San Pancho (San Francisco)
Mexico Real Estate

Get to know
San Pancho and its vibrant real estate scene

Also known as San Francisco, San Pancho in Coastal Mexico is a quaint beach town located between the Pacific coastline and the Sierra Madre mountains. Not to be confused with the big bustling city of San Francisco in the United States, San Pancho is a haven for those looking to relax and get away from the noise of everyday life. Real estate in San Pancho is also popular with those wanting to escape from the cold winters up North.

With its pristine beaches and untouched nature, this rustic town is one of the top vacation destinations in Mexico, in addition to a growing number of people who are now calling this small Nayarit village home. It’s no surprise that the small yet well-placed town of San Pancho, with its unique homes and properties for sale, has earned the reputation of being a hidden gem in the Mexican real estate market.

San Pancho, Coastal Mexico is the ultimate blend of rustic and modern; even though it is within reach of the vibrant city life on offer in places like Puerto Vallarta, it retains its small-town charm and closeness to nature with its majestic views and ocean sunsets.

As one of Nayarit’s best-kept secrets, the San Pancho real estate market is now booming with sellers and buyers who can’t wait to own a home here.

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The history

The village of San Pancho has always been small. In fact, at one point, all of its inhabitants were able to fit in a simple hacienda. That means, the only San Pancho real estate was a large estate possibly used for farming, which is where San Pancho (aka San Francisco of Nayarit) got its start.

Eventually, the estate transformed into more of a communal area when members of the tribes near the Southern Sierra Madre started to make this place their home. At the time, the Spanish had started to develop ports to both the north and the south of the town. Although areas like San Blas, Puerto Vallarta, and Guadalajara all started to dramatically increase in population, San Pancho remained a quiet area, not even big enough to be called a village.

It remained a small and nearly uninhabited part of Nayarit until 1931. After the Mexican Revolution ended in 1920, Mexico experienced many changes, including significant land reform. As such, San Pancho and neighboring areas were transformed into what was known as communal ejido territory, which is communal land used for agriculture.

The population of San Pancho grew, with the town also becoming more well known for its fishing, as the villagers lived off of the fish they caught and sold. Even today, the village is still renowned for its fishing industry.

In the ’70s, President Luis Echeverria took a special interest in the town, leading to an increasing amount of development, including the construction of roads, schools, and a state-of-the-art hospital — all at a time whenSan Pancho was still far removed from big-city amenities.

Now, the town is fully equipped with electricity, phone towers, and high-speed internet. The quiet village of San Pancho is starting to become a hot spot for tourism, so its booming real estate market comes as no surprise. More and more people are looking for homes and properties for sale in the town to find the perfect holiday or vacation home.

Reasons to love San Pancho, Coastal Mexico

Whether you plan to make San Pancho the location for your vacation home or move here permanently, this town has plenty to keep you occupied.
The breathtaking views that San Pancho’s beaches have to offer are one of a kind. As the beaches found around this area are sparsely populated, San Pancho has maintained its untouched natural beauty. Due to eco initiatives headed by many town locals, San Pancho’s beaches are in pristine condition. You can enjoy unique activities, such as watching turtles being released back to their natural habitat in the ocean most evenings, as well as taking in the gorgeous sunrise and sunset views from San Pancho’s beaches.
Sports are a popular pastime here, with various hobbies available to those looking for a more active lifestyle. There is a football field in town, with local games taking place regularly. In addition, golf is also a favorite activity of locals and vacationers alike. With its gorgeous fairways and ponds with cascading fountains, the local golf club is the perfect place for nature and golfing enthusiasts to unwind.
Surf enthusiasts and professionals like to surf in San Pancho. The practically empty beaches with countless waves free for the taking as well as the level of difficulty of the waves contribute to the town’s growing popularity with the surfing community. Waves here are great for more experienced surfers.

San Pancho is renowned for its exquisite and authentic food scene, including the freshest seafood and a good mix of fine dining and casual options catering to all types of diners.
Local favorites include Las Palmas for barefoot beach margaritas, Las Olas for upscale seafood and your favorite Mexican dishes, Bistro Organico for those interested in organic and sustainable concept restaurants, and Maria’s for its excellent service and authentic local meals.

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Things to do in and around San Pancho

Everyone loves relaxing by the beach, but what if you are also looking for some excitement? Living in San Pancho means you are always within reach of exciting entertainment options — from the variety of local restaurants and bars to the vibrant cities surrounding San Pancho.

San Pancho is just a short drive from many larger cities, making it an ideal location for those seeking nature and tranquility as well as access to city amenities. At only a 45-minute drive away, Puerto Vallarta is the closest large city to San Pancho. The city is known for its beautiful and authentic Mexican architecture in an area known as the Old Town. It is also home to several well-known scuba diving sites with an abundance of marine life in addition to being a popular whale watching destination.

With the addition of a new highway, the second-largest city in Mexico, Guadalajara, will be only a few hours’ drive away from San Pancho, offering endless activities to choose from. Guadalajara’s historic downtown area is particularly known for its beautiful architecture, old cathedrals, antique paintings, and historical artifacts. Other city attractions include the Regional Museum of Guadalajara (aka the Jalisco Regional Museum) housing an immense collection of fine art and the Guadalajara zoo (Zoologico), which is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions.

No matter what you are looking for in a home, in San Pancho, you will never get bored. This small town has the best of both worlds, offering the luxury of being immersed in nature yet being within reach of city amenities should the need arise.

Real estate opportunities in San Pancho

Being able to live in glorious properties and experiencing the simplicity of the lifestyle here makes San Pancho a one-of-a-kind place to live. With the rising popularity of San Pancho real estate, it’s often speculated that soon there may not be enough homes for the number of people who are looking to buy property here.

At Wanderlust, we are here to help make sure the opportunity of living in San Pancho doesn’t pass you by. Our team can help you find the perfect home that will fit your needs as well as your budget. We have plenty of listings in the San Pancho area, with our list of properties constantly growing. If you’re interested in high-end villas with some of the most breathtaking views in Mexico, some even having access to its own private beach, then San Pancho is the perfect place for you.

One of the things to consider when looking at homes and properties for sale in San Pancho is whether you want to purchase a turnkey home or land in order to build your own dream home. If you have specific requirements and have time to spare, then the Wanderlust boutique development option may make more sense. Finding the perfect home in the right location can be tough, but if you are willing to take the time to make your dream come true, personalizing your home and designing it yourself could be your answer.

We understand how daunting sifting through dozens or even hundreds of listings can be, which is why our real estate experts are here to handpick the best San Pancho properties for you, matching your every need. With our help, we can help you save time and money while making your dream of living in San Pancho a reality.

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Benny Love

Broker and Co-Founder

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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.