How can a foreigner buy land in Baja?
There are currently only a couple of ways that foreigners can safely own land in Baja. The primary issue is that virtually all of Baja lies within the ‘restricted zone’ which is all land within 30 miles of the coast and within 60 miles of the border. By law these lands cannot be purchased by foreigners. HOWEVER, since that law proved to be so detrimental to the economy of Baja, subsequent initiatives have made it possible to circumvent the law legally(?). The first, and most common method is the bank trust or fideicomiso. This is a tool used to obtain full rights to a property while a Mexican bank holds the title. It is not a lease. The owner, or beneficiary of the trust has all the rights of ownership including right to use, sell, develop, pass on to heirs and insure through a title insurance company. He also has the right to pay property taxes. The term of a fideicomiso is 50 years and is renewable for subsequent 50 year terms. A fideicomiso costs $2,500 – $3,500 to set up and about
