Fideicomiso: the 50-year bank trust
Inside the restricted zone (Riviera Maya included), the bank holds title on your behalf as trustee. You are the sole beneficiary with full rights to use, sell, lease, modify, and bequeath the property. Trust setup fee: ~$2,500 USD. Annual maintenance: ~$500-700 USD. Initial term: 50 years, renewable indefinitely. Existing fideicomisos can usually be assumed at closing, saving you 30-45 days vs setting up a new one.
Closing costs: 6-8% of price
Plan on 6-8% of the purchase price for closing costs (notario fees, ISAI acquisition tax, title insurance, fideicomiso setup, MWH commission split). Our Closing Costs calculator (Sprint 3) breaks this down per listing. If a broker quotes you less, ask what's missing. Usually fideicomiso or title insurance gets dropped.
Escritura: the formal title deed
Closing is signed in front of a notario público (a federally-licensed legal officer, not just a notary). The notario verifies the title chain, confirms tax payments, holds escrow, and registers the new deed. Title insurance is arranged through established providers on every transaction as a backstop against title defects.
RAN dominio-pleno: the land verification
Before MWH publishes any land or lot listing, we pull the RAN (Registro Agrario Nacional) certification confirming dominio-pleno (full ownership) status. Ejido land (communally-held land that needs a years-long conversion before foreign sale) is excluded from our public inventory unless the dominio-pleno conversion is verified complete.
Sargassum: the seaweed honesty section
Some seasons, parts of the Riviera Maya beachfront get hit hard by sargassum (Atlantic seaweed blooms). Other parts and other seasons stay clear. Where we have a verified rating, the coastal listing carries a sargassum exposure rating (Low / Moderate / High) updated monthly during peak season (April-October) per USF satellite data. We don't hide it; we publish it.
LFPIORPI: the AML compliance you'll see
Mexican Federal Anti-Money Laundering law requires brokers to verify buyer ID and source of funds for any transaction crossing the 8025-UMA threshold (~MXN 907,386 ≈ USD 50K). MWH operates fully within this framework, with the compliance program required under Article 41 Bis in place. Expect to provide a passport copy and proof of funds; this is normal and not specific to MWH.
Detailed sub-guides
Deeper dives on the topics most foreign buyers ask about. Each guide is sourced, dated, and links back to the relevant calculators on the site.
- Fideicomiso ExplainedPlain-English explanation of the Mexican fideicomiso: what it is, what it costs, why foreigners need it in the restricted zone, and how to set one up in 30-45 days.
- Closing Costs in the Riviera Maya, by CityHonest, line-itemed closing costs for foreign buyers in Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Puerto Morelos, and Bacalar. ISAI rates, notario fees, fideicomiso, taxes, what you actually pay.
- The Notario's Role in a Mexican Real Estate ClosingWhat a Mexican notario público actually does at closing, how their role differs from US/Canadian notaries, and how to choose one. Buyer protections and red flags explained.
- Escrow + Title InsuranceHow bonded escrow and title insurance protect foreign buyers in Mexican real estate. How established title and escrow providers work, what they cost, the mechanics, and the red flags.
- Common Real Estate Scams in Mexico (And How to Avoid Them)Honest playbook on the most common foreign-buyer scams in Mexican real estate: ejido land sold as private title, fake fideicomiso shortcuts, escrow-bypass schemes, and the verification checks that defeat each one.
- ISAI Property Transfer Tax by CityISAI (Impuesto Sobre Adquisición de Inmuebles) rates by Quintana Roo municipality. Cancún 3.0%, Playa 2.5%, Tulum 2.5%, Puerto Morelos 2.0%, Bacalar 2.0-2.5%. How it's calculated, when it's owed, and who pays.
- Capital Gains in Mexico for Canadian BuyersWhat Canadian residents pay in capital gains tax when selling Mexican real estate post-March 2025: Mexican withholding, Canadian inclusion rate, treaty credit, and worked numbers.
- Sargassum and Riviera Maya Property ValuesWhere the Riviera Maya coast actually sits on sargassum exposure, what it means for property values, and why honest disclosure of Low/Moderate/High rating per listing is more useful than coastal averages.
- Hurricane Insurance for Riviera Maya PropertyWhat hurricane insurance actually covers in the Mexican Caribbean: structure, contents, business-interruption. Premium ranges, deductibles, named-storm windows, and the policies foreign owners actually buy.
- LFPIORPI for Foreign BuyersWhat the 2025 LFPIORPI reform means for foreign real estate buyers in Mexico. KYC at offer stage, source-of-funds, threshold rules, 10-year retention. Documentation, not investigation.
- Mexican Residency for Property Buyers: The Honest 2026 GuideBuying a home in the Riviera Maya does not give you residency. Here are Mexico's real 2026 income, savings, fees, and timelines for foreign buyers.
- Vacation-Rental Rules in the Riviera Maya: What Foreign Owners Need to Know in 2026Airbnb rules for foreign owners in the Riviera Maya for 2026: free RETUR-Q registration, the 6% lodging tax, why an RFC cuts tax, and realistic 5-9% yields.
- Predial: Mexican Annual Property Tax Explained for Foreign BuyersPredial is Mexico's low annual property tax. Riviera Maya owners pay roughly USD 150 to 1,000 a year. See 2026 rates, January discounts, and how to pay.
- Financing for Foreign Buyers in MexicoHow foreigners finance Riviera Maya property in 2026: cross-border USD loans, developer plans, HELOCs, and why 78-90% pay cash. Real rates and down payments.
- Capital-Gains Tax (ISR) When You Sell Your Riviera Maya PropertyForeign sellers pay ISR in Mexico: ~25% of gross or up to 35% on net gain. How the notario withholds it, the casa-habitación exemption, and CFDI rules for 2026.
- Utilities and Internet: Setup and Monthly CostsWhat foreign buyers pay for electricity, water, gas and internet in Quintana Roo, plus the CFE DAC tariff trap and how to avoid it. 2026 numbers.
- Tulum Real Estate 2026: Buyer's Market RealitiesTulum's real estate market shifted in 2025-2026. Inventory is up, days-on-market are rising, and negotiating power has swung to buyers. Here's what the data says.
- Is Tulum Safe? An Honest Assessment for Property BuyersAn honest, data-grounded answer to the safety question that every foreign buyer asks. US State Dept advisory, tourism-corridor context, and what our team sees on the ground.
- US Citizens Buying in Mexico: FIRPTA, Tax Treaties, and What to DeclareWhat US citizens must declare when buying or selling Mexican real estate. FIRPTA, FBAR, FATCA Form 8938, the US-Mexico tax treaty, and how rental income is taxed. Updated for 2026.
Next steps
Browse our active listings, call or text us with what you're looking for, or book a viewing. We respond as soon as possible, usually within a few minutes, in your language during business hours.