Can foreigners buy property in Peru in 2026?

Ask independent counsel who represents you, not only the listing agent, for a recent partida registral study at SUNARP (Superintendencia Nacional de los Registros Públicos). It should show the registered owner, liens, mortgages, annotations, and related titles for parking or storage when those are separate. Compare that paper to the physical unit, seller identity, and municipal tax status. Scam and misrepresentation risk rises when sellers push urgency on Barranco cliff views or Cusco tourist blocks: Avoid rental scams for the same “pay before you verify” pattern.

Confirm mantenimiento arrears, pet and short-rental restrictions, and fibre before you treat a tower price as complete: Living in Lima, Where to live in Peru, and Lima cost of living. Closing typically runs through a promise contract, then a public deed (escritura pública) before a notary and registration in SUNARP. Registration is what protects you against third parties.

Foreigners face special restrictions on acquiring land inside designated frontier security zones near international borders; urban Lima and most Arequipa residential deals sit outside that classic trap, but rural border parcels do not. Unregistered extensions on older houses, unpaid arbitrios, and unclear powers of attorney are everyday Lima pitfalls. If you plan to rent the unit out, declare rental income to SUNAT and check the building reglamento for Airbnb-style limits: Short-term housing for newcomers. Ownership still does not replace Migraciones residence: Get a Carné de Extranjería.

Many movers rent first, then buy once they know Miraflores versus Surco versus Arequipa reality: How to rent a home and Rent in Peru.