Home/Civil Law/Real Estate & Property

Civil & Property

Real Estate & Property Lawyer in Chile

Chilean property law is registry-driven. Whoever has the cleaner paper trail wins — so we check it before you pay, not after.

Book your consultation → All civil law services

Overview

What this involves

Buying property in Chile is open to foreigners with very few restrictions, and the transaction itself is straightforward. The risk sits almost entirely in the title history: an unresolved succession in the chain, a mortgage or attachment still registered, a boundary that does not match the deed, or a co-ownership nobody disclosed.

Chilean law resolves these disputes on the registry record. That makes the pre-purchase title study the highest-value hour of work in the whole transaction — and makes it very hard to fix problems afterwards, once your money has moved.

What we handle

Pre-purchase title study

Review of the registry chain, liens, mortgages, attachments, prohibitions and the seller's actual capacity to sell — before any deposit is committed.

Purchase and sale

Drafting or reviewing the promise of sale and the deed, coordinating with the notary and Conservador, and confirming the registration completed correctly.

Registry defects

Correcting errors, gaps and unresolved successions in the chain of title that block a sale or a mortgage.

Boundary and co-ownership disputes

Disputes between neighbors, co-owners and communities, including division of jointly held property.

Recovery of possession

Actions to recover property occupied without title, including by relatives or former tenants, and defense against adverse possession claims.

From anywhere

How we run this for a client abroad

Assessment first

You send the documents you have. We tell you what applies, what it costs and how long it takes — before you commit to anything.

Power of attorney

Granted at a Chilean consulate or apostilled where you live. It lets us act for you in Chile without you travelling.

We file, you get updates

Our attorneys handle the filings and appearances in Chile. You get plain-English updates at every stage.

FAQ

Real Estate & Property — common questions

What English-speaking clients ask us most about this specific service.

Can a foreigner buy property in Chile?

Yes, with essentially the same rights as a Chilean national and no requirement to be a resident. There are restrictions on land in certain border zones, which affect a small minority of transactions. What you will need is a Chilean tax ID, which we obtain for you.

What is the single biggest risk in a Chilean purchase?

An unresolved succession somewhere in the chain of title. If a previous owner died and the estate was never properly processed, the person selling to you may not actually be able to transfer clean ownership — and you discover it years later when you try to sell. This is exactly what the title study is for.

Do I need to be in Chile to buy?

No. The deed can be executed by a representative acting under a power of attorney granted at a Chilean consulate or apostilled abroad. Funds transfer and the banking side usually need more coordination than the legal steps do.

Someone is occupying my property in Chile. What can I do?

It depends on how they entered and how long they have been there. A former tenant, a relative allowed in informally and a squatter each trigger different procedures — and prolonged, uninterrupted possession can eventually mature into a legal claim against you. This is a situation where months genuinely matter.

Talk to a Chilean lawyer about buying or defending property in Chile

Get an initial assessment in English — confidential, with no obligation.

Book your consultation now →

WhatsApp+56 9 5217 5304

Emailhola@oklegal.cl

HoursMon–Sat 09:00–20:00