Property Sale Overseas: Mexico Property Buyers Guide
When you buy property in your home
country, you are usually faced with the associated costs like agent
fees and taxes. Mexico is no different, although the net value of
these costs as a percentage of the property values may be lower
overall, but this is not guaranteed as professional fees have risen
recently too.
Costs and Taxes: Buying
Acquisition Tax: This Tax is paid on the sale value of the property
and is equivalent to about 2% depending on the State in which you
buy. This tax is paid whether the property is sold, transferred,
donated, placed into trust, split off or merged.
VAT (Sales Tax): No Value Added Tax (Sales Tax) is payable on
residential property. Commercial Property transactions are liable to
VAT at the current rate in addition to the Acquisitions Tax.
Appraisal Tax: The Tax Authority may choose to perform a commercial
appraisal of the property after you purchase it. If the appraisal
value is more greater than 10% of the price you paid for it, you
will be asked to pay 20% tax on the difference between the two
amounts. This sum is due within 15 days of the date of the appraisal
report.
Registry Fee: In order to have the Public Records updated, a 1.3%
fee (based on the value of the transaction) is paid by the buyer.
Public Notary Fees: You will be required to pay fees for services
provided by the Notary Public. These are about 1.5% of the
transaction value, plus the cost of the official appraisal (as
described in Valuation section, for tax purposes).
Bank Trust: If you purchase property within the 50/100km restricted
zones, you will need a bank to set up and manage a trust for you.
Shop around, as prices vary from Bank to Bank. Set-up fees can cost
up to US$750, with annual service charges between US$300-US$500. The
annual service fee will cover legal obligations (e.g. the filing of
necessary documents annually) by the bank on your behalf.
Lawyer / Attorney Fees: If you hire a lawyer / attorney, you will
also need to pay him/her with fees for services they undertake on
your behalf. These should be negotiated in advance.
Land / Building Surveys: If you need to undertake any land or
building surveys, these will have to be paid for separately. Cost
will depend on type, extent and complexity of surveys undertaken.
Foreign Office Permit: Your permit from the Mexican foreign office
will cost around US$150.
Service Fees: If you are buying a house in a gated community, or an
apartment, be sure to check on the annual service fees, and have
these put in writing. Service fees can range from US$100 a year to
US$1000+ a year, depending on location, number of houses or
apartments in the enclosure and amenities offered.
Title Insurance: When you buy property in Mexico, you would do well
to consider purchasing Title Insurance. Rates are based on the sale
value of the property and are charged at around US$5-US$5.50 per
US$1,000 of the value. More Information about Title Insurance.
Costs and Taxes: Selling
When you sell a property in Mexico, you will be subject to the fees
of any professional services you contract, plus the following taxes
and fees:
Income Tax on Property Gains: If the home has not been your main
residence for at least the last two years, will be required to pay
income tax on the property. You may either pay 20% on the gross
amount of the transaction, or elect to pay 40% tax on the net profit
obtained from the property. This law prevents short-term speculation
on the property market. Commercial property is taxed at above rates,
regardless.
Agent Fees: If you employ an agent, expect charges of around 3-6% of
the value of the sale as a fee, but you may want to negotiate on
this beforehand. You will also need to pay VAT (Sales Tax) on agent
fees.
