Buying in Mexico
How buying in Mexico actually works
It is routine — it just isn’t familiar. Here is the whole thing, without the marketing gloss.
Most of what you will read online about buying in Mérida is wrong, or written about somewhere else in Mexico and assumed to apply here. This section is what we tell buyers in person.
The restricted zone
Mexico’s restricted zone runs 50 kilometres inland from any coastline and 100 kilometres from any land border. The Gulf coast at Progreso is roughly 35 km north of Mérida, so the entire city sits inside it.
That is not a problem. It just means there is a step that buyers from the US or Canada have not seen before.
The two routes
1. The fideicomiso — the normal route here
A trust agreement you establish with a Mexican bank to hold title of the property with you. You and the bank are both named in the title documents, and the bank has a fiduciary responsibility to represent your interest in the property.
- It gives you the rights and the vehicle to hold title to the property in perpetuity.
- It is a 50-year trust agreement, renewable every 50 years by you or your heirs.
- You can transfer your rights in the fideicomiso to a foreign buyer.
- You may rent, sell, remodel or dismantle the improvements on the property.
- Your heirs may inherit the rights, effectively by-passing probate, should you depart without a proper will.
- There are tax advantages pertaining to capital gains taxes when you sell.
- It is easy to maintain by paying the annual fee to the bank.
It is limited to 2,000 m² or less; above that you request a permiso. Note also that if the title papers and dimensions are not perfect, the bank will not issue the fideicomiso — which is a useful check on a property in its own right.
2. A Mexican corporation (FOMC)
A Mexican entity can hold title directly. It needs two or more stockholders of any nationality, aged 18 or over, one of whom is the managing partner and needs the right visa. It is generally used for business or non-residential purchases.
- The corporation requires more hands-on attention than the fideicomiso.
- It does not have the ability to avoid capital gains taxes when it sells property.
- It requires a managing partner with an FM-3 visa.
- Monthly reporting of financial activity through a certified accountant.
The notario público
The notario público is a state-appointed lawyer with real legal authority — not a US-style signature witness. The sale is not complete until the escritura is registered.
How long it takes
A typical closing runs 30 to 60 days. A foreign buyer will also need an RFC, a Mexican tax ID.
What we hold, and where
We maintain a legitimate earnest money account in the United States. For a buyer wiring six figures into a country they do not know yet, that tends to be the part that matters.
Last reviewed 9 August 2026. This page describes general practice in Yucatán and is not legal advice — your notario and your attorney advise on your specific transaction.