You should definitely rent a home or apartment before buying in Mexico. I tell everybody to do this. You might as well, because you can’t lose if you rent. You just are going to have a better understanding of the neighborhood you’re in, the city you’re in, and it’s best to try renting before committing to buying a home. It’s more affordable and you’ll learn a lot.
 
Most people in the US are very willing to buy a house when it’s time but...

You should definitely rent a home or apartment before buying in Mexico. I tell everybody to do this. You might as well, because you can’t lose if you rent. You just are going to have a better understanding of the neighborhood you’re in, the city you’re in, and it’s best to try renting before committing to buying a home. It’s more affordable and you’ll learn a lot.
 
Most people in the US are very willing to buy a house when it’s time but that’s because you are usually living in a place that you’ve been to before or you’ve lived in before, so it’s your hometown, or you have a job or relatives, and it’s not a really foreign place. In contrast, Mexico is usually a place where people either haven’t been at all or they’ve been only on vacation. So to buy a house first thing I think can be a little bit pre-mature.
 
I recommend renting for probably 3 months to 6 months to start. You can get a pretty good idea of your surroundings in a month or so but in Mexico, you’re usually looking at long-term rentals or short-term rentals. I don’t think it’s necessary to rent for a full year, because you can usually get the same price per month rental on a house or condo for 6 months that you can for one year. So that’s a good way to start out.  

 

(Kristin Wilson, worldwide relocation specialist in helicopter scouting for properties from the air, pictured.)

You should absolutely rent a home or apartment before you purchase in Mexico.

 

When I owned my company in the United States, I was involved extensively in relocation. We helped thousands of families move across the country and my advice was always for them to take time and see if they liked a new community. Some people just are not comfortable in new surroundings.

 

This becomes more important when someone moves to a different country. When you...

You should absolutely rent a home or apartment before you purchase in Mexico.

 

When I owned my company in the United States, I was involved extensively in relocation. We helped thousands of families move across the country and my advice was always for them to take time and see if they liked a new community. Some people just are not comfortable in new surroundings.

 

This becomes more important when someone moves to a different country. When you move to a different country, you will be facing a different culture and a whole list of day-to-day differences from your home country.

 

Most of the expatriates I have met, have loved the changes and the exciting new life. But when I am consulting or helping someone find a new home, I have always believed in being very careful.

 

 

​The rental does not need to be long term. You will probably know what you want within a few months.

 

If you do not like the new country, you will be very glad that I recommended renting first.  And if you fall in love with your new country, you still will be better-prepared top select the best neighborhood for your particular needs.