Ed Eakin, a Texas real estate broker and Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS), has relocated full-time to Los Cabos, Mexico, where his firm, Eakin Group, will concentrate on luxury property in the region’s master-planned golf communities. The move signals a strategic shift by an experienced international agent toward a market that continues to attract North American buyers, particularly from California and Texas, along with a strong Canadian contingent, even as many U.S. housing markets have cooled.
Eakin’s first development relationship in Los Cabos is Puerto Los Cabos, a 2,000-acre coastal community on the eastern edge of San José del Cabo. The community currently features 27 holes of golf, with nine more under construction; once complete, 18 holes will be private and 18 will remain resort play. Its marina has 270 active slips and capacity for about 400. Residential options range from branded residences at Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, to the estate lots of Fundadores and the newer, lower-density Concepción. The community is roughly 20 minutes from Los Cabos International Airport and five minutes from San José del Cabo’s historic center.
The relocation matters because it underscores the resilience of Mexico’s luxury real estate segment at a time when broader U.S. markets are slowing. “Real estate is slow around the country, but luxury is still moving here,” Eakin said. “People come for the lifestyle – the golf, the water, the restaurants – and more of them are staying for longer stretches every year.” His assessment points to a demographic shift: buyers are not only purchasing vacation homes but extending their stays, which could drive demand for higher-end properties and long-term investment in the region’s master-planned communities.
Eakin’s background lends credibility to his new focus. He has worked with buyers purchasing in Mexico since the late 2000s, when he lived in Playa del Carmen and sold at a golf course development there. His work has centered on connecting U.S. buyers with established developers and on the due diligence that foreign buyers often skip. “A lot of buyers go straight to a developer without representation because they think they’ll get a better deal,” he said. “The developer is looking out for the developer. In a different country, with different laws and a different language, the buyer needs someone on their side.” That emphasis on buyer representation could become a differentiator in a market where cross-border transactions are increasing.
Eakin is one of three recipients of the National Association of REALTORS® CIPS Excellence Award, and the second to receive it. He teaches the CIPS designation course to agents internationally and is serving his fourth year as one of NAR’s 30 Global Ambassadors, representing Barbados, Belize, and Trinidad and Tobago. He was named International REALTOR® of the Year in Dallas in 2022 and is vice chair of the Texas REALTORS® global committee for 2027. He also holds the CRS, CLHMS, ABR, SRS and SRES designations. More information about his practice is available at eakingroup.com.
The implications of Eakin’s move extend beyond a single brokerage. Los Cabos has steadily drawn North American buyers seeking lifestyle amenities and relative value compared with other luxury markets. As more agents with international expertise relocate to the region, competition for high-end listings may intensify, and buyers may benefit from greater access to professional representation. For developers like Puerto Los Cabos, the arrival of a broker with a proven track record in cross-border sales could accelerate absorption of premium inventory, particularly in the private golf and marina segments. At the same time, the move highlights the importance of due diligence and local expertise in foreign transactions, a factor that could shape how U.S. buyers approach Mexican real estate in the years ahead.
