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Akumal Real Estate for Sale
The turtle bay between Tulum and Playa del Carmen. Five of our eight listings here are beachfront, and the houses are large.
Akumal
The draw
- Green turtles feed in the bay year round
- A settled village since the 1950s, low rise throughout
- Beachfront on this coast without Tulum prices
What you get
- 8 properties, seven already finished
- Median $1,674,500 USD, from $320,000 USD
- Median size 4,945 sq ft, four to nine bedrooms
On the doorstep
- Akumal Bay and quieter Half Moon Bay
- Yal Ku lagoon and Aktun Chen
- Beach restaurants and dive shops
Getting around
- Tulum about 25 minutes
- Playa del Carmen about 20 minutes
- Cancun airport about an hour
House Yaxche, a four bedroom canopy compound in Region 15
Akumal real estate is the established, low rise, family end of this coast. The name means place of the turtles in Maya, and it is not marketing: green turtles feed on the seagrass in the bay year round and you can swim out to them from the beach.
What it is like
Akumal sits about twenty five minutes north of Tulum and twenty minutes south of Playa del Carmen, arranged around two bays. Akumal Bay is the main one, shallow and protected by reef, with the dive shops, the beach restaurants and the turtles. Half Moon Bay curves north from it and is quieter, more residential and where most of the private houses are.
The village has been here since the 1950s, which by Riviera Maya standards makes it ancient. That shows in the trees, the low building heights and the fact that nothing is under construction on the scale you see further south. It is a settled place rather than an emerging one.
Yal Ku lagoon at the northern end is a brackish inlet where fresh groundwater meets the sea, good snorkelling and calmer than the open bay. Aktun Chen and several cenotes are a short drive inland.
What is for sale
Six houses, five of them beachfront or oceanfront, plus a penthouse. Seven of the eight are finished. The median size is 4,945 sq ft (459 m²), the largest of any area we cover outside Soy Tulum, and the median asking price is $1,674,500 USD, running from $320,000 USD for a jungle house on a 5,000 m² lot to $2,700,000 USD for oceanfront estates on the bay.
Layouts run large. Four, six, seven and nine bedroom houses are normal here, which tells you what the market is: whole house rentals for groups, and families who want room rather than a lock and leave condo.
Who it suits
Families, long stay owners and group rental operators. It also suits anyone who wants beachfront on this coast without Tulum prices or Tulum construction noise.
What to watch
Akumal is a village, not a town. The restaurant and shop choice is limited and you will drive to Playa del Carmen or Tulum for anything substantial.
The turtles are protected and access to parts of the bay is regulated, with guides required in some areas and seasonal restrictions. That is a good thing for the place and worth understanding before you buy expecting unrestricted use of the water.
Beachfront ownership means the federal maritime zone at the shoreline and, for foreign buyers, the fideicomiso, a bank trust that gives full ownership rights within fifty kilometres of the coast.
The figures on this page are asking prices from our own current listings. They are not closed transactions and they are not comparables.
Akumal
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Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about our properties, services, and buying process. If you need more help, feel free to reach out to us
Yes. Foreigners can own property in Tulum via a “fideicomiso”: a trust with a Mexican bank facilitated by a notary. The bank acts as a trustee and follows instructions from the property owner. Via this arrangement, foreigners can have all rights to use, occupy, lease, build, improve, and sell their property. On average, it takes 60 to 90 days to complete a property purchase. Tulum Land & Property works closely with a trusted team of lawyers and notaries who ensure that all legal processes proceed smoothly.Another way of owning property in Tulum is by creating a Mexican corporation. This is recommended when investors plan to own several properties.
Most pre-construction properties require a refundable deposit of $5,000 USD to secure the unit. Our properties are in high demand so this deposit secures the unit while contracts are drafted. Typically buyers make a down payment of 30% but larger down payments lead to larger discounts. The rest of the payments are made according to negotiable payment plans spreading the cost over the construction time, allowing investors to enjoy better liquidity before delivery.
Tulum real estate agents estimate the average annual ROI to be between 6% and 10%. This depends upon location, amenities, rental rates and design. Our team of experts at Tulum Land & Property focus on finding properties that generate 10% to 20% ROI per year.
For foreigners investing in Mexico, the best way to obtain finance is to do so at home. In the US, you may take a Home Equity Loan or Home Equity Line of Credit (click here). Buyers are able to repay their monthly loan payments with rental income from their vacation rental. During the high season in Tulum, a two-bedroom apartment can rent for up to $500 USD per night and villas can command over $1,000 USD per night. Financing in Mexico is typically 8%-9% plus fees and involves a lengthy process.
Closing costs are typically 7% of the property value. This includes the acquisition tax, recordation fee, certificate of no liens, municipal appraisal, legal and closing fees, and public notary fees. The yearly property tax in Mexico is typically 0.1% of the property value. HOA fees typically start from $2.5 USD per square meter per month depending on the amenities included. The cost of furniture and appliances must also be considered in your budget. Our team of experts can help you understand these costs, schedule a call with us to get started (click here).
To ensure a property has a clear title, conduct a title search through a reputable notary or legal professional. This process verifies that the seller has legal ownership and that there are no liens or encumbrances on the property. Working with experienced local professionals can help navigate this process.
Tulum is safe. Recent data shows that the crime index is in fact lower in Tulum than in major cities of the United States, such as Miami (see here). Occasional violent incidents usually do not involve foreigners and tourists, but are rather restricted to disputes between cartels. As for every destination prized by tourists, the usual precautions do apply in Tulum when it comes to irregular activities and behaviour. Many tips are available on forums for first-time travellers to Mexico on how to avoid scams and theft (example here).
Many of the condos and villas sold in Tulum come with amenities, depending on the location. Usual amenities include: pool, spa, rooftop, fitness and yoga centre, co-working space, etc.
Still have questions?
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