Regional home sales slowed in October, but 76 condos went pending. This month’s PVDN Insider report looks at what closed, where buyers have paid below asking, and how Puerto Vallarta’s listings compare with those across the state line.
Eleven houses sold across Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit in October, down from 28 a year earlier, even as house inventory rose 25.7%. The regional condo market recorded 47 closings, down 44% year over year. Together, the two segments closed 58 sales, seven fewer than in September.
For a buyer looking in Puerto Vallarta, the question is where that slowdown translated into a lower price. The best evidence comes from earlier closed sales, which show meaningful differences between neighborhoods and property types. October’s local listing data adds another clue. One portal carried fewer Vallarta apartments than a year earlier, yet the median asking price was slightly higher.
The main closing figures come from the regional Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This report separates Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, from Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit, where the sources allow. The October closing summary does not give a municipality-by-municipality breakdown.
October 2026 at a glance
| Regional MLS indicator | October 2026 | Year-over-year change | September 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Condo and house closings | 58 | Both segments declined | 65 |
| Condo closings | 47 | −44% | 48 |
| House closings | 11 | −60.7%, from 28 | 17 |
| Median condo sale price | US$397,000 | −2.7% as reported* | US$432,500 |
| Active condo listings | 2,841 | Unavailable | 2,672 |
| Condos entering pending status | 76 | Unavailable | 48 |
| Active house listings | Count unavailable | +25.7% | 750 |
Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit. Pending counts are listings that entered that status during the month. The October recap does not specify the inventory snapshot date or publish comparable October figures for days on market, the median house price, or the ratio of sale price to final asking price.
*The brokerage’s separate October 2025 recap put the condo median at US$415,960. Compared directly with US$397,000, that’s a 4.6% decline. The two public summaries do not establish whether their filters or reporting dates match, so the 2.7% figure remains the brokerage’s reported comparison.
House sales fell as sellers faced more competition
The drop from 28 closings to 11 is sharper than the house market’s earlier performance. Through September, the same brokerage counted 237 house sales, down 4% from the first nine months of 2025. The latest month was weaker, and more houses were available than a year earlier. That gives buyers more alternatives when two houses offer similar space and location. How much sellers actually conceded in October remains unclear.
At the higher end, houses asking US$1 million or more made up 28.3% of September’s active regional house listings and 12.2% of house closings through September. That compares a snapshot of supply with a nine-month share of sales, but it helps explain why expensive houses can face considerable competition. October’s house closings were too few, and the published breakdown too limited, to say which price tier accounted for the drop.
Condo closings stalled while more listings went pending
Condo closings slipped from 48 in September to 47 in October. The number entering pending status rose from 48 to 76, including 17 priced from US$1 million to US$1.5 million. Some buyers were still moving up to higher-priced units, while completed sales stayed low. November’s closing data will show how much of that activity carried through.
The regional median condo sale price fell from US$432,500 in September to US$397,000 in October, down about 8.2%. Fewer beachfront closings or more small inland units could lower the median even if comparable units sold for similar prices. The public October summary does not show how many of the 47 sales were completed resales, first sales of newly delivered condos, or transactions the MLS classified as preconstruction. That breakdown would help explain what drove the change.
How long properties took to sell and where prices moved
September’s regional closings had a median of 154 days on market for houses and 262 for condos. Across the 12 months through September, Vallarta Seaside Properties reported a median of 229 days for residential sales across the bay. Its report found that 69% of homes sold below asking and the median sale was 8% below the original asking price. That original-to-sale gap can include price cuts made before an offer. October’s public data does not show how many closings took less than a month or more than six months.
The final asking price answers a narrower question. In its January-to-Sept. 24 regional sample, Cochran Real Estate found condos sold for an average of 96.1% of the final ask, houses for 95.5%, and lots for 92.5%. A seller who already cut the asking price can close close to that final figure and still accept considerably less than the first price.
Two Vallarta sales show how wide the range can be
In Upper Conchas Chinas, SearchPV records an Aug. 3 closing at US$799,000 after a final asking price of US$1.05 million. That is about 24% below the final ask, after 361 days on the market. In Coldwell Banker’s October recap, broker Brock Squire described a Zona Romántica property that drew three bidders and sold for US$633,000 against an asking price of US$625,000. Squire’s public account gives no closing date. Both sales show the range of outcomes buyers can encounter in the city. The municipal October discount remains unknown.
Neighborhood report for Puerto Vallarta
The most comparable set of closed sales available by local area covers the 12 months through September. Centro and 5 de Diciembre led the areas shown with 314 closings. Amapas recorded the shortest median time on market in the table, 184 days, on 40 sales. Versalles and Fluvial had a lower median sale price than the other areas shown, and a longer median selling time of 242 days.
| Puerto Vallarta area | Residential closings | Median sale price | Condo price per m² | Median days on market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centro and 5 de Diciembre | 314 | US$410,000 | US$4,670 | 220 |
| Marina Vallarta and Hotel Zone | 149 | US$690,000 | US$4,686 | 221 |
| Zona Romántica | 138 | US$429,000 | US$5,299 | 213 |
| Versalles and Fluvial | 90 | US$339,000 | US$3,459 | 242 |
| Amapas | 40 | US$710,000 | US$4,379 | 184 |
| Conchas Chinas | 32 | US$806,000 | US$5,026 | 206 |
October 2025 through September 2026. Area groupings follow the source. Price per square meter covers condo interiors. El Pitillal is outside the areas shown separately in this table.
Another set of condo sales, compiled by HOMIA through Aug. 31, shows sales at 97.6% of their own asking prices in Marina Vallarta, 96.7% in Downtown and 5 de Diciembre, 96.1% in Zona Romántica and Amapas, and 95.5% in Conchas Chinas and the South Shore. Those groupings differ from the table above. They put the widest gap of the four comparisons in Conchas Chinas and the South Shore, while the Marina figure was closer to the asking price. In Fluvial, Cochran’s separate sample of 15 house sales averaged 97.7% of final ask through Sept. 24.
Bahía de Banderas on the other side of the Ameca
Lamudi counted 1,242 apartment listings in Puerto Vallarta in October, down from 1,632 a year earlier and 1,273 in September. The median advertised price was MXN 7.6 million, up 1.8% from October 2025 but below September’s MXN 7.73 million. The portal’s counts describe its own listings and can change with its coverage.
| October apartment listings | Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco | Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit |
|---|---|---|
| Median asking price | MXN 7,600,000 | MXN 7,783,038 |
| Asking price per m² | MXN 74,000 | MXN 68,333 |
| Apartment listings on Lamudi | 1,242 | 1,199 |
The Bahía de Banderas sample had a higher median asking price and a lower asking price per square meter. Those measures describe a different mix of advertised units across the river. Comparing two actual homes calls for matching size, location, and completion status.
Resales, presales and the homes buyers can occupy
Vallarta Seaside put preconstruction at 46% of active residential inventory in its September snapshot across the bay. Its estimate for existing homes was 23 months of supply at the trailing resale pace. In a separate third-quarter MLS analysis, broker Herman Borbolla counted 154 resale condo closings and 41 classified as preconstruction. His median sale prices per square meter were US$3,673 and US$3,664, respectively. The near-identical figures describe the mix sold in that quarter. Two units at those prices can offer very different terms when one is ready to occupy, and the other has a future delivery date.
October’s public figures give no municipality-wide count for new projects, reservations, signed presales, or handovers. A reservation, a signed purchase agreement, key delivery, and closing can fall in different months. Project-level incentives such as a furniture package or payment plan can also change the effective price.
Land, commercial property and multifamily
In the regional MLS sample through Sept. 24, Cochran recorded 50 land closings worth US$23.5 million. Its commercial tally was seven deals worth US$2.58 million. It counted one multifamily closing, a US$400,000 sale in Amapas. The older figures show how thin some of these categories are. One transaction can move a monthly average considerably, and the public October recap does not cover these segments. For a development parcel, title, permitted use, and the cost of connecting to utilities can matter as much as the advertised price.
Vacation rentals and long-term rents
AirROI’s Nov. 5 update estimated average gross Airbnb bookings of MXN 418,050 per active Puerto Vallarta listing over the 12 months through October. In its sample of 6,968 listings, average revenue was down 4% year over year while the active listing count rose 6%. The provider’s monthly series still ended in September, so the update gives a longer view of competition without a complete standalone October rental figure. Gross bookings come before expenses such as platform charges, management, maintenance and taxes.
For owners weighing a long-term lease, Laar’s Oct. 1 snapshot put the median advertised monthly rent at MXN 25,000 for apartments, based on 172 ads, and MXN 24,000 for houses, based on 103. September’s snapshot drew from smaller samples. A change in which properties are listed can shift the median, and the portal measures advertised rents rather than signed leases.
What local households could afford
Laar’s analysis of IMSS data put the average reported wage for insured jobs in Puerto Vallarta at about MXN 17,286 a month at the end of September. The apartment median in its October rental sample was about 1.45 times that wage. The comparison pairs one formal job with an advertised apartment and illustrates the gap between the two markets. Household earnings, lower-priced rentals outside the portal, and individual lease terms can change what residents actually pay.
The published October sale counts give no reliable split between cash and financed purchases, primary homes and investments, or buyer origins. Mexico’s public housing finance table reviewed for this report was current through August. In early November, Infonavit invited Puerto Vallarta to participate in Vivienda para el Bienestar. Local reporting identified no confirmed site or unit count for the municipality.
What it costs to buy and own in Puerto Vallarta
A US$400,000 purchase was equivalent to about MXN 7.52 million at Banco de México’s Oct. 30 FIX rate of 18.7962 pesos to the dollar. If MXN 7,518,480 were the applicable taxable base, Article 41 of Puerto Vallarta’s 2026 revenue law would set the municipal property-transfer tax at about MXN 228,021. The law uses the higher of the approved appraisal and the agreed transaction price. The example covers the transfer tax alone, and the actual transaction can use a different exchange rate or tax base.
Acquisition costs can also include the appraisal, notary, and registration charges, and bank trust expenses where applicable. Mexico’s Foreign Ministry lists a 2026 government fee of MXN 21,650 for a permit to establish a restricted-zone bank trust, or fideicomiso. The bank’s own fees are separate. After closing, association dues and special assessments can materially change the cost of owning a condo. A lower-priced unit can cost more to hold if the building needs elevator work, waterproofing, or new pumps.
Airport traffic, interest rates and the peso
Puerto Vallarta’s airport handled about 354,000 passengers in October, down 19.8% from about 441,400 a year earlier. The airport also closed temporarily during the month and reopened in stages. Passenger counts describe travel conditions around the market. The figures do not establish how many travelers were house hunters or whether the disruption affected closings.
The Oct. 30 reference rate put that illustrative US$400,000 purchase about MXN 291,000 above its peso equivalent at the end of September. Banco de México’s benchmark rate stayed at 6.50% through October. The central bank cut it to 6.25%, effective Nov. 6. The rate, fees and insurance charged to the borrower determine the cost of financing a purchase.
Construction and infrastructure
SEAPAL reinforced pumping at the Norte I treatment plant in October and continued work to reduce sewer spill risks in Versalles. In early November, the utility outlined plans to clean 6.2 kilometers of sewer lines following spills in Versalles and Díaz Ordaz. These are documented neighborhood issues. For a specific purchase, the relevant records are the building’s maintenance and incident history or, for a development, its permits and documented utility connections.
What October means for buyers, sellers and owners
- Buyers. Earlier sales show a wider gap from asking in some areas than in others. For an offer, the most relevant comparisons are recent closings in the same building or neighborhood. A listing’s first price, reductions, and relistings add context that the final asking price alone misses.
- Sellers. Higher regional inventory puts more pressure on properties with close substitutes. Compare the amount a similar home actually fetched and how long it took to sell. Association dues, insurance, and maintenance keep running while a listing waits for an offer.
- Current owners. A slower month tells you little about the value of a specific home. For rental owners weighing a sale, a more useful comparison is between the property’s net income, its upcoming repair costs, and the prices paid for comparable units.
What to watch in November
The first test is how many of the 76 regional condos that entered pending status in October make it to closing. The house market has a different question. If listings stay elevated, are older homes selling after price cuts or leaving the market? For new construction, track actual handovers and how many unsold units buyers can occupy. In Puerto Vallarta, SEAPAL has also scheduled Nov. 17 bid openings for water and sewer works in El Pitillal and the north.
About this report
This PVDN Insider report covers Oct. 1–31, 2026, with supporting data identified by date. The principal October closing figures come from Coldwell Banker La Costa’s regional MLS summary. Neighborhood sales are from separate broker analyses with different periods and coverage. The MLS does not capture all private or developer-direct sales. Listing and rent figures come from advertised samples, and rental-booking estimates come from a commercial provider. Public records reviewed for this edition did not establish October closings, total sales value, time on market, or sale-to-list ratios for Puerto Vallarta municipality alone.
