Mexico real estate is an eclectic mixture of its interesting history which has shaped what Mexico is today.  With vibrant culture and heritage, Mexico real estate is growing in appeal every year with foreign investors, and Mexico's government of today has seen the benefit of encouraging foreign investment into the Mexico real estate market.  When thinking of purchasing Mexico real estate it is helpful to read about Mexico's history.

 

Mexican history dates back thousands of years, with some archaeologists asserting a date of around 28,000 years of human habitation of Mexico. Much of Mexican history is influenced by the varied peoples who inhabited the country, including the Aztec’s and the 3 centuries of Spanish rule. The Mexican people fought hard for their independence in the early 1800’s, and their history from this date has been both volatile and interesting.

 

Between 1800 and 300 BC many civilizations grew and matured throughout Mexico, including the Olmec, Teotihuacan, Maya, Huaxtec, Toltec and Aztec, and each are credited with many inventions and accomplishments with evidence of which is still seen throughout Mexico today. Such as the Toltec warrior columns in Hidalgo, pyramid remains at Yaxchilán, the Avenue of the Dead and the Pyramid of the Moon, Mayan architecture at Uxmal, and the many varied archaic inscriptions on rocks and rock walls all over northern Mexico, especially Nuevo León. Astronomy and astronomical events became central factors in the development of the Mexican culture. For a period of approximately 4,000 years these major civilizations radiated strong influence out into the neighbouring cultures, their reach extending throughout Mexico and beyond. These civilizations consolidated power and spread their influence in matters of art, politics, trade, and technology.

 

One of the most decisive events in Mexican history is the overthrow and destruction of the Aztec Empire by the Spanish in 1519. It only took a group of several hundred Spanish troops, let by the conquistadores, Hernán Cortés. Bringing with them superior firepower and weaponry, foreign diseases, and new technology not yet seen in Mexico, the Spanish took advantage of the widespread resentment toward the brutal Aztec rule, and made alliances with other indigenous tribes throughout the region. It only took this small group of Spaniards 2 years to overthrow the Aztec capital. Although they had succeeded in this overthrow, it took another 2 centuries before the entire Conquest of Mexico was completed. During this period there were many sporadic rebellions and wars against the Spanish rule by various indigenous tribes throughout Mexico. And the diseases brought in by the Spanish ran rampant throughout the country, dramatically reducing the population from around 8 million to 2 million by 1600.

 

The Colonial Period, which lasted 300 years of Spanish Colonial rule, was brought about by the fall of the Aztec capital in 1521. During this period to 1810 Mexico was known as the New Spain, whose territories expanded to encompass Central America as far south as Costa Rica, the south western United States, the Philippines, and the coastal areas of Alaska, British Colombia and Oregon. The colony was rule by a viceroy appointed by the King of Spain, and the Roman Catholic Church was omnipresent in all aspects of society, religion, and education

 

Mexico’s War of Independence was sparked by the French occupation of Spain by Napoleon I. On September 16, 1810 Father Miguel Hidalgo, a Catholic priest of Spanish descent, declared Mexican independence in the town of Dolores. This began a long and fitful struggle for independence from Spain which was not finally realised until 1821 with the Treaty of Córdoba.

 

Despite the expectations that independence would bring about political and economic change for the masses, the only real change that the new independent Mexico experienced was in its country’s ruler. In the years that followed the country was led by various dictators. During the 1846-1848 Mexican-American War, Mexico ceded more than half of its northern territory to the USA. The history that follows this disastrous war includes a civil war in the late 1850’s which led to a brief democratic rule under President Benito Juárez, a military occupation by the French in the 1860’s led by Maximilian I, and then the beginning of a dictatorship in 1871 which lasted 4 decades under the rule of General Porfiro Díaz.

 

The extensive dictatorship of Díaz saw Mexico’s infrastructure and Mexico real estate improve greatly due to the building of a modern system of railways, roads, factories, and schools, and Mexico was opened up to investments from other countries, particularly in the Mexico real estate market, and a significant increase in trade and political stability. However, the Díaz rule, known as the Porfiriato, also brought great discontent among the masses. The wealth generated by this increase in development was concentrated in a small elite portion of the population which produced a very steep social division. The foreign investors investing in infrastructure, businesses and Mexico real estate were paying workers very low wages which led to widespread poverty and living conditions degenerated significantly. Democracy was completely suppressed, with indigenous traditions and associations being totally quashed, and dissent was dealt with in very brutal and repressive ways.  It was during the rule of Diaz which saw the more wealthy Mexicans to build and invest in Mexico real estate.

 

The Mexican Revolution of 1910 was a violent social and cultural movement with strong socialist, nationalist and anarchist tendencies, and let to the resignation of Díaz. What followed was a variety of leaders supported by rebel factions or remnants of the former government, who followed each other in quick succession as fighting swept throughout the country. The Mexican Revolution was, however, united in its common goal for social justice, land reform, and a strong incorporation of Mexico’s indigenous heritage to bring about a sense of national pride, as seen in the Mexico of today. The Constitution of 1917, which is still in effect today, formed the basis of the framework of Mexico’s politics.

 

During the next 4 decades, from 1940 to 1980, Mexico’s economic growth increased significantly along with the Mexico real estate market, as did their relationship with the USA, as both nations realised how interdependent they had become on one another, and both made genuine attempts at cooperation and understanding of each of their political positions. This rapid and sustained growth was brought about in part by the exploitation of the vast mineral wealth, the use of petroleum reserves (estimated to be among the largest in the world) by the government to develop industries, the expansion and diversification of agriculture, the governements interest to attract foreign investment in the Mexico real estate market, and the development of new crops for export. By 1980 Mexico was the world’s 15^th largest industrial nation. Despite this, not all of Mexico’s citizens benefited from the economic growth. Economic disparity between the rich and poor, the instability for middle-class Mexicans, the devaluation of the Mexican peso, and dramatic price inflation created a strong need for many citizens to migrate north to the USA, whether legally or illegally, to find work and send money home to support their family. It was also during this period that rural-to-urban migration changed the face of Mexican society dramatically.  This also saw interesting changes to the Mexico real estate market.  The populations in the major cities swelled drastically and could not keep up with the demand, and many workers found themselves living in squalid and slum conditions, worse than what they had come from.  The governement was receiving pressure from these masses to improve Mexico real estate as a whole for the working Mexican people.

 

It was at this time that the lack of confidence in the government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party, from the Mexican people became more evident. A massive earthquake in Mexico City in 1985 brought to the surface the level and depth of corruption and ineptitude within the government and authority over the country. Corruption was becoming synonymous with all government dealings, as the PRI won almost every election at state and national level. The government that had helped to lead Mexico into the dramatic and impressive growth period, was now fast becoming the primary obstacle to any further reform.

 

In 1988, under the new presidency of Carlos Salinas de Gortari, the introduction and continuation of economic austerity measures led to an upturn in the economy, and steps were taken to control corruption. Free-trade measures were introduced and in 1994 Mexico joined the North American Free Trade Agreement, which helped to forge a strong and lasting political and economic bond between the two countries. This was a turning point for Mexican politics in the twentieth century, as the PRI party lost its dominant hold over government for the first time in many years. It was through economic programmes such as selling off state-owned companies in order to reduce the massive foreign debt and to finance new infrastructure and social spending, privatisation, and the opening for opportunities for foreign investment in commercial and residential property in Mexico real estate that led to a dramatic turn around in the Mexican economy. The government looked to improve its human rights practices and made the electoral process more transparent. International confidence in Mexico was boosted greatly, which fuelled predictions of an economic boom.

 

As Mexico’s outlook was riding high, it was the Zapatista Conflict on January 1 1994 that brought some setbacks to the forward movements that Mexico was hoping for. The Zapatista Army of National Liberation, a group of people in Chiapas, who felt their poor and largely agricultural area had been ignored by the government. Their rise began a rebellion against the federal government that brought them to the forefront of the world’s media state. With the rebel uprising and the assassination of one of the PRI’s nominees for president, came devaluation of the peso which led to investor panic and near-economic collapse. Massive foreign investment was required to stabilize the situation. 

 

Since 1995 the Mexican government has done well to stabilize the country, with the help of foreign intervention. Mexico is focussed on continuing to carry through with its political and economic reforms, and to restoring healthy economic growth and improving domestic productivity and national competitiveness in the global market. Mexico has seen much change politically, socially, and economically throughout its history and is still committed to undergoing necessary fundamental transformations and improvements in these areas.  During this period the Mexico real estate market has continue to go from strength to strength.

 

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