Selling Your Property in Dollars: Pesos, Costs, and Crypto Payments

Selling your property in dollars can make sense if the buyer is paying from abroad. But if you need pesos, there is another important negotiation beyond the sale price: the exchange rate you will use and how much will ultimately reach your account.

If you are selling a house, condo, or land in Ajijic, San Miguel de Allende, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, or the Riviera Maya, compare that amount before closing. And if the buyer proposes paying with crypto, first agree on how the source of funds will be documented and how those funds will ultimately reach you through a bank transfer that meets the requirements of the notarial transaction.

1. The cost is not just the fee

A transfer may advertise a small fee but leave you with fewer pesos because of the exchange rate applied. The exchange rate markup is the difference between a market benchmark and the rate at which your dollars are purchased.

There is not enough evidence to claim that all banks apply a markup of 2% to 4%. There is no universal fee, either: you need a quote for your amount, account, and method of receiving funds.

Also, a benchmark is not the same as an available offer. Banco de México explains that the FIX rate is determined using wholesale market quotes; it is not necessarily the rate at which you can sell your dollars. See its FIX exchange rate methodology.

Ask each provider for these details:

• Applicable exchange rate and quote validity period.
• Receiving, conversion, and sending fees, as applicable.
• Potential deductions by intermediary banks.
• Final amount in pesos and any charges that cannot yet be determined.

Compare offers for the same amount at roughly the same time, because the market moves.

2. Selling your property in dollars: an example in pesos

Suppose you sell a property for 350,000 USD, with a hypothetical benchmark of 18.90 MXN per dollar. Exchange rates change every day and throughout the day: this benchmark does not represent a current quote.

The following exercise compares an illustrative Nuvex scenario with a hypothetical bank scenario. The markups and fee are calculation assumptions, not current rates or guaranteed savings.

Item	Illustrative Nuvex scenario	Hypothetical bank scenario
Starting amount	350,000 USD	350,000 USD
Hypothetical benchmark	18.90 MXN/USD	18.90 MXN/USD
Assumed markup relative to the benchmark	0.40%	2.50%
Resulting exchange rate	18.8244 MXN/USD	18.4275 MXN/USD
Assumed additional fee	No additional fee in this exercise	40 USD
Resulting pesos	6,588,540 MXN	6,448,887.90 MXN

To make the calculation comparable, the assumed bank fee is deducted from the dollars before conversion. The formulas are:

• Nuvex scenario: 350,000 × 18.90 × (1 − 0.004).
• Bank scenario: (350,000 − 40) × 18.90 × (1 − 0.025).

The difference is 139,652.10 pesos: approximately 140,000 pesos. It comes not from negotiating a better property price, but from the assumed conversion costs. The exercise does not deduct taxes on the sale, notary fees, or other charges that may apply.

3. How to organize the transaction with Nuvex in four steps

1. Request a written quote

Share the amount, currency, country of origin, and destination account. Ask for the exchange rate, fees, and expected amount before authorizing the conversion. Also confirm the quote's validity period and the conditions for applying it.

2. Complete identity verification and the source-of-funds review

The parties' identities and the source of funds are reviewed. KYC means knowing and identifying the customer; if a company is involved, its corporate documentation is also reviewed.

The federal anti-money laundering law establishes obligations for real estate activities and virtual asset exchanges. Each participant must meet the obligations that apply to them; converting the money does not replace the notary's review.

3. Coordinate the transfer with the signing before the notary

Agree with the notary on when payment will be made and what supporting documents are needed. Payment to the seller must be documented through a bank transfer so the payment method can be recorded in the deed as applicable. Do not assume that initiating a transfer means it has already been received.

4. Receive the funds in the agreed account

If you choose pesos, confirm your account in Mexico. If you prefer dollars in your own account in the United States or Canada, check in advance on the availability of that payment route, the currency to be credited, and the receiving bank's requirements. Do not assume that every Canadian account can receive US dollars.

Review how quotes and payments work with Nuvex before committing to terms with the buyer.

4. What if the buyer wants to pay with crypto?

Separate two things: the asset the buyer holds and the money you will receive. The fact that the buyer holds crypto does not mean the notary must receive it or that you need to keep it.

Nuvex offers USDT and USDC purchases and sales. For a real estate transaction, first confirm whether they are accepted, the supported network, required documentation, and conversion terms. If the buyer proposes Bitcoin or Ether, explicitly ask whether they can be processed and through what arrangement; do not assume they have the same support.

Once the transaction is accepted, the process must be defined before the assets are sent: receipt of the authorized asset, review of its source, conversion under the agreed terms, and a bank transfer to the seller with supporting documents. Documentation may be required both before receipt and during processing.

Digital dollars are not presented here as an investment. Using them also does not eliminate operational risks, compliance reviews, or tax obligations. Do not send assets until you have confirmed instructions on the currency, network, and recipient.

5. Documents and coordination with the notary

Prepare a file and request the specific checklist for your case. It is generally helpful to have the following available:

• Identification and tax information for the buyer and seller.
• A contract or documentation establishing the sale.
• Evidence of the source of the buyer's funds.
• Receiving account details and proof of account ownership.
• Quote, instructions, and proof of payment.
• If crypto is involved, transaction history and supporting documents requested by compliance.

The anti-money laundering law cited above requires the payment method to be identified in notarial instruments when the legal threshold is met. That is why your supporting documents should not tell a different story from the contract.

If you are a foreign national and purchased through a trust (fideicomiso) in a restricted zone, coordinate the payment and closing instructions with the trustee bank and the notary. Do this before setting the conversion date.

6. Separate currency conversion from taxes on the sale

Receiving more pesos through a better quote does not mean that amount is your available balance after taxes and expenses.

For transactions formalized in a deed where applicable, the notary calculates and remits the provisional income tax (ISR) payment on the sale, in accordance with the Income Tax Law. The specific treatment depends on factors including your tax status and the characteristics of the transaction.

Nuvex does not provide tax advice. Ask the notary or your accountant to review your case and provide a separate estimate of taxes, professional fees, and other closing costs.

7. Conclusion: decide based on the final amount and documented payment

When selling your property in dollars, compare how many pesos you would receive under equivalent conditions—not just the advertised fee. Then coordinate the quote, source-of-funds review, transfer, and deed with everyone involved in the closing.

Use the calculator on Nuvex's real estate page as a starting point and request to speak with an advisor via WhatsApp. A specific quote will let you evaluate your transaction without relying on assumptions.