Documents you need to sell property in Colombia

Having the paperwork ready before you list saves weeks. These are the documents the buyer, their bank and the notary will ask for when you sell property in Colombia.

Documents for the property

• Certificate of title (certificado de tradición y libertad). The property's legal history: who owns it and whether it carries mortgages, liens or restrictions. You get it from the Registry Office (Oficina de Registro de Instrumentos Públicos) or online from the Superintendencia de Notariado y Registro, using the property's registration number (matrícula inmobiliaria). For a sale it must be recent, normally less than 30 days old.
• The public deed (escritura pública) by which you acquired the property. If you have no copy, the notary where it was signed can issue one.
• Property tax clearance (paz y salvo de predial) for the current year, issued by the municipal finance office.
• Betterment levy clearance (valorización), or confirmation that none is owed, depending on the municipality.
• Building fee clearance (paz y salvo de administración), if the property is in a condominium.
• The condominium bylaws (reglamento de propiedad horizontal), which the buyer or their bank usually ask for.

Documents for the seller

• ID of every owner: the Colombian cédula, or for foreigners a passport or foreigner's ID (cédula de extranjería).
• If the seller is married or in a civil union, the notary checks whether the property is registered as the family home. If it is, both sign.
• If a company sells: its certificate of existence and legal representation and, where the bylaws require it, authorisation from the relevant body.
• If an attorney sells: a specific power of attorney to sell that property, notarised.

Cases that need more paperwork

• A mortgage in force: a bank statement of the outstanding balance. The mortgage is cancelled on payment, in the same deed or a separate one.
• Inheritance: if the owner has died, the estate must be settled first and the property registered in the heirs' names.
• Family estate protections (patrimonio de familia, afectación a vivienda familiar): they must be lifted before the sale, or in the same deed.
• Lots and rural land: it helps to have a survey plan and to check boundaries and area against the certificate.

When each one is used

1. When listing: keep the certificate of title to hand. If you list as an owner on LuxuryHomes.com.co, you upload it with your ID so your listing shows as verified.
2. When negotiating: the buyer or their lawyer does the title check with the certificate and the deed.
3. In the promise of sale: the price, the payment terms, and the date and notary for the deed are fixed.
4. At the deed: the notary requires the clearances and IDs. The deed is then registered and the property passes to the buyer.

Notary, registration and tax costs are covered in Closing costs in Colombia.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I get the certificate of title?

Online, on the Superintendencia de Notariado y Registro's site, or at your city's Registry Office. There is a fee per certificate.

Do I need a valuation to sell?

The seller isn't required to have one. The buyer's bank usually asks for it when there is a mortgage loan.

I have the paperwork. What now?

List the property: follow How to list your home for sale in Colombia.