Infonavit, Fovissste, or bank: which works for you in 2026

The question comes up in almost every first call: which loan do I use to buy? The honest answer is that it depends on your situation, not on which one advertises the lowest rate.

The useful comparison isn't rate against rate either. It's how much each option lends you, against what down payment, and on what kind of property. A loan with the best rate that doesn't cover the house you want is not the best loan.

Infonavit

If you contribute to Infonavit and have a balance in your sub-account, that balance counts as a down payment, which can get you to closing much faster than saving separately. Terms go up to 30 years and the down payment starts at 5%. The downside: the maximum loan amount may fall short for coastal properties priced in dollars.

Checking that balance is the first thing worth doing, because it changes the size of the down payment you need to gather. It can also be combined with a bank loan under the co-financed schemes, which is the usual way out when the Infonavit amount falls short but the balance still keeps you from draining your cash.

Fovissste

Fovissste is the equivalent for government employees, with a preferred fixed rate and the same 30-year horizon. If you qualify, it tends to be one of the most manageable options in terms of monthly payment.

What to watch here is the calendar: it is assigned by call for applications and by score, so the date you can actually draw on it isn't always yours to pick. If the property you want has a near delivery date, confirm the timing before you put money down.

Bank loans

Bank loans (BBVA, Banorte, Santander, and others) give you a higher loan amount and more flexibility on property type, in exchange for a larger down payment (10% to 15%) and typical terms of 20 years. A fixed rate protects you from rate increases, but you pay for that certainty.

It is also the only one of the three that lends without restrictions on property type or use, which matters if you're buying to rent or if the property is coastal and priced in dollars. In exchange it requires an appraisal, stricter income verification, and closing costs around 5% of the value, which you have to add to the down payment when you work out how much cash you need.

How to decide

Our practical recommendation: have all three scenarios run with your actual down payment and the price of the property you're interested in, before committing to anything. The monthly payment difference between options sometimes decides which property is actually within reach.

The order that works is to check the sub-account balance, then get bank pre-approval, which costs nothing and gives you the real amount, and only then start viewing properties. Doing it the other way around is the most common reason a deal falls apart two weeks before closing.