Clear & concise

Guides

How buying property in Mexico works, step by step, plus 196 articles on costs, tax, rentals and life in the Riviera Maya.

The buying process in 4 steps

Buying in Mexico is different from the US and Canada. Read these in order before you make an offer.

1Step 1IntroductionEach country has their own rules for buying Real Estate and when you first buy in Mexico it can seem confusing! If you…Read step 1 →
2Step 2Fideicomiso or CorporationA Fideicomiso gives a foreign buyer all the property rights and privileges of a citizen, with the additional advantage…Read step 2 →
3Step 3Buying ProcessWhen making your initial offer, this should be done using a written Offer to Purchase contract, ensuring no confusion…Read step 3 →
4Step 4Closing and Title TransferAt this point, both parties should be able to execute the purchase/sales agreement (compra-venta), start the closing…Read step 4 →

Articles

Legal & Ownership

Fideicomisos, title, notaries and owning property as a foreigner.

Legal & Ownership

Buying at Auction or Bank-Owned Property in Mexico: Does It Exist?

Bargain-hunters who've bought foreclosed or bank-owned property in the US often ask whether the same opportunity exists in Mexico, and specifically in the Riviera Maya. The short answer is yes, remates bancarios (bank auctions) and bienes adjudicados (bank-owned properties) do exist here, but the process, risks, and realistic savings look quite different from a US foreclosure auction. What a Remate Bancario Actually Is A remate bancario happens when a borrower defaults on a mortgage and the...

Aug 28 · 4 min read

Legal & Ownership

What Recourse Do You Have for Construction Defects After Closing?

Finding a serious problem in your new Riviera Maya home after you've already closed is one of the more stressful situations a buyer can face, especially from another country. The good news is that Mexican law does give you avenues for recourse. The less comforting news is that pursuing them takes patience, documentation, and realistic expectations about timelines. Here's how the process actually works. Start With What Your Contract Says Before looking at general civil code protections, go...

Aug 28 · 4 min read

Legal & Ownership

Builder's Warranty on New Construction: What's Actually Covered

Buying pre-construction or newly built property in the Riviera Maya comes with an obvious appeal: everything is new, nothing is worn out, and you get to choose finishes. But "new" doesn't mean "risk-free," and understanding what warranty protection you actually have under Mexican law, versus what you might assume based on US or Canadian home-building norms, matters before you sign a purchase contract. Mexico Doesn't Have a Uniform National "New Home Warranty" Program Unlike some US states...

Aug 28 · 4 min read

Legal & Ownership

Do You Need a Certified Translator for Your Closing Documents?

If Spanish isn't your first language, one of the more practical questions in a Mexican real estate purchase is whether you actually need a certified translator at closing, or whether you can get by with a bilingual friend or your real estate agent's Spanish. The honest answer is that it depends on the notario, the complexity of the transaction, and which documents are involved, but there are situations where a certified translator isn't optional. What a Certified Translator Actually Is in...

Aug 28 · 4 min read

Legal & Ownership

What Actually Happens at the Notario Signing Appointment

By the time you reach the closing table in Mexico, you've already negotiated a price, opened or assigned a fideicomiso (the bank trust that lets foreigners hold beachfront and border-zone property), and cleared title searches. But the actual signing appointment in front of a Notario Público still surprises a lot of first-time buyers, because it doesn't look much like a US or Canadian closing. Here's what to expect when you finally sit down to sign. The Notario Isn't What "Notary" Means Back...

Aug 27 · 6 min read

Legal & Ownership

Menaje de Casa: The Customs Process for Importing Household Goods

Moving your furniture, appliances, and personal belongings to a new home in the Riviera Maya sounds simple until you look at Mexican customs rules. The good news is that Mexico offers a one-time duty-free import benefit for residents called menaje de casa, but it comes with strict eligibility requirements, documentation, and a firm deadline that catches a lot of newcomers off guard. Here's what the process actually involves in 2026. What Menaje de Casa Actually Is Menaje de casa translates...

Aug 27 · 6 min read

Legal & Ownership

Buying With a Spouse or Partner: How Co-Ownership Works in a Fideicomiso

Buying a Riviera Maya property with a spouse or partner adds a layer of planning most single buyers don't have to think about — not because it's complicated in a bad way, but because getting the beneficiary structure right from the start avoids real headaches down the road, whether that's years from now at resale or decades from now at inheritance. Naming Joint Beneficiaries A fideicomiso can name more than one primary beneficiary, and this is the standard approach for couples buying...

Aug 27 · 3 min read

Legal & Ownership

Can a Fideicomiso Hold Multiple Properties? Consolidating Your Trust

If you already own one property through a fideicomiso and you're eyeing a second in the Riviera Maya, you might be wondering whether you need an entirely separate trust for each one. The answer is more flexible than many buyers expect, and understanding your options can genuinely simplify your paperwork and reduce your ongoing costs. Yes — Here's How Multi-Property Trusts Work A single fideicomiso can, in fact, hold more than one property, provided the trustee bank agrees and the properties...

Aug 27 · 3 min read

Legal & Ownership

Understanding Easements and Right-of-Way (Servidumbre) in Mexican Property

Easements don't get nearly as much attention as fideicomisos or closing costs in most buyer conversations, but a poorly understood servidumbre (the Mexican legal term for an easement or right-of-way) can quietly limit what you can build, how you access your own property, or what obligations you owe a neighbor. It's worth understanding before, not after, you close. What a Servidumbre Is Under Mexican Law A servidumbre is a legal right allowing one property (or a specific person) to use part of...

Aug 27 · 3 min read

Legal & Ownership

What to Do If You Discover a Problem With Title After Closing

Most Riviera Maya purchases close cleanly, but title problems that surface after the fact do happen — sometimes because due diligence was incomplete, sometimes because a claim or defect simply wasn't discoverable at the time. If you find yourself in this situation, how quickly and correctly you respond matters enormously. Common Title Problems That Surface After Closing A previously undisclosed lien or debt tied to the property that wasn't cleared before closing A boundary dispute with a...

Aug 27 · 3 min read

Legal & Ownership

Buying a Condo vs. a House vs. Land: How the Legal Process Differs

The core legal framework for foreign property ownership in the Riviera Maya, whether that's the fideicomiso trust structure or the role of the notario, stays consistent across property types. But the specific due diligence steps and documentation you need shift considerably depending on whether you're buying a condo, a standalone house, or raw land. Knowing what's different helps you avoid treating a land purchase with the same checklist you'd use for a finished condo. Buying a Condo...

Aug 27 · 3 min read

Legal & Ownership

Promise-to-Purchase Contract vs. the Final Deed: What's the Difference?

Buyers new to the Mexican real estate process are sometimes surprised to learn that signing a contract and actually owning the property happen at two distinct stages, often weeks or months apart. Understanding the difference between the contrato de promesa de compraventa (promise-to-purchase contract) and the escritura pública (final public deed) is essential to knowing exactly where you stand at each point in your transaction. The Contrato de Promesa de Compraventa Explained This is the...

Aug 27 · 3 min read