THE BAD (there is good - see end of review)
Sewage contaminated ocean water and water off-limits to swimmers:
The Tijuana River (which this property is close to) spills sewage into the ocean (this has been happening for decades - we didn't know this before we got to the property). For the duration of our stay, it was posted all along the beach to not get in the water. After looking it up, we found out this happens a good portion of the year (if you want beach front property, it may be in your best interest to look farther North)
Kids are not welcome:
During the check-in process, while speaking with the property owner over the phone, we were told twice that it would be best for our kids to always eat outside so "microfiber" crumbs do not get on the floor or counter tops and attract ants. We were asked to buy ant killer (using our own money and vacation time) and put it out (I don't mind helping, but have the ant killer available for guests to use if you are going to ask). We were also asked to put linens on the couches so the kids didn't get them dirty. We were also told that no sand at all could get in the house (this seemed impossible considering the proximity of the property to the beach). Between the crumbs and sand requests, we did not feel very relaxed inside the property, especially with our kids.
Lease agreement fiasco:
We were promised a few different times that the lease agreement would be provided to us so we could sign it and scan it back. Each time, the lease agreement did not come at the promised time. It was finally provided at 1:30 am (just a few hours before we had to get to the airport early in the morning to catch our flight). This was especially inconvenient because we were told several times that we had to sign the document and scan it back to the property owner before we could get into the property (an electronic signature was eventually accepted after complaining that the agreement was sent late).
The sofa bed is not in good shape
Picture #4 in the property posting (as of Sept 2019) is taken from a balcony. This balcony is not part of the property.
THE GOOD
Really pretty views
Plenty of parking across the street
Silverware, dishes and cups available and the dishwasher worked
Outside provides a chill/relaxed atmosphere
Washing machine and dryer worked well
Plenty of towels and linens
The neighbors were nice
The new sliding glass doors and screens were really nice