Apartado / Anticipo (Reservation / Advance Deposit)ah-par-TAH-doh / ahn-tee-SEE-poh
Apartado (also called anticipo) is a small sum paid by a buyer to reserve a property and remove it from the market for a specified period, typically 15 to 30 days. Under NOM-247-SE-2021, Mexico's official consumer protection norm for residential real estate, anticipo is defined as an advance payment toward a future purchase of residential real estate that must be credited to the final purchase price.
By Daniel Ortega · Last reviewed 6 November 2026
How it works
<p>When a foreign buyer finds a property in Quintana Roo or elsewhere in Mexico, the agent or developer typically requests an apartado to reserve it. <cite index="5-12,7-5,7-6,8-6,8-7">The amount is commonly USD 5,000, though it can range from USD 5,000 to USD 10,000 for resale properties, and the reservation period usually lasts up to 30 days with the price locked in.</cite> <cite index="3-13">For pre-construction purchases, reservation deposits are typically lower at 5 to 10 percent of the purchase price.</cite></p><p><cite index="23-6">NOM-247-SE-2021 defines anticipo as an amount the buyer pays in advance toward a future purchase of residential real estate.</cite> <cite index="21-3,21-4">The provider must deliver a receipt and inform the buyer before accepting the anticipo that it will be credited toward the purchase price and specify the obligations and refund conditions; if the sale closes, the anticipo is applied to the total price.</cite> <cite index="19-3">Refund without penalty is available if requested within the agreed timeframe; otherwise, the provider's stated penalties apply.</cite> <cite index="18-14,18-15">When the transaction closes, the apartado is deducted from the purchase price or down payment; it is not an extra charge but an advance payment.</cite></p><p>The apartado is distinct from arras (earnest money paid after signing a promissory contract, typically 10 to 30 percent) and enganche (the down payment made at contract signing). Always confirm in writing whether the apartado is refundable, under what conditions, and within what timeframe.</p>