Article
The Foreign Buyer's Path: An Overview
A high-level look at how a foreign purchase in Baja California Sur typically unfolds, from first showing to recorded deed.
6/27/2026 · 3 min read
Buying property in Baja California Sur as a non-Mexican usually follows a recognizable arc. Understanding the arc in advance helps a buyer recognize when something is moving too fast, skipping a step, or being framed as "standard" when it is not.
The usual sequence
- **Search and showings** with a licensed real estate professional.
- **Written offer (oferta)** outlining price, deposit, contingencies, and target closing date.
- **Promissory agreement (promesa de compraventa)** signed by both parties, with an earnest-money deposit held in a regulated escrow.
- **Due diligence window** for title, lien, tax, water, HOA, and permit verification.
- **Fideicomiso application** with a Mexican trustee bank, plus the SRE permit for the restricted zone.
- **Notario closing** where the deed (escritura) is signed, taxes are paid, and title is recorded.
Where foreign buyers most often stumble
- Wiring funds before escrow instructions are in writing.
- Treating the promesa as a formality rather than a binding contract.
- Assuming the listing agent represents the buyer's interests.
- Closing before the trust permit and title certificates are in hand.
A calm, sequenced process protects the buyer. Speed almost never does.
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