Yes, you can buy a home in the Rio Grande Valley while living in Mexico. You do not need U.S. citizenship or residency: you buy with cash, a foreign national loan or an ITIN loan, you close through a Texas title company, often without traveling, and if you later rent or sell the home, U.S. tax rules apply that are worth planning with a tax adviser.
Note: General information, not legal, tax, immigration or lending advice. Amy is not an attorney, accountant, immigration adviser or lender.
The path, in 7 steps
- Confirm you can buy.
Texas gives noncitizens the same property rights as citizens. SB 17 restricts purchases tied to designated countries (currently China, Iran, North Korea and Russia) and to organizations the governor designates; Mexico is not on that list (checked Oct 18, 2026). See Can a Mexican citizen buy a house in Texas?.
- Decide how you will pay.
Cash, a foreign national loan, or an ITIN loan. FHA stopped accepting non-permanent residents on May 25, 2025, and VA and USDA programs are generally not available to people who do not live in the U.S. Compare written estimates from two or three NMLS-licensed lenders. See ITIN mortgages.
- Budget the cost of owning.
A second home pays property tax without the homestead exemption. Add insurance (windstorm too in Cameron and Willacy counties), HOA dues and upkeep. The table below compares the main cities.
- Plan your visits.
A Border Crossing Card holder may visit within 25 miles of the border for up to 30 days without an I-94. McAllen, Brownsville and Harlingen are inside that zone; Raymondville and Port Mansfield are outside (approximate). Confirm with CBP.
- Make your offer on the Texas contract.
The TREC resale contract has you deliver earnest money and the option fee to the title company within 3 days after the effective date. Have U.S. dollars ready before you sign.
- Close in person or remotely.
Sign at the title company, before a U.S. consular officer, before a notario público in Mexico with an apostille, online, or through a power of attorney. Confirm every wiring instruction by phone.
- Afterward: rent, sell or plan your estate.
Rent paid to a nonresident owner generally has 30% withheld unless you elect to be taxed on net income. A later sale triggers FIRPTA withholding. See FIRPTA for foreign sellers.
Guides for buyers who live in Mexico
- Can a Mexican citizen buy a house in Texas?Yes. Texas Property Code 5.005, SB 17 and the documents used.
- ITIN mortgages in TexasWho lends, what they ask for, and how the Texas purchase works.
- FIRPTA for foreign sellers0, 10 or 15 percent withholding and Form 8288-B.
- Rio Grande Valley housing marketDated medians, inventory, HUD rents and border crossings, with sources.
- Rio Grande Valley international bridgesAll 13 crossings, SENTRI and Ready lanes, pedestrians and hours.
- Mortgage options for foreign nationals (in Spanish)Cash, foreign national loans and ITIN loans.
- Buying on a tourist visa (in Spanish)The 25-mile Border Crossing Card zone and the I-94.
- Closing from Mexico (in Spanish)Consular notarization, apostille, online notarization, power of attorney, wires.
- Renting out your Texas home from Mexico (in Spanish)30% withholding or the net election, ITIN, licensed managers.
- Notario público vs. Texas notary (in Spanish)Why a Texas notary is not a lawyer.
- English-Spanish glossary (in Spanish)90+ Texas real estate terms explained.
Coming from Reynosa, Monterrey, Matamoros or the Frontera Chica?
Each page collects the logistics from that city: bridges, highways, distances, documents for crossing and closing from a distance. They do not describe neighborhoods or recommend areas; Amy serves all four Valley counties for every buyer.
- From Reynosa and Río Bravo (in Spanish)Anzalduas, McAllen-Hidalgo, Pharr, Donna and Progreso bridges.
- From Monterrey and Saltillo (in Spanish)Highway 40D through Reynosa, and flights from Monterrey to the Valley.
- From Matamoros and Valle Hermoso (in Spanish)Gateway, B&M, Veterans and Los Indios bridges to Brownsville.
- From the Frontera Chica (in Spanish)Bridges to Roma and Rio Grande City, and the Los Ebanos ferry.
Approximate driving times, not counting the wait at the bridge. Check live waits on CBP Border Wait Times.
What does a second home in the Valley cost to own?
Texas has no state income tax on individuals, but property tax is due every year and depends on the city and school district. The homestead exemption is only for a principal residence, so a home you visit from Mexico pays the full rate (Texas Comptroller). For each city's detail and a calculator, see property taxes by city.
| City (school district) | Combined rate per $100 | No homestead (second home) | With homestead (principal residence) |
|---|---|---|---|
| McAllen McAllen ISD | $2.28 (2025) | $6,839 | $5,532 |
| Edinburg Edinburg CISD | $2.39 (2025) | $7,171 | $5,962 |
| Mission Mission CISD | $2.57 (2025) | $7,709 | $6,148 |
| Pharr Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD | $2.68 (2025) | $8,031 | $6,613 |
| Weslaco Weslaco ISD | $2.53 (2025) | $7,586 | $6,262 |
| Brownsville Brownsville ISD | $1.97 (2026) | $5,922 | $4,839 |
| Harlingen Harlingen CISD | $1.96 (2026) | $5,888 | $4,566 |
| South Padre Island Point Isabel ISD | $1.67 (2026) | $4,998 | $4,004 |
| Rio Grande City Rio Grande City Grulla ISD | $2.88 (2025) | $8,641 | $6,916 |
| Raymondville Raymondville ISD | $2.73 (2025) | $8,198 | $6,816 |
- Insurance. Cameron and Willacy counties are inside the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association area, so coastal homes there often need windstorm coverage and a certificate of compliance; Hidalgo and Starr are not (TWIA). Get quotes before you make an offer.
- HOA dues and special districts. Many subdivisions charge association dues, and some lots sit in a utility or improvement district with its own tax. Ask for both in writing before the option period ends.
- Upkeep while you are away. Budget for lawn care, pest control and someone who checks the house after storms.
How to move the money safely
Most buyers wire U.S. dollars from their bank directly to the title company's escrow account. Closing-wire fraud usually starts with a fake email that looks like the title company's or the agent's and "changes" the bank account at the last minute. Across all industries, the FBI's 2025 Internet Crime Report counted 24,768 business email compromise complaints with $3,046,598,558 in losses, plus 12,368 real estate fraud complaints with $275,110,419 in losses.
- Verify by phone. Confirm wiring instructions by calling a title company number you already have, never a number in the email.
- Carrying cash. Crossing the border with more than $10,000 in currency or monetary instruments is legal, but you must report it to CBP on FinCEN Form 105. Businesses that receive more than $10,000 in cash report it to the IRS on Form 8300 (IRS), and splitting cash to avoid a report is a crime.
- Keep a paper trail. Lenders and title companies ask where the funds came from; keep statements and wire receipts.
How many buyers from Mexico buy in Texas, and what homes cost
From April 2025 to March 2026, buyers from Mexico made up 14% of foreign buyers of U.S. homes, second after Canada, according to the National Association of REALTORS (July 2026). In Texas, Mexico accounted for 35% of international buyers, according to Texas REALTORS (August 2026). These are national and statewide figures about buyers, not about any neighborhood.
In August 2026 the MLS median sale price was $242,572 in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission area and $272,000 in Brownsville-Harlingen, against $330,000 statewide, with 8.79 and 6.71 months of inventory against 5.34 for Texas, according to the Texas A&M Real Estate Research Center (MLS data; builder sales closed outside the MLS are excluded). See the Rio Grande Valley housing market data for the monthly trend, rents and border crossings.
What your buyer's agent does
- Explains each step in English or Spanish and sends the contract dates in writing.
- Shows homes in person or by video call, and shares photos and video from the inspection.
- Introduces NMLS-licensed lenders, title companies, TREC-licensed inspectors and Texas-licensed attorneys; you choose.
- Negotiates price, repairs and a realistic deadline to secure financing.
- Coordinates the signing method with the title company when you close from Mexico.
Amy works with every buyer, whether you live in Mexico, the United States or anywhere else. She does not ask about nationality or immigration status to work with you. Amy is a Texas real estate sales agent with RE/MAX Elite; she is not an attorney, accountant, immigration adviser or lender.
Common questions
Can a Mexican citizen buy a house in Texas without U.S. residency?
Yes. You do not need U.S. citizenship or residency. Texas gives noncitizens the same property rights as citizens, with SB 17 exceptions for designated countries and organizations; Mexico is not among them (checked Oct 18, 2026).
Do I need an ITIN or a Social Security number to buy?
For a cash purchase, usually not. You will need an ITIN to report rental income, to sell later (FIRPTA withholding credit), or for an ITIN loan.
Can I close without traveling to Texas?
Often yes, if the title company (and any lender) approves the method in advance: a U.S. consular notarization, a notario público in Mexico with an apostille, online notarization, or a power of attorney.
Does buying a home in Texas give me a visa or residency?
No. Owning a home gives no visa, residency, citizenship or work permission and does not let you stay longer. Your admission and I-94 decide that; for those questions, consult an immigration attorney.
How much property tax does a second home in McAllen pay?
At the 2025 adopted rates, a home with a $300,000 taxable value in McAllen ISD pays about $6,839 a year when it is not your principal residence, against $5,532 with the homestead exemption. Rates differ by city and school district.
Can I bring cash across the border to buy a house?
You may carry more than $10,000 only if you report it to CBP on FinCEN Form 105. Title companies normally receive funds by bank wire; confirm every wiring instruction by phone.
How is the buyer's agent paid?
Broker compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable. It is agreed in writing with RE/MAX Elite before you start working together, and sometimes the seller covers it if the contract says so.
About the author
Amy Herrera is a REALTOR® and Texas real estate sales agent (TREC #808068) with RE/MAX Elite (TREC #9007399), a U.S. Army Reserve Captain (veteran) with an MBA, and she works in English and Spanish across Starr, Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy counties. Amy works with every buyer, whether you live in Mexico, the United States or anywhere else. She does not ask about nationality or immigration status to work with you. She is not an attorney, accountant, immigration adviser or lender; she introduces licensed professionals and you choose. When you are ready, book a 30-minute call.
