How to Buy Property in Argentina as a Foreigner

Step 1 — Define the transaction

Write down the intended use, location, all-in budget, ownership proposal, travel plan and target date. A buyer purchasing a Buenos Aires apartment for occasional use has a different risk map from a non-resident acquiring land, a furnished rental or a property through an entity.

Decide which questions must be resolved before a reservation: whether the property can be used as intended, who will own it, which documents the buyer needs, whether a power of attorney is contemplated, and how the money can reach the closing through a documented route.

• Purpose and expected holding period
• Cash available for purchase and first-year costs
• Need for remote signing or local travel
• Tax advice in Argentina and the buyer’s home country

Step 2 — Assemble an independent team

The listing broker represents a commercial side of the transaction. The buyer should separately identify the notary and, when the structure or risk requires it, legal, tax, banking, foreign-exchange and technical specialists. Ask each professional to define their scope in writing so that important checks do not fall between roles.

Independence matters most when timing is tight. The person who introduced the property should not be the only source confirming title quality, seller capacity, physical condition, tax consequences or the viability of moving funds.

Step 3 — Shortlist and inspect

Confirm availability before arranging travel or paying for reports. Compare the property on usable area, condition, light, noise, access, building operations, monthly costs and restrictions—not only on list price per square metre. For remote inspections, request continuous dated video and commission an independent physical inspection appropriate to the asset.

Keep a property file containing the advertisement, written answers, plans, statements, photographs, videos and every version of the proposed terms. This makes contradictions visible and gives advisers a stable record to review.

Step 4 — Reserve only with protective conditions understood

Reservation language, deposits, expiry dates and consequences are transaction-specific. Do not assume a document works like a US purchase agreement. Before signing, understand what remains subject to title review, document production, funds, inspection or other conditions, who holds the money, and what happens if a condition fails.

A low deposit does not make unclear language harmless. The cost of a rushed reservation includes lost leverage, professional expense and pressure to accept unresolved risks.

Step 5 — Complete legal, technical and financial due diligence

The exact file depends on the asset and jurisdiction. Typical work can involve title and registry information, liens or inhibitions, seller authority, tax and service debts, plans, condominium rules and statements, occupancy, leases and required certificates. A technical inspection addresses a different question: the physical condition and likely capital work.

At the same time, regulated institutions and advisers should confirm identity, source-of-funds evidence, receiving account, currency, timetable and evidence available at signing. The official BCRA rules are the starting point for current foreign-exchange regulation, not a substitute for written transaction instructions.

Step 6 — Deed, registration and post-closing control

The notarial closing and registration sequence should be explained before the signing date, including documents, funds evidence, delivery of possession, keys and originals. Obtain copies of signed documents and a written list of post-closing tasks.

After closing, change services and building records, establish tax and expense payment controls, insure the property, document keys and inventories, and appoint management where needed. A non-resident owner should decide who notices a leak, special assessment, tax notice or unauthorized occupation while the owner is abroad.