It took 8 years for my wife and I to find the right piece of land in the ideal location in Oaxaca, obtain good title, decide upon an architect/project manager, and commence and complete construction. Throughout the process the learning curve was significant, as were the frustrations and the simultaneous fits of disillusionment and excitement.  [...]

In 1995, Jim Erhark of Rockford, Illinois, tired of long commutes and long, windy winters, visited Cancun and the Mexican Caribbean. During his stay, he befriended a “real estate guy” who showed him a beautiful home on Nichupte Lagoon, for what Jim considered a steal in the post-devaluation Mexican economy. He took the proceeds from a [...]

During the first week of June, 2008, in the quaint Oaxaca suburb of Loma Linda, there were 12 new homes under construction and four building lots for sale … all within about six blocks. Colonia Loma Linda is one of the booming residential neighborhoods in the city of Oaxaca.
One of the strongest markets in Mexico
It [...]

Since its introduction in the early part of 2005, the cross-border Mexico mortgage market — mortgage financing for foreigners purchasing vacation and retirement homes in Mexico — has been compared by many realtors and developers to riding a roller coaster. But now, a greater number of those individuals are looking at the cross-border mortgage [...]

Cashing in on a Second Home in Mexico, is perhaps the most comprehensive and informative books that you can find on investing in Mexico real estate. It is written by Tom Kelly and Mitch Creekmore. Kelly is the former real estate editor for The Seattle Times and Creekmore was recognized as “one of the foremost [...]

2007 was a banner year for real estate investment in the peninsula, especially in popular areas like Cancun and the Riviera Maya, a 120-kilometer (80 mile) stretch of coastline which only a few years ago was a land of fishermen and undiscovered beaches. Today it is an area of intense development for the resort and [...]

Driving through Cancun’s Hotel Zone these days, you’d never know that this part of Mexico had been struck by Hurricane Wilma only a couple of years ago. All branches of government, along with the private sector, have not only erased the signs of damage, but have taken advantage and have renovated both the Hotel Zone [...]

Mexico real estate investment differs from US in several critical ways. Not understanding these variances can cause a lot of money to go down the drain. But is it necessary to find professional help such as a Mexican attorney to guide you through the process?
There are several advantages to hiring an attorney to represent your [...]

When purchasing property in Mexico, there are some mistakes that can result in catastrophic losses to your savings.
Not Using a Trusted Neutral Escrow Agent
It is very risky to give money to the seller or agent as a good faith deposit. In Cashing in on a Second Home in Mexico, Tom Kelly writes “If a [...]

There is no question that Mexico real estate presents many opportunities for significant investment gains, but significant loses can occur if you do not fully understand Mexico’s real estate law. While there are several similarities with US practices, assume nothing or you will risk everything. Here are some of the most important differences-
Cost of Real [...]