Every way to finance a home in Mexico, compared honestly.
There are six real paths for a U.S. citizen, and they are genuinely different on currency, rate, and what secures the loan. Here is the plain version, with no spin, so you can pick the one that fits.
How Americans actually pay for property in Mexico
About 90% of Mexican home purchases are still cash. For everyone else, financing comes down to where the money comes from and what it costs. Each path below works for a different kind of buyer. The one that trips people up most is the difference between a dollar loan and a peso loan.
| Financing path | Currency | Rate | Typical rate | Term | Secured by | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-border USD mortgage MoXiSpecialist lender, balance sheet | U.S. dollars | Fixed, full term | Low 8s to mid 10s | 15 to 30 yrs | The Mexico property (fideicomiso) | Buyers who want a familiar fixed dollar loan that keeps U.S. home equity untouched |
| Mexican bank mortgageLocal bank, non-resident program | Mexican pesos | Often variable | 11% to 14% eff. | Up to 20 yrs | The Mexico property | Buyers earning in pesos or holding Mexican residency |
| Developer financingDirect from the builder | Varies | Fixed, short | 6% to 10% | 5 to 8 yrs, often a balloon | The unit and contract | Presale buyers who want speed and a short horizon |
| U.S. HELOC or cash-out refiBorrow against your U.S. home | U.S. dollars | HELOC variable | HELOC 8 to 9% · refi high 6s | Varies | Your U.S. home | Buyers with U.S. equity who accept putting the U.S. home on the hook |
| Securities-backed line or margin loanBorrow against your investments | U.S. dollars | Variable | Benchmark + spread | Revolving, no fixed term | Your investment portfolio | Buyers who want fast liquidity without selling assets. Often paired with a MoXi mortgage to fund the down payment and cash to close |
| All cashWire the full amount | U.S. dollars | None | None | None | Nothing | Buyers who want maximum negotiating leverage and no debt |
Rates move with the market and with your profile (loan size, FICO, and LTV). Treat the ranges as a starting point and confirm current pricing before you decide. Figures reflect the 2026 lending environment for qualified U.S. borrowers.
Dollars or pesos is the whole decision
If you earn in dollars and borrow in pesos, the exchange rate becomes your silent co-signer. A peso loan can look cheaper on the day you sign and cost far more by the time you have paid it off. A fixed dollar loan removes that variable completely. Your payment is the same number every month for the life of the loan, in the currency you actually earn.
The second thing buyers miss is that a HELOC on your U.S. house ties your primary residence to a foreign property. A cross-border mortgage isolates the debt to the Mexico home, so your stateside equity stays clean and sellable.
What a MoXi® loan is
One specific product, built for one specific buyer.
- Fixed rate for the full term, never variable
- Funded and serviced in U.S. dollars
- No balloon payment, fully amortized to 30 years
- Secured only by the Mexico property, not your U.S. home
- Mortgage interest reported in the U.S.
- Regulated and audited in both the United States and Mexico
The questions buyers ask first
Can a U.S. citizen get a mortgage in Mexico?
Yes. You can use a cross-border USD mortgage, a Mexican bank peso mortgage, developer financing, or borrow against U.S. home equity. Cross-border USD lenders like MoXi do not require Mexican residency.
Can you get a fixed-rate mortgage in U.S. dollars?
Yes, but only from specialist cross-border lenders. Mexican banks lend in pesos, usually at variable rates. MoXi is one of the only lenders offering a fully amortized, fixed-rate, USD-denominated mortgage to U.S. citizens buying in Mexico, with terms up to 30 years.
How much do I need for a down payment?
A cross-border USD mortgage typically asks for about 35% down, lending up to 65% of the purchase price or appraised value, whichever is less. Mexican bank programs for non-residents commonly want 30% to 50%.
Does this put my U.S. home at risk?
Not with a cross-border mortgage. It is secured only by the Mexico property, held in a fideicomiso. A HELOC or cash-out refinance secures the loan against your U.S. home instead, which means your primary residence backs a foreign asset.
What is a fideicomiso?
A fideicomiso is a Mexican bank trust that lets a foreigner hold full ownership rights to property in the restricted zone near the coast or border. You can use, improve, rent, sell, and pass on the property. MoXi loans use a fideicomiso de garantia structure.
Can I use a securities-backed loan or margin line?
Yes. Some buyers borrow against an investment portfolio instead of selling assets, often to cover the down payment and cash to close while a MoXi mortgage finances the rest. A securities line is variable and your lender can issue a margin call if the portfolio falls, so it fits a short-term cash need better than long-term debt.
How fast is approval?
Pre-approval is fast, usually a matter of days for a complete file. Your advisor will walk you through exactly what is needed so there are no surprises.
See your real numbers in two minutes
The MoXi® calculator is built for Mexico. It estimates your monthly payment and your full cash to close, with the Mexico-specific items most calculators leave out: fideicomiso, acquisition tax, appraisal, and translation.
Open the Mexico mortgage calculator