Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Colombia Property Pack
Yes, the analysis of Antioquia's property market is included in our pack
Antioquia, home to Medellin and the stunning coffee region, has become one of Colombia's most attractive destinations for foreign property buyers looking for apartments, houses, or countryside fincas.
But before you sign anything, you need to understand what foreigners can legally buy, own, and do with residential property in this region as of the first half of 2026.
This guide breaks down ownership rules, visa requirements, the buying process, mortgages, taxes, and the mistakes that trip up foreign buyers in Antioquia.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Antioquia.
Insights
- Foreigners buying property in Antioquia can register their investment with Colombia's central bank, which is the key step that allows clean repatriation of funds when selling later.
- Many Medellin apartment buildings under propiedad horizontal ban short-term rentals entirely, so foreign buyers planning Airbnb income often get caught by HOA rules they never checked.
- Closing costs in Antioquia typically run between 2% and 3.5% of the purchase price, with notary and registry fees regulated by government resolution rather than set by individual offices.
- Bancolombia explicitly offers a mortgage product for foreigners buying from abroad, making it one of the few Colombian banks with a documented path for non-resident buyers.
- Annual property tax in Medellin usually falls between 0.4% and 0.9% of market value, but it is calculated on the cadastral value, which is often lower than what you actually paid.
- The Certificado de Tradicion y Libertad is the single most important document in Antioquia real estate because it shows the full ownership history, liens, and any legal problems attached to a property.
- Mortgage rates for foreigners in Antioquia in January 2026 typically range from 11% to 16% for peso loans, reflecting Colombia's central bank policy rate of around 9.25%.
- Rural fincas in Eastern Antioquia often have unclear boundaries or historical agrarian restrictions, which is why title due diligence matters even more outside urban Medellin.
What can I legally buy and truly own as a foreigner in Antioquia?
What property types can foreigners legally buy in Antioquia right now?
As a foreigner in January 2026, you can legally buy the same mainstream residential property types that Colombians buy in Antioquia, including apartments, condos, houses, townhouses in gated communities, and rural fincas.
The most important condition is not whether you can buy, but whether you channel your funds properly through the foreign exchange market and register the investment with Colombia's central bank if you ever want to move money out of the country later.
This registration step through the Banco de la Republica is what many foreign buyers skip, only to face complications years later when they try to sell and repatriate their proceeds.
For apartments and townhouses under propiedad horizontal, you will also be bound by the building's HOA rules, which can restrict everything from short-term rentals to pets and renovations.
Finally, please note that our pack about the property market in Antioquia is specifically tailored to foreigners.
Can I own land in my own name in Antioquia right now?
Yes, in most standard residential purchases in Antioquia, whether it is an apartment in El Poblado, a house in Envigado, or a finca in Rionegro, your name can appear on the registered title exactly the same way a Colombian citizen's would.
However, some rural parcels in Antioquia have historical restrictions tied to agrarian reform rules, particularly land classified as "baldios" or state-origin land, which requires extra due diligence before you commit to buying.
What truly matters is that your deed gets properly registered in the ORIP (Oficina de Registro de Instrumentos Publicos), because "owning" in Colombia means having your name on the official registry, not just having a signed contract in your hand.
By the way, we cover everything there is to know about the land buying process in Antioquia here.
As of 2026, what other key foreign-ownership rules or limits should I know in Antioquia?
As of early 2026, the main rule that affects foreign buyers in Antioquia is not a restriction on what you can buy, but rather the requirement to properly document your money trail if you fund the purchase from abroad and want clean repatriation rights later.
Colombia does not impose a foreign-ownership quota on apartments or condos the way some Asian countries do, so there is no limit on how many units in a building can be foreign-owned.
If you are a non-resident, Colombia's central bank expects you to register your investment through the SIC (Sistema de Informacion Cambiaria) system, which creates the paper trail that lets you move sale proceeds out of the country later without complications.
There have been no major regulatory changes in late 2025 or early 2026 that alter the core framework for foreign residential buyers in Antioquia, though fee schedules for notary and registry services were updated by government resolution.
What's the biggest ownership mistake foreigners make in Antioquia right now?
The single biggest mistake foreigners make in Antioquia is buying based on possession and promises instead of verifying that the seller actually has clean, registrable title before handing over a large deposit.
If you pay a substantial amount on a promesa de compraventa without first pulling the Certificado de Tradicion y Libertad and checking for liens, embargos, or disputes, you can end up having paid for a property you cannot legally own or that comes with someone else's debts attached.
Other classic pitfalls in Antioquia include buying rural fincas with unclear boundaries or messy ownership history, assuming that owning a condo means you can run an Airbnb when the building rules prohibit short-term rentals, and failing to keep payment documentation that supports proper investment registration for future fund repatriation.
We have made this infographic to give you a quick and clear snapshot of the property market in Colombia. It highlights key facts like rental prices, yields, and property costs both in city centers and outside, so you can easily compare opportunities. We’ve done some research and also included useful insights about the country’s economy, like GDP, population, and interest rates, to help you understand the bigger picture.
Which visa or residency status changes what I can do in Antioquia?
Do I need a specific visa to buy property in Antioquia right now?
In January 2026, you generally do not need a specific visa to buy residential property in Antioquia, and many foreigners complete purchases while visiting on a tourist visa or even from abroad using a power of attorney.
The most common administrative hurdle for buyers without local residency is not the purchase itself, but setting up the banking and money transfer arrangements needed to bring funds into Colombia in a way that supports future repatriation.
A local tax ID (NIT/RUT) is not always strictly required on day one, but you will likely need one soon after if you plan to open Colombian bank accounts, receive rental income, or handle tax filings properly.
To complete a purchase, foreign buyers typically need their passport, proof of funds, the signed promesa de compraventa, and documentation of the money transfer route, though exact requirements can vary slightly depending on the notary and whether you are financing locally.
Does buying property help me get residency and citizenship in Antioquia in 2026?
As of early 2026, buying property in Antioquia does not automatically give you residency or citizenship, but it can be part of an investment narrative that supports certain visa categories.
Colombia offers investor visa options where property ownership above certain thresholds can help qualify you, though the visa decision remains a separate immigration process with its own criteria and documentation requirements.
For citizenship, Colombia focuses primarily on time spent as a legal resident and other legal conditions rather than simply whether you bought a home, so property ownership alone will not fast-track you to a Colombian passport.
We give you all the details you need about the different pathways to get residency and citizenship in Antioquia here.
Can I legally rent out property on my visa in Antioquia right now?
Your visa status in Colombia does not directly restrict your ability to own and rent out property in Antioquia, but if you are a non-resident receiving Colombia-source rental income, you will need to comply with Colombian tax rules including withholding requirements.
You do not need to live in Colombia to rent out your Antioquia property, and many foreign owners manage their rentals from abroad using local property managers who handle tenant relations and tax withholding on their behalf.
The key detail foreigners often miss is that many apartment buildings in Medellin have HOA rules under propiedad horizontal that restrict or outright ban short-term rentals like Airbnb, so your rental plans can be blocked by building bylaws rather than by immigration or tax rules.
We cover everything there is to know about buying and renting out in Antioquia here.
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How does the buying process actually work step-by-step in Antioquia?
What are the exact steps to buy property in Antioquia right now?
The typical sequence to buy residential property in Antioquia involves choosing and verifying the property, pulling the Certificado de Tradicion to check title and liens, signing a promesa de compraventa, routing your payment properly through the foreign exchange system if funds come from abroad, executing the public deed (escritura publica) at a notary, and finally registering the deed with the ORIP to make your ownership official.
You do not have to be physically present for every step because many foreigners complete purchases using a power of attorney, though you need to be extra careful about identity verification, document control, and ensuring your money trail is properly documented.
The deal typically becomes legally binding for both parties when you sign the promesa de compraventa, which sets the price, deadlines, and penalty clauses, though ownership only transfers against third parties once the deed is registered in the public registry.
From accepted offer to final registration, a straightforward Antioquia purchase usually takes between 4 and 8 weeks, though deals involving mortgages, title issues, or rural properties can stretch longer.
We have a document entirely dedicated to the whole buying process our pack about properties in Antioquia.
Is it mandatory to get a lawyer or a notary to buy a property in Antioquia right now?
A notary is effectively mandatory for most residential property transfers in Antioquia because the standard route involves executing a public deed (escritura publica) before a notary, whose fees are regulated by government resolution.
The key difference is that the notary in Colombia is a public official who authenticates the transaction and ensures the deed meets legal formalities, while a lawyer independently represents your interests, reviews the contract terms, and catches problems the notary is not responsible for finding.
For foreign buyers, especially those purchasing fincas, properties with complex title history, or using a power of attorney, you should make sure your lawyer's scope explicitly includes title verification, lien checks, and review of any propiedad horizontal bylaws that could affect your use of the property.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in Colombia versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
What checks should I run so I don't buy a problem property in Antioquia?
How do I verify title and ownership history in Antioquia right now?
The official registry you use to verify title and ownership history in Antioquia is the ORIP (Oficina de Registro de Instrumentos Publicos), which is part of the SNR system and maintains the public record of all property transactions.
The key document you need to request is the Certificado de Tradicion y Libertad, which shows the property's complete registry history including every owner, every mortgage, every lien, every court action, and every correction ever recorded against that property.
A realistic look-back period that buyers commonly use in Antioquia is at least 10 to 20 years of ownership history, which helps you spot patterns of disputes, frequent flips that might signal problems, or unresolved claims from earlier transactions.
A clear red flag that should stop or pause your purchase is any annotation showing an embargo (court attachment), an unresolved hipoteca (mortgage), patrimonio de familia restrictions, or a demanda (lawsuit) involving the property, because these can prevent clean transfer or saddle you with someone else's legal problems.
You will find here the list of classic mistakes people make when buying a property in Antioquia.
How do I confirm there are no liens in Antioquia right now?
The standard way to confirm there are no liens or encumbrances on a property in Antioquia is to pull a current Certificado de Tradicion y Libertad from the ORIP, which lists all registered mortgages, attachments, and legal annotations affecting the property.
One common type of lien you should specifically ask about is the hipoteca (mortgage), but you should also watch for embargos (court-ordered attachments), patrimonio de familia (family patrimony protections that restrict sale), and afectacion a vivienda familiar (family home designations that require spousal consent to sell).
The Certificado de Tradicion y Libertad itself is the best written proof of lien status in Antioquia because it is the official registry document, though you should request a fresh copy close to closing since new liens can be recorded at any time.
How do I check zoning and permitted use in Antioquia right now?
To check zoning and permitted use in Antioquia, you should consult the local planning authority, which is the Secretaria de Planeacion in Medellin for urban properties or the equivalent municipal planning office for properties in towns like Rionegro, El Retiro, or Guarne in Eastern Antioquia.
The document or map reference that typically confirms zoning classification is the POT (Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial), which defines what uses are allowed in each zone, along with any specific building permits or use certificates tied to the property.
A common zoning pitfall that foreign buyers miss in Antioquia is assuming a finca can be subdivided or developed for tourism, or that an apartment can be used for short-term rentals, when the zoning designation or propiedad horizontal bylaws specifically prohibit those uses.
Buying real estate in Antioquia can be risky
An increasing number of foreign investors are showing interest. However, 90% of them will make mistakes. Avoid the pitfalls with our comprehensive guide.
Can I get a mortgage as a foreigner in Antioquia, and on what terms?
Do banks lend to foreigners for homes in Antioquia in 2026?
As of early 2026, yes, some Colombian banks do lend to foreigners for home purchases in Antioquia, though underwriting is stricter than for local borrowers and approval depends heavily on your ability to document income in a form the bank can evaluate.
The realistic loan-to-value range that foreign borrowers commonly see in Antioquia is between 50% and 70%, meaning you should expect to put down at least 30% to 50% of the purchase price as a down payment.
The most common eligibility requirement that determines whether a foreigner qualifies is having provable, stable income that the bank can underwrite, along with a credit history they can assess, whether through Colombian records or international documentation.
You can also read our latest update about mortgage and interest rates in Colombia.
Which banks are most foreigner-friendly in Antioquia in 2026?
As of early 2026, the most foreigner-friendly banks for mortgages in Antioquia are Bancolombia (which explicitly offers a "buy from abroad" product for non-residents), followed by Davivienda and BBVA Colombia, which also have experience working with foreign buyers.
What makes Bancolombia particularly accessible for foreigners is that it has a documented mortgage product specifically designed for people buying while living outside Colombia, with a process that accommodates non-resident documentation and income verification.
These banks can lend to non-residents in certain cases, though you will typically face more documentation requirements, potentially higher down payments, and more scrutiny of your income sources compared to someone with Colombian residency and local employment.
We actually have a specific document about how to get a mortgage as a foreigner in our pack covering real estate in Antioquia.
What mortgage rates are foreigners offered in Antioquia in 2026?
As of early 2026, typical mortgage interest rates for foreigners in Antioquia range from about 11% to 16% per year for peso-denominated loans, reflecting Colombia's central bank policy rate of around 9.25% plus the lender's margin and risk premium for foreign borrowers.
For fixed-rate mortgages in pesos, you can expect rates toward the higher end of that range, while UVR-linked mortgages (which adjust with inflation) are commonly quoted as UVR plus 7% to 11%, meaning your effective rate moves with Colombia's inflation index and can be lower initially but carries more long-term uncertainty.
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in Colombia compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
What will taxes, fees, and ongoing costs look like in Antioquia?
What are the total closing costs as a percent in Antioquia in 2026?
A solid planning estimate for total closing costs in Antioquia in 2026 is around 2.7% of the purchase price, though this excludes any real estate agent commission you negotiate separately.
The realistic range that covers most standard transactions in Antioquia is between 2% and 3.5% of the purchase price, depending on the property value, how fees are split between buyer and seller, and whether you are financing the purchase.
The specific fee categories that make up closing costs in Antioquia include regulated notary fees for the deed, registry fees to record ownership at the ORIP, official certificates like the Certificado de Tradicion, and if you have a mortgage, bank fees and appraisal costs.
The single largest contributor to closing costs in Antioquia is usually the combination of notary and registry fees, both of which are regulated by government resolution rather than set arbitrarily by individual offices.
If you want to go into more details, we also have a blog article detailing all the property taxes and fees in Antioquia.
What annual property tax should I budget in Antioquia in 2026?
As of early 2026, you should budget between 0.4% and 0.9% of your home's market value per year for property tax (predial) in Antioquia, which works out to roughly COP 4 million to 9 million, or about USD 900 to 2,100 (EUR 850 to 2,000), for a property worth around COP 1 billion (approximately USD 230,000).
Property tax in Antioquia is assessed as a rate applied to the cadastral value of the property, which is set by local authorities and is often lower than the market price you actually paid, so your effective tax rate on purchase price may feel lower than the statutory rate suggests.
How is rental income taxed for foreigners in Antioquia in 2026?
As of early 2026, the effective tax rate on rental income for non-resident foreigners in Antioquia depends on your tax status, but Colombia typically enforces collection through withholding at source, with rates that can range from around 15% to 33% depending on how the income is structured and reported.
As a non-resident owner receiving Colombia-source rental income, you will generally have tax withheld by the payer or property manager before the money reaches you, and you may need to file a Colombian tax return or work with a local accountant to ensure compliance and claim any applicable deductions.
What insurance is common and how much in Antioquia in 2026?
As of early 2026, typical annual home insurance premiums in Antioquia range from about COP 400,000 to 1,200,000 for an apartment (roughly USD 90 to 280 or EUR 85 to 260), with houses and fincas often costing more due to larger insured values and additional coverage needs.
The most common type of property insurance coverage that owners carry in Antioquia is a combined policy covering fire and earthquake, which is particularly relevant in Medellin and surrounding areas given Colombia's seismic activity.
The biggest factor that makes insurance premiums higher or lower for the same property type in Antioquia is the insured value and the building's construction characteristics, with older buildings, standalone houses, and rural fincas typically costing more to insure than modern apartment towers.
Get the full checklist for your due diligence in Antioquia
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What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Antioquia, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can … and we don't throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why It's Authoritative | How We Used It |
|---|---|---|
| Banco de la Republica - Inversiones Internacionales | Colombia's central bank and the primary authority on foreign exchange and investment rules. | We used it to explain why foreigners should channel funds through the FX market and why registration matters for repatriation. We cross-checked this with their SIC registration guidance. |
| Banco de la Republica - Registro de Inversion Extranjera | The central bank's official registry guidance for foreign direct investment in Colombia. | We used it to describe the foreign investment registration step that many buyers miss. We triangulated it with the VUI investment portal explanation. |
| VUI - Ventanilla Unica de Inversion | Official Colombian government investment portal aimed at guiding foreign investors. | We used it to translate central bank investment concepts into plain buyer language. We cross-checked its claims against Banco de la Republica's own pages. |
| Superintendencia de Notariado y Registro (SNR) | The national regulator for notaries and property registries in Colombia. | We used it to ground the concept of where title lives in the ORIP and SNR ecosystem. We triangulated it with certificate processes and tariff resolutions. |
| SUIN-Juriscol - Resolution 179 of 2025 | Official legal text repository reproducing registry fee regulations from the Diario Oficial. | We used it to support that registry fees are regulated and updated by resolution. We paired it with the SUIN infographic for concrete certificate cost examples. |
| SUIN-Juriscol - Resolution 585 of 2025 | Official notarial tariff update published in the Diario Oficial. | We used it to support that notary fees are regulated by law, not set arbitrarily. We used it for the legal footing and paired it with practical buyer-side estimates. |
| DIAN - Comunicado de Prensa 039 | Colombia's tax authority clarifying enforcement windows for tax measures. | We used it to confirm that the temporary 1% stamp tax increase from Decreto 175 expired on December 31, 2025. We flagged that stamp tax can still apply in other high-value cases. |
| DIAN Normograma - Concepto 3245 of 2025 | DIAN's official doctrine providing binding interpretive guidance on tax matters. | We used it to highlight that real estate deeds can trigger stamp tax rules in high-value cases. We cross-referenced with the DIAN press release about Decreto 175 timing. |
| DIAN Normograma - Oficio 2179 of 2019 | DIAN's official doctrine on withholding for non-resident taxpayers. | We used it to explain how Colombia treats payments to non-resident individuals and why withholding is the main enforcement mechanism. We triangulated it with statutory rate concepts. |
| Medellin Estatuto Tributario (Acuerdo 093 de 2023) | The city's official tax statute governing local property tax rates. | We used it to confirm that predial rates are set locally in per-thousand bands. We translated it into a practical annual budget estimate for typical buyers. |
| Colombia Open Data - Tasas de Interes de Vivienda | Official government open-data dataset with documented methodology on housing rates. | We used it to anchor mortgage rate discussion in reported market data rather than anecdotes. We cross-checked rate direction with central bank policy context. |
| Superintendencia Financiera - Tasas de Interes | The banking regulator's official interface for lending rate information. | We used it to frame mortgage pricing as regulator-observed lending rates, not marketing claims. We triangulated with the open-data dataset to avoid single-source bias. |
| Bancolombia - Credito Hipotecario desde el Exterior | The largest locally-relevant retail bank in Antioquia with Medellin headquarters. | We used it to confirm that some lenders explicitly offer a path to buy while living abroad. We cross-checked the market reality against regulator rate sources. |
We created this infographic to give you a simple idea of how much it costs to buy property in different parts of Colombia. As you can see, it breaks down price ranges and property types for popular cities in the country. We hope this makes it easier to explore your options and understand the market.
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