Residential Home Purchase Agreement Mexico (Contrato de Compraventa de Casa Habitación)

A Residential Home Purchase Agreement Mexico (Contrato de Compraventa de Casa Habitación) is a formal written contract between a seller (vendedor) and a buyer (comprador) for the transfer of ownership (dominio) of a residential house (casa habitación) in Mexico, governed by Código Civil Federal (CCF) Articles 2248 through 2283 and the applicable state civil code of the Mexican state where the property is located. Article 2248 CCF defines the compraventa as the contract by which one party obliges himself to transfer ownership of a thing (dominio de una cosa) and the other obliges himself to pay a certain and determined price — a definition that has governed Mexican residential real estate transactions since the CCF's original codification in 1928.

A casa habitación under Mexican law refers specifically to a residential dwelling designed for human habitation — a standalone house (casa independiente), townhouse (casa adosada), or house forming part of a condominium development (casa en condominio horizontal). This classification carries significant legal and tax consequences distinct from commercial or industrial property sales. Most importantly, Article 93 Section XIX(a) of the Ley del Impuesto sobre la Renta (LISR) provides an ISR capital gains exemption for the sale of the seller's principal residence (casa habitación principal) — up to 700,000 UDIS (approximately $5.1 million MXN for 2025) of gain, available once every three fiscal years, provided the seller can document actual habitation through utility bills (recibos de servicios), predial receipts, and INE credential registered at the address.

For real property transfers in Mexico, Article 2317 CCF and equivalent state provisions require that conveyances of real property worth more than 365 UMAs (approximately $39,000 MXN for 2025) be formalised through a escritura pública (public deed) executed before a licensed Notario Público and registered with the Registro Público de la Propiedad (RPP) of the state where the property is located. The Notario Público verifies the seller's title (cadena de titulación), orders a certificate of no encumbrances (certificado de libertad de gravamen) from the RPP, calculates and withholds ISAI on behalf of the buyer and ISR capital gains on behalf of the seller, and registers the deed. Without notarial deed and RPP registration, the transfer of ownership is not enforceable against third parties under the principle of publicidad registral (Articles 3005–3046 CCF).

Mortgage financing (crédito hipotecario) for residential home purchases is provided by CNBV-regulated banks (instituciones bancarias) — BBVA, Santander, Banamex (Citibanamex), HSBC, Banorte — as well as by INFONAVIT (Instituto del Fondo Nacional de la Vivienda para los Trabajadores) for workers registered with the IMSS (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social), and FOVISSSTE (Fondo de la Vivienda del ISSSTE) for federal public employees registered with the ISSSTE (Instituto de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado). Each financing institution has its own origination requirements, maximum loan amounts (aforos), interest rates, and insurance obligations — the preliminary purchase agreement (contrato privado de compraventa or promesa) is the document the lender reviews to approve the mortgage.

The constitutional foundation for residential property rights in Mexico is Article 27 of the Constitución Política, establishing that foreigners may not directly own residential property within the zona restringida (50 km from coastlines, 100 km from borders) without using a fideicomiso bancario (bank land trust) structure under the Ley de Inversión Extranjera. Outside the zona restringida, foreign nationals may directly own residential property subject to the Calvo Clause.

A Residential Home Purchase Agreement Mexico is required for any transaction involving the transfer of ownership of a casa habitación — whether new construction (obra nueva), resale (segunda mano), or through government-subsidised housing programs (programas de vivienda social administered by CONAVI or INFONAVIT).

The agreement is needed when the buyer is financing the purchase through a crédito hipotecario from a bank regulated by the CNBV. Banks require a signed preliminary purchase agreement (contrato privado de compraventa) before initiating mortgage approval — the agreement establishes the price, property identity, and closing timeline that the bank uses to conduct its own appraisal (avalúo) and title review. INFONAVIT and FOVISSSTE credits similarly require a signed agreement as part of the application package.

A Contrato de Compraventa de Casa Habitación is necessary when the seller wishes to document eligibility for the ISR capital gains exemption under LISR Article 93 Section XIX — the seller must demonstrate to the Notario Público that the property was their principal residence (casa habitación principal) through utility bills and predial receipts. The purchase agreement, identifying the property and price, forms part of the documentation package the notary uses to make this determination.

The agreement is required when the parties are conducting pre-closing due diligence — verifying the property's title chain (cadena de titulación), checking for undisclosed encumbrances (gravámenes) or attachments (embargos) at the RPP, and confirming that the property is free of outstanding predial (property tax) and water service (derechos de agua) obligations. The signed agreement binds the seller not to sell to another buyer while this due diligence is completed.

Under CCF arts. 2248–2283, LISR arts. 93 and 119–128, and LIVA art. 9, every residential home purchase in Mexico requires execution of an escritura pública before a Notario Público and RPP registration. The preliminary Contrato de Compraventa de Casa Habitación protects both buyer and seller during the period between agreement and notarial closing.

A valid Residential Home Purchase Agreement Mexico under Código Civil Federal Articles 2248–2283 must contain the following essential elements:

Identification of Parties: Full legal name, RFC, CURP, official identity document (INE, Pasaporte, or Tarjeta de Residencia for foreign buyers), and domicile of both the vendedor and comprador. Foreign buyers must confirm nationality and whether the property is in the zona restringida requiring fideicomiso bancario under Article 27 Constitución and Ley de Inversión Extranjera. For legal entities, provide company RFC, Registro Público de Comercio inscription, and representative's poder notarial.

Property Identification (Casa Habitación): Complete legal description — address (calle, número, colonia, municipio, estado, C.P.), folio real from the Registro Público de la Propiedad (RPP), clave catastral from the Catastro Municipal, surface area of land (superficie de terreno) and construction (superficie construida), number of bedrooms, bathrooms, parking spaces, and any attached storage rooms (bodegas) or terraces. Reference to the seller's title deed (escritura del vendedor) establishes chain of title.

Purchase Price and Payment: Total purchase price in MXN, in numerals and words. Residential house sales to individuals are generally exempt from IVA under LIVA Article 9 Section I. Payment structure — earnest money (anticipo or señal), mortgage loan proceeds, cash balance at notarial closing — must be stated precisely. The notary will use this price as the basis for ISAI and ISR calculations.

ISR Casa Habitación Exemption: Whether the seller claims the principal residence ISR exemption under LISR Article 93 Section XIX — up to 700,000 UDIS once every three fiscal years. The seller must provide the Notario Público with proof of actual residence: utility bills (recibos de luz, gas, agua), predial receipts, INE credential registered at the address. The agreement should note whether this exemption is being claimed and the seller's RFC.

Mortgage Financing Details: If the buyer is using a crédito hipotecario, identify the lending institution (banco, INFONAVIT, FOVISSSTE), loan amount, and estimated closing date. The notary must execute both the compraventa deed and the mortgage deed (escritura de hipoteca) simultaneously — the bank's notary requirements should be noted.

Physical Condition and Inventory: Description of the property's condition at the time of agreement — whether sold as-is (en las condiciones en que se encuentra) or subject to seller repairs before closing. If furniture or appliances are included, attach a detailed inventory (inventario de bienes muebles) signed by both parties.

Encumbrance Clearance and Predial: Seller's obligation to deliver the property free of mortgages (hipotecas), liens (gravámenes), and arrears — including outstanding predial (Artículo 27-B CCF) and water service fees (derechos de agua). The seller must provide a fresh certificate of no encumbrances (certificado de libertad de gravamen) from the RPP dated no more than 30 days before closing, and predial and water payment receipts current to the closing date.

Closing Deadline: Date by which the parties must execute the escritura pública before the Notario Público. The agreement should specify the designated Notaría Pública, including notaría number and notary's name. ISAI is paid by the buyer and ISR by the seller at closing.

Default Remedies: Pena convencional (Article 2117 CCF) — if the seller defaults, return of double the earnest money to the buyer; if the buyer defaults, the seller retains the earnest money. Either party may also seek specific performance (acción de otorgamiento de escritura) before the Juzgado Civil.

Forms-legal.com provides this Residential Home Purchase Agreement Mexico template as a starting reference. Every residential home sale in Mexico requires a final escritura pública before a licensed Notario Público and RPP registration — this preliminary agreement does not substitute for notarial conveyance under CCF art. 2317. Consult a Notario Público in the state where the property is located before signing.