American Realty was built for Americans and Canadians buying property in Mexico. We understand your concerns because we've heard them thousands of times — and solved them thousands of times.
The year is 2002. John Newman is buying his first property in Playa del Carmen — a piece of land near Fifth Avenue, the deal of the century. The seller assured him he didn't need representation. An agent? They just take commissions. A lawyer? A waste of money. "Go straight to the notary. The notary handles everything."
So he did. The money transferred. The notary handed him a receipt that looked like it came from a 1980s adding machine. All good. There was a small house on the property that John planned to demolish to build condos — but he didn't have the capital yet, so he rented out the house and flew back to the United States.
When he returned months later, a completely different person was living there. John asked what they were doing in his house. They said they had rented it — from the "owner." John told them: I am the owner.
The deal of the century was a fraud. The seller, the "new tenant," and the notary had been working together. What followed were years of legal proceedings that ended with the notary losing his license and several people going to jail — but the process cost John years of his life and a great deal of money.
What John didn't know at the time is that all of it was preventable. With proper representation — someone who understood his rights as a foreigner, how Mexican law works, and what to do on the day of the wire — none of it would have happened.
That is the origin of American Realty. John founded this company with one idea: this should never happen to anyone else.
Since 2005, we have closed hundreds of transactions. Not one client has contracted with us and failed to receive the property we promised them — not through fraud, not through incompetence. That is our record. And that is our reason for existing.
— John Newman, Founder
American Realty Mexico · Playa del Carmen, since 2005
You're considering wiring a large sum to people in another country. You should know exactly who they are.
John came to Playa del Carmen in 2002 as a buyer — not as an agent. What he experienced in that first transaction, and the years it cost him to resolve, is the reason American Realty exists. Today he runs one of the most respected real estate firms in the Riviera Maya, with hundreds of closed transactions and not one client who contracted with him and failed to receive what he promised.
His philosophy hasn't changed since 2005: don't do this alone. Don't gamble with your money. Protect yourself.
📞 +1 303 317 6639These credentials are listed everywhere as if they speak for themselves. They don't — so here's what each one actually means for a North American buyer.
The most rigorous federal real estate certification in Mexico at the time it launched: a 103-question exam where 99 was a failing grade. We were the first in Quintana Roo to pass it.
When Quintana Roo required every real estate firm to hold a state license, we were the first to complete the process and the first to be granted a Matricula by the state government.
We are the only real estate firm in Mexico with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. In 20 years, no client has filed a formal complaint. View our BBB profile →
Mexico's professional real estate association. Ethics, accountability, and verified listings.
National Association of Realtors — the US standard North American buyers already know and trust.
Your property searches start on a platform you already know from home.
What this means for you: we are legally accountable to authorities in two countries. Most agents operating in this market are not.
Search us — Google, BBB, TripAdvisor, expat forums, Facebook buyer groups. You won't find a single negative review of American Realty. Not because we don't exist — we've been here 20 years and closed hundreds of transactions — but because we do things right, every time, even when the honest answer for the client costs us a commission.
Between 2021 and 2024, developers were paying 8–10% commissions on deposits. Agents collected at signing and moved on. Buyers paid 30% down on projects with no track record.
Many of those projects failed. Many buyers lost their deposits. The agents who sold them kept their commissions and opened new offices.
We now have access to 100+ units in projects that did get built — being sold by original buyers who want to exit, often at a profit, but still priced below today's market. That is what our track record produces: not just safety, but access to real opportunities.
No client has ever contracted with American Realty and failed to receive the property we promised them — through fraud or incompetence. In 20 years. Hundreds of transactions. Zero.
A note on precision: when a buyer fails to perform on their side of the contract — for example, not completing an agreed payment — they may forfeit their deposit. That is buyer non-performance, not a failure of American Realty. Our promise covers what is within our control: honest representation, title verification, and a correctly executed closing, every time.
Most of our clients are buying from the US or Canada. Here's what the process looks like — in plain English.
Phone, Zoom, or WhatsApp. You tell us your goals. We give you honest feedback on what's possible.
Properties that match — including below-market and off-market options not publicly listed.
Video walkthroughs from Playa, or we arrange your visit. You see everything before committing.
We negotiate on your behalf. Title verified. Fideicomiso confirmed. No surprises before closing.
We manage the notary, the wire, the paperwork. You receive the keys — and we stay available after.
Most of our clients live in the US or Canada and won't be here to manage everything in person. We connect you with trusted property management, guide you on vacation-rental platforms (Airbnb, VRBO) for properties that qualify, explain your tax obligations in Mexico as a foreign owner, and stay available by WhatsApp or phone for any post-closing questions.
In Mexico, foreigners cannot hold direct title to real estate in the restricted zone — the first 50 kilometers from the coastline. That zone covers the entire Riviera Maya.
The solution is the fideicomiso: a bank trust in which a Mexican-authorized bank holds title to the property on your behalf. You are the beneficiary — with full rights to use, rent, sell, and pass the property on to your heirs. The bank simply holds the title.
It is not complicated. It is not unsafe. It is the legal mechanism that protects your property under Mexican law — and we manage the entire setup process for you. You don't have to navigate this alone.
Typical annual cost: approximately $500–$600 USD in bank fees, depending on the institution.
Every review is verifiable on our Google Business Profile.
"In 20 years, we have never had a client contract with us and fail to receive the property we promised them. Not through fraud. Not through incompetence. That is our record and the reason we exist."
"The difference is simple: in a market with no MLS, no universal licensing, and developers who disappear — you need someone who has already seen everything go wrong and learned how to prevent it. That is American Realty."
Start with a free consultation — no pressure, no commission-driven pitch.