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Real Estate

Mexican real estate attorneys in the Riviera Nayarit

Your bank trust, your closing and your taxes, coordinated by the same firm.

We work with buyers and sellers, Mexican and foreign, from the first offer to the signed deed, and after it. Our team works in English and Spanish.

Hands signing a document on a wooden desk, next to a blue folder and a set of keys.

Who it’s for

  • Foreign buyers

    Buying on the coast and needing a fideicomiso (Mexican bank trust), an orderly closing and someone to explain each step.

  • Sellers

    Mexicans and foreigners who want to know what they’ll owe in taxes, what happens to their bank trust and how to sell without being in Mexico.

  • Developers and condominiums

    Who need payment controls, contracts in order and clear accounts for owners and investors.

How the bank trust works

How the bank trust works: you, the foreign buyer, choose the property and the bank. A permit is requested from Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE). With that permit, a Mexican bank holds the property in trust as formal title holder, for a term of up to 50 years, which can be extended. You are the beneficiary (fideicomisario), with the right to use it, rent it out, improve it, sell it and name who will receive it.

General information. Every transaction needs its own review.

What we do

  • Advice on domestic and foreign-buyer transactions

    We explain what the deal involves, what the risks are and what to negotiate before you sign.

  • Full closing management

    We coordinate the whole process, from the offer and the promissory agreement to the signing before the notario.

  • Notary coordination and deed review

    We work with the notario público (a licensed attorney appointed by the state, not a notary public in the U.S. sense) so the deed reflects what was agreed and the file is complete.

  • Restricted-zone bank trusts (fideicomiso)

    We set up the bank trust with a permit from Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), the way foreigners buy property on the coast.

  • Title review

    We check the Public Registry for who owns the property, its history and any recorded liens before your money changes hands.

  • Capital gains and notary filings

    We estimate the Mexican tax on the gain from your sale (income tax on the sale of real estate, known to most foreign owners as capital gains) before you accept an offer, and review it with the notario, who makes the final calculation and withholds it.

  • Bank trust amendments (“trust bank acts”)

    Changes to your bank trust: naming or changing beneficiaries, and transferring the trust to a new owner.

  • Property tax (predial) and municipal cadastre

    Payments and filings for your predial (annual property tax) and cadastral record, so your property stays current.

  • Lease, management and promissory agreements

    The right contract for each stage, drafted to protect your investment.

For developments and condominiums

  • Development oversight and supplier payment controls

    We review supplier contracts and control payments so the project moves forward without surprises.

  • Legal and operational risk, property by property

    We identify the risks of each unit or property and propose how to address them.

  • Accounting controls for condominiums

    Systems to manage dues and common expenses transparently for every owner.

From offer to deed

The steps of a property sale or purchase in Mexico. We’re with you at every one.

  1. Offer

    Buyer and seller agree on the price, payment terms and dates.

  2. Promissory agreement

    Sets the terms of the sale and, usually, a deposit.

  3. Due diligence

    Title, liens, property tax (predial) and permits are reviewed.

  4. Appraisal and taxes

    The property is appraised, and the taxes and closing costs are calculated.

  5. Signing before the notario

    The parties sign the deed, and the notario withholds the taxes that apply.

  6. Deed and registration

    The deed is recorded in the Public Property Registry.

General information. Timing and requirements vary with each transaction.

Works with

Frequently asked questions

General answers only. Your situation may call for a different analysis.

What should I know before buying property in Mexico as a foreigner?

If the property is in the restricted zone, as it is in Nuevo Vallarta and along the entire coast, you buy through a bank trust (fideicomiso) with a permit from Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It’s wise to have your own bilingual legal counsel and to coordinate the full process with the notario, from the offer to the signing of the deed.

What does notary coordination include in a sale?

Reviewing the deeds, estimating the taxes on the transaction (the notario makes the final calculation), validating documents and following up with the notario until closing.

What contracts are used in a real estate transaction?

It depends on the type of deal and the stage of the process: lease agreements, management agreements, promissory purchase agreements and the purchase agreement itself.

How is a real estate development overseen from a legal standpoint?

By reviewing supplier contracts, controlling payments, checking regulatory compliance and managing the legal risks of each property.

Why put accounting controls in place for a condominium?

They bring financial transparency, improve how dues and common expenses are managed and reduce conflicts among owners.

Can a foreigner buy property in Mexico’s restricted zone?

Yes. The restricted zone is the strip within 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) of Mexico’s borders and 50 kilometers (about 31 miles) of its coastline. There, a foreigner acquires the rights to a home, as trust beneficiary, through a trust with a Mexican bank, with a permit from Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It’s the standard route in coastal areas like the Riviera Nayarit. For non-residential use, a Mexican company is also an option; it’s worth reviewing which one fits your case.

How is capital gains tax calculated when I sell a property?

In Mexico, it’s income tax on the sale of real estate. In general terms, it starts from the difference between the sale price and your purchase cost, adjusted for inflation, minus documented improvements, closing costs and the other deductions the law allows. The notario calculates and withholds the tax when the deed is signed. The rules depend on your situation, for example whether you’re a tax resident of Mexico or of another country.

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Address
Plaza Bahía, Local 6, Blvd. Riviera Nayarit, Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit 63735, Mexico.
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Office hours
Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. to noon.