Buying land and Building in Mexico

Part Two

Owning land in Mexico should really begin with a lawyer. Scrap that. Buying land in Mexico should begin with staying in the town you like and getting to know your neighbors. Once you do, they will totally help you out. The people are, by and large, very friendly.

Then when it comes down to brass tax, get a lawyer because all of the legal ownership talks are in Spanish and so is the agreement to buy. Our lawyer is amazing and she only charged us $150 for her aid. Who can own land, you may wonder. Well, it depends on where you want to buy.

We have purchased land on the coast, in a pueblo. Because all land within 50 meters of the beach is communal, you must be either Mexican or strike a bargain with the current land owner to buy it in their name. The land will not really be yours in the truest sense, but rather in the communal sense. You become a member of the community and offer a yearly tax (based on the size of your land, not the house etc.) which was $250. If you are in town at the end of the rainy season, you can volunteer to help with maintenance projects and not pay the tax at all. Most of us find it’s a great way to build rapport and respect with the community.

In our case, my husband is Mexican American. He was born in Mexico, and raised in the US. This means we are still viewed as outsiders…