FREE GUIDE FOR US & CANADIAN BUYERS
The idea keeps coming back.
Here's how you actually do it.
Kali Tovar · Coldwell Banker La Costa · AMPI certified · EN / ES
Download the free guide that explains how Americans and Canadians buy property in Puerto Vallarta. Legally, with the process explained before you sign: fideicomiso, escrow, title review, and the notary's role, in plain language.
Five years in Puerto Vallarta real estate with US and Canadian buyers and sellers, after running a fixer-upper building conversion into a boutique hotel: employees, guests, payments, disputes, occupancy monitoring, reconciliations.
WHY MOST BUYERS STALL
The questions pile up. The "someday" never comes.
You looked at listings. You watched the videos. You talked to friends who did it. You still don't know the answer: Can I actually own property there? What about the legal stuff? What happens if something goes wrong?
Those aren't small questions. They decide whether the purchase holds up: whether the land can legally be sold to a foreigner, whether the funds move through an escrow company instead of hand to hand, whether a notary reviews the title before you sign.
The problem isn't that Mexico is risky. It's that nobody has walked you through the sequence. And when the obvious path isn't enough, incomplete records, a financing route that doesn't fit, or answers that contradict each other, I investigate what is holding the file up, map the options that are actually open, and bring in the right professionals so you can decide what to do next.
THE GUIDE
10 minutes. Every question answered.
The Puerto Vallarta Buyer's Roadmap covers the full process. Legal structure, buying steps, what your budget actually buys, the three checks to make before an offer, and what American and Canadian buyers specifically need to know. Plain language. No fluff.
The Puerto Vallarta Buyer’s Roadmap
Kali Tovar
Coldwell Banker La Costa
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Six things buyers spend months learning. You get them in 10 minutes.
01
The fideicomiso, explained
How foreigners legally own coastal property in Mexico. Simple version.
02
The 5-step buying process
From first call to keys in hand. No surprises.
03
What your budget actually buys
Real examples at $300K, $500K, and $800K+.
04
The three checks to make before an offer
Ejido land, escrow, and the notario's title review.
05
What US buyers specifically need to know
Tax reporting, financing options, healthcare, residency.
06
What Canadian buyers specifically need to know
CRA reporting, the 180-day rule, currency, snowbird logistics.
Buyers I've guided through this, start to close.
PAST CLIENTS
Among the buyers who've trusted me with this decision.
Armin
Arizona → Nuevo Vallarta
Tina & Eric
Texas → Hotel Zone
Jon & Davin
San Francisco → South Shore
Peter
Arizona → Centro North
Brad
Chicago → Centro North
Matt
Arizona → Hotel Zone
Karen
Texas → Garza Blanca
Gallegos
California → Marina Vallarta
Armin
Arizona → Nuevo Vallarta
Tina & Eric
Texas → Hotel Zone
Jon & Davin
San Francisco → South Shore
Peter
Arizona → Centro North
Brad
Chicago → Centro North
Matt
Arizona → Hotel Zone
Karen
Texas → Garza Blanca
Gallegos
California → Marina Vallarta
COMMON QUESTIONS
How buying property in Mexico actually works.
Yes, but not through direct ownership. Mexican law prohibits foreigners from holding direct title to residential property within 50 km of the coast. Instead, you purchase through a bank trust called a fideicomiso. You control the property completely. The bank holds the deed on your behalf. This is the legal framework designed specifically for this situation.
No. The bank holds the deed. It does not own the asset. The trust is legally separate from the bank's balance sheet. They cannot sell it, rent it, or use it in any way. You direct every decision. Think of the bank as a legal custodian, not an owner.
The trust permit is valid for 50 years and fully renewable for another 50. In practice, this is not a concern you will face. Renewals are straightforward and the trust outlasts any typical holding period.
You designate substitute beneficiaries inside the trust contract, as many as you want, at whatever percentage you decide. They do not need to be family. They do not need to be Mexican. When you die, the property transfers to them through the trust, bypassing probate entirely. You can update beneficiaries at any time, though each change requires a new deed and a notary fee.
It simplifies things. If the property is already in a trust, which it likely is, you can assume the existing trust instead of creating a new one. That saves you roughly $1,000 USD in closing costs. Your agent and notary will confirm which route applies.
No. You can close remotely through a Power of Attorney or, in some cases, by signing a bank acceptance letter and sending it via FedEx or UPS. Do not use USPS, it is not accepted for international legal documents in this context.
Between $400 and $500 USD per year plus VAT, depending on the bank. The first year is included in your closing costs. After that, the bank invoices you annually.
Questions about closing costs and timelines? See the full guide →
IS THIS FOR YOU?
This guide is for one specific type of person.
This is for you if:
- You're an American or Canadian seriously considering buying in Puerto Vallarta
- You browse listings. The legal process still makes no sense.
- You want a clear, honest answer, not a sales pitch
- Your purchase has moving parts: incomplete documentation, a financing answer that didn't fit, or advice that has contradicted itself.
This is not for you if:
- You're just browsing with no real timeline
- You're already under contract with another agent
- You want someone to tell you what you want to hear (this guide tells the truth)
If you made it this far, you already know this is for you.
WHERE IN PUERTO VALLARTA
Four zones. Four different buyers.
Stop postponing. Start knowing.
The guide is free. It takes 10 minutes to read. It answers every question keeping you stuck.
Or email Kali directly: kali.tovar@cblacosta.com