If you're an American considering buying a home in Cabo San Lucas or elsewhere in Los Cabos, one of your first questions may be surprisingly simple: Can Americans actually own real estate in Mexico?

The answer is yes.

You can expect to pay approximately between 5%-8% of the purchase price as closing costs, but let's break this down in a bit more detail.

For buyers exploring luxury real estate in Los Cabos, Palmilla and Cabo del Sol are two communities that consistently stand out. Both offer spectacular Sea of Cortez settings, world-class golf, beautiful beaches and exceptional homes, but the lifestyle—and the real estate experience—can feel quite different.

Buying luxury real estate in Los Cabos is about much more than owning a beautiful home. For many buyers, the real attraction is the lifestyle that comes with it—a combination of ocean, desert, year-round outdoor living, world-class amenities and a pace of life that can feel very different from home.

A fideicomiso is the Spanish name of the process/vehicle used when a foreign buyer acquires residential property within Mexico's Restricted Zone.

Heading into 2027, buyers can expect a more balanced and selective Los Cabos real estate market, with greater inventory and negotiating opportunities, while well-located luxury properties continue to hold strong appeal, value and desirability.

Choose Los Barriles for a more established, social and active East Cape lifestyle, or La Ribera for a quieter, less-developed setting with access to the emerging luxury lifestyle of Costa Palmas.

Choose Todos Santos for culture, art, dining and authentic historic charm, or Cerritos for a laid-back, beach-centered lifestyle focused on surfing, swimming and life at the windy shores of the Pacific Ocean.

Cabo san Lucas offers nightlife, a thriving foodie scene, the excitement and energy of the Marina and a host of yachting, fishing, and fun activities centered around Medano Beach and the Sea of Cortez! San José del Cabo is a little slower, charming, beautifully walkable and more European. It has more swimmable beaches, a thriving cafe and restaurant scene, local activities and festivals including the famous Thursday night art walk.