Bucerias Before the Real Estate Boom
Hi, I’m Dorothy Sutherland. I was born in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. I am 100% “pata salada” and 100% “Vallartense.” But… can I confess something? I have always lived on the Bahía side. And even though apparently only a bridge divides us, for me, this entire beautiful Banderas Bay has always been one single entity. The sea connects us. We are one.
Today, I decided to open up my heart to you (yes, you who are reading) to share something very personal: why does Bucerías mean so much to me? Here it is.
This corner undoubtedly holds a very special piece of my history. I lived a large part of my life there… and not because I owned my home in Bucerías, but because that’s where my parents started their business on Lázaro Cárdenas Street #8. And if you are wondering: what kind of business? Oh, let me tell you… it was a travel agency for tours and excursions throughout the entire Bay. They sold and continue to sell everything. It’s called “Scotts Bucerias Tours,” and even though my dad has passed on, my mom still runs the business. You have to visit it.
So, what does this have to do with real estate and both urban and property growth? For me, everything. Bucerías did not grow overnight. Its development was gradual over many years. But something started moving here with more strength and intensity… Suddenly, it wasn’t just tourism that started looking towards this point… developers, investors, and builders were also drawn in. They saw something that many of us had already been seeing: potential.
And to be totally frank and honest, I don’t romanticize everything that has come with this growth. Rather than speaking from a position of criticism, I speak from observation and consciousness. Because when a place grows so quickly, many things inevitably change. The rhythm changes, the dynamic shifts—the way it is not only seen, but the way it is lived. I have seen it up close. The space where my parents built their history over more than 24 years (which was like a second home for us) is now undergoing a transformation. The space has already been sold, and eventually, it will be part of this new chapter for Bucerías. Maybe not immediately, but it will happen. And no, that isn’t necessarily negative. It’s simply evolution.
While Bucerías still retains that traditional touch with a spark of authenticity that makes it unique, it is also important to talk about a reality that is seldom put on the table. The accelerated growth has brought certain structural challenges with it. Planning and regulation in some areas haven’t always kept pace with development, which is reflected in basic aspects of daily life. For example, the water service can be intermittent during different seasons, especially at times of high demand. No, this isn’t a topic frequently mentioned, perhaps because it disrupts the destination’s aspirational narrative. But understanding Bucerías today also means acknowledging these contrasts. And yet… that doesn’t fully define the place.
Today, Bucerías still conserves that peculiar essence and spark that makes it unique. I mean its relaxed vibe, its people, its closeness to the sea, its authenticity. But it is also true that it now coexists with something else: growing demand, more investment, and more movement. There are also new challenges within the market itself. In recent months, for example, a correction has begun to be observed in certain segments, especially in the condo market, where the speed of sales hasn’t always kept up with the supply. This doesn’t speak of the destination falling; rather, it speaks of something much more natural: a market that is evolving, finding its point of equilibrium and maturing.
On the other hand, Banderas Bay has grown by over 50% in population over the last decade, and Bucerías has positioned itself as one of the most attractive points in the region. It is a trend. It’s no coincidence. Today, it is part of the conversation surrounding real estate, tourism, and investment in a way that didn’t exist before.
For me, Bucerías has always been this. A place I didn’t just watch grow; it accompanied me as I changed. And maybe because of that, today, when I think of Bucerías before the real estate boom, I don’t do it from sad nostalgia or easy criticism, but from the awareness of having witnessed a very real transformation.