The Cabo Property Owner's Annual Task Calendar: Month-by-Month Deadlines and Maintenance

The Cabo property owner annual calendar is the single most useful document I hand to new buyers at closing. It is not glamorous. It will not make you fall in love with your property the way the ocean view did. But it will prevent the $5,000 A/C failure in July that could have been a $300 service call in February, the $2,000 predial penalty that a January payment would have avoided, and the $8,000 in lost rental income from listing your property two weeks too late for peak season.

January: Tax Season and Peak Rental

Pay your predial (property tax). Baja California Sur municipalities offer a 15–20% early-payment discount for property taxes paid in January or February. The exact deadline and discount percentage vary by year — the Los Cabos municipality typically publishes the schedule in the Periódico Oficial in late December. For a property with a catastral value generating a $1,500 annual predial, the early-bird discount saves $225–$300. That is the easiest money you will make all year. Pay online through the Los Cabos municipality portal or in person at the Tesorería municipal office in San Jose del Cabo.

Review your fideicomiso bank statement. Your fideicomiso trustee bank (Scotiabank, Banorte, BBVA, etc.) sends an annual statement in January. Check the annual fee — it should be $500–$1,500 depending on the bank and property value. If the fee has increased significantly, it may be worth comparing bank fees and exploring a voluntary transfer. Also confirm your beneficiary designations are current.

Rental pricing check. January through March is the highest-demand rental period. If you are not already booked through April, your pricing may be too high or your listing too stale. Check comparable properties on Airbnb and VRBO in your community and adjust. A 5% price reduction in January that fills a vacant February week is worth more than holding firm and losing $3,000+ in revenue.

February: Peak Season Management

Schedule A/C service. This is counterintuitive — your A/C is barely running in February because it is winter. That is exactly why you service it now. The technicians are available, the rates are lower, and you catch problems before the summer heat demands full-time cooling. A preventive service call costs $100–$200 per unit. An emergency repair in July — when every technician in Cabo is booked — costs $500–$2,000 and may leave your property unrentable for days.

Review insurance coverage. Property insurance policies in Mexico typically renew annually. February is the time to review your coverage levels, confirm replacement cost values are current (construction costs have increased 15–25% since 2023), and shop competing quotes before the hurricane-season premium kicks in. Insurers like GNP, Qualitas, and AXA Mexico all write residential policies in BCS.

March: Semana Santa Prep and US Taxes

Semana Santa (Holy Week) is the single highest-demand rental week of the year. In 2026, it falls the week of March 29–April 4. Nightly rates during Semana Santa are typically 40–60% above standard peak-season rates, and occupancy approaches 100% across Los Cabos. If your property is not already booked for Semana Santa, you have either priced too high or listed too late. This week alone can generate $5,000–$15,000 in rental income depending on the property.

Begin US tax preparation. If you are a US citizen or resident, your Mexico property generates multiple US tax reporting requirements. Your accountant needs: rental income and expense records, predial receipts, HOA fee documentation, fideicomiso annual fees, and any contractor payments over $600 (reportable on Form 1099 or equivalent). Do not wait until April to gather these. See our FBAR and FATCA guide for the full list of forms.

April: FBAR Deadline and Shoulder Season

April 15: FBAR filing deadline. If your foreign financial accounts (including the bank account associated with your fideicomiso, any Mexican bank account, and any account used to receive rental income in pesos) had an aggregate balance exceeding $10,000 at any point during the prior year, you must file FinCEN Form 114 (FBAR) by April 15. There is an automatic extension to October 15, but I recommend filing on time to avoid the stress. Penalties for non-filing are severe — up to $12,906 per violation for non-willful failures, and up to $129,210 or 50% of the account balance for willful failures.

Transition to shoulder season. April marks the shift from peak to shoulder season in Los Cabos. Rental demand drops 20–30% after Easter. Adjust your pricing accordingly — a 15–20% reduction from peak rates keeps occupancy steady through May. Properties that maintain peak pricing through April and May sit empty while the competition fills at shoulder rates.

May–June: Hurricane Prep and Green Season

May 1: hurricane season officially begins. By this date, your property should have:

• Active hurricane/windstorm insurance — policies purchased after June 1 may carry named-storm exclusions if a tropical system has already formed in the Pacific
• Shutters tested and operational — if you have accordion or roll-down shutters, run them through a full close/open cycle to catch jammed tracks or motor failures
• Cistern filled — municipal water can be disrupted during and after storms, and a full cistern provides 3–7 days of water independence
• Emergency protocol documented — your property manager or caretaker should have a written checklist for storm preparation, including generator fuel, furniture storage, and drainage clearance

June: negotiate maintenance contracts. The green season (May–October) is when maintenance vendors have availability and motivation to negotiate. Painting, roof sealing, pool resurfacing, and landscape overhauls are all 10–20% cheaper in June than in October when everyone is scrambling to prep for high season. I schedule all major non-emergency maintenance during this window for every property I manage.

July–September: Hurricane Season Peak

July through September is the highest-risk period for tropical storms. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season peaks in August and September. Cabo's most destructive storms — Hurricane Odile (September 2014) and Hurricane Kay (September 2022) — both hit during this window. Your property manager should be conducting monthly walkthroughs during this period even if the property is unoccupied.

Check backup systems. Verify that backup power (generator or battery), cistern water levels, and drainage paths are clear. Arroyos (seasonal drainage channels) must be unobstructed — debris accumulation during the dry months can turn a manageable rain event into a flooding problem. If your property sits near an arroyo, this is not optional. See our flood zone and arroyo risk guide.

Green season rental opportunity. While occupancy drops to 40–55% during summer, the properties that do rent are capturing a growing segment: Mexican domestic travelers during school holidays (July–August), digital nomads, and budget-conscious retirees who prefer summer's lower costs. Green-season rates run 30–50% below peak, but a booked week at $200/night is infinitely better than an empty week at $400/night.

October: Season Prep — The Make-or-Break Month

October is the most important month on this calendar for rental income. The actions you take in October determine whether your property captures the first wave of high-season bookings — which are the most lucrative because early planners tend to be the least price-sensitive.

• Deep clean: schedule a professional deep clean that goes beyond standard turnover cleaning — grout scrubbing, window washing, A/C duct cleaning, mattress sanitizing. Cost: $300–$600 depending on property size.
• Photography update: if your listing photos are more than a year old, reshoot. Use a professional photographer ($200–$400) and shoot during golden hour. Updated photos increase click-through rates by 15–30% on Airbnb and VRBO, according to Airbnb's host resources.
• Listing description refresh: update your listing copy with current amenities, recent upgrades, and fresh neighborhood descriptions. Mention walkability, new restaurants, any community improvements.
• Pricing strategy: set your November–April calendar with tiered pricing: Thanksgiving week (+30–50%), Christmas/New Year (+50–80%), Semana Santa (+40–60%), and standard peak rates for the remaining weeks. Properties with dynamic pricing set by October 15 capture 20–30% more early bookings than those that wait until November.

November–December: High Season and Year-End

November 1: high season begins. Occupancy climbs through November and peaks in the December 20–January 5 holiday window. If your property is not fully booked for the last two weeks of December, you may need to drop your rate 10–15% — better to capture revenue at a discount than let the most expensive rental weeks of the year go empty.

HOA annual meeting season. Many Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo developments hold their annual condominium assembly (asamblea anual) in November or December, when the highest percentage of foreign owners are in residence. Attend in person if possible. If not, execute a proxy (poder) to ensure your vote counts — decisions about special assessments, reserve fund allocations, and rule changes are made at these meetings. See our HOA governance guide.

Year-end tax planning. December is your last chance to accelerate or defer expenses for US tax purposes. Prepaying January maintenance contracts, buying replacement furnishings, or scheduling a capital improvement that starts before December 31 can shift deductions into the current tax year. Consult your cross-border accountant before December 15 to optimize.

Fideicomiso renewal. If your fideicomiso trust term is approaching its 50-year limit (or if your trust was established under the older 30-year limit), December is the time to initiate the renewal process. The renewal requires bank processing, notario involvement, and Registro Público filing. Start early — the process takes 2–4 months.