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Buy a house in Peru

3 min read
Buying property in Peru漏 shutterstock.com

Once you have settled in Peru, particularly if you want to stay in the country long-term, you may consider investing in the property market whether buying your own home or looking for an investment to rent. In general, foreign nationals are allowed to buy property in Peru.

However, you'll find that the procedures can be long and complicated with strict conditions. It is best to do your research and understand the whole process and what it entails, before deciding if purchasing property is the right decision for you.

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Conditions

Procedures will vary according to your status as a foreigner. For instance, if you intend to buy a property by proxy, i.e. you're not actually in Peru, then you must be represented by a lawyer who is present in Peru, or by any other legal representative who has to be notified to Peru's diplomatic representations in your home country. The representative will need to be granted power of attorney to act on your behalf.

If you are planning to invest in a property after entering Peru as a tourist, you must request authorization from Lima's Immigration Department. Without this authorisation, you won't be able to sign any contracts or the sales deed.

If you are already living in Peru with a resident permit (carn茅 de extranjeria), you are required to hire a solicitor to make sure that you are investing legally and that procedures can be completed smoothly.

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Limitations

You should check carefully that the property can be used for whatever you have in mind for it, whether that's residential or commercial. Some properties, whether buildings or land, have limitations on how they can be used. For instance, you might have commercial plans for a property that might be limited to residential use only. These conditions are generally defined by the nearest municipality to the property. You are also advised to hire an architect to verify the property's Certificado de Parametros Urbanisticos and Certificado de Zonificaci贸n in order to determine whether your project can be realized. In addition, there may be covenants or deeds that have restrictions on property use. This is often the case with property that's part of a development or a subdivision of a larger property.

Primary inspection

Once you've decided you want to go ahead with the purchase, you have to contact the seller to notify them of your interest and request their personal details in order to gather relevant documents pertaining to the property. You then need to gather all information related to the title deed at the SUNARP which is the Public Registry. You also have to request for the property's Certificado Registral Inmobilario (CRI). If you choose to purchase through a real estate agent and with the assistance of a lawyer, they can organise most of this on your behalf.

These documents will then have to be verified by your lawyer who will also search for further information on the property's past, confirm the actual registered owners, and any debt or mortgage on the property. Always insist that these steps are carefully followed, to establish that the alleged owner is, in fact, the legal owner of the property. Never accept copies of documents, only the originals from SUNARP, ensuring they are up-to-date.

Deed transfer

Once all documents have been cleared, you can proceed with the deed transfer under a public deed. Formalities should be filled in before a notary who will then notify the local tax authorities. You will have to pay tax on the sale of the property, known as Alcabala which is usually three percent of the property value. The sale contract will then be established by the lawyer or the public notary. This document has to be authenticated and registered by the Public Registry, then converted into a public deed so as to formalize the new deed. The sale is then concluded.

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Frequently asked questions

Yes. Under Article 71 of Peru's Constitution, foreign nationals are in the same property-ownership condition as Peruvians and may purchase property on the same general terms. Non-residency does not legally bar a purchase. The key restrictions are the 50 km border zone rule and the requirement that the transfer be registered in SUNARP (Superintendencia Nacional de los Registros P煤blicos) to be enforceable against third parties.
Not necessarily. It is possible to purchase through a properly authorized representative holding a power of attorney (poder). Powers granted before a Peruvian consulate abroad can be transmitted digitally to the SUNARP registry via the SID-SUNARP system. However, the power of attorney must meet Peruvian notarial and registry requirements; verify format, apostille, and translation requirements with the Peruvian consulate and the chosen notary before relying on a remote purchase.
No verified official source links residential property ownership to a specific Peruvian visa or residency category. Property purchase and residency are treated as entirely separate legal tracks. Buyers seeking residency should consult Peru's Superintendencia Nacional de Migraciones directly for current investment or income-based residency categories.
State mortgage programs such as Nuevo Cr茅dito Mivivienda and Techo Propio require Peruvian residency and are not accessible to non-resident foreign buyers. Private banks including BBVA, Interbank, and Banco GNB offer mortgages of up to 90% of property value in soles, but eligibility is assessed on local creditworthiness, income, and banking history. There is no universal entitlement for foreign nationals. Buyers without Peruvian income or residency should verify eligibility directly with a lender before signing a purchase commitment.
Budget approximately 10% to 15% above the purchase price to cover all transaction costs. The main items are: the alcabala transfer tax (3% of the value above PEN 55,000, which is 10 UIT in 2026, approximately USD 16,105); the SUNARP registration fee (PEN 34 fixed plus 3/1000 of the property value for transactions above PEN 35,000); notary fees (approximately PEN 700 to PEN 3,700, not regulated nationally); and legal due-diligence costs (PEN 1,500 to PEN 8,000 depending on complexity). A specialist investor guide puts mandatory buyer-side costs at 4% to 7% of the purchase price before legal fees.
A lawyer is not legally mandatory, but it is strongly advisable for expat buyers. The notary authenticates the transaction and files it with SUNARP but does not replace independent title review. An independent Peruvian property lawyer can review the partida registral (registry file), seller authority, building regularization status, municipal tax compliance, and contract risk. This is particularly important when buying from abroad, using a power of attorney, or purchasing from heirs or a company.
Most areas of Peru are open to foreign buyers. The key restriction is the 50 km border zone under Article 71 of the Constitution: within 50 km of Peru's international borders, foreigners cannot acquire mines, lands, forests, waters, fuels, or energy sources, directly or indirectly including through a company, unless a Supreme Decree exception has been declared. Outside border zones, ordinary residential purchases in Lima and other urban markets are not restricted solely because the buyer is foreign.
Annual ownership costs include impuesto predial (annual municipal property tax, based on official assessed values, administered by the district municipality or SAT Lima for Lima province) and arbitrios municipales (district-level service charges for rubbish collection, parks, public lighting, and similar services). Rates and deadlines vary by district. There is no verified national foreign-owner surcharge; foreigners pay the same rates as Peruvian owners in the same district.
A resale follows the same notarial and SUNARP registration process as the original purchase. If the property sold is not the seller's primary residence (casa habitaci贸n), a 5% capital gains tax applies on the gain, calculated as sale price minus updated acquisition cost. The buyer at resale pays the alcabala transfer tax. The title must be clean and fully registered in SUNARP for a resale to proceed without complications.
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Veedushi Bissessur
About the author

A journalist, holder of the DALF C1 and C2 and a diploma from the University of Mauritius, I have nearly twenty years of writing experience. After six years in the Mauritian press, I joined 天美麻豆, where I have been working for over a decade, including five years as editorial assistant, and now as editorial manager.

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