The Lengthy Process of Selling Used Homes in Mexico
Selling a home in Mexico can turn into a prolonged and intricate journey. Even after a buyer has chosen the ideal property, the process can stretch up to six months due to fragmented procedures, excessive documentation, and lack of coordination among notaries, banks, appraisers, and authorities.
According to data from the Mexican Association of Real Estate Professionals (AMPI), the average time to sell a used home ranges from four to six months. In areas with low demand or legal issues, the sale could take up to two years.
“One of the biggest frustrations for families is facing a series of obstacles and stages after finding their dream home,” explained Juan Carlos Hartasanchez, Corporate Affairs Director at real estate technology company Tuhabi.
“The main issue isn’t just the slow pace, but the lack of clarity,” Hartasanchez added. “Many people don’t know what stage they’re in or how much longer the operation will take.”
The Significance of the Used Home Market
Despite these challenges, the used home market holds significant importance in Mexico’s real estate sector. According to figures from the Federal Housing Society (SHF), used homes accounted for over 62% of all real estate transactions in Mexico during the first quarter of 2025.
The Notarial Stage: A Bottleneck
One of the most complicated steps is notarization, which requires a substantial amount of printed and digital documents. Discrepancies in criteria among notaries or inconsistencies in documentation often lead to adjustments that delay the process by days or even weeks, as per Tuhabi.
When a credit mortgage is involved, the complexity increases. Despite a buyer having pre-approval, the process can take weeks or months depending on their financial profile and the lending institution.
Additional critical stages include property appraisal, obtaining registry certificates, proof of no delinquency in property and water taxes, among other requirements. Many of these tasks rely on public offices operating with low digitalization and high request saturation, prolonging response times.
Solutions to Shorten Times
While technology platforms cannot directly influence official process times, they have developed solutions to streamline the home buying and selling process.
Today, such platforms offer automated value estimation tools, direct purchase models, document management processes, a network of specialized brokers, and integrated financing options with banking institutions.
“Our approach doesn’t aim to replace process actors but connect them,” Hartasanchez stated. “When data flows transparently among all parties, the transaction becomes more efficient.”
Key Questions and Answers
- What makes selling used homes in Mexico complex? The process can take up to six months due to fragmented procedures, excessive documentation, and lack of coordination among notaries, banks, appraisers, and authorities.
- How does the used home market fare in Mexico? It represents over 62% of all real estate transactions in Mexico, as per the SHF’s first quarter 2025 data.
- What are the main challenges in the notarial stage? Discrepancies in criteria among notaries or inconsistencies in documentation often lead to adjustments that delay the process.
- How do technology platforms help? They offer automated value estimation tools, direct purchase models, document management processes, a network of specialized brokers, and integrated financing options with banking institutions.
