PROPERTY BUYING GUIDE
IF YOU'RE GOING TO BUY,
AT LEAST DO IT RIGHT.
THIS ISN'T A GUIDE TO REAL ESTATE. THIS IS A GUIDE TO NOT GETTING SCREWED.
Most buyers in Mexico lose money not because the market is bad — but because the process was treated as a formality. Eight steps. In order. No exceptions.
THE EIGHT STEPS
The process that protects you.
Eight steps, in sequence. Skip one and the whole structure weakens. This is the minimum viable process for a defensible purchase in Mexico.
DEFINE YOUR GOAL
Rental income, appreciation, personal use, or mixed? Vague goals produce bad decisions. Write it down before you look at a single listing — your goal is your filter.
VERIFY YOUR CAPITAL
Know exactly what you can move — cash, credit, or both. Pre-qualify before you browse. Discovering your real ceiling after falling in love with a property is an avoidable mistake.
CHOOSE YOUR LEGAL STRUCTURE
Individual, fideicomiso (bank trust), or Mexican entity. Each has fiscal and operational implications. The wrong structure costs more to unwind than it costs to get right from the start.
FILTER THE ZONE
Do not pick a city — pick a microzone that matches your specific goal. Tulum is not one market. Neither is Playa del Carmen, or Mérida, or CDMX. Microzones behave differently in every metric that matters.
RUN DUE DILIGENCE
Title deed, construction permits, zoning certificate, environmental impact manifest. All of them. Not most of them. The one document you skipped is the one that surfaces three years later.
UNDERSTAND THE PAYMENT PLAN
Read the fine print on preventa contracts. Delivery delays, penalty clauses, and force majeure language are common — and almost always drafted in favor of the developer. Know what you are signing.
HIRE YOUR OWN LAWYER
Not the developer's notary. Your lawyer, your loyalty. In Mexico, the notary represents the transaction — not you. Independent legal counsel is not optional; it is the minimum.
CLOSE WITH CLARITY
Escrituración, notary fees, RFC, closing costs typically run 3–5% of purchase price. Budget for it before the closing table, not at it. Surprises at closing are a sign the process was rushed.
NEXT STEP
Need help with any
of these steps?
FEUDO works with buyers who want the process done correctly — criteria first, no developer conflicts, full due diligence. If you are serious about buying, let's talk.