In this guide
The right real estate agency in San Lorenzo is one that works the area you are searching, tells you in writing what it charges and who pays, and does not ask for money before showing you the property and its papers. Before calling, decide whether you will rent or buy, your budget and two or three barrios; then ask two or three agencies the same questions and compare.
Which part of San Lorenzo are you looking in?
San Lorenzo is about 9 km from Asunción and has 54 barrios (opens in a new tab), so "in San Lorenzo" says little. Start from your daily routine:
- If you study or work at UNA: the main campus of the Universidad Nacional de Asunción is in the Villa Universitaria barrio. Living nearby spares you the traffic, which is constant: according to Wikipedia (opens in a new tab), about 850,000 people enter the city at the start of the day and leave at the end.
- If you commute to Asunción daily: check how close you are to Avenida Mariscal López or Ruta PY02 and how long the bus takes at rush hour.
- If you want a house with a yard: ask about more residential barrios such as San Miguel, Santa María, Barcequillo, Reducto or Lote Guazú, and visit at the hour you would leave and come home.
Market timing matters too. In 2026 the head of San Lorenzo's chamber of commerce told Infonegocios (opens in a new tab) that real estate is going through one of its best moments, with investment in apartment buildings, houses and student-oriented projects, while the city struggles with congestion and a lack of parking. If you are shown a new apartment, ask whether a parking space is included.
What should you ask an agency before a viewing?
Send each agency the same questions and compare the answers:
- Fees: how much, who pays (tenant, landlord or both; buyer or seller), whether VAT is included and when it is due.
- Authorisation: whether it holds the owner's written authorisation to rent or sell that property.
- Requirements: guarantor, deposit, pay slips or documents needed, and how long approval takes.
- Move-in costs: advance rent, deposit and building fees (expensas), with each amount.
- Viewings: whether they can show you several options in the same barrio on one day.
Paraguay does not yet have a real estate brokerage law: in 2025 the Paraguayan realtors' association (ACIP) was pushing for one, plus professional registration, in Congress (opens in a new tab), and in August 2026 its president was still saying that calling brokers professionals would require a law (opens in a new tab). So there is no licence number to look up; what protects you is getting everything in writing and with an invoice, which the consumer agency Sedeco requires for every sale of goods and services (opens in a new tab).
What does the law say if you rent?
There is no specific residential tenancy law; the Civil Code applies and much is left to what the parties agree (Infonegocios, 2025 (opens in a new tab)):
- Term: if the contract is silent, it is presumed to run for one year (Civil Code art. 1881).
- Written contract: not required by law, but your best protection. It should name the parties, the property, the term, rent and payment method, deposit, how rent is adjusted and who pays for each repair.
- Deposit: no legal amount; usually one month's rent. Get a receipt.
- Increases: no legal cap. Without an agreed mechanism the landlord decides, so put it in writing.
- Eviction: the landlord must go to court; they cannot cut services or retake the property on their own.
When you move in, photograph the property's condition, note the meter readings and keep every payment receipt.
What should you check if you buy?
- The registry certificate: no notary may sign a deed of sale without having the registry's certificate of title (certificado de condición de dominio) in view (opens in a new tab). It is valid for 30 days, and while it is in force no liens or other restrictions can be recorded on the property (art. 280 of the Judicial Organisation Code, as amended by Law 2903/06). Do not pay a large deposit before your notary has it.
- Your own notary: choose one yourself, not the seller's.
- The new registry: since 14 January 2026, Law 7424/25 merges the public registries and the cadastre into the Registro Unificado Nacional under the Supreme Court, with a single cadastral-registry ID code for every property (opens in a new tab). Ask your notary how it affects your purchase.
- Apartments: ask for current building fees and whether any are owed before signing.
What are the warning signs?
- You are asked for a deposit by bank transfer before seeing the property, or without a receipt.
- The price is far below what similar places in the same barrio ask.
- They will not show you the title, or expect you to sign without the notary's certificate.
- The fee only appears at signing.
Pick the agency that answers quickly, in writing and without rushing you.
FAQ
How do I choose a real estate agency in San Lorenzo?
Choose one that works the barrio you want, puts its fees and who pays them in writing, and shows you the property and papers before asking for money.
Are real estate agents licensed in Paraguay?
There is no brokerage law in force; the realtors' association ACIP has been asking for one since 2025, and there was still none in August 2026. Get everything in writing and with an invoice.
How long does a lease last if no term is stated?
Under article 1881 of Paraguay's Civil Code, it is presumed to run for one year.
What must the notary check before a purchase?
The registry's certificate of title (certificado de condición de dominio); no deed can be signed without it. It is valid for 30 days, during which no liens can be recorded.
