Real estate investment in El Salvador for foreigners
Foreigners buy real estate in El Salvador on nearly the same terms as locals, in US dollars, with the title registered in their own name. This page answers the questions people actually ask before they send money abroad — including the ones whose answer is inconvenient for us.
Why El Salvador at all
- Dollarised economy since 2001 — no currency conversion, no exchange-rate risk.
- No annual property tax on residential real estate.
- Bitcoin is legal tender, which makes the country unusually crypto-friendly.
- An active rental market, particularly on the La Libertad coast. Actual yield depends on the property, the management and the season.
Can foreigners buy property in El Salvador?
Yes. Foreign nationals buy residential and commercial real estate in El Salvador routinely, and the property is registered in their own name. There is no minimum investment, no residency requirement and no government approval step for a normal urban purchase.
Can Americans buy property in El Salvador?
Yes, on the same terms as any other foreign national. El Salvador uses the US dollar as its currency, so there is no currency conversion and no exchange-rate risk on the purchase or on future income.
Are there restrictions on what a foreigner can own?
Urban residential and commercial property is the straightforward case. Rural agricultural land follows a different regime and deserves specific legal review before you commit — ask us and we will tell you which category a property falls into before you spend anything.
Does El Salvador have property tax?
El Salvador does not levy an annual property tax on residential real estate. The costs that do apply are one-time closing costs: roughly 3% transfer tax, 1.5% to 2% in notary fees, $200 to $500 for the CNR registry, and $150 to $400 for a power of attorney with apostille if you buy remotely.
Can you buy without travelling to El Salvador?
Yes. A power of attorney signed before a notary in your country and apostilled lets your representative sign on your behalf. Most of our foreign buyers complete the process remotely and travel later, if at all.
How does Grupo Terranova work with foreign investors?
We are a broker, not a fund. We source and verify the opportunity, structure the legal protection and accompany the closing — but you sign directly with the developer and your capital never passes through us. That is the single most important thing to verify about anyone offering you real estate abroad.
What protects your money?
Three separate instruments, signed together: a Mutuo, a Promesa de Compraventa and a Pagaré sin Protesto. Each one is enforceable on its own, so the structure does not depend on the developer’s goodwill. What it protects is the legal position of your capital: the outcome of the investment still depends on the project and the market.
What return should you expect?
Our projects target a return from roughly 10% per year, and that is an objective, not a guarantee. As a reference point on past performance: price per square metre in El Zonte (Bitcoin Beach) rose 134.8% between 2015 and 2024. Past performance does not predict future results.
Where to start
If you are still deciding whether the country makes sense, read the full investment guide for foreigners or the detailed answer on whether foreigners can buy property here. If you already know, see the current investment opportunities or the pre-construction projects.
Also worth reading: how the triple legal shield works and the zones we operate in — Surf City, Nuevo Cuscatlán and El Zonte.