Janet Jensen
Embracing and Selling the Cabo Lifestyle
By Rick Stedman
It’s easy to fall in love with Cabo, just ask Janet Jensen. A transplanted Canadian who’s lived in the region for the last two decades, Janet felt the immediate draw of this placid paradise when first stepping off the plane. “Back in 1992, my father and step-mom built a house in San José del Cabo, and I immediately fell in love with the area, the community, and the lifestyle the moment I stepped off the plane from my native Vancouver, British Columbia,” says Janet.
A Baja Realtor for nearly two decades, Janet is ‘living the dream’ while fully embracing the Baja Bond with those who call this area home. “As a Realtor, I try and sell the Baja lifestyle, but if I can’t live it, I can’t sell it,” she stresses. “Every day here in Los Cabos, someone is simply living the moment and enjoying being here living to work. My friends raise their families here, children appreciate the simple things, and there is loads of love. Real estate will always be bought and sold, as it has for many years, through many recessions. Like a lot of things, it is cyclical. We will always have a job in this industry as long as we persevere.”
Living and working in Mexico, Janet summarizes that reality as follows: “I love the people, the food, the weather, and the culture, along with the simplistic values of family and country. Nature plays a huge role here in Cabo – it’s dynamic – the ocean, the desert, the currents, and the sun; yes the sun! I’m proud of the shared love of the Baja and Mexico. In a way, we are almost all immigrants from somewhere, those who end up in Baja. We all have a story and a common bond which attracts us to this place we call home. Sharing this is always a pleasant icebreaker.”
British Columbia beginnings
Growing up in Canada’s western-most province of British Columbia, Janet attended school in Nanaimo and White Rock, and later studied jazz, specifically the trombone, while at Malaspina College. “I played with numerous big bands, including one with Diana Krall for years while in Nanaimo,” shares Janet. “However, the life of a professional musician was not for me, it required too much practicing! I guess I was half artist and the other half industrious. I decided to go into real estate in the late 1980s while in White Rock, B.C.”
Living in Cabo, Janet hears a different drum these days. She absolutely embraces the water-based lifestyle that’s readily available throughout the region. On any given morning, you can find her on a stand up paddle board, surfing in the ocean, or simply walking a beach with her dogs. “There are so many great beaches to enjoy on a regular basis. My local favorites are Zippers in San José del Cabo, Acapulquito near the Cabo Surf Hotel, and of course there are lots of options in the East Cape less than an hour from the international airport.” There’s also one element from her past that Janet just can’t quite let go of and that’s the musical tug. “I recently joined the local orchestra,” she proudly admits. The past is never really the past.
Personal influences
Janet has always been self-sufficient when it comes to making decisions and deciding on the best course of action. “I surprise myself with some of the decisions I make, both good and bad. As I mature, I love the decisions I make and the way I make them. I enjoy thinking things through – strategizing, risking, and trusting my gut. I get a kick out of figuring things out and patting myself on the back. If you can’t laugh with yourself, you are missing out.”
Janet recalls the other major influence in her life: Her mother. “Mom, she was sincere, and she absolutely loved life! She lived it through music and travel, and was so comfortable communicating with anyone. No one intimidated her, and oh, could she play the piano! She was a walking music encyclopedia and had the grace of a ballerina. My sisters followed in her path. They both are performing musicians and make a life and a living in that profession. Now there is a school of hard knocks!”
Janet likes to regularly recall one of her favorite sayings: Living is a thing you do now or never – which do you do? Of all the wonderful things that are available in Los Cabos, a few things that resonate with Janet include the art of doing nothing, and being spoiled rotten by great places right in her back yard, including the beaches, hotels, restaurants, ongoing events, and general spontaneity of the area. “The inspiration and freedom of the Baja is amazing, and that’s why I call this place home.”