BajaNomad

Real Estate US vs. MXN

ckiefer - 2-19-2009 at 06:15 PM

Are all listings in USD or are there some in MXN. Odd that it is mexican property selling for USD? And when you get for itemized closing costs, they also are listed in USD. Why?

longlegsinlapaz - 2-19-2009 at 06:31 PM

I think a lot of the reason most ads list USD is that the target market is gringos who don't "think" in pesos. Also, at present, USD = more pesos. In my experience, it's more common to see listings in USD, especially if a realtor is involved.

[Edited on 2-20-2009 by longlegsinlapaz]

805gregg - 2-19-2009 at 06:57 PM

If they advertise the price in pesos, there would be way too many zeros.

msteve1014 - 2-19-2009 at 07:03 PM

When I was looking for my lot, I was always told the price in dollars. That was what they expected I would pay with. When I bargained on the price, I was told the amount, in pesos, that the owner was looking to get out of the deal. No realtor was involved, just one mexican looking for pesos, and one american with dollars. We all came away happy.

stanburn - 2-20-2009 at 06:39 AM

Depends on what type of property you are looking at and where. I bought my house in pesos and the closing costs were quoted in pesos.

Woooosh - 2-20-2009 at 10:10 AM

We negotiated and paid in dollars for our land and house construction- and that was over five years ago. The dollar has always been the preferred currency in Baja Norte- seemingly independent of the exchange rate.

I did have an interesting confrontation with a Mexican and his realtor many years ago - who both scolded me for my poor spanish. That's OK- I was still new to Mexico and they had initially engaged me in English but still spoke spanish between themselves.

At one point I asked them to stick with English and they said "This is Mexico". At which point I said to the old man "Are you paying him in Dollars or Pesos?" and he said Dollars. To which I responded "This is Mexico so why don't you pay him in Pesos? What is more important your language or your money?" They walked away mad. The old guy was really peeed- but I know I struck a deep nerve and he knew I was right.

If you're going to go around sceaming "This is Mexico- speak spanish" you shouldn't be doing your business in Dollars and still think you are taking the high-road.

Bajahowodd - 2-20-2009 at 11:51 AM

Reminds me, in a way, of when they introduced the New Peso. Anyone else find that they got snookered when handed a wad of change?

ckiefer - 2-20-2009 at 12:55 PM

It wasn't really a language question, or a high road vs. low road, just math.

DENNIS - 2-20-2009 at 01:20 PM

The peso traditionally loses value against the dollar. Dollar pricing is a hedge on inflation and devaluation. If, for instance, a lot was priced two years back at ten thousand dollars [100,000 pesos at ten to one] and sat ther unsold for two years. Today the price is still 10,000 dollars but, that converts to almost 150,000 pesos. He just raised the price and the customer didn't even know it.

ckiefer - 2-23-2009 at 09:44 PM

You got it right on, Dennis!

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
The peso traditionally loses value against the dollar. Dollar pricing is a hedge on inflation and devaluation. If, for instance, a lot was priced two years back at ten thousand dollars [100,000 pesos at ten to one] and sat ther unsold for two years. Today the price is still 10,000 dollars but, that converts to almost 150,000 pesos. He just raised the price and the customer didn't even know it.