What Mexicans Need to Know Before Buying Property in Florida

Mexico is the third-largest source of foreign buyers in US real estate — $4.4 billion in the twelve months to March 2025, up 57% from the year before. That number is not a surprise to anyone paying attention to the Mexican buyer profile. These aren't snowbirds seeking a winter escape or investors chasing Disney vacation rental yields. Wealthy Mexicans buying Florida real estate are doing something different: they're converting peso-denominated wealth into dollar-denominated assets, establishing a US base, and in many cases creating a stable alternative to parts of Mexico that have become difficult for business-owning families.

I tell Mexican clients something I don't say to British or Canadian buyers: your single biggest financial risk in this transaction is one you may never have heard of, and it has nothing to do with the market or the mortgage rate. It's the estate tax exposure — and unlike UK or Australian buyers, you have no treaty to protect you.

Here's what needs to be handled correctly.

Why Florida — Not Texas, Not Arizona

The answer isn't just climate, though the comparison to Mexico City's altitude and northern Mexico's heat matters. Florida's draw for Mexican buyers is structural.

Texas — historically the top US destination for Mexican real estate investment — passed laws restricting foreign ownership of real property, targeting buyers from designated countries. Florida has no such restriction. More practically, Florida's no-income-tax environment, strong Latin American community infrastructure (particularly in South Florida and Orlando), and direct flight connections to Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara make it operationally easy to manage a US property from Mexico.

The peso volatility of 2024 — the dollar hit 20.87 pesos after the Sheinbaum election, up from 17 pesos earlier that year — triggered a significant surge in interest in US dollar-denominated real estate. Google searches for "Miami real estate" and "Florida real estate" spiked from Mexico in June 2024. That interest has held. At a May 2026 rate of approximately 17.25 pesos per dollar, the peso has recovered substantially, which actually makes now a better moment to convert than the crisis peak.

The Carrying Cost Reality

On a $550,000 home in Orange County — a reasonable mid-range target for Mexican buyers in Dr. Phillips or Lake Nona — the annual carrying cost looks like this:

• Property taxes: $5,500–$8,000/year. Non-residents do not qualify for Florida's homestead exemption, which saves residents up to $50,000 in assessed value.
• Homeowners and wind insurance: $3,500–$6,500/year. Florida premiums have risen sharply since 2022; get quotes based on actual construction year and roof age.
• Property management or caretaking: If you're not in Florida full-time, plan for either a full-service property manager (8–12% of gross rental income for long-term rentals, 15–25% for STR) or a baseline caretaker at $150–$300/month.

Total carrying cost before mortgage: $11,000–$18,000 per year. At 17.25 pesos per dollar, that's roughly MX$190,000–MX$310,000 annually. Run that number in pesos at the exchange rate you plan to use for funding before you fall in love with a listing.

Estate Tax Exposure — No Treaty Exists

This is the section most Mexican buyers skip. I'm going to be direct: skipping it is a serious financial error.

The United States imposes a federal estate tax on US-situs assets owned by non-resident aliens at death. The exemption for non-resident aliens is $60,000 — compared to approximately $13.6 million for US citizens and residents in 2026. On a $550,000 Florida property held personally by a Mexican national, roughly $490,000 is exposed to federal estate tax at graduated rates up to 40%. That's a potential liability of close to $200,000 that your heirs would owe the IRS.

Unlike buyers from the United Kingdom, Australia, or several European countries, Mexican nationals have no estate tax treaty with the United States. The US-Mexico Income Tax Convention covers income taxes — dividends, interest, business income. It does not cover estate or gift taxes. Mexico does not impose an estate tax itself, so no bilateral estate treaty exists.

The standard solution is to hold the property through a US LLC or an irrevocable foreign trust — structures that remove the Florida property from the owner's personal US-situs estate and eliminate or substantially reduce the exposure. This must be structured before closing by a US estate attorney with Mexico/US cross-border experience. It cannot be undone after the fact without a taxable transfer.

I've seen clients learn about this issue after closing. It's one of the most expensive mistakes a foreign buyer can make in a Florida transaction. Address it first.

FIRPTA — The Withholding That Surprises People at Closing

When you eventually sell, FIRPTA (Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act) requires the buyer's title company to withhold 15% of the gross sale price and remit it directly to the IRS. On a $550,000 sale, that's $82,500 withheld at closing — regardless of what you originally paid, regardless of your actual gain.

You get it back — but only after filing a US non-resident return (Form 1040-NR), which takes 6–12 months. The IRS refunds the excess over your actual capital gains tax liability. If you held the property for more than a year and your actual gain is $100,000, the tax at long-term capital gains rates might be $15,000–$20,000 — and you'd receive $60,000+ back.

The process is manageable but requires a cross-border CPA who files Form 1040-NR returns for foreign national property owners. Do not attempt to handle this with a Mexican accountant who doesn't have US filing experience.

Financing: ITIN Loans vs. Foreign National Programs

Many Mexican buyers have an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) — issued by the IRS to individuals with US tax obligations who aren't eligible for a Social Security number. If you have rental income, business income, or prior US tax filings, you likely have one. An ITIN opens up better financing options than a pure foreign national program:

• ITIN mortgage programs: Some lenders will treat ITIN borrowers similarly to domestic buyers — potentially 20% down, standard documentation process, better rates.
• Foreign national mortgage programs: For buyers without an ITIN or US tax history. Expect 25–30% down, income documentation via certified CPA letter and bank statements, foreign credit references, and 6–12 months of mortgage reserves. Rates typically run 0.5–1% above conventional.
• DSCR loans: For investment properties, loan qualification based on the property's rental income rather than your personal income. Useful for business owners with complex income structures.

In practice, approximately 68% of Latin American international buyers in Florida pay cash. If that describes you, it simplifies the transaction significantly and makes offers more competitive. Sellers and title companies treat cash offers differently.

If you're financing, the peso-to-dollar conversion timing matters. At 17.25 pesos per dollar in May 2026, a $550,000 purchase costs approximately MX$9.49 million. At the 2024 peak of 20.87 pesos, the same purchase would have cost MX$11.48 million. That's nearly MX$2 million in currency risk on a mid-range purchase. Work with a currency specialist, not a retail bank, on the conversion.

Where Mexican Buyers Land in Orlando

South Florida — Miami, Brickell, Coral Gables — attracts the highest-dollar Mexican buyers and those prioritizing the established Latin American social infrastructure of Miami's financial district. For buyers choosing Central Florida, the pattern is more specific.

Dr. Phillips is where I see the largest concentration of Mexican buyers in the Orlando market. The community has a long-established international buyer base, strong public schools (Dr. Phillips High School consistently ranks among Orange County's best), and a practical position between I-4, Sand Lake Road, and the Florida Turnpike. Many Mexican business owners buying here travel frequently — the 20-minute drive to Orlando International Airport with direct Aeromexico and Volaris service to Mexico City matters.

Lake Nona attracts buyers who want newer construction and a master-planned community environment. The USTA National Campus, Medical City cluster, and proximity to major employers make it a strong long-term hold — which matters to buyers who view this as a capital asset, not just a house. Entry prices start around $450,000 for single-family and run well above $1M for larger lake-view homes.

Windermere and the Butler Chain of Lakes appeal to buyers in the $700K–$1.5M+ range who want larger lots, lakefront access, and the particular prestige of Orlando's established luxury corridor. Several Mexican buyers I've worked with have been drawn here by the combination of privacy, quality of construction, and proximity to International Drive without being in the tourist zone.

For buyers specifically prioritizing school enrollment, Lake Nona's school feeds (Innovation Middle, Lake Nona High) and Dr. Phillips' chain are both strong options. Families with university-age children often look at Oviedo, near UCF.

HOA Rules and Rental Restrictions

If you plan to rent the property — either seasonally while you're in Mexico or as a long-term investment — read the HOA CC&Rs before making an offer. Florida rental rules are governed at the community level, not city-wide. A residential community in Dr. Phillips may require minimum 6-month leases; a community two miles away may allow monthly rentals; a third may prohibit all rentals.

The Disney vacation rental corridor (Reunion Resort, Champions Gate, Davenport) explicitly permits short-term rentals and is structured as an investment vehicle — but it's a different product, a different use case, and a different neighborhood character than the residential communities that attract Mexican lifestyle buyers. Don't mix the two strategies.

Pull the CC&Rs during due diligence. Your agent should flag this; the title company will not.

Property Management Is Not Optional for Absentee Owners

If you're spending eight or nine months a year in Mexico with a Florida property sitting empty, you need a minimum of a quarterly caretaking check — hurricane shutter deployment, A/C maintenance, pest control, lawn care. For buyers who plan to rent the property while they're away, full-service property management is not optional.

For long-term rentals (12-month leases), management runs 8–12% of monthly rent. For short-term or seasonal rentals where allowed, 15–25% of gross revenue. On a property generating $2,800/month in long-term rent, that's $2,700–$4,000/year in management fees — a real budget line, but the cost of running an investment from across the Gulf of Mexico.

Get the Right Professionals Before You Make an Offer

Four people need to be in place before you go under contract:

1. A US estate attorney with Mexico/US cross-border experience — to structure the LLC or trust before closing. Not a general Florida estate planning attorney; not a Mexican notario. Someone who specifically handles foreign national property ownership and knows the estate tax exposure.
2. A cross-border CPA — to handle FIRPTA planning, Form 1040-NR filing, and ongoing rental income reporting if applicable. Must understand both Mexican and US tax obligations.
3. A Florida Realtor who works with Latin American buyers — who knows which communities have established Mexican and broader Latin American buyer networks, which HOAs have rental restrictions, and which neighborhoods fit a family's actual use pattern.
4. A mortgage specialist or foreign national lending contact — whether you're pursuing an ITIN program, a foreign national loan, or want to know your options before committing to cash.

At MaxLife Realty, I work with Mexican buyers regularly. I can connect you with attorneys and CPAs experienced in this specific transaction structure. Reach out to start the conversation.

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