Glossary · Preventa (selling before completion)
What are pre-construction sales (preventa) in Mexico?
Pre-construction sales (preventa) means selling units in a project before it's built, sometimes before construction starts. The buyer pays a reservation deposit (apartado) and a down payment (enganche), then pays the balance on a schedule or at delivery. The developer gets construction money and tests demand; the buyer gets a lower price than for a finished unit.
How do sales work during preventa?
The buyer can't walk into the apartment, so you sell renderings, a showroom, floor plans, the developer's reputation and the payment plan. Prices usually go up as construction progresses, and that is the strongest argument for buying early.
- Reservation (apartado): the buyer holds a unit.
- Contract and down payment (enganche).
- Scheduled payments during construction.
- The balance at delivery, in cash or with a mortgage.
- Closing before a notary (escrituración).
The contract signed at preventa depends on the developer. Usually it's a promise-to-purchase agreement (contrato de promesa de compraventa): it locks in the price, the payment schedule and the delivery date, and the buyer gets title later, at closing before a notary (escrituración).
Why does response speed matter so much in preventa?
At launch, developers usually run their biggest ad push, and more leads come in than the sales reps can handle. That's when the share of inquiries with zero contact climbs. According to InsideSales.com (8,742 companies, MarketingProfs, 2017), that share averages 39%.
A preventa buyer compares several projects at once. Whoever replies first and invites them to the showroom gets the edge. Our view: at launch, a fast first reply and a clear follow-up plan affect sales pace as much as the launch price does.
Which metrics should you track during preventa?
- Absorption rate (absorción): how many units sell per month and how many months it will take to sell the rest.
- CPQL: the cost of a qualified lead, not just any lead.
- Reservation-to-contract conversion: how many apartados make it to enganche.
- Share of leads with no first contact.
FAQ
What does a preventa buyer risk?
The delivery date, and the chance that the finished unit won't match the renderings. That's why buyers at this stage look closely at the developer's reputation and at how fast and accurately the sales team answers them.