How to sell your home without an agent in Argentina

Yes. A real estate agency (inmobiliaria) is optional. Selling as dueno directo saves the agency commission, which on the seller's side is around 3% (negotiable, down to about 2.5% on large deals) plus 21% VAT; the buyer is charged a separate 3% to 4% (in the City under CABA Ley 2340, and at 1.5% to 3% per party in Buenos Aires Province). You can publish directly on Zonaprop, Argenprop, and Mercado Libre Inmuebles. Argentine law requires the transfer to be made by public deed (escritura publica) signed before a notary (escribano publico), and the buyer customarily chooses and pays the escribano.

Yes. Under the Civil and Commercial Code, transfer of real property must be made by public deed authorized by an escribano publico, so a sale cannot complete without one. The escribano studies the title history, requests the certificado de dominio and certificado de inhibicion that reserve registration priority, confirms the property and the seller are free of liens and restrictions, drafts and authorizes the escritura, and lodges it with the Registro de la Propiedad Inmueble. By custom the buyer chooses and pays the escribano, whose honorarios are generally around 1% to 2% of the declared value.

The boleto de compraventa is a preliminary private contract that fixes price, currency, the sena (deposit), and deadlines, and commits both parties. It does not transfer ownership. The escritura publica, signed before the escribano, is what actually transfers ownership and is then registered. Many sales also start with a short written reserva (an offer plus a small deposit) that you accept or reject before the boleto. Have the boleto reviewed before signing, since its terms bind you.

Yes, they changed recently. The old transfer tax on individual sellers (ITI, around 1.5%) was repealed by Law 27.743 in 2024. Income tax on the gain was 15% for property acquired from 2018, with sales of your own home (vivienda) generally exempt; from 1 January 2026, a regulation (Decreto 406/2026) exempts gains on sales of Argentine real estate by resident individuals. The remaining transaction tax is the provincial stamp tax (Impuesto de Sellos), generally around 3.5% and customarily split between buyer and seller, often with a vivienda-unica exemption up to a cap. Confirm your figures with an escribano and a contador, since this area is moving fast.

Generally no. The COTI (Codigo de Oferta de Transferencia de Inmuebles), the pre-sale reporting code that owners used to obtain before advertising above a value threshold, was eliminated as a requirement by the tax authority (now ARCA) in 2025, with no replacement code introduced. Anti-money-laundering controls remain, so the escribano will still ask for documentation on the source of funds. Verify the current position with your escribano, since reporting rules can be reinstated or changed.

Residential sale prices in Argentina are generally quoted and paid in US dollars, even though everyday life runs in pesos. The sena is paid when the boleto is signed and the balance is customarily paid at the escritura itself, often in US dollar bills counted and exchanged in front of the escribano. Agree the exact payment mechanics in the boleto in advance, and do not hand over keys until full payment is confirmed.

The property must be free of debts at the escritura. Plan for libre deuda certificates on the municipal and provincial property charges (for example ABL or AGIP in the City, ARBA in Buenos Aires Province), water (such as AySA), and any gas and electricity accounts. For an apartment or PH, add a libre deuda de expensas from the building administrator and the reglamento de copropiedad. The escribano separately pulls a certificado de dominio and a certificado de inhibicion. Start these early, because clearing an old debt or a court restriction can take time.

On the big general portals. Zonaprop is the most-used, with Argenprop (part of the Clarin group) and Mercado Libre Inmuebles close behind. All three accept listings from owners selling dueno directo, generally on a paid plan to gain visibility. Because many buyers compare across all three and prices are in dollars, list on more than one with consistent photos, the surface area, and the barrio, and state clearly that you are selling directly.

Ownership transfers at the escritura publica, the public deed signed before the escribano. The escribano then lodges the authorized deed with the Registro de la Propiedad Inmueble of the province (or the City of Buenos Aires) to record the buyer as the new owner, which protects the buyer against third-party claims. As seller, your obligation is essentially complete once the deed is signed and you are paid in full. Registration timelines vary by jurisdiction, so ask your escribano.