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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

All articles

Location & Lifestyle

Is the Riviera Maya Safe? An Honest Look at Crime and Safety in 2026

This is a question worth answering honestly rather than either dismissing outright or overselling into a reason to avoid the region entirely. Here's what's actually true in 2026. The Current Official Guidance The US State Department currently places Quintana Roo — the state containing Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Cozumel — at Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. That's the same tier assigned to a wide range of popular international destinations; it means "take normal precautions, plus...

Aug 29 · 3 min read

Location & Lifestyle

Puerto Morelos: The Quiet Alternative to Playa del Carmen

Twenty minutes south of Cancun International Airport sits a fishing town that has, so far, resisted becoming the next high-rise boomtown. Puerto Morelos is the answer for buyers who want Riviera Maya living without the density, traffic, and short-term rental saturation that now defines much of Playa del Carmen. It's not for everyone — and that's exactly the point. What makes Puerto Morelos different Puerto Morelos still has the layout and pace of a small coastal town: a central plaza, a...

Aug 29 · 4 min read

Location & Lifestyle

Retiring in the Riviera Maya: Cost of Living, Healthcare, and What to Expect

Retirement budgets stretch further here than in most of the US and Canada, but "further" needs actual numbers attached to it to be useful. Here's a realistic picture for 2026. What a Monthly Budget Actually Looks Like At the bare minimum, a single retiree can get by on roughly $1,000 USD a month — but that covers only basic rent in outer neighborhoods, limited groceries, minimal transportation, and pay-as-you-go healthcare rather than insurance. A more realistic, comfortable budget looks like...

Aug 29 · 3 min read

Investment & Rental

How Reviews and Reputation Compound (or Sink) a Rental Property's Long-Term Value

A rental property's review history is easy to underestimate as an asset, since it doesn't appear on a balance sheet the way the physical unit does. But in a booking-platform-driven market like the Riviera Maya, review count and rating quality function almost like a second, invisible layer of property value — one that compounds steadily when managed well and erodes quickly when neglected. Why Reviews Function Like an Asset Booking platforms weight search ranking heavily toward listings with...

Aug 29 · 4 min read

Location & Lifestyle

Tulum vs. Playa del Carmen vs. Puerto Aventuras: Which Fits Your Goals?

These three towns sit within an hour of each other on the same stretch of coast, and yet the day-to-day experience of owning property in each one is genuinely different. Here's how they actually compare. The Quick Comparison Tulum Playa del Carmen Puerto Aventuras Vibe Eco-luxury, boho, jungle Walkable, urban, international Quiet, gated, boating-focused Typical median price ~$250,000 ~$275,000 ~$300,000 Rental occupancy ~43% ~51% Lower volume, more long-term rentals Best suited for Lifestyle...

Aug 29 · 3 min read

Investment & Rental

Boutique Hotel Conversion: Turning a Larger Property Into a Small Hospitality Business

Some owners of larger Riviera Maya properties — a multi-unit villa, a sizeable beachfront home, or a small apartment building — eventually consider converting it into a formally operated boutique hotel rather than continuing to run it as a collection of separate vacation rental listings. It's a meaningfully bigger commitment than short-term rental hosting, with real licensing requirements most owners underestimate at first. What Actually Changes When You Cross Into "Hotel" Territory Operating...

Aug 29 · 4 min read

Investment & Rental

Golf Course Community Living: HOA Structures and Membership Costs

Golf course communities occupy a distinct niche in the Riviera Maya market, anchored by destinations like the Mayakoba development north of Playa del Carmen, home to the Greg Norman-designed El Camaleón course, and Playacar, home to the Robert Von Hagge-designed course south of downtown Playa del Carmen. For buyers drawn to this lifestyle, understanding how HOA (homeowners association) structures and golf membership costs actually work matters as much as the appeal of the fairway view itself....

Aug 29 · 4 min read

Investment & Rental

Marina and Boat Slip Ownership in Puerto Aventuras: A Niche Investment

Puerto Aventuras stands apart from Playa del Carmen and Tulum for one specific reason: it's built around a private marina, and a meaningful slice of its real estate market involves properties with direct boat slip access or slip ownership itself. For buyers drawn to the boating lifestyle, or simply curious about a genuinely different Riviera Maya investment angle, it's worth understanding how this niche actually works. What "Marina Ownership" Actually Means Here There are a few distinct ways...

Aug 29 · 4 min read

Investment & Rental

Comparing Rental Performance: A New Development vs. an Established One, One Year Later

One of the most common questions from buyers choosing between a brand-new development and an established building comes down to a single practical concern: which one actually rents better once the dust settles? The honest answer is that each has a different performance curve over the first year, and understanding that curve matters more than comparing sticker prices alone. The New Development's First-Year Curve A newly delivered unit in a new development typically starts with real...

Aug 29 · 4 min read

Investment & Rental

The Realistic Timeline From Purchase to First Rental Booking

Buyers often assume that closing on a Riviera Maya property and welcoming the first paying guest happen within a few weeks of each other. In practice, there's a meaningful gap — sometimes a few months, sometimes closer to a year for pre-construction purchases — filled with steps that are easy to underestimate from a distance. Here's a realistic sequence. Phase 1: Closing the Purchase (Timeline Varies Widely) For a resale property, closing typically takes a few weeks to a couple of months once...

Aug 29 · 5 min read

Investment & Rental

What Happens to Existing Bookings If You Sell a Rental Property Mid-Season

Selling a rental property that already has confirmed bookings on the calendar is more complicated than selling a vacant home, and it's a detail that catches sellers off guard mid-transaction. Buyers care about it too — a well-managed transition can actually be a selling point, while a mishandled one can create real friction at closing. Why This Comes Up So Often in the Riviera Maya Because so many Riviera Maya properties are actively operated as short-term rentals, it's common for a seller to...

Aug 29 · 4 min read

Investment & Rental

What Cancellation and Refund Policies Actually Protect You as a Host

New hosts often set their cancellation policy without much thought, treating it as a minor listing setting rather than one of the more important financial decisions they'll make. In a market as seasonal as the Riviera Maya — where hurricane season overlaps directly with part of the calendar — the cancellation policy you choose has real consequences for both revenue and risk. The Main Policy Tiers, and What They Actually Mean Airbnb currently structures its standard cancellation tiers as...

Aug 29 · 5 min read

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