Summary of "Essential 'Due Diligence' for property buying in Paraguay"

Main Ideas and Lessons (Due Diligence When Buying Property in Paraguay)

Property purchases require georeferenced surveying. Paraguay’s land administration relies on georeferenced plans/maps for property transactions and registration.
A georeferenced survey is expected as part of the buying/selling process, because the state’s cadastre/public records systems require it for land division, purchase, and sale.
Seller-provided maps may look official but may not be truly georeferenced or professionally produced, so buyers must verify their legitimacy.
What you “own on paper” may not match real boundaries/area on the ground. Surveying helps confirm coordinates, perimeter, and surface area before finalizing the purchase.
Georeferenced documents generally don’t expire once registered and can often be checked online using property identifiers.
Due diligence should also cover practical access and constraints, such as road/right-of-way access and environmental/legal limitations (e.g., arroyos/watercourses, protected trees, and restrictions on clearing land).
Subdivision rules and land consolidation options matter. Many developments use ~360 m² lots, but you may be able to unify multiple lots to create larger parcels.
Use qualified professionals and verify credentials through official channels.

Methodology / Checklist-Style Instructions

A) How Surveying Is Performed (What the Surveyor Does)

Visit the property using survey equipment (e.g., GPS).
Measure:
- The polygon/boundary shape
- The property corners
Collect coordinates and produce deliverables including:
- A georeferenced plan/map
- Inform (submission/output package)
- Required tables/materials as requested by law
Provide the map so the land can be registered and processed through cadastre/public registry systems.

B) Buyer Due Diligence Steps (What to Do Before Buying)

Measure the property first:
- Walk/verify the perimeter
- Calculate the surface area
- Obtain the coordinates
Hire a licensed surveyor to perform technical work and calculations.
Verify boundaries and check for overlap:
- Confirm the measured land does not overlap neighboring properties.
Register the georeferenced map with the national cadastre to support the transaction within the state system.
Use an efficient notary to finalize paperwork and help speed up title documentation issuance.
Confirm documents match the seller:
- Ensure the seller’s identity matches the person listed in the ownership documentation.
Independently verify professionals (don’t rely only on appearance):
- Use official credential/registration systems, including online lookups tied to national cadastre records.

C) How to Verify a Seller’s Survey/Map Is Legitimate

Confirm the map is a true professional georeferenced document, not just an “official-looking” sketch.
Verify the surveyor/professional using required credentials and official registration documents, including online verification.
Use cadastre identifiers (below) to confirm what is recorded.

D) How to Check Property Details Online (Using Identifiers)

Paraguay properties use two identifiers:

Padrón number
Matrícula number

To view whether a property already has a registered georeferenced map:

Go online to the relevant cadastre registry.
Enter the Padrón (and location information such as department and city).
Review:
- Owner name (as shown in the system)
- Surface area
- Other recorded attributes
- The map/satellite image associated with the georeference

Key Concepts Explained

Georeferenced plans/maps as a legal requirement
- Required for property purchase/sale processes and land division.
- A new unified registry system is referenced: RUNT (unified registry national).
Georeference scope rules
- For land within 80 km from the border (franja de seguridad fronteriza / border security zone), a georeferenced plan is required even within town limits.
Precision of surveying
- The surveyor’s workflow claims sub-centimeter accuracy using GPS measurements.
No expiration after registration
- Once registered in the national cadastre, the georeferenced map remains in the system and is viewable online.
Flood risk / topography
- Survey work can support analyses such as:
  - Contour lines
  - Height measurements
- Flood risk is described as location-dependent:
  - Some Cordillera areas near watercourses may have flood risk
  - Certain towns (e.g., Caacupé) are suggested as having less flooding significance
Right-of-way / access roads
- Georeferenced maps should show road access from a control point.
- Due diligence should prevent buying “landlocked” lots.
- If access is not available, a legal process may be needed to obtain access (with associated costs and legal steps).
Arroyos/streams (watercourses)
- Arroyos are treated as public domain in the explanation.
- Rules may restrict construction/cutting depending on whether the feature is a creek/river and on its hydrologic regime.
Common problems in Paraguay land parcels
- Field boundaries/angles and measured areas often don’t match the title.
- Rapid urbanization can create issues where subdivision depends on exact measurements.
- Fixing mismatches may require:
  - A surveyor measurement
  - A lawyer
  - Rectification/adjustment of the ownership record (updated legal title information)
Subdivision minimums
- Subdivision into lots must meet a minimum area requirement (at least 360 m²).
Unification of parcels
- When multiple lots are unified:
  - The property can move from multiple padrón/matrícula records to one
  - It may reduce taxes compared with holding multiple separate lots

Speakers / Sources Featured

Alan — interviewer (not described as a professional in subtitles).
[Interviewee] — a Paraguayan geographical and environmental engineer / surveyor who:
- Mentions prior work experience (including UN) in the subtitles
- Runs a surveying/topography business called Alta Sierra
- Provides services across Cordillera and other parts of Paraguay