Is owning real estate in Mexico similar to owning real estate in the United States?
Yes. A fideicomiso, pronounced “FEE-DAY-E-CO-ME-SO”, is a means by which non-Mexican nationals own property in the Mexican restricted zone, which is any land or property located within 64 miles of the border or 31 miles of the Mexican coastline. Under Mexican fideicomiso law, ownership of your property is a contractual arrangement that functions exactly like a trust typically held in the United States for estate planning and other purposes. The beneficiaries of the fideicomiso retain all the exclusive rights to rent, sell, or otherwise use the property as they see fit. Contrary to the commonly held misconception, a Mexican fideicomiso is not a lease; it is a form of ownership in which real property is transferred into a fideicomiso for the benefit of the owner or beneficiary.
