BajaNomad - Rancho Santa Ines for sale? What's up with that?

Rancho Santa Ines for sale? What's up with that?

wilderone - 9-14-2012 at 07:34 AM

Santa Ines has always been one of those places you could count on for a camping spot, a cold beer or coffee coming and going. I hope if there are any changes with a new owner, they would be minor - maybe fix up the rooms, add some showers. Does anyone have information about the ownership and why they're selliing?

thebajarunner - 9-14-2012 at 07:55 AM

Bill Lawrence at Rancho Santa Marta showed me some info 10 years ago about them trying to sell the entire place.
Lots of acreage,
but not much revenue potential.
It would be hard to justify any significant price on any grounds other than sentimental.

desertcpl - 9-14-2012 at 08:06 AM

we used to camp there and always had dinner and/or breakfast, simple but very good

mtgoat666 - 9-14-2012 at 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by wilderone
Santa Ines has always been one of those places you could count on for a camping spot, a cold beer or coffee coming and going. I hope if there are any changes with a new owner, they would be minor - maybe fix up the rooms, add some showers. Does anyone have information about the ownership and why they're selliing?

it has been offered for sale for many years. your post made me curious, so I googled it and see someone started a new sales effort last month. here is what they are asking: Price: 3,000,000 USD (Built area: 16,666.66 USD / m2) (Land / Lot area: 1.23 USD / m2)

they will never get $3M USD (hard to imagine how that place could generate sufficient revenue to justify $3M. but may get $300K USD.

it could be a nice place for an eco-tourism or dude ranch type operation, but seems challenging to make that happen.

roadside motel operation would never justify near a $3M price. what was sales price of the desert inn in catavina? a couple $100K USD is my upper guess.

is the airstrip even usable anymore?

David K - 9-14-2012 at 08:45 AM

From what I heard: Fred Hampe and a lawyer in Ensenada co-owned it after long time Santa Ynez owner Josefina died. I was told that they had sold it to Don Briggs (nursery owner in Vista, CA).

Oscar and Matilda continued to be managers.

Marv and Aletha Patchen were one of the many Americans who had a lot and cabin on the ranch land. Marv (who wrote two books and magazine articles about his Baja adventures) is the one who confirmed to me that the ranch spelling is SANTA YNEZ despite the maps that spell it INES... or the gringos who spell it many ways!

Baja Nomad member 'steekers' was working on a book about the history of Santa Ynez and met with Fred Hampe at his Ramona home... that was a few years ago.

thebajarunner - 9-14-2012 at 09:20 AM

Ah - I have it

The Rodriguez boys bought the inn as a first step toward turning all of Santa Ynez into a huge tomato farm.

They will pipe in water from their main ranch and >>>>VOILA >>>>
the largest farm in Baja.

:lol:

David K - 9-14-2012 at 09:50 AM

Dick, you need a 'Baja fix'!

thebajarunner - 9-14-2012 at 10:08 AM

Sorry David
I could not resist....

will call you later to order 3 books

d

desertcpl - 9-14-2012 at 10:25 AM

DK

did you get PayPal going for your new book

DavidE - 9-14-2012 at 11:11 AM

Am I correct in understanding the owners are getting more than 150 pesos per night to park an RV there? Out in the field?

David K - 9-14-2012 at 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by desertcpl
DK

did you get PayPal going for your new book

yes... I posted that on the thread about the book. See our web page http://oldmissions.com
thank you.

WHy would anyone camp there to begin with??

thebajarunner - 9-14-2012 at 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DavidE
Am I correct in understanding the owners are getting more than 150 pesos per night to park an RV there? Out in the field?

David,
I have said it many times, and will continue to say it,
the most glorious camping in all of Baja is off on the sideroads north of the actual town of Catavina,
and it is all free, and the settings are magnifico!!!

desertcpl - 9-14-2012 at 03:14 PM

I think the state should buy it, make into a destination for the Catavina area,,, nice RV park, motel, restaurant, tours of the area, horseback riding, jeep excursions

kinda like a theme kinda thing, as every one knows that have been thru this area,, there is nothing like it in Baja

okay okay,, I know its getting close to happy hour

DavidE - 9-14-2012 at 03:14 PM

We camped between the two arroyos and to the west of the brecha. A huge thunderstorm was pelting us with hail (In late July), and both arroyos filled with around eight feet of yellow brown water. We waited a day, forded the south arroyo that still had a foot of water or so in the bottom and drove right on by Rcho Sta Inez trying to get to Rcho Chapala for gasoline and water. I generally like wilderness camping myself but curiosity drove me to ask the question about camping prices there. My first experience with Cholla was at the campsite above.

David K - 9-14-2012 at 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DavidE
... My first experience with Cholla was at the campsite above.

BEFORE THIS ONE???

Some of the flora tries to hitch a ride! Stay away from the cholla...also known as 'jumping cactus'.

Neal Johns uses his years of desert expertise to render aid to David Eidell, the victim.

mtgoat666 - 9-14-2012 at 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by desertcpl
I think the state should buy it, make into a destination for the Catavina area,,, nice RV park, motel, restaurant, tours of the area, horseback riding, jeep excursions

any development would ruin the area. rustic, limited operation is fine, preserves the desert solitude

monoloco - 9-14-2012 at 04:28 PM

I'm sure Muñoz will be showing up with the title any day. :lol:

He will wait

thebajarunner - 9-14-2012 at 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by monoloco
I'm sure Muñoz will be showing up with the title any day. :lol:

As soon as someone builds a really nice place there and gets it well established he will show up with his armed posse and claim it.
No sense claiming unimproved ground, and he dare not challenge the Rodriguez gang.

desertcpl - 9-14-2012 at 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mtgoat666

Quote:

any development would ruin the area. rustic, limited operation is fine, preserves the desert solitude

okay I feel better now I got Happy Hour over with
boy was that a long day
Goat 'did you have your happy hour yet,, relax none of this will ever happen in our life time

[Edited on 9-15-2012 by desertcpl]

David K - 9-14-2012 at 08:36 PM

Someone will ask Matilda to use her stove to cook some turtle stew and like magic the federales will show up. It's happened before!

Marc - 9-15-2012 at 05:23 PM

Dropped in once and found the place dismal.

DavidE - 9-15-2012 at 05:32 PM

A person can walk around eyes on the ground, stepping carefully. One false step onto supposedly clear sand has a cholla doing a pivot from under some dead foliage and then sticking like to ya like Tar and Brer Rabbit. They hide. Like tossing a fresh Tuna at someone (while using gloves) and yelling "Here! Catch!"

mooose29 - 9-15-2012 at 10:38 PM

Great place to stop and let the dogs out for a few minutes and burn off some energy. Have camped there nights and always amazing and never disappointing best star viewing I have ever experienced. Have eaten there a few times many years ago and had good tacos and beans.

DavidE - 9-16-2012 at 07:57 AM

I ate at the hotel, when it was part of the "El Presidente" chain, then once again, when it was a "La Pinta". Both times, the meal wasn't really all that bad and the scenery was great from the restaurant windows. It was a bit strange eating alone in that cavernous dining room and bar.

How are the other places in Cataviña to eat? Without electricity, the thought of lack of food preservation comes to mind, but it can be overcome by not so obvious means.

[Edited on 9-16-2012 by DavidE]

thebajarunner - 9-16-2012 at 04:15 PM

David
We always eat at the place across the street- it is on the big lot of the original, now closed Pemex.

Basic, but good,
never been disappointed,

Of course it is "Basic Baja"
Not gourmet plates and silver service with cloth nappies.

Bajaboy - 9-16-2012 at 04:34 PM

We often stop in that area for a picnic on our way north. The kids love to climb on the rocks and generally burn off some pent up energy.

Santa Ines For Sale

RanchoSantaInes - 10-27-2012 at 09:18 AM

Yes the ranch is for sale. It is zoned for just about any kind of
Business. Future Plans are similar to a mini
Borrego Springs, ca. As for the person who thinks
it is not worth 3 mil they are mistaken.
I would like to see them try to make a 1km paved strip
on 600 acres with over one kliometer of highway
frontage on both sides of the road. Not to mention
all the water. There are plans for a road to Gonzaga bay which will bring the Eco tourism desireable for the region from the other new highway. The wife of Vicente Fox has major property on the water in the area
and can fly in jets if desired to get people to the bays.
It's all good. It can only get better. How about a minimart
with a real gas station.

micah202 - 10-27-2012 at 09:37 AM

hmmm,,sounds like a lot of -potential- :biggrin:

DavidE - 10-27-2012 at 10:58 AM

Golf course, amphitheater, stop lights with turn lanes, and a huge highway sign "Cataviña Salida 5km"

BUT FIRST!

Five huge topes!

[Edited on 10-27-2012 by DavidE]

David K - 10-27-2012 at 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RanchoSantaInes
Yes the ranch is for sale. It is zoned for just about any kind of
Business. Future Plans are similar to a mini
Borrego Springs, ca. As for the person who thinks
it is not worth 3 mil they are mistaken.
I would like to see them try to make a 1km paved strip
on 600 acres with over one kliometer of highway
frontage on both sides of the road. Not to mention
all the water. There are plans for a road to Gonzaga bay which will bring the Eco tourism desireable for the region from the other new highway. The wife of Vicente Fox has major property on the water in the area
and can fly in jets if desired to get people to the bays.
It's all good. It can only get better. How about a minimart
with a real gas station.

Welcome to Nomad. Are you Don Briggs or related? Just wondering as I did some irrigation work for him 20 + years ago.
Thanks.

mtgoat666 - 10-27-2012 at 08:03 PM

Quote:

if it's all so good, why have the owners not developed the resort, jetport and c-store you dream of? why don't the owners partner with someone? the land is worth $300,000 max as is. may be worth $3M after someone actually builds a business that generates income!
a jet port for the ex-wife of an old mexican version of mitt romney with a cowboy hat :lol:

Interesting handle there newcomer

thebajarunner - 10-27-2012 at 08:26 PM

Quote:

I suppose beauty and value are in the eyes of the beholder
A price at that level would require an annual net -YES I SAID NET- income of $500k
Annual gross of at least TWO MIL
Where do I send my check?