Don’t judge a book by its cover as George Eliot famously wrote in the 1860s…but I did…and the saying holds true. My book was the new residential development, blue at Las Palomas which, when completed, will consist of 34 exclusive homes, 72 luxury condos as well as a ton of amenities. I started off with Eliot’s quote because I judged blue at Las Palomas based on the exterior – color and weird walls. I’ve passed the site hundreds of times since they began construction and have to say I was skeptical – “iffy” about the location, definitely not a fan of the exterior color and thought the walls were weirdly put together. Judged on its cover…or by its exterior, but now that I’ve actually taken the time to tour their Pescadero Residence Model Home…W.O.W.Z.A.! Color me impressed. They did a really, really nice job and I was completely surprised at how gorgeous and spacious the model home was – and well thought out. I absolutely loved the different levels, the spaces inside, the many patios, the little extras, not to mention the décor was beautiful. It has clean lines, great spaces and gives off that laid-back beachy vibe.

Karitza Bojorquez Gutierrez us – me, my Uncle Pat and Mario on a guided tour of their model home. She knows the development and model inside and out and I liked how she was transparent about a few little things they had done wrong and that they are fixing – for example the bathroom door in the basement was going to be changed to a pocket or barn door to allow for more space…little stuff like that that will make a big difference. (I don’t know if she usually does tours, but I’ll give you her deets below and definitely request that she give you a tour…if she’s available.) Karitza did tell us that the one comment she hears above all others is, “WOW! I’m so surprised”, which is exactly what we all said. I think the exterior color and it being on the Costera Blvd. corner just threw us off and by the end of the tour, I didn’t mind the color at all and when the masterplan is done, the flow of traffic – entrances and exits will be completely different.

I’ll start with the fun stuff and then rattle off some stuff that doesn’t so much interest me like solid monolithic steel reinforced concrete walls and slide-by low e-tempered glass window walls – though I must say the windows and window walls are lovely – super spectacular compared to my old 90s style ranchito windows that leave me with a house full of dust when the wind blows and an earful of Banda when my neighbors have parties. It is probably very nice to live in a clean, soundproof house. Being that it is on the busy Costera Blvd. Noise was a concern for me because it is located on a busy street so the constant traffic can be an annoyance, but you can’t hear it from inside, which is a must for the homes that back up to the Blvd. On the positive side of that, they have wonderful patio spaces that make for great people watching – or traffic watching, but you’ll be too busy entertaining to even notice any traffic.

As of our tour, they have the first 10 residences under construction with the five along the golf course having already been snapped up. Darn! Prime real estate right there – they are definitely the most desirable spots, but the front and back ones all have nice, unobstructed views and the area of this first section is its own little neighborhood, which is quaint and will be highly sought-after I think. The rest of the development is laid out in long stretches.

Okay, onto the good stuff. The Pescadero Residence is 4 levels: Basement, Ground Floor, Upper Floor and Roof Top. Enter through the huge front door – I do love me a huge front door – and you’ll find yourself in a foyer with the option to go upstairs (to the right) to the dining room, living room, kitchen, upper patios and Roof Top or the stairs (to the left) that lead down to the Ground Floor where each of the three bedrooms has their own attached bathroom and walk-in closet…love it! Each ground floor bedroom also has their own private little patio, which is great for guests. I have to keep going back and forth because there are somethings I noticed while taking the tour and asked Karitza about – for example: me being a dog lover and having a Great Dane, there were no walls separating the homes from one another – they share a common side area in-between the residences which is not ideal if you have a dog. This is another thing that they realized after the fact and are working to remedy. Karitza said they will most likely construct small walls in-between the residences so that pets can be contained to your yard, and you won’t have to worry about them cruising the ‘hood. The small walls would not contain my Great Dane, Hooligan at 160 lbs., 6 ft. tall on his kind legs, ill-behaved and who loves spying on the neighbors, but I imagine those of you who have well-behaved larger dogs will be fine, plus they will have a pet park so your 4-legged friend can have a romp. The yards are not very big so if you bring your larger breed dog to Puerto Peñasco a lot, you will want to head to the beach for a bit of exercise.

Bedrooms first – always have to check out the Master Bedroom so downstairs we went. Everything was spectacular though not over the top. The Master Bedroom has everything you need and space to move around plus a nice side patio for morning coffee. The Master Bath and closet has built-in cubby holes, storage, double sinks and lots of space to move around (yes it has a shower and toilet too!). The space is flexible up to a point so you can definitely customize it to your personal needs. Closet space is decent though I’m definitely bias since I have tons of shoes, purses and clothes from the 80s that no longer fit :/ (Most of you did know my Mother, so you will understand.) The other two bedrooms both have outdoor patios as well as private bathrooms with a little less space than the master and single sinks. Very clean lines, the doors, cabinets, shower door, etc. all open and close smoothly and everything just flows very nicely. Plus, there are handy hidden storage spaces under the staircases.

Next it was upstairs to the Upper Floor which contains the living room, dining room, kitchen, pantry, utility room with washer, dryer and wash basin as well as a side balcony off of the dining room and a great large outdoor patio space – definitely my 1st or 2nd favorite spot…though the Roof Top has a pizza oven and a pool so that would probably be my go-to hang out spot.

The Upper Floor space is gorgeous – open floor plan with beautiful furniture. I’d want to just move right in – as is. I know they went over the top to decorate the model, but kudos – it is fantastic – so classy and elegant yet beachy. The kitchen is spacious with GE and Mabe appliances and Silestone 94% natural quartz slab kitchen countertops, which a few barstools tuck under nicely. Love the one touch open cabinets – everything opens and closes smoothy (and the right way) and love all the storage space under the countertops. Like I said – clean lines, no handles, just push and they magically open. Each home comes with ALL of the appliances including a garbage disposal (what!?), microwave, side by side refrigerator, washer, dryer, range, oven, RO water system, farm-style sink and faucet (oh, and pool! did I mention the pool?) – pretty much everything you need. There is also a bathroom off the living room so no need to walk up or down any stairs. And about the stairs – I was very pleased to find them evenly spaced, suitable width and height…you O.G.’s know what I’m talking about! Each unit also comes with individual water heaters, heating and air conditioning units, satellite and cable TV hook-ups and they are all prewired for telephone and have fiber optics and wireless router signal repeaters.

Okay, now for one of my favorite spaces…the Upper Floor Patio…VERY cozy and comfortable and though you can see the other homes near you, it still feels private. It is definitely a go-to space… I am picturing myself with charcuterie, a fine glass of Malbec and some mellow tunes as I watch the sunset. Great space – who doesn’t love a good patio? And who doesn’t love a house with a lot of patio space? Oh, and there are drains on all patios – you can see the seam in the concrete in this patio photo – every sprinkle of rain Peñasco ever gets won’t be a worry as everything is property drained. Can’t say the same for my house ☹

One more level to go – well, two more levels, but one more level up…the Roof Top! Complete with pizza oven, 4-top table seating space by the pizza oven and bar area, big 6-top table dining area under the canopy and solar panels, comfy couch lounge area, pool and even a restroom! Must be one of the best private outdoor entertainment spots. And I’m just describing what the model has – you can add or change the décor to your liking. The pool is not a full-size pool but rather a very large jacuzzi that will easily fit your raft and noodles. And I think it’s the perfect size if you want to hang out with a few friends or you just don’t want to go down to the main pool. And love the outdoor restroom so everyone doesn’t go trapsing through your house with wet bathing suits.

The pizza oven and the solar panels were add-ons and I think there were a couple others, but not many – pretty much what you see if what you get, which is nice. I did record our entire tour, but being the great journalist that I am, I deleted the file and am left with my terrible memory, but Karitza – or whomever takes you for a tour will tell you everything you need to know and then some.

The Pescadero Residence has a total of 2,904.3 sq. ft. with 1,678.2 livable space and 1,226.1 in terraces. Oh, I forgot about the basement! There is a small basement space that you can access from the side of the house. It would make a great little office, guest room, children’s play area, TV or game room, maid’s quarters or mother-in-law quarters, or something along those lines. It is 123.5 sq. ft. and has its own full bathroom and enough room for a futon or pull-out couch, a dresser, desk, etc. The Ground Floor is 888.6 sq. ft. with 222.9 sq. ft. of terrace space; The Upper Floor is 645.8 sq. ft. livable and 283.5 sq. ft. of terrace space; and the Roof Top is 719.7 sq. ft. of terrace space plus 20.4 sq. ft. of living space though I’m not quite sure where that would be.

Pescadero Homes range in price from $469,000 USD to $489,000 USD right now and they do not offer developer financing, but do have a list of financing sources if you are in need of financing options. The HOA is $250 USD per month and for a limited time you receive a Las Palomas Golf and Resort Family Plan Annual Membership for free which includes: year-round tee times, $25 USD cart fee per round, 20% off golf lessons, complimentary access to Las Palomas Beach and Golf Resort, unlimited green fees for the entire year, unlimited use of practice facilities, 20% off of dining and golf merchandise as well as 20% off of the best available rate for resort stays. Right now, while under construction, owners have access to the beach at Las Palomas and soon Phase I will have their own amenities like their own beach club which will be located in-between Puerta Privada and Phase I of Las Palomas. The entire community will be gated, have a fitness center, pickleball courts, water features, storage units, commercial village, negative edge pool with heated spas, swim-up pool bar and grill, pet park as well other amenities.

If you love golf and are in the market for a house or condo, give blue at Las Palomas a visit. You and see the gorgeous model I am talking about as well as their master plan and the progress they are making. I don’t know if Karitza gives tours to everyone, but I definitely recommend you ask for her – she’s very personable, friendly, fun and knowledgeable. Give her a call at the office at 638.108.1070 or on her mobile at 638.156.2043 or email her at kbojorquez@blueatlaspalomas.com and visit their website at www.blueatlaspalomas.com.

CAPTIONS

  1. Mario, Karitza and Uncle Pat in front of the Pescadero Residence Model Home.
  2. Upper Floor Patio Area.
  3. Kitchen on the Upper Floor.