Real estate Lawyer / Escribano recommendations to purchase a property in Buenos Aires?

[Bingo]

Can anyone recommend an Escribano recommendation? I bought one apartment and it was a new construction so I couldn't select the lawyer but I am buying a second property and I can pick. I heard it's not a good idea to use the realtor's recommendation in case there is a problem with the property. The really important thing is that he/she speaks fluent English. My Spanish is terrible. I would also want some references of other foreigners that used them.

I heard the laws can be a little different for foreigners vs. locals so I would want to make sure they understand anything for a foreigners instead of an Argentinean. Thanks everyone!

 

[Johnny]

I had to use the lawyer for the entire building on my first property. I bought it last year but the great thing is I didn't have to pay the legal bills yet. They told me it takes several months to get the first title deed ready so @BuySellBA who I hired to purchase this negotiated so I didn't have to pay any legal bills until it's ready.

I did meet a great Escribano the past 2 years that @earlyretirement works with. Her name is Angie and she speaks fluent English. I met her and her dad, Raul. They are the lawyers in a big apartment hotel project that I am investing in. Mike told me that he only uses them for the past 23 years. They were great. I have met them twice now and went to lunch and a dinner with them. Very good. DM me @Bingo and I will send you her contact details. I'm not sure if she wants them on the internet.

Mike told me that she doesn't take new clients but she works with all of Mike's clients.

 

[JonJLA]

I had to use the lawyer for the entire building on my first property. I bought it last year but the great thing is I didn't have to pay the legal bills yet. They told me it takes several months to get the first title deed ready so @BuySellBA who I hired to purchase this negotiated so I didn't have to pay any legal bills until it's ready.

I did meet a great Escribano the past 2 years that @earlyretirement works with. Her name is Angie and she speaks fluent English. I met her and her dad, Raul. They are the lawyers in a big apartment hotel project that I am investing in. Mike told me that he only uses them for the past 23 years. They were great. I have met them twice now and went to lunch and a dinner with them. Very good. DM me @Bingo and I will send you her contact details. I'm not sure if she wants them on the internet.

Mike told me that she doesn't take new clients but she works with all of Mike's clients.

Correct about not able to pick your own lawyer on off plan projects. I had to use the developers when I bought my first 2 apartments. But when I sold one of my apartments after 2017, the buyer was a local that happened to be Mike's partner's father. He as an Argentine but Angie was the Escribano that he selected. By law, the buyer gets to pick the lawyer and the seller (me) had to use her too. She was wonderful, professional and spoke perfect English.

It is good to hear that they are still working with her. @Johnny it sounds like even after 20 years they are using all of the same team of people which is very smart. It makes me more comfortable and even more interested in that new project. Thanks for posting.

 

[Betsy Ross]

Never never never use the Escribano that the realtor recommends. I have heard so many nightmare stories. My friend bought an apartment before me and used a recommendation from her realtor. It turns out the lawyer was the realtor's cousin and there was a problem on the deed and she didn't say anything all so she could earn the commission. Always use a vetted third party source.

 

[Avocado]

Good advice never to use someone recommended by any agents. Real estate agents in Argentina are scum of society. Here you can find English speaking Escribanos.

https://www.colegio-escribanos.org.ar/

 

[lemonade]

Wait so is the Escribano a lawyer? It sounds like you don't need both a lawyer AND an Escribano? I had someone that I know that recently bought and they had both a lawyer and an Escribano. Why is that? Did the lawyer not trust the Escribano? Seems like a waste of money to have both?

 

[earlyretirement]

I had to use the lawyer for the entire building on my first property. I bought it last year but the great thing is I didn't have to pay the legal bills yet. They told me it takes several months to get the first title deed ready so @BuySellBA who I hired to purchase this negotiated so I didn't have to pay any legal bills until it's ready.

I did meet a great Escribano the past 2 years that @earlyretirement works with. Her name is Angie and she speaks fluent English. I met her and her dad, Raul. They are the lawyers in a big apartment hotel project that I am investing in. Mike told me that he only uses them for the past 23 years. They were great. I have met them twice now and went to lunch and a dinner with them. Very good. DM me @Bingo and I will send you her contact details. I'm not sure if she wants them on the internet.

Mike told me that she doesn't take new clients but she works with all of Mike's clients.

I'm SO glad you could spend so much time with them @Johnny. Angie and Raul are very dear friends. I only can fully trust 100% in Argentina less than 10 people. I always joke on two hands less than 10 people in 23 years of doing business here. Think about it. Out of thousands of people that I know I'm talking about people that I know I could give $5 million USD to hold for me and I know it will be all there. That's the kind of trust I have to have with these 10 people day in and day out.

The only people on my list are my best friend, @Lucho, his sister, Juliana who is my accountant. Another accountant, Ana that I had in house. My banker, and my Escribanos. That's it. No one else. They are the best of the best.

Over the past 23 years they have proven themselves day in and day out. Remember an Escribano doesn't get paid a penny until the closing. So most of them even if they encounter a problem won't say anything because it would mean they won't make any money. But there have been many occasions over the past 23 years where they have stopped me, they have found problems. That is what you need in a good Escribano. Most times when other foreigners have issues they call my office @BuySellBA. And you know what I tell them? "NOTHING I can do as you have one chance to buy 100% correctly. The legal system doesn't work there. And it takes YEARS to go in front of a judge. It's all 100% cash. So there are NO second chances. You need an Escribano that will do it right the first time.

Wait so is the Escribano a lawyer? It sounds like you don't need both a lawyer AND an Escribano? I had someone that I know that recently bought and they had both a lawyer and an Escribano. Why is that? Did the lawyer not trust the Escribano? Seems like a waste of money to have both?

No you don't need both. An Escribano (Notary) is a specialized lawyer. You do NOT need both. The seller is forced to use the Escribano chosen by the buyer so sometimes they might hire a lawyer but it's not necessary.