Some buyers do occasionally cover part of their purchase in physical cash. Keep in mind, though, that since anti-money-laundering rules were tightened in 2014, notarios must legally document the form of every payment or partial payment — wire transfer, cash, cashier's check, and so on.

There's also a legal ceiling on how much cash can be used, and it has been rising over time. As of 2023, that limit stood at $800,000 MXN; any cash payment above it triggers a mandatory report to SAT (Mexico's counterpart to the IRS).

Sellers who plan to keep living in Mexico after the sale are often open to taking part of the price in cash. Those relocating abroad, however, generally won't accept any cash portion at all.

If you'd like to use physical cash for part of your purchase, speak with one of our agents to confirm you're within the legal limits and that the notario closing the deal is on board.