Owning properties in Mexico

Are you buying a house in Mexico, a condo on the beach or acquiring a large piece of land facing the ocean? You are interested in real estate in Mexico. Before considering buying, you should read the following section of our website to learn a little more about the laws and requirements for property owning in Mexico.

Buying land, house, condo anywhere in Mexico is legal for any foreigner, except on a stretch of land 31 miles from any coastline or 62 miles from the Mexican borders. In case you are interested in acquiring a property in Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, Los Cabos, Cozumel, the Riviera Maya, you will need to perform the operation through a bank trust with a Mexican institution. This trust gives you complete ownership of the property for 50 years and can be renewed one time for another 50 years. The fees to set up the trust are not high, around $1200.00 USD and a yearly fee of $500.00 USD.

All real estate transactions in Mexico have to go through a notary or "Notario". They have a much broader formation than in the ones in USA and they are considered as Notary-Lawyers. They are the only person which can legalize the transaction between the seller and buyer. You do not need to have a lawyer as the notary acts as one himself.

The other option to acquire a piece of paradise is setting up a Mexican corporation which can be 100% foreign – owned and put the title in the name of the company. This option involves more risk than the trust as you will have to deal with the local tax system (SAT) and many other government agencies.