The Mexican Association of Real Estate Professionals Establishes a Public Registry to Combat Illegal Agents.

**RIVIERA MAYA, Q.R. – The Mexican Association of Real Estate (AMPI) reports the establishment of a public registry for certified government-owned real estate. Public records are being consolidated, enabling buyers to engage licensed professionals while associations tackle illegal agents. Miguel Ángel Lemus Mateos, coordinator for Region 18 of the Association of Real Estate Agents in Mexico, stated that their efforts are aimed at combating real estate piracy through this registry.

“We will publish a register to let the market know who is recognized as real estate agents, thus countering empiricism and malpractice,” Remus Mateos affirmed. He pointed out that the Real Estate and Services Law of Quintana Roo, passed by the state Congress in 2014, forbids unlicensed individuals from practicing in the real estate business.

Lemus Mateos also emphasized that any professional intending to work in the real estate sector must register with the Ministry of Agrarian, Territorial, and Urban Development, a Mexican agency under the Urban Development and Housing Cabinet. “It is essential to ensure recognized representation from the national government, the public, and investors, including home and property buyers,” he added.

“To register as a real estate consultant, interested parties must individually submit the following documents, including a valid official photo ID, proof of residential address, proof of a clean criminal record, and proof of training and registration with the Tax Administration Service (SAT),” he explained. “Foreigners must establish their migratory status for gainful employment and meet minimum requirements for professional licenses with national institutions,” he added, noting that this activity is also regulated by the National Real Estate Board.

“To regulate this activity, the National Real Estate Council has been established as a technical support body for the Ministry, tasked with promoting research, analysis, professionalization, and decision-making regarding real estate services, under the guidance of the Secretary of Urban Development, Secretary of Government, Cristina Torres, Director of the National Property Registry, and representatives from organizations such as AMPI and CANACO,” he explained. According to Lemus Mateos, there are 665 certified real estate agents by AMPI (Mexican Professional Association) in Cancún, 131 in Playa del Carmen, 141 in Puerto Morelos, 35 in Tulum and Cozumel, 20 in Seoul, and 12 in Chetumal.

“Nationally, we have more than 3,000 federal certificates, and this year, we will begin issuing the first AMPI-UNAM diploma, so we are working diligently towards training,” he said.