Your Questions, Answered
Buying in San Miguel de Allende
Yes. San Miguel de Allende lies outside Mexico’s restricted zone, so Americans, Canadians, and other foreign buyers can hold the title deed (escritura) directly in their own name — no bank trust (fideicomiso) is required. Foreign buyers simply obtain a standard purchase permit from Mexico’s foreign ministry (SRE) as part of closing.
No. You can buy property in San Miguel de Allende while visiting on a tourist visa. Property ownership does not require residency — and owning a home here can support a later residency application if you decide to make the move permanent.
Yes, it can be. That is exactly why Kimmel Realty Group provides every buyer with an independent real estate attorney, at no extra cost, from offer to closing. If you do not have your own attorney, you will not be protected properly.
Consider this: normally when you buy real estate in Mexico you do so by paying the full purchase price in cash at the closing. Not many expats have purchased property in this manner. The reason is because it is commonplace for the buyer to seek a loan and for banks to be in the middle of these transactions, putting their money in the deal along with yours. It is the lender that protects its own interests by having the property’s title, the language of the deed and the contracts of sale thoroughly checked by lawyers it hires and charges those costs to the buyer in the form of closing costs. These are processes that the average real estate buyer takes for granted in the USA, Canada, and Europe. Take the lenders out of the equation and who protects the buyer’s interest in these critical areas? Who is making sure that the buyer and seller receive the benefit of their bargain? The answer is unsettling: no one. Being protected by Kimmel Realty Group’s program is the answer.
Kimmel Realty Group has outlined a detailed, step-by-step description of the buying process — download our Buyer’s Guide.
Plan on roughly 5–6% of the purchase price. The main items are the property acquisition tax (ISAI) of 4% and notario fees of 1.5 to 2% of the purchase price, including drafting the deed, registration in the public registry, and obtaining the SRE foreign-buyer permit.
Most purchases in San Miguel de Allende close in cash — Mexican mortgage financing for foreigners is available and it can be based on your USA credit rating; it is, however, more expensive than in the USA. KRG can put you in contact with reliable lenders.
Remarkably low. Annual property tax (predial) on a million-dollar home is typically under US$2,000, with a discount for early payment each year. Utilities, staff, and maintenance also cost a fraction of what they do in the US or Canada.
The Attorney Difference
Kimmel Realty Group is the only brokerage in San Miguel de Allende that provides its buyer clients an independent real estate attorney in every transaction, under a direct engagement contract with you — at no additional cost. Founder Jeff Kimmel has been a California attorney since 1980; protecting the client’s legal position is the core of how we work.
No. The notario público is a government-appointed official who formalizes the transaction for both sides — impartial by design, and not your advocate.
Selling With KRG
Every listing gets full production: professional photography by our listing photographer, placement on the San Miguel de Allende MLS, a complete property sheet, a featured position on our website, portal syndication, social media, and our buyer newsletter reaching a large audience of US and Canadian subscribers.
Before a single photo is taken, we walk the property with you and advise on presentation — including interior-design guidance from our in-house designer — so your home photographs and shows at its very best.
Yes. We maintain an active database of qualified buyers and newsletter subscribers, primarily from the US and Canada, and we prospect from curated lead lists for homes like yours. Well-priced listings are often shown to matched buyers before the first ad ever runs.
With data: recent MLS comparables, the competing inventory on the market right now, and what international buyers are actually paying in your neighborhood. The right price at launch is the strongest marketing tool a listing has.
Sellers pay the brokerage commission plus their share of closing items. Mexico also taxes capital gains (ISR) on the sale — with significant exemptions possible for primary residences. We connect you with the right tax guidance before you list, so there are no surprises at closing.