Financing and Mortgage options for buying real estate in Mexico
Many of our readers have asked up about financing a real estate property in Mexico. Can you get a mortgage in Mexico? What type of loans are available? What financing options do you have? In our effort to get good answers to these questions, we asked our resident expert Sebastian write an article for you. Here it is:
6 Financing options to purchase real estate in Mexico
There are a lot of expats that are looking to purchase properties in the Riviera Maya for investing and some for retirement or both. Often people have multiple questions for me about the options they have for financing a real estate property in Mexico. I am happy to help any reader interested in investing in real estate and show them all the options available, so that you can decide which best fits your needs. I have more information in addition to this article and will be happy to talk to you about your needs and keeping this tailored to your specific circumstances.
Let us first consider a number of variables that need to be taken into account:
already built and ready to move into?
The first thing that is important to point out is that 90% of the foreign buyers in Mexico are cash buyers. The real estate market in Mexico is a cash market, which is definitely a big plus, since it gives stability and lowers the risk of home loans defaulting.
However, if you do not have the full amount for what you want, there are still several options that a lot of investors don’t know about.
Financing Options for Presale Real Estate in Mexico
There are a lot of pros and cons of buying presale, we will get more in depth in another article. Many investors are looking to buy presale because the purchase price is lower, they are getting a better deal, it’s a brand new property, and you have payment options during the construction of the property. There are different time frames for delivery of presale units. Most range between a 6 month to an 18 month delivery can depend on how much liquidity you have available now. This is one example of a financing option for your real estate purchase.
1. Example of developer payment options in presale
- 30% Down payment – 40% in payments during construction and 30% upon delivery.
- 50% Down payment – 30% in payments during construction and 20% upon delivery.
- 80% Down payment – 20% upon delivery.
*Usually starting at 50% and above, developers offer a discount for a higher down payment.
Some options offer a 30% down payment and remaining 70% upon delivery. This is very attractive for investors that don’t have the liquidity and would like to finance the remaining 70% with a financial institution like the options you will find below.
2. Developer Financing

An example of a new condo building going up in Playa Del Carmen. Buying presale can give you more financing options for your purchase.
Financing for immediate delivery properties in Mexico
3. Financing in the US or Canada in USD
- Refinance a new loan (Cash out/Refinance): A client recently secured a 4.2% fixed interest rate, which is the lowest interest option we have found at present. If you would like more information on how to achieve this, please contact us to give you all the details.
- Home Equity Loan: If you own a property you most likely have equity in your home and you can tap in to that equity. It is a simple and easy process and you can get something around a 6% fixed interest rate.
- Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC): This is a more flexible option and you can take money out as you need it. The interest rate might be variable and all will obviously depend on your equity and your credit score.
- Personal loan: Interest rates will most likely be higher in this option.
*Additional fees may apply depending on several factors for any of the above mentioned financing options.
4. Financing in Mexico in MXN with a Mexican bank
- Full legal certainty from the bank that you are getting the mortgage with.
- Securing a loan in Mexico will not impact your credit score back home.
- The exchange rate will most likely be in your favor and you can derive income in UD dollars from buying a property that rental clients rent in USD., whereas your mortgage is in Mexican pesos.
- Having access to extra cash that you didn’t know was available to you.
- You can deduct taxes on the interest that you have paid on your mortgage in Mexico.
5. Financing with your 401K/RRSP using a self-directed IRA in USD
6. Cross Border Finance Companies
More information about real estate in Playa Del Carmen
Since you are interested in real estate in the area, we also have this very informative video that covers many topics that might interest you. We hope you enjoy it.
Conclusion
We hope this article has answered some of your questions about financing property in Mexico and if you can get a mortgage. Of course working with a professional that is knowledgeable about the area and what options are available to you is key. If you have questions for Sebastian regarding financing in the Riviera Maya area or would like to work with him, you can contact him below. He is one of our recommended realtors to work with in the area.
Please note that Mexico is a large country and this information is selective to the Riviera Maya area only. If you are looking in another area of Mexico, you will need to contact someone who works in that area. Local banks have different requirements and different parts of Mexico have developers that work in different ways. If you email Sebastian about another area, he is not able to give you advice.
If you would like to see an interview we did with Sebastian talking about the real estate market in Tulum, click here. You can also read an article he wrote about ROI in the area.
I have been wanting information about ways to purchase a property. This is a nice detailed description. I will be contacting Sebastian for more info.
Hi, please send info on how to finance a property in Mexico in MXN with a Mexican bank.
Thank you
Hello Alex
You will need to email Sebastian directly in the email link. Your comments here just go to the website. Sebastian is one of the local experts that helped supply the material for this article. He also have information about projects and developers that work with clients.
What are. Bank requirements in Mexico to obtain a home loan if you are citizen of the USA. Credit score is 760. How much is require down-payment and what other documents are required.
I am a US citizen and looking to buy a property in Mazatlan MX, with this outbreak hats going on now is it worth buying property now? will the banks finance been that the situation is probably getting bad with loans? some people say this is the best time to invest others think maybe later, please help me
Giovanni
Hello
It is best to see if any banks will work with your needs. It is our experience that most US or foreign banks do not work for financing in Mexico and most Mexican banks have very high interest rates. It sounds like you are in the early stages of looking around to buy something. Much has changed in the past two months and it probably is good to wait to see where exchange rates are when things open again. Most properties are prices in USD but there might be some new pricing in the near future.
Hi, as long i know, there are not mexican banks financing to foreigners.
I am am smerican looking for financing to purchase a property in Mexico. Can you help?
What are the current interest rates for purchasing a property in Playa Del Carmen? I am moving from San Antonio Texas.
Most people get quotes around 14-20% interest. There are other options for making payments though. A good person to ask is Sebastian in this article. His email link is here.
Hello, My wife and I have the money to buy a place in Mexico out right. Although all out money is in a US Bank. Can we buy and transfer the money from our bank during the sale or do we have to transfer our money to a Mexican Bank ahead of time. and if so, what is a good way to do that?
Most people put money in an account that is set up and transferred to the seller when the everything is ready. Sometimes people buy a property from another foreigner and the thought of moving money from your account to theirs (if they are from the same country) comes up. Technically all sales need to show the money passing through Mexico. Since most transactions have to be written down in peso amounts and people want pesos, it normally is better for you to move the money ahead of time, when it is good for you and you get a good exchange rate. Since there are many components and situations, it is best to see what is recommended by your realtor. Are you looking in the Riviera Maya? Do you need a realtor? We can recommend some to you if you would like.
Hi,
Thanks for the informative post. We are looking at purchasing a home in the Cabo area but it’s quite difficult to figure out how to finance this as Europeans. I’m surprised to see how high the interest rate is on mortgages in Mexico compared to our own country. 8% interest rate seems to be just about the absolute minimum one can expect for a mortgage in Mexico, which is pretty rough. I’m not surprised to hear it’s just about entirely a cash market in Mexico, that definitely makes sense with such high interest rates. Unfortunately for young adults like ourselves thats not really an option. Still, thanks for the information, it has given me a bit more clarity on the situation.
Cheers!
Nice informative article. Thanks! Please email me directly. I have some questions and would like to use your services.
Hello
Your comment goes to our website and not Sebastian directly. We will pass your email on to him so he can contact you.