What to Check When Buying a Condo?

When you are going to take possession of a unit within a new condominium here in Mexico, it is very likely that some of the forms of delivery and procedures will be different or different from what we are used to in our countries of origin.

It is true that certain items and procedures that one might expect do not exist here in Mexico, and some items may be supplied to your pleasant surprise, so it is not all bad. 

If you approach this exciting task with a little time and dedication, the process of verifying when buying real estate in Mexico will make it an enjoyable experience for your life and Real Estate operation. This whole process revolves around a to-do list of the Condo in Mexico, so basically we will have a list of things to check when buying.

What is the Pre-Inspection?

“Before taking physical possession of your condo in Mexico, the developer must allow an inspection of the unit before handing over the keys.

This is also known as pre-delivery inspection of the condominium. During this tour of the condo in Mexico, it is important to review all damages, necessary repairs, missing items and record all of this in writing. It must be prepared as an official document that lists the necessary general data, since we must not forget that the representative of the developers signs and dates the document. You should keep a copy for your records and give them a copy for the developer's records as well. 

Items listed as “needing attention” in the document are given to the developer's representative so that they have a period of time to repair those items.

What should I check when buying in the Pre-Inspection?

We will present a simple to-do list to check inside your condominium in Mexico that you may find useful. There are basically 3 areas that must be verified, the operating systems, the interior and the exterior areas of the Condominium:

Operating systems

An important point to verify when buying a property is the cooling or heating system according to the Region. Air conditioning units, known as “Mini Split” are being popularly used and can be operated by remote control. 

We have to make sure that these remote controls are available and working. Gas water heaters are also the common system for hot water systems within the home or premises. 

“You must request the operating manual and refer to the oven start-up procedure“

It is a priority to double check the gas lines and where the gas tanks are located within the property and make a record if necessary of any damage to the gas lines. (Gas pipes in Mexico must be painted bright yellow throughout the building.)

If the ventilation system include ceiling fans. You need to make sure of the order of operation. Some bathrooms have a ventilation system a bit unusual for Mexico. Inside the kitchen we will check that the oven hood with extractor is working correctly.

Regarding the electrical system, we must identify the location of the main panel and the water system includes the location of the main water shut-off valve of the property. All sinks and toilets should be checked for leaks.

Indoor Area

In the interior areas of the property we must check that there are no paint stains present on the walls or floors. That all floor tiles are secure and not loose, and all switches lined up properly.

You also have to check each of the doors and windows. Doors should fit snugly in the walls and locks should open and close smoothly. Sliding glass doors should open and close properly with no trouble sliding or moving. 

All windows must open and function safely. The mosquito nets are often not placed at this point, but it is important to verify that they are included, if they are part of the package. 

In the bathroom, the handles in the bathtub, the toilets, the sinks and the floor are checked. We need to make sure the cabinets are secure to the wall, the lights work, and the caulking works properly. For that we must check for leaks. 

In the kitchen you need to conduct an inspection of the correct number of outlets. We always consider checking cabinet doors, sinks and appliances for damage during installation. 

Test the lighting in the hood as well as the lights and switches in the kitchen.

“Please note that some developers will not include delivery of ceiling fans, light fixtures, closet cabinets, including these as items each individual purchases and installs on their own due to many personal preferences and tastes”

Outside Area

In the common areas, when buying a condominium, we must verify the state of the pool, if its filtration system is complete, where the machinery is, if it is operational. In cases where there are elevators, they work without faults and the garage doors that have electric doors must pass the same review.

In the garden areas we must observe that the green areas are ready or if the construction materials are still on the ground. Since it is very common to receive physical possession of a home or premises and the common areas are still under construction.

Most developers will focus their efforts on completing units for all investors and then turn their attention to common area projects once deliverables are satisfied. So it is important to get a schedule of the stages of construction.