Rocky Point, Mexico…Ole!
Feliz Julio Rocky Point! Happy Summer time…ahhhhh, the beach, the waves, the sun, THE FUN! The days have been warm and the nights cool…an awesome time of year and thankfully as of this writing the humidity has been low :). I had the joy of hosting 7 college girls down to Rocky Point in June as my daughter Via Maria arrived with 6 other gals from Texas Christian University. Via, Mia, Amra, Paige, Party Marty, Mafe and Maddi sure had a good time running all over the beach and to some of the fun party scenes in town. Other than Via who sort of grew up here in Rocky Point making her debut at the ripe age of 2, it was the girl’s first time to Rocky Point, and they LOVED IT!!! For me, it was my first time to Chango’s…WOW, talk about a Las Vegas style night club scene right here in Rocky Point! It was super fun and the music and the pool were…well, a splash! I always like to try some restaurants that I have never been to before. One night, I took the girls to Garufa Steakhouse on Sandy Beach. The food, service and drinks were REALLY good. We all tried a variety of items ranging from fish to steak to pasta to veggie dishes and everyone really liked their meal! Great job Garufa especially on your empanadas…totally Argentinian! I definitely plan to come back and if you decide to try out Garufa, be sure and ask for Yaya…she was our waitress and was super kind and fun.
For those of you looking for a hot real estate market, look no further than…ROCKY POINT! If you ever have been looking for a second home, a place to retire, a great place to make some extra money for renting out a home (I know this personally has been a great plus for me) or just wanted to make a sound real estate purchase in a beach community, NOW is a great time to get with a local realtor and check out the action and what’s new and why our real estate market is booming right now! I thought it may be a good idea to dive into our market a little deeper, so I decided to have a chat with my dear friend, Cathy Poturalski to find out more about the market and A.M.P.I., our local real estate governing agency and why working with a licensed A.M.P.I. agent is so important.
Marco: Well, hello Cathy Pea! How are we doing today? I hope well…I am ready to learn some new information on real estate in our Rocky Point market today and about your real estate organization. What is the name of it?
Cathy: It is called A.M.P.I. Chapter No. 51 (Asociación Mexicana de Profesionales Inmobiliarios / Real Estate Professionals Organization of Mexico).
Marco: Nice, what value do you think the organization brings to the community here in Rocky Point?
Cathy: Such a fantastic question; First, I have to say that A.M.P.I. as an organization brings both a professional and a cohesive value to Puerto Peñasco by having a strict code of conduct in which all licensed professionals pledge an agreement to abide by. This is also monitored by their Approved Professional Brokerages (APB) to ensure that licensed agents are performing with a fundamental level of integrity that honors our community and our industry of real estate.
As a member of A.M.P.I., we have National, State and Local Municipal requirements for education which are overseen and approved by the Secretary of Economy in the State of Sonora. This membership benefits both professionals and consumers in our community. Our organization holds esteemed standards of practices and requires a comprehensive education in understanding the laws of Mexico, State of Sonora and Municipal laws pertaining to real estate activities.
Having a professional organization to be able to go to for additional knowledge is priceless in my opinion. The reality is that there are very few transactions that follow the rule of thumb and it’s fantastic to have an open door that welcomes all professionals to reach out to for advice or perhaps even recommendations for resolutions to assist our client’s needs. We have strength in numbers and as someone once quoted “You don’t know what you don’t know, until you do.” Personally, I find it fantastic and reassuring that we do have an open and welcoming group of professionals that are willing to assist one another when faced with a complicated transaction or a dilemma. The support is tremendous, and I am so proud to be a part of this organization.
Marco: How long have you been selling real estate in Rocky Point?
Cathy: Surprisingly, I am a more recent licensee than most would expect as I have only had my own personal license since 2019; however, my husband Scott Poturalski has been selling real estate here in Puerto Peñasco since November 10th, 1997. I remember it so vividly because it was the weekend after our Honeymoon. Through the years, we have been involved in many projects together where I worked on interior design and resort design development while Scott worked in sales for the developers. Eventually, he opened his own brokerage and sold both general real estate and commercial real estate. Then when he went to work for Encantame Towers, I decided I would finally leap to the front of the house in sales after so many years of assisting with the administration in the back office.
Marco: Wow, it’s all in the family I see :). Why do you think it is so important to do business with a licensed realtor?
Cathy: We take pride in our highly respected industry of licensed realtors in following a professional code of conduct with in-depth knowledge, as well as, actionable and practical tools of engagement models, methods, and mechanisms (3 M’s) that have been successful in real estate here in Puerto Peñasco, in according to the standards of Federal, State and Municipal authorities, proposing new laws and amendments to existing laws and regulations, directly related to the real estate and its activities.
My experience is that the licensed realtor is the professional that takes their career seriously with ongoing education so that they can give the most current information to their clients. Consumers have worked extremely hard for their investments; and we strongly encourage consumers to have proper representation by a Licensed Realtor that can provide professional expertise when in the real estate market, specifically if you are a foreigner in Mexico.
Marco: I’ll say! Having been through many real estate transactions here in Rocky Point, I know that it is essential to work with a qualified, respected real estate agent. Does the organization reach out to the community to help those in need in any way?
Cathy: Most certainly, outreach is critical in a small community and while we do not quite yet have a certified program of our own, we all are quite involved in the civic, religious, and private programs to assist those in need or to pay it forward. Just to name a couple of examples; 1. During the pandemic, AMPI donated PPE supplies to the local hospital. 2. Many agents jumped into the grass roots of making sandwiches daily and delivering to the various points of distribution. 3. Others are great at raising funds for the various charitable organizations in town. Before the pandemic, we had monthly social gatherings where we could join together and had many auctions for charity and discussed awareness where there was a need and we all certainly look forward to those days again!
Marco: Indeed, I so look forward to the “good ‘ole days”. As our city continues to grow, why do you think your organization is important, Cathy?
Cathy: Well, we all know the power of ‘Word of Mouth Advertising’ and how quickly it can escalate a situation; both positive and negative. Considering Puerto Peñasco has such a ‘Small Town Atmosphere’; it’s important to have factual knowledge along with a clear understanding in the business practices, legalities and the rights of both buyers and sellers when it comes to real estate rather than relying upon what someone who is not a professional may say, or local rumorville (‘Rocky Talk’).
Without a doubt, I can tell you that our Board meets monthly and the number one concern is that any and all Sellers or potential Buyers are not relying on rumors to make their decisions. As we grow, it is important to prevent assumptions and validate the facts, so that buyers and sellers are well versed with the correct information in order to make solid decisions on their investments. We practice a climate of caution, as we are well aware of the impact that just one error in combination with one media outreach can create. As professionals, we also apply great pride in keeping our property value high for our investors rather than driving the market down.
Marco: Well, we all appreciate the help in keeping our property values high! What is your favorite part about being a realtor in Rocky Point?
Cathy: The satisfaction in knowing that I have been a part of making someone’s dream come true! Oh Bobby, there is the ticket! Tell me what could be more fulfilling than being a part of making memories that last a lifetime! 🙂 Some clients know the area and are already in love with our sleepy little fishing village and are just looking for the right place to dig their toes in the sand; I get to selfishly be a part of their story. Then there are others who may be new to the area but have dreamt of owning a place by the sea and with these clients, I have the distinct honor and pleasure to introduce and share the things that I so very much love about our community!
As our town grows and tourism improves, there are new changes daily and it’s amazing to be able to share these new experiences with my clients, who I call my Amigos.
Marco: Just like me and my column, Marco y Amigos. I love it! Where do you sell in town?
Cathy: I am happy to represent any legal property in the greater Peñasco area. It has been such a blessing to witness the growth through the years and the changing of the tides with the areas that have been, are, and will be the more popular areas for real estate. When I first started coming here, Sandy Beach was basically a camping area and most people gravitated towards Las Conchas, Cholla Bay or Playa Encanto and, for the last 15 years or so, it has been the hottest market. “Hey kids, don’t forget to put your seatbelts on!” Because, now we are watching life change before our own eyes as Playa Encanto is changing the market once again with the extremely popular force of Encantame Towers! Wow, not only is it a spectacular development, but it has already increased many property values in the close neighboring beaches of Playa Encanto, Playa La Jolla, Playa Miramar, Playa Dorado and so many more fantastic beach neighborhoods!
Marco: That’s awesome, we all like that someone is watching out for our investments! What do you tell people about the future of their investments?
Cathy: Many people often ask about what the future of Peñasco looks like and where the town is headed, such as the airport and the cruise port projects. Well, I do not always have the answers for these questions, but I sure am in for the ride to see where we go from here! Back in 1997, I could not see the future, and surprisingly not much has changed with my vision. What I can see is that we will make many more valuable friendships and will relish in the experience of watching their children grow up on the beach and then poof, before we know it, they are in college and back on the beach to share with us their new adventures! Just like your two precious peaches, Zack & Via! (Shouts to the families; Johnsons, Castrichini’s, Salazar’s, Day’s, McKellips/Jaehnig’s and so many more to name everyone! Xoxo)
Marco: Oh, I totally agree…I too have had the pleasure of countless new friendships from purchasing in Mexico that I would have never dreamt of! What a wonderful gaggle of giggles! What are the requirements to become a licensed realtor here in Rocky Point?
Cathy: First, one must qualify to register for the Diplomado (Real Estate Course); and fulfill the following requirements, 1.) Possess an Active RFC No. (Taxpayer ID #), 2.) Obtain a Certificate of no Criminal Records, 3.) Copy of latest CFE (utility) Bill, 4.) Copy of Passport (Foreigners), 5.) Permanent Resident Card (Foreigners), Voter’s Registration Card (Nationals), Complete the registration form & pay at our administration office the fees for the Diplomado of $2,000.00 USD (Non-AMPI Members) & $1,050.00 USD (AMPI Members) in addition to attending the 120-hour program and passing the exams for the real estate course called the Diplomado. The next Diplomado will be in February, and anyone interested may register with our Administrator, Blanca Valdez at penascoampi@gmail.com. (Special note of appreciation to our Volunteer Professional Instructors for the Diplomado of 2021: Lic. Leticia Marquez, Lic Chastre Alexandra Encinas Leyva – Notaría Pública No. 76, Lic. Ricardo Bourquez, Lic. Gabriel Millan Cruz, Lic Jorge Valdez, Lic. Antonio Marquez, Lic. Amilcar Nunez, Ing. Liliana G. Juaregui Mercado, Lic. Luis Mendoza, Lic. Senui Arani Garcia Montes).
Well, it is easy to see that it takes time, talent, commitment to our community, and knowledge to become a successful real estate agent in Rocky Point. Cathy, thank you truly for all the wonderful information you have shared with us. I have learned a bunch and I know our readers will have learned so much as well. If you would like more information from Cathy Poturalski regarding our real estate market, please contact her at Cathy@penascoluxury.com.
Remember Rocky Point Times readers what Mark Twain once said, “Buy land, they aren’t making it anymore”. True that! And where better to become an owner than right here on our beautiful beaches of Rocky Point!
ADIOS AMIGOS
GOD BLESS