Casa Mangala

Ben started Wanderlust after becoming a veteran of the Latin American property development scene. With degrees in Anthropology and History, he has been attracted to the incredible cultural diversity and history of Mexico and Central America from a young age. A hunger to explore brought Ben to Nicaragua where he spent five years building custom vacation homes. Because these projects were mostly on raw land with limited resources, he was forced to learn all facets of the development process: he was expected to be the designer, architect, engineer, and builder. Most of the furniture, cabinetry, and windows were built by hand, as was general infrastructure such as roads, wells, and electrical and septic systems. These five years in Nicaragua have made Ben incredibly resourceful, and developed in him an “anything is possible” attitude.

While in Nicaragua, he joined his wife Kassidy’s nonprofit, The Sweet Water Fund, a grassroots foundation dedicated to inspiring Nicaraguan villages and empowering the local women through job opportunities, healthy lifestyles, and the arts. They spearheaded many projects such as nutrition and fitness programs, a suspension bridge over the local river so kids could more easily get to school, and a school kitchen built completely out of recycled materials.

After returning to the United States from Nicaragua, Ben became a general contractor in Sonoma, California. He completed multiple prestigious projects in the Sonoma and Napa valleys, including the remodeling of old-world wineries and the building of several spectacular second homes.

Three years later, Ben and Kassidy realized that the lifestyle and pace of Latin America was calling them back, so, in 2016, they and their two little boys, two dogs, and two cats made the leap down to gorgeous San Pancho to start all over again.

Ben was fortunate to work under Fred Feibel of F.L. Feibel y Asociados in San Pancho, where he developed a deep understanding of the practices and customs of Mexican real estate. After Fred’s untimely passing at the end of 2017, Ben took on the role of broker and lead agent and ran the office with his mentor’s high level of integrity and customer service. In the following year, Ben boosted the company’s sales by 350%, increasing its referral base and closing ratio.

Now a sought-after agent in the Riviera Nayarit, Ben decided to start his own company, Wanderlust Real Estate + Development. He brings his tenacity, organization, energy, optimism and creativity to the Wanderlust team and prides himself on keeping everyone on track and their clients informed, calm, and happy.