but did not know how to react. Bob was very ashamed.
The day went on and nothing got resolved. Later that evening, Carlos the maintenance man, finally came over to the house and after an hour of looking through the equipment room and irrigation system he informed Bob, the butler acting as an interpreter, that his water treatment plant was not working and the sewage water was going straight to the irrigation system which was distributing untreated gray water to the entire property. What a smelly situation.
This was the first time Bob was informed that his six-bedroom residence was not connected to the city sewage and that it operated through a water treatment plant. He did not know what to do nor who to call. Bob was furious and very ashamed. Bob kept thinking back on his agent saying that the house had all the proper equipment and necessary services, but he kept wondering where the agent was.
Moral of the story: purchasing in Los Cabos is purchasing in a buyer beware market – seek out a knowledgeable Los Cabos MLS member who is also a member of AMPI (the equivalent to National Association of Realtors or Canadian Real Estate Association) who not only knows the area, but also knows how each community operates and functions, and will recommend a property inspector to inspector the property prior during a due diligence period. Engage a real estate professional so that your house wont stink.
