In this guide
To choose a real estate agency in San Alberto, first decide what you need (a house to rent in town, a building lot or farmland), then talk to two or three agencies that work that area. Pick the one that puts its fee in writing and shows you the property's papers before asking for a deposit. Paraguay has no law regulating real estate brokerage (Infonegocios, 2025 (opens in a new tab)), so the screening is up to you.
What makes property in San Alberto different?
San Alberto calls itself the "Capital del Agro": soybeans dominate, alongside wheat, corn and sunflower, and the district borders Brazil to the east across the Paraná River (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). It sits on Route PY07, about 90 km north of Ciudad del Este, and hosts most of the banks and agribusiness firms of northern Alto Paraná (Última Hora, 2021 (opens in a new tab)). That shapes what agencies handle: town houses, but also sheds, lots along the highway and cropland.
More than 80% of residents are Brazilian or of Brazilian descent, and Portuguese is spoken in every shop (Brasil de Fato, 2018 (opens in a new tab)). Ask for service and the contract in a language you read well; if the contract is in Spanish and you don't, bring someone you trust to go through it with you.
What to ask an agency before a viewing
Send every agency the same questions on WhatsApp and compare the written answers:
- Fee: how much, who pays it (buyer, seller, tenant or landlord) and when.
- Mandate: whether it has the owner's written authorisation to sell or let that property.
- Papers: the finca or padrón number and the owner's name, so your notary can request the registry report.
- Exact location: urban or rural, and whether it is inside San Alberto district. In March 2026 the Chamber of Deputies accepted amendments to a bill changing the municipality's boundaries (Chamber of Deputies (opens in a new tab)); if the property is near the edge, ask the Municipalidad which district it belongs to.
- Services: water, power, an open street, and road access after rain. The area gets about 1,650 to 1,700 mm a year (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)), and a dirt road changes a lot after a storm.
If an agency won't answer clearly in writing, drop it.
Buying farmland as a foreigner from a neighbouring country
This is the key question in San Alberto. Law 2532/05 (opens in a new tab) creates a border security zone 50 km wide along land and river borders. Unless authorised by executive decree, nationals of neighbouring countries, or companies mostly owned by them, cannot own, co-own or hold usufruct over rural property in that zone, and notaries cannot deed such transactions.
Because the district borders Brazil along the Paraná, have your own notary confirm whether the property lies wholly or partly inside the zone before you pay anything. The seller's or agency's word is not enough.
Checking a building lot
Law 1909 on subdivisions (opens in a new tab) requires prior municipal approval for every private subdivision. The developer must file title, a registry certificate, paid property tax and a survey, then open streets and build the required drainage.
- Ask for the municipal approval resolution and check it at the Municipalidad de San Alberto.
- Ask for the approved plan and find your lot on the ground, not just in the brochure.
- If you pay in instalments, ask whether the contract is entered in the registry.
Closing a purchase or a lease safely
- Buying: hire your own notary. They request the certificado de condiciones de dominio, which under Law 2903/06 (opens in a new tab) is issued within 10 days and is valid for 30. Since 14 January 2026 the Registro Unificado Nacional (Law 7424/25) gives each property a single code (Ferrere (opens in a new tab)).
- Renting: there is no specific residential tenancy law. If the contract sets no term, one year is presumed (Civil Code art. 1881), the deposit is usually one month and there is no cap on increases, so agree the adjustment in writing (Infonegocios (opens in a new tab)).
- ID checks: agencies that handle sales must report suspicious transactions to SEPRELAD (Ferrere (opens in a new tab)), so expect to show documents.
- Invoice: ask for an invoice for the fee; consumer agency Sedeco says every sale of goods and services requires one (ABC Color (opens in a new tab)).
Never hand over a cash deposit without a receipt, or before you have seen the registry report.
FAQ
How do I choose a real estate agency in San Alberto?
Compare two or three that work your target area, sending each the same written questions: fee, owner's mandate, finca number and services. Go with the one that shows you the papers before asking for a deposit.
Can a Brazilian buy farmland in San Alberto?
Law 2532/05 bars nationals of neighbouring countries from owning rural property within the 50 km border zone unless authorised by decree. Have your notary check whether the property is in that zone before paying anything.
Are real estate agencies regulated in Paraguay?
There is no brokerage law in force; the industry association was pushing for one in 2025. Agencies handling sales must report suspicious transactions to SEPRELAD.
How long does a lease last if it doesn't say?
The Civil Code presumes one year when no term is set. Agree rent increases in writing, since there is no legal cap.
