Due diligence: what to verify before you buy
The checklist I run before you make an offer
Due diligence is the difference between buying a property and buying a problem. In Mexico the burden of verification sits with the buyer, and the notary validates legality, not practicality. This is the list I run on every property before my clients sign an offer.
Title and liens
- No-lien certificate from the Public Registry: the property is clear of mortgages, judgments and annotations.
- A coherent chain of title over recent years with no gaps.
- If the seller is an heir or represents someone: documented probate and authority.
The property itself
- Land use and permits: what is built matches what is allowed.
- Measurements and boundaries against the plat; off-plat construction is a risk.
- Property tax and HOA fees current (arrears travel with you).
- Water and utility bills clean; moisture and structure reviewed by an inspector when applicable.
If it is a pre-sale
- The developer's track record: past deliveries, timelines, real finishes.
- Current construction permit and a contract with clear payment plan, delivery date and penalties.
- Where your money lives during construction: escrow or trust, never a personal account.
No property I present reaches you without this verification done. To go deeper, each point has its guide: escrow, closing costs and the fideicomiso.
What is due diligence when buying property in Mexico?
It is the pre-offer verification: no-lien certificate, chain of title, land use, measurements against the plat, property-tax and HOA arrears, and for pre-sales, the developer's track record. In Mexico the burden of verification is the buyer's.
Does the notary do the due diligence?
The notary validates the legality of the act, but practical verification is the buyer's or their advisor's. I run it before you offer: title, arrears, measurements and permits, and for pre-sales, developer and contract.
What happens if I buy without checking liens?
You can inherit mortgages, judgments or arrears that travel with the property. That is why the no-lien certificate and no-arrears letters are reviewed before the deposit, not after.
Real estate advisor in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit since 2014. AMPI Riviera Nayarit member, law degree, bilingual ES/EN.
Reviewed: October 2026 · About me