HOA fees and club rules in a Mexican country club
HOA fees pay for security and common areas, and they start the day the lot is yours, even if you never build. The club's bylaws decide what you can build, whether you can rent, and how neighbors live together, so read them before you reserve, not after.
What HOA fees are and what they cover
A Mexican country club is a gated community where owners share roads, security, landscaping and services. The maintenance fee (cuota de mantenimiento) is each owner's share of those common costs. If you have owned in a US HOA or a Canadian condo, the idea is the same, even though you own a standalone lot.
What is included varies from club to club, so always ask for a written breakdown. As a rule of thumb, this is what is usually in and what is usually billed separately:
| Usually included | Usually separate |
|---|---|
| Security, gatehouse and patrols | Golf membership or green fees |
| Internal roads and street lighting | Clubhouse, restaurant, gym or spa, if run by a third party |
| Landscaping and cleaning of common areas | Your home's electricity, water and gas |
| Management and reserve fund | Property tax (predial), paid to the municipality |
| Trash collection (in some clubs) | Clearing or cleaning your own lot |
A golf course inside the club does not mean your HOA fee lets you play. In many developments golf and the clubhouse require their own membership.
How fees are calculated and what you pay
There are two common models. In the first, the fee is set per square meter of lot, so a 600 m² (6,450 sq ft) lot pays twice as much as a 300 m² (3,230 sq ft) one. In the second, it is a flat fee per lot, the same for everyone in a given neighborhood. Some clubs mix both or charge less for vacant lots.
On top of the regular fee there can be special assessments: one-time charges approved by the owners' assembly for a large project, such as repaving roads, replacing the access system or repairing hurricane damage. Just like in a US HOA, a club with a healthy reserve fund needs them less often.
Using Tulum Country Club as a concrete example, these are the figures we request from management before quoting a lot:
| Item | Tulum Country Club (example) |
|---|---|
| Calculation method | Per m² or flat per lot, to be verified with management |
| Monthly fee | Amount to be verified by neighborhood |
| Vacant lot | To be verified whether full or reduced fee applies |
| Golf and clubhouse | To be verified whether a separate membership is required |
| Recent special assessments | To be verified in assembly minutes |
What happens if you fall behind
Unpaid fees have consequences. Management can add late charges, suspend access to amenities or services and, if the debt grows, take legal action to collect. The exact rules depend on the club's bylaws and the state's condominium law.
The key point for a buyer: the debt stays with the lot. If you buy a lot with unpaid fees, in practice you are the one who has to bring it current. That is why, at closing, the notary usually requires a no-debt certificate (constancia de no adeudo) signed by management. It is the Mexican equivalent of a US HOA estoppel letter or resale certificate. Ask for it every time, even when the seller is the developer.
If you will hold the lot for years without visiting, set up automatic payments or have someone local keep an eye on it. A forgotten fee turns into late charges quickly.
Who decides: the assembly, management and committees
Most Mexican country clubs are organized as a condominium regime or an owners' association. The owners' assembly has the final word: it approves the budget, fee levels, special assessments and changes to the bylaws. Owners usually vote either in proportion to their lot or one vote per lot, depending on the founding deed.
Management runs day-to-day operations: collects fees, pays vendors, hires security and presents financial statements. It may be the developer while lots are still being sold, or an outside company hired by the owners. There is usually also an architectural review committee that approves building plans, much like an ARC in a US HOA.
As long as the developer owns many unsold lots, it carries a lot of weight in decisions. That is not a problem in itself, but you should know when and how control passes to the owners.
Building rules
The building rules protect the look of the club and, with it, the value of your lot. Check these points before you buy, because they can change your project or your budget:
- Deadline to build: some clubs require construction to start within a set period after purchase, with penalties or higher fees if you miss it. Tulum Country Club example: deadline to be verified.
- Height and stories: maximum number of floors and total height. Example: maximum height to be verified by neighborhood.
- Setbacks and lot coverage: minimum distance from the house to the front, sides and back of the lot, and how much of the lot you can cover.
- Minimum home size: many clubs set a minimum built area so that small homes do not pull down values nearby.
- Plan approval: the committee reviews your project before you apply for the municipal permit. It may charge a review fee and require a deposit against damage to roads or common areas: amounts to be verified.
- Construction rules: working hours, access for workers and trucks, site fencing, debris removal and whether weekend work is allowed.
Community rules and how you can use the lot
The bylaws also govern daily life. These rules matter most if you plan to rent the home or spend long seasons there:
- Residential or mixed-use zoning: a residential lot allows housing only; a mixed-use lot may allow a shop or small business. Tulum Country Club has blocks of both types, so check the zoning of each lot before you reserve.
- Vacation rentals: some clubs or neighborhoods allow nightly rentals, others only monthly or longer stays, and others require every guest to be registered at the gate. Get the rule in writing, not as a verbal promise.
- Pets: limits on number or size, leash rules and areas they cannot enter.
- Golf carts: who may drive them, minimum age, registration or decal, speed and which roads you can use outside the course.
- Noise and events: quiet hours, parties and outdoor speakers, especially for rental homes.
- Exterior appearance: facade colors, walls, visible water tanks, antennas and solar panels.
Questions to ask before you buy
Ask for written answers and the supporting documents. If anything is unclear, review it with your notary before you sign.
- What is the fee today, how is it calculated and how much has it risen in recent years?
- What exactly does it include, and what is billed separately (golf, clubhouse, water, trash)?
- Have there been recent special assessments, or is one approved for next year?
- How much is in the reserve fund, and can I see the latest financial statements?
- Is the lot current on fees, and will I receive a no-debt certificate at closing?
- What is the deadline to build, and what happens if I miss it?
- Which height limits, setbacks and minimum size apply to this specific lot?
- Is the lot zoned residential or mixed use, and are nightly rentals allowed?
- Who manages the club today, and when does control pass to the owners?
- Can I get the full bylaws and the minutes of the last few assemblies?
We help you review fees and rules
When you ask us about a lot, we send the current HOA fee, the club bylaws and the building and rental rules for that neighborhood together with the price. That way you compare lots by what they really cost to own, not just by the sticker price.
We work in English, Spanish and French, by WhatsApp, email or video call.
Get lot options and prices
We send you available lots and homes that fit your budget, with prices, HOA fees and plans. No obligation.
How to buy in a Mexican country club
What to know before you reserve a lot: the bank trust (fideicomiso) for foreigners, closing costs, HOA fees and the questions to ask the developer.
- The bank trust, step by step
- Real purchase and closing costs
- Checklist before you sign
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay HOA fees on a vacant lot?
Usually yes. Fees start once the lot is yours. Some clubs charge a reduced fee for vacant lots, so check the bylaws.
Do HOA fees include golf?
Not always. In many Mexican clubs golf and the clubhouse require a separate membership or green fees. Ask for a written breakdown.
What if I buy a lot with unpaid HOA fees?
The debt stays with the lot, so in practice you would have to pay it. That is why the notary usually asks for a no-debt certificate from management before closing.
Can HOA fees go up?
Yes. The owners' assembly approves the budget and can raise the fee or approve special assessments. Ask how much the fee has risen in recent years.
Can I rent my home on Airbnb in a Mexican country club?
It depends on the lot's zoning and on the club or neighborhood rules. Some allow nightly rentals, others only long stays. Confirm it in writing before you buy.
Is there a deadline to build on my lot?
Some clubs require it and charge penalties or higher fees if you miss it. The deadline is in the building rules, and we review it with you before you reserve.
Keep reading
- Live or investRetirement, winter home, vacation rental or a lot to resell: what to look for, the risks, costs and time horizon of each buyer profile in Mexico.
- Closing costsWhat it really costs to close on a lot in Mexico: acquisition tax, notary, appraisal, registry and bank trust fees, with a worked example.
- Closing processHow closing works in Mexico: deposit, promissory contract, due diligence, notario, bank trust, signing and recording. Timelines and buying remotely.
- Residential lots in Mexican country clubsGolf community lots in the Riviera Maya, Mexico. Prices, plans, developer financing and step-by-step help for foreign buyers.