Market
Tulum's new airport and the Tren Maya: what changes for buyers
Tulum has had an international airport since December 1 and the Tren Maya is running. What changes for buyers there and what you still need to check.
For whom
Anyone thinking about buying a condo or a lot in Tulum.
On December 1, the Tulum International Airport opened. Its official name is Felipe Carrillo Puerto. It has a 3.7 kilometer runway, a terminal of more than 70,000 square meters and capacity for 5.5 million passengers a year in its first phase. The Mexican Army runs it. On December 15, the first section of the Tren Maya was inaugurated, from Campeche to Cancún. The section through Playa del Carmen and Tulum was announced for February 29.
For anyone thinking about buying in Tulum, the obvious question is whether this raises the value of what they buy. It helps to separate what changes from what does not.
What changes
- Getting there is easier. Until now, flying in meant landing in Cancún and continuing by road.
- If airlines keep their routes, vacation rentals have a new source of guests.
- The train stations and the roads to the airport will decide which areas end up better connected in the coming years.
What does not change
- Land without a title deed is still land without a title deed. In Tulum, ejido land is still being offered as if it were private property.
- Supply rules. If an area builds faster than buyers and tenants arrive, an airport is not enough to hold prices up.
- Services do not arrive evenly. Water, power and paved streets are not the same in every new area.
What we check today before recommending anything in Tulum
- A public deed registered in the Public Property Registry and a current lien-free certificate.
- The land use and density allowed for what you want to build or rent.
- Real travel times to the airport, to the future train station and to the beach, measured on the road and not in the brochure.
- If it is a rental, how many similar units are for sale or for rent in the same area.
- The developer's track record and the real progress of construction.
If you are starting from scratch, our guide on how to buy safely lists the verification steps we follow, and the one on investing in Tulum explains the areas.
Our take
When we started, 18 years ago, Tulum was cabins on the beach. Today it has an international airport and, as announced, it will have a train in early 2024. That is a huge change for the area. But an airport brings people closer; it does not turn a badly bought property into a good investment.
If you have something in mind in Tulum, send us the details and we will review the paperwork before you put down a deposit.