5 Reasons Mexican Investors Are Developing Texas Real Estate

Picture two investors from Monterrey. Each one buys 20 acres outside San Antonio in the same month, at the same price.

The first investor holds the land and waits for the city to grow toward it. A year later he applies for an E-2 visa and gets denied. The State Department's own rules describe his situation almost word for word as something that does not qualify: an "idle speculative investment held for potential appreciation in value, such as undeveloped land."

The second investor forms a Texas construction company first. He puts his own money into it and buys the land through the company to build homes. His application is much stronger, because now he is running a business.

Same dirt. Different outcome.

That example is made up. The rule behind it is real, and it's the part most articles about Mexican investors in Texas leave out.

Mexican capital is already here in a big way. Between April 2025 and March 2026, Mexicans were the second-largest group of foreign home buyers in the US, with about 9,400 purchases worth close to $5 billion, according to the National Association of Realtors. That happened while foreign buying overall fell 14%. In Texas, Mexican nationals made up 35% of international buyers, up from 30% the year before.

Those reports only count homes. They miss what we have been seeing at Verdin Law: more Mexican investors buying land in Texas to develop and build. Below are five reasons that move makes sense, and how to make it in a way that can bring your family with you.

1. Texas keeps needing more places to live and work

Developers follow demand. In this section, you'll see how fast Texas is growing and which kind of project the numbers favor right now.

How fast is Texas growing?

Texas added 391,243 residents between July 2024 and July 2025, reaching more than 31.7 million people. That is roughly 1,000 new Texans every day, and every one of them needs somewhere to live and work.

The growth is concentrated around the big metros. The five fastest-growing US cities with more than 20,000 residents were all in Texas in 2025. The leader, Celina, north of Dallas, grew 24.6% in a single year. It had 16,739 people in 2020 and 64,427 by mid-2025.

Which projects make the most sense right now?

Dallas Fed economist Pia Orrenius expects new home construction in Texas to be soft in 2026, while non-home construction should be strong. If you are choosing between a subdivision and a small commercial or industrial project, that matters. Our view is that you shouldn't assume homes are the right first project just because that's what you built in Mexico.

Labor is the real constraint, and we won't pretend otherwise. About 38% of construction workers in Texas are foreign-born, and immigration enforcement has made crews harder to find. In the Rio Grande Valley, builders say projects that took about four months now take close to a year, adding $10,000 to $20,000 to the cost of each home.

Build that into your timeline from day one. As you'll see in reason 5, it affects your visa too.

2. A $2.9 trillion economy built on trade with Mexico

Texas is big enough to absorb new projects and close enough to Mexico that your businesses on both sides of the border can work together. Here is the case, including the part that isn't flattering.

How strong is the Texas economy?

The Texas economy reached $2.9 trillion in 2025 and grew 2.5% after inflation, faster than the US as a whole. Compared with countries, Texas would be the eighth-largest economy in the world.

Jobs are a different story. According to the Dallas Fed, Texas employment grew only 0.1% in 2025, partly because less immigration limited the number of available workers. Construction was one of the few sectors that added jobs. The Dallas Fed's latest forecast calls for 1.7% job growth in 2026.

How connected is Texas to Mexico?

Trade between the US and Mexico hit a record $872.83 billion in 2025, making Mexico the top US trading partner for the third year in a row. Port Laredo alone handled $353.94 billion of that.

For a Mexican investor, that trade means suppliers and clients who already work in both countries. Monterrey to San Antonio is about a five-hour drive, depending on the line at the bridge. Your family and your existing business stay within reach.

3. A stable home for your money and your family

For many families, a Texas investment is also a plan B. This section covers why capital is moving north and why Texas is still open to Mexican buyers.

Why is Mexican capital moving to Texas?

When the director of Misión Obispado, a Monterrey developer that has also built in San Antonio, explained what his company looks for in a new market, security came first. "Aquí en Monterrey perdimos la seguridad hace como 15 años y la extrañamos bastante," he told El Financiero. Here in Monterrey, we lost our security about 15 years ago, and we miss it a lot.

He was talking about Mérida, not Texas. But his list of priorities, which also included legal certainty and political stability, is a fair summary of what a lot of Mexican capital wants right now.

Family is usually part of the decision too. Funds Society notes that Mexican families use US property as a second home, an investment, housing for children studying here, or a first step toward a permanent presence. In their words, "Buying a home can also mean buying mobility."

Is Texas still open to Mexican buyers?

Yes. Since September 2025, a Texas law known as SB 17 has blocked people and companies from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from buying most real estate in the state. Mexico is not on that list. The governor can add countries, though, so confirm the list before you close. For Mexican citizens today, you or your Texas company can hold title directly.

4. The E-2 visa rewards investors who build

This is where your Texas investment and your immigration plan meet. Below is what qualifies and who can come with you.

What kind of real estate business qualifies for an E-2?

Mexico has been an E-2 treaty country since 1994. Mexican citizens can receive an E-2 visa valid for up to 48 months, with a reciprocity fee. The visa lets you live in the US to develop and direct a business you have invested in.

The key test is that the business must be real and active, producing a service or a product. You also need to own at least 50% of it or otherwise control it. A development or construction company that buys land and builds on it for sale or lease is that kind of business.

Here is how that usually plays out.

Can qualify:

• A Texas company that buys land to build and sell homes or commercial space
• A general contracting company with crews, equipment and signed contracts

Does not qualify:

• Buying land and holding it until prices go up
• Owning rental homes that someone else manages, with no active business around them
• Money sitting in a bank account while you look for the right lot

That last one surprises people. The rules say you must be close to starting operations, and not still scouting for suitable locations and property. Shopping for land still counts as planning.

Who can come with you on an E-2?

The family piece is what makes this worth the effort for many investors. Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can receive E-2 status with you. Your spouse can work in the US, and your children can go to school here.

5. Development's numbers work in your favor under E-2 rules

Development projects cost a lot and take a long time to pay off. Under E-2 rules, both facts can help you, as long as you structure the money correctly.

How much do you need to invest?

There is no minimum investment amount for the E-2. Instead, officers compare what you invested with what the business costs. The cheaper the business, the higher the percentage you need to put in. The more expensive the business, the lower the percentage can be. A capital-heavy development company sits on the friendly end of that scale.

Land also counts differently once it belongs to an operating business. The State Department lists appraisals of land and buildings among the ways to show what a new business costs. The same 20 acres that sank our first investor can be part of the second investor's qualifying business.

How long do you have to show a profit?

A business can't be marginal, meaning it can't just support you and your family. But officers look at its capacity to make a real economic contribution within about five years. That fits the way development works, where income comes after the build and the closings.

Here is the warning. A business plan that assumes a four-month build in today's labor market is a plan an officer may not believe. Use realistic timelines.

Does a construction loan count toward your E-2 investment?

This is the hidden gem, and it's where deals and visa plans quietly fall apart.

Under State Department rules, loans secured by the business's own assets don't count toward your investment, even if you also pledge some personal assets. Your money is not at risk in that case. Only debt secured by your personal assets, like a second mortgage on your house, or an unsecured personal loan can count.

So if you buy land for $1 million and a bank lends $700,000 against it, the part that counts toward your E-2 investment is your $300,000.

Developers from Mexico should watch one more habit. Many projects back home are funded through preventa, selling units before they're built. Buyer deposits are the buyers' money, not yours, so they are unlikely to count toward your investment. Plan your own capital as if presales didn't exist.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Mexican citizen get an E-2 visa by buying land in Texas?

Not by buying land alone. State Department rules say land held for appreciation does not qualify. Land can be part of a qualifying investment when an operating development or construction company buys it for an active project, and the investor runs that company.

Can Mexicans buy property in Texas under the new foreign ownership law?

Yes. Texas SB 17 restricts buyers connected to China, Iran, North Korea and Russia. Mexico is not on the list. The governor can add countries, so check the current list before closing.

Can my spouse and children come with me on an E-2?

Yes. Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can receive E-2 status. Your spouse can work in the US, and your children can attend school.

How long is an E-2 visa valid for Mexican citizens?

The visa can be issued for up to 48 months. Each entry generally allows a stay of up to two years, and you can renew as long as the business keeps qualifying.

Does an E-2 visa lead to a green card?

Not directly. The E-2 is a temporary visa, and you must intend to leave when your status ends. It can be renewed many times, but a green card requires a separate process.

Next steps

If Texas is on your list, the order you do things in matters as much as what you buy. Start here:

1. Decide what you're building before you buy land. A subdivision and a small commercial project lead to very different business plans.
2. Keep your personal capital separate from project financing. Know exactly how much of your own money is at risk, because that is the number that counts.
3. Plan the visa and the business together, before the purchase closes. Forming the company and committing funds in the right order is much easier than fixing it after.
4. Expect an in-person interview. Since September 2025, most visa applicants must apply in their country of nationality or residence and interview in person. For most readers, that means a US consulate in Mexico.

Talk to Verdin Law

Planning a project in Texas? At Verdin Law, we help Mexican investors plan the business and the visa together, so the land you buy works for your family as well as your portfolio.

Schedule a consultation to talk through your project.

Key takeaways

• Texas added 391,243 residents in a year, and US-Mexico trade hit a record $872.83 billion in 2025.
• Mexican nationals grew to 35% of Texas's international buyers, even as foreign buying nationwide fell.
• An active development or construction company can qualify for an E-2 visa, along with your spouse and children. Land held for appreciation cannot.
• Only money you personally have at risk counts toward the investment. Loans secured by the project do not.