Buy, sell or lease property in Guatemala with registry certainty
Purchases, promises of sale, mortgages, leases, subdivisions and more, with the deed ready in about 3 days. We review the property and the owner before you hand over any money.
At a glance
- Registered with
- General Property Registry
- Deed
- About 3 days
- Registration
- About 4 weeks after signing
- Fees
- Free quote by WhatsApp
Key facts
- Service
- Property contracts and filings with Guatemala's General Property Registry
- Transactions
- Purchase and sale, promise of sale, mortgage and release, lease, subdivision, merger, usufruct, easement and supplementary titling
- Timelines
- Deed in about 3 days; registration in about 4 weeks
- Tax on a purchase
- 12% VAT on a first sale, or 3% stamp tax on second and subsequent sales
- Municipal requirement
- IUSI (municipal property tax) up to date
- From abroad
- Through a special power of attorney
- Fees
- Free quote; the title search is quoted separately
What we do with your property
Purchase and sale
Deed, taxes, municipal notice and registration.
Promise of sale
Secures the deal while the money or documents are gathered.
Mortgage and release
Creating the guarantee and releasing it once paid.
Lease
Contracts for houses, apartments and commercial premises.
Subdivision and merger
Dividing a property into lots, or merging adjoining properties.
Usufruct, easements and titling
Rights over property and titling of unregistered land.
The prior title search of the property is quoted separately.
Deed in about 3 days, registration in about 4 weeks
Prior review
Title search of the property and the owner: ownership, liens, annotations and obligations.
Quoted separatelyFull cost estimate
Fees, taxes and registry costs, so there are no surprises.
Before signingDeed
Drafting and signing before the notary.
≈ 3 daysRegistration and notices
General Property Registry and notice to the municipality.
≈ 4 weeksVAT or stamp tax: one or the other
A property purchase pays either 12% VAT, on the first sale of a property, or 3% stamp tax, on the second and subsequent sales. The General Property Registry fee is paid on top. Include all of it in your numbers from the start.
What you need
- Grant a special power of attorney with authority for the specific transaction.
- Before a Guatemalan notary near you, or before a local notary with an apostille.
- Send us a scan first so we can check the powers are sufficient.
- Valid DPI and NIT of buyers and sellers.
- Registry data of the property and the seller's title.
- IUSI up to date and tax situation in order with SAT.
Five mistakes that make a deal more expensive
Not being current with SAT
Pending tax issues of either party can complicate or stop the transaction.
Not checking the property
Mortgages, liens and annotations travel with the property, not with the seller.
Not checking the owner
The seller must be the registered owner and able to sell alone.
Leaving out taxes and fees
VAT or stamp tax and the registry fee must be in your numbers from day one.
IUSI in arrears
Without the IUSI up to date, the municipal notice cannot be processed.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a property purchase take in Guatemala?
The deed is prepared in about 3 days. Once signed, the General Property Registry usually takes about 4 weeks to register it.
What tax is paid on a property purchase?
One or the other, depending on the case: 12% VAT (IVA) on the first sale of a property, or 3% stamp tax on the second and subsequent sales. The General Property Registry fee is paid on top.
Is the title search included?
The prior registry review of the property is quoted separately. It tells you who the registered owner is, whether there are mortgages, liens or annotations, and whether the registered property matches what you saw.
Can I sell my property in Guatemala while living abroad?
Yes, through a special power of attorney with the authority to sell that property, signed before a Guatemalan notary near you or before a local notary with an apostille. See power of attorney for Guatemala.
Why must the IUSI be up to date?
Because being current on the IUSI (the municipal property tax) is required for the notice of the change of owner to the municipality.
Does having the deed make me the owner?
Against third parties, what counts is registration with the General Property Registry. Until the deed is registered, the registry still shows the seller as owner.
Can foreigners buy property in Guatemala?
Generally yes, with territorial restrictions such as the border strip and state reserves along coasts, lakes and rivers. See can foreigners own property in Guatemala.
How much does it cost?
It depends on the transaction and the value of the property. We send you a free quote by WhatsApp that separates fees, taxes and registry costs.
Lic. Sergio Alvarez
Lic. Sergio Alvarez handles property transactions for clients in Guatemala and abroad, reviewing the property and the owner before anyone signs.
- Attorney and Notary — Universidad Francisco Marroquín
- LL.M. in Finance — Universidad Francisco Marroquín
- MBA — Universidad Francisco Marroquín
- Master in Management — Tulane University
- Specialization in Corporate Law — Universidad del Istmo
- Diploma in Finance — INCAE Business School and Georgetown University
Let's do your transaction right
Tell us what you want to do and, if you have them, the location or registry details of the property. We will tell you the steps and send you a quote.