Industrial Real Estate in Mexico: Lease, Buy, and the Due Diligence That Protects You
What to verify before signing for land or a building in Mexico — and the classic traps foreign investors fall into.
Lease or buy — the real trade-off
Most first operations lease in an industrial park: it is faster, ties up less capital, and the developer carries part of the infrastructure risk. Buying makes sense for heavily customized processes or long horizons. The legal work differs too — a lease concentrates on delivery conditions, utilities and exit; an acquisition adds title review, land use and a notarial closing.
The due diligence checklist
Title history and liens at the Public Registry of Property; land-use (uso de suelo) compatibility with your process; utilities feasibility for power, water and gas; environmental condition; property-tax status; and the seller’s authority to sell. In leases: the landlord’s own title over the park, delivery specifications, and what happens to your improvements at exit.
The classic traps
The first is ejido land — property under the communal agrarian regime that has not completed conversion to private ownership cannot be safely acquired by a company, and unusually cheap land frequently hides this. The second is the restricted zone near borders and coastlines, where foreign-owned acquisitions require specific structures or filings depending on the property’s use. Both are solvable — if detected before signing.
Make promises enforceable
Brochures and letters of intent promise infrastructure; only contracts bind. We condition purchase and lease obligations on permits and utilities actually materializing, with penalties and exit rights if they do not — so the developer’s promises become obligations you can enforce.
This guide is general information for initial orientation, current as of its publication date. It is not legal advice. Rules change and vary by sector and state — confirm your specific route with our team before acting.
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