VistaProp · Global index of projects under construction

Buying a project under construction from abroad: how to see what does not exist yet

The hard part of buying from abroad is not the price. It is that you cannot see what you are buying, and it does not exist yet.

Price, availability, purchase conditions and permits are reported only by each developer: confirm them on the official site before deciding.

Why is buying pre-construction from abroad so hard?

Buying pre-construction means paying today for something delivered in two or three years. Someone living in the city can walk past the site and look at the corner. Someone five thousand miles away decides from renders and a PDF.

Then there is the legal side, which changes completely by country: in Mexico you cannot hold direct title near the coast, in Spain you cannot sign a deed without an NIE, in the United States 15% is withheld when you sell. Rules a local buyer never needs and a foreign buyer always does.

What VistaProp does, and what it does not

What it does

  • The requirement to enter the index is that the development publishes a navigable 3D tour on its official site, and every entry links straight to that tour.
  • Builds each country's legal and tax fact sheet for foreign buyers, with the source cited.
  • Lets you compare all 12 countries in one table, which no single-country site can do.

What it does not

  • It is not a brokerage or an intermediary: it takes no part in the transaction and charges no commission.
  • It gives no legal, tax or financial advice.
  • It does not accompany the purchase, coordinate signings or track construction progress.
  • It does not recommend projects or opine on which one is better.

VistaProp represents no developer and charges nothing to list a project. The difference from an advisor is simple: an advisor tells you what they saw. Here you open the tour and see it yourself.

Requirements for foreigners, country by country

Main legal point and indexed projects, by country. Each row links to the full fact sheet with its source.
CountryKey pointDetailProjects
Argentina No restrictions Same terms as an Argentine citizen, no prior visa needed 19
Mexico Restricted zone No direct title within 100km of a border / 50km of the coast 13
Spain Key requirement NIE tax ID — required to sign a deed or apply for a mortgage 2
United States No restrictions No residency, citizenship, or SSN required to buy 25
Uruguay No restrictions Same rights as a local citizen, no prior residency needed 4
Panama No restrictions Same terms as a Panamanian citizen, no local partner or quotas required 16
Colombia Key requirement Passport or foreigner ID + proof of lawful source of funds 11
Paraguay No restrictions Same rights as a Paraguayan citizen, no residency or special visa 7
Peru No restrictions Same property rights as a Peruvian citizen, no prior residency (except within 50km of a border) 2
Ecuador — — 0
Costa Rica — — 0
Dominican Republic No restrictions No prior residency or citizenship required to buy 2

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreigner buy a project under construction in Latin America?

In most of the 10 countries in the index, yes, on the same terms as a local. The exceptions are by zone, not nationality: Mexico restricts direct title near borders and coastline and solves it with a bank trust, and Ecuador, Peru and Paraguay limit border strips. Each country sheet spells it out with its source.

How do I see a project that has not been built?

Each of the 101 entries links to the tour on the development's official site, where you walk the building, enter units and look at floor plans. It is not a video, you navigate it. There is an open demo at oro1600.vistaprop.app. The tours are published by each developer, so their quality and uptime depend on them.

Does VistaProp sell the properties or take a commission?

No. It is an editorial index: it links to each development's official site and takes no part in the transaction, charging no commission to buyer or seller. Listing a project is also free.

Does VistaProp report prices or unit availability?

No. VistaProp does not publish prices or per-unit availability. Those, the purchase conditions and the permits are reported only by the developer: check its official site before deciding.

Does this replace a lawyer or an accountant?

No. The country sheets are editorial content with cited sources, meant to help you understand the ground before moving. Rules change and every case has specifics: the transaction is settled with professionals in the country where you buy.

I am a developer and my project is not in the index. How do I add it?

There is a form on the home page. The requirement is that the project has a navigable 3D tour on its official site. Listing carries no cost and no exclusivity. More details on the For developers page.

See the full index: 101 projects across 10 countries →

Try a navigable tour: oro1600.vistaprop.app

Are you a developer? Add your project, free →

Editorial content with cited sources. This is not legal, tax or financial advice. Legal conditions change, and price, availability and permits are reported only by the developer: always confirm on its official site and with a professional in that country before transacting.

Terms & legal notice · For developers · Before you buy · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)