The process, in order
Nine stages from first budget to keys in hand. Nothing here is unusual — but each stage is where purchases in Mexico go wrong when it is skipped.
Work out what you can really spend
The asking price is not the cost. Budget for closing costs on top, plus the trust if you are buying as a foreigner, plus furnishing and the first year of running costs.
- Closing costs: budget 4–7% of the purchase price
- Ongoing: annual predial (property tax) and the monthly maintenance fee
- Keep a reserve for furnishing and the first utility bills
Choose the area for the life you want
Cancún has the deepest infrastructure and the strongest long-term rental market. Playa del Carmen is walkable with a large international community. Tulum leans new-build and short-term rental. Puerto Morelos is quieter and better value.
- Visit in both high and low season before you commit
- Check how far you are from the beach, schools and the hospital you would actually use
Confirm what you are legally able to buy
Within 50 km of the coast and 100 km of a border — the "restricted zone", which covers essentially all of Quintana Roo — a foreigner cannot hold direct title to residential property. You buy through a fideicomiso: a bank trust that holds the title on your behalf.
- Mexican nationals can hold title directly, or use a fideicomiso by choice
- The trust is renewable in 50-year terms, indefinitely
- You keep full rights to use, rent, improve and sell the property
Verify the property before you fall in love with it
Two separate questions matter: is the property exactly what it claims to be, and is the person selling it actually entitled to? Nestro checks both before a listing earns its verified badge.
- The built area should match the escritura, not just the listing
- The media should show the actual unit — that is what a 3D tour is for
- Unverified listings are labelled as such; treat them as a starting point only
Make your offer in writing
Offers in Mexico are made in writing — usually a carta oferta, then a contrato de promesa de compraventa once the terms are agreed. A deposit is normal at this stage.
- A deposit of 5–10% is typical
- The deposit should be held by the notary or in escrow — never handed to the seller
- Agree in writing what happens to the deposit if the title check fails
Do your due diligence
Before the deposit becomes non-refundable, confirm the property is clean. This is the stage buyers most often rush, and the one that saves the most money when done properly.
- Request the certificado de libertad de gravamen — proof there are no liens or mortgages
- Check predial and maintenance receipts are paid up to date
- For condos, read the régimen de propiedad en condominio and its bylaws
Bring in the notario público
A Mexican notary is a state-appointed official, not a rubber stamp. They draft the escritura, run their own title study, calculate the taxes and record the deed in the Registro Público de la Propiedad.
- You choose the notary — not the seller and not the agent
- The notary can also hold the deposit in escrow
- Their title study is your strongest protection against a bad purchase
Close and record
You sign at the notary, pay the closing costs, and receive the escritura together with the folio real — the record that the property is now yours.
- Funds must come from an account in the buyer's own name
- You will need a Mexican RFC (tax ID) for the transaction and for utilities
- Never accept a hand-written receipt in place of the notarised deed
After closing
A short list of things to set up so the property runs smoothly from day one.
- If you used a fideicomiso, register it with the bank and note the annual fee
- Set up predial payments with the municipality and transfer the utilities
- Get an RFC and file annually if the property produces rental income
What closing costs look like
Rough figures for Quintana Roo. Exact amounts vary by municipality and by the value of the property, so treat these as a budgeting range.
Acquisition tax
Impuesto sobre adquisición de inmuebles, paid to the municipality
2–4%
Notary fees
Covers the escritura and the notary's title study
~1–1.5%
Public registry fees
Recording the deed in the Registro Público de la Propiedad
~0.5%
Appraisal
Required by most notaries and by lenders
A few hundred USD
Fideicomiso setup
One-off, foreign buyers in the restricted zone
USD 1,500–3,000
Fideicomiso annual fee
Paid to the bank that holds the trust
USD 400–700
Total to budget: roughly 4–7% of the purchase price, plus the trust.
Documents to check before you pay a deposit
Ask for these and read them. An agent who has nothing to hide will hand them over without hesitation.
Mistakes that cost buyers money
Nestro is a marketplace, not a law firm. This guide is general information about how purchases work in Quintana Roo and is not legal or tax advice. Confirm the specifics of your own purchase with a licensed Mexican notary or attorney.
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