Mexico Mortgage Financing – Helping a Slower Mexico Real Estate Market

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Since its introduction in the early part of 2005, the cross-border Mexico mortgage market — mortgage financing for foreigners purchasing vacation and retirement homes in Mexico — has been compared by many realtors and developers to riding a roller coaster. But now, a greater number of those individuals are looking at the cross-border mortgage market to help strengthen the slower real estate market.

Mexico Real Estate Slowdown

 

The recent U.S. downturn, comprised of the U.S. housing bust, housing and corporate credit crunch, high gasoline prices, weakened U.S. dollar, and inflationary pressures, has taken a toll on the cross-border Mexico real estate market. Such effects started to appear as early as last fall and continued to grow throughout the early parts of the summer, with little signs of letting up before the upcoming busy season beginning November 2008. While prices for real estate properties in the resort areas of Mexico have not receded significantly, prices have not appreciated at the high historic levels once seen. Most notably, the overall velocity of sales over this time period has decreased considerably from years prior throughout most of the resort areas of Mexico, including Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta and Cancun/Riviera Maya region.

Growth of Cross-Border Mortgages

Local developers, realtors and buyers who have typically shunned cross-border Mexico mortgage financing in the past are now beginning to embrace it. Several reasons have forced these groups to take a second look. From the realtor and developer side, financing options are one of the few tactics which can help bolster sales in a slower market without sacrificing profitability. This could not have been more apparent in the U.S. real estate boom over the last decade and, as in the U.S., should translate into more sales in Mexico. The main reason for this is a simple finance principle; leverage provides buyers with greater purchasing power and greater returns. With sales volume still depressed as the busy season approaches, realtors and developers are looking to push financing options as a tactic to increase sales. After all, pushing financing is far better for their bottom line than other popular tactics such as offering developer incentive or lowering prices.

From the buyer’s perspective, the attractiveness of mortgage financing goes even deeper. The recent U.S. downturn and uncertainty from the upcoming U.S. presidential election have drastically eroded U.S. consumer confidence, making U.S. buyers more cautious. Intuition would suggest that a more cautious buyer prefers to lever up larger purchases in order to hold cash and maximize liquidity in the unlikely event it is needed. Further, the U.S. home equity line, which historically has been tapped by the cross-border Mexico real estate buyer, has become more difficult and expensive to obtain. Both scenarios have translated into U.S. buyers looking more favorably at cross-border Mexico mortgage financing. Other potential buyers who have put large deposits on a Mexico property or have been seeking a Mexico property for some time are becoming more stretched financially due to underperforming investments and lower household income, all effects of the U.S. downturn. Often these buyers need additional help to secure their retirement, vacation, or investment property in Mexico and are likely to now turn towards a Mexico mortgage loan.

Growth in US Demand for Mexico Real Estate

Demand stemming from the changing U.S. economic climate is not the only reason for buyers and industry players to recently turn to Mexico mortgage loans for their Mexico real estate purchases. Once plagued with negative media attention as the result of (i) numerous Americans and Canadians losing their real estate properties in the late 90’s, (ii) misconceptions regarding whether foreigners are legally allowed to own property (they can – see inset), and (iii) the fallout out of a couple cross-border Mexico lenders as well as the inability for some lenders and mortgage brokers to effectively close loans, the cross border Mexico mortgage loan market is finally seeing significant changes that have been ignited by greater demand.

Several positive changes have already been executed and continue to be underway in the cross-border Mexico mortgage industry. A broader array of financing options is now available, thanks to new lenders entering the market, including Deutsche Bank and Lehman Brothers. Additionally, mortgage brokers such as ConfiCasa Mortgage International (www.conficasamortgage.com) have implemented smoother loan processes with better communication, transparency and closing timelines. A smoother process has resulted from several years of experience for the earliest entrants like ConfiCasa, who continue to focus on implementing ways to create a financing process that more closely mirrors that of the U.S. and Canada.

With so many more heads turning towards cross-border Mexico mortgage financing, the industry is finally looking to shed its roller-coaster like past and seem more like a smooth and predictable merry-go-round. And that would benefit everyone!

Matthew Miller is the President and CEO of Conficasa Mortgage International, LLC, a cross-border Mexico mortgage company specializing in financing Mexican properties for Americans and Canadians. You can contact him at mmiller@conficasamortgage.com or through the Company’s website at www.conficasamortgage.com.