Founder & Licensed Real Estate Broker
Karen Cozumel Real Estate
Karen is the founder and principal broker of Karen Cozumel Real Estate. She’s been living and working on the island for almost two decades now, but her story starts much farther away, in the Netherlands. Before Cozumel was home, Karen built a long career in corporate facility and property management across several European countries. That background still shows today, in how she thinks, how she plans, and how seriously she takes details that many people overlook.
When Karen moved to Cozumel in the mid‑2000s, it wasn’t about chasing a trend or trying something “exotic.” She genuinely fell in love with the island and decided to start a new chapter here. Over the years, that decision turned into nearly 20 years of hands-on experience in the local real estate market.
What clients usually notice first is how easy she is to talk to. Karen is fluent in Spanish, English, German, and Dutch, which helps a lot in a place like Cozumel where buyers come from all over the world. But more than the languages, it’s her ability to explain things clearly and calmly that makes people feel at ease, especially when buying property in another country can feel overwhelming.
Karen’s international background gives her a broader way of looking at real estate. She understands how buyers from the U.S., Canada, and Europe tend to think, what they worry about, and what questions they don’t always know they should ask.
At the same time, she knows Cozumel deeply, not just the listings, but how neighborhoods actually function, how developments evolve, and what day‑to‑day life on the island really looks like.
After more than a decade working in Cozumel real estate, Karen decided to open her own brokerage in 2020. The idea was simple: create a small, professional team, do things by the book, and treat clients the way she’d want to be treated herself.
Five years later, Karen Cozumel Real Estate has grown into one of the island’s most respected agencies. Every agent on her team is fully licensed by the state of Quintana Roo, and the brokerage itself is officially registered, something that still isn’t as common as it should be locally.
From 2020 through 2026, Karen and her team consistently ranked among the top‑selling real estate teams on the island. But if you ask her, she’ll tell you that numbers matter far less than trust. Many new clients come from referrals, which says more than any sales statistic ever could.
Karen is known for being direct and transparent. She makes a point of avoiding surprises and walking clients through each step of the process, even when that means slowing things down or having real conversations.
As she often says, success isn’t just about closing deals, it’s about building long‑term relationships and being part of the community.
Karen truly believes that real estate is personal. Buying or selling a home isn’t just a transaction, especially when it involves relocating or investing abroad.
Her team works in the client’s preferred language and takes time to explain local customs, rules, and expectations. Karen herself often stays closely involved, making sure clients understand not just what is happening, but why.
Her background in hospitality management and European corporate environments taught her the value of clear communication and careful follow‑through, skills that clients quickly come to appreciate.
After nearly 20 years on the island, Karen has a grounded view of where Cozumel real estate is heading. She sees it becoming less about quick vacation purchases and more about lifestyle, people looking for stability, walkability, community, and homes that make sense long‑term.
She encourages clients to look past hype and focus on properties that will still feel right five or ten years down the road. That perspective helps buyers make decisions they won’t regret once the excitement settles.
Buying property in Mexico is very different from buying in the U.S. or Europe. This is where many people feel lost, and where Karen’s experience really matters.
She is meticulous about due diligence: ownership history, permits, zoning, taxes, construction details, nothing is assumed. Karen often explains that her real value isn’t just finding a property, but helping clients avoid mistakes they didn’t even know were possible.
She takes the time to explain each step clearly, so clients feel confident instead of rushed.
For Karen, closing day isn’t the finish line. Many clients don’t live in Cozumel full‑time, so ongoing support is essential.
Her team helps connect homeowners with reliable service providers, offers guidance on maintenance and rentals, and remains a point of contact long after the paperwork is done. That’s one reason clients often return and recommend her to friends and family.
One question Karen hears all the time is whether it’s better to build or buy in Cozumel. Her answer is always the same: it depends.
With her background in facility and property management, she helps clients weigh the real pros and cons. Building can be rewarding, but it requires patience and oversight. Buying an existing home can be simpler and more predictable.
Karen will help you to plan the best option for YOU
Read our article about this topic, here:
Many people arrive in Cozumel thinking they’re buying a vacation home, only to realize they’re choosing a different way of living.
The island offers community, a slower pace, and a quality of life that’s hard to find elsewhere. Karen helps clients see their purchase not just as a financial decision, but as an investment in how they want to live.
Outside of work, Karen truly enjoys island life. She spends time with her family, loves traveling, good food, music, reading, and staying active.
She’s a certified dive instructor and still dives regularly with friends and family, taking full advantage of Cozumel’s reefs. You might see her walking or cycling along the coast, watching sunsets, or organizing a casual get‑together.
Giving back is also important to her. For over ten years, Karen and her husband have quietly run a local charity supporting children in need by providing medications and transportation for families who can’t afford them. They keep this work private, out of respect for the families they help.
That sincerity carries into her professional life. Clients often become friends, and many stay in touch long after their purchase or sale.
With experience, warmth, and a strong team behind her, Karen approaches every client’s goals with care and clarity.
As she likes to say: “Why wait? Now is the moment.”
Thank you for taking the time to read this and our past newsletters, for your curiosity, and for your interest. And if you’re already one of our clients, thank you truly for your trust, it’s something we never take for granted.
And if we haven't met yet, but something you’ve read made you think, “This might be a place for me,” then you’re already part of the conversation. Cozumel has a special way of attracting the right people, those looking for more than just a property. They’re looking for a lifestyle, a sense of community, and an island that feels like home.
If you’d like to talk about your own plans in Cozumel, you can reach our team at:
info@karencozumelrealestate.com
— The Karen Cozumel Real Estate Team