Buying in Buenos Aires: palaces, towers and the escribano

About Buying in Buenos Aires: palaces, towers and the escribano

By the ULTIMATE Buenos Aires Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Buenos Aires’ most sought-after homes are in Recoleta, in apartment buildings of the early 20th century with high ceilings and balconies; in Palermo Chico, a quiet enclave of mansions and embassies; in the towers of Puerto Madero, looking over the docks and the river; and in Belgrano and Núñez to the north, with their gardens and quieter streets. A sale in Argentina is signed before an escribano, a public notary, and registered at the property registry.

Where people buy

Recoleta and the streets round the Avenida Alvear; Palermo Chico and Palermo; Puerto Madero for towers and the river; Belgrano and Núñez for family homes; San Telmo for old houses of character.

How a sale works

Every buyer needs an Argentine tax identification number, issued through ARCA, the federal revenue agency (arca.gob.ar). The deed (escritura) is signed before an escribano, who checks the title and registers the sale at the property registry (Registro de la Propiedad Inmueble).

We never publish prices; ask an agent and your own escribano.

Our advice: choose your own escribano rather than the seller’s, and have the title checked before you pay any deposit.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Buying in Buenos Aires: palaces, towers and the escribano before you go.