Key takeaways
- A nightly guest costs you cleaning, platform commission, linens, electricity, water, internet and someone local answering messages, so a 12 percent gross short-term figure and a 7 percent gross long-term figure are closer in net terms than they look.
- In Guatapé and El Peñol an apartment starts at about US$86,000, typically asking near US$154,000; across Antioquia about US$91,000 and about US$191,000.
- Water views, walking access to the Zócalo, or a dock rent on weekends; a property 20 minutes up a farm track does not.
- Annual predial runs from 0.3 to 1.2 percent of the cadastral value.
- About 2 percent in buyer closing costs: notary at 0.27 percent, registry at 0.67 percent, and beneficencia at 1 percent, plus your lawyer.
A short-term rental in Guatapé has historically produced 8 to 15 percent gross a year, against 5 to 9 percent for a long-term lease. The gap is real, but short-term income arrives with vacancy weeks, higher operating costs and management you have to pay for. Long-term rent is lower, steadier and nearly hands-off.
Checklist · Before you sign a promesa
The 12 documents I check on every deal
Tick them off as you collect them. Saved on this device.
Superintendencia de Notariado y Registro, online; valid 30 days
The notaría where it was signed; ask for a certified copy
The municipality's tesorería or hacienda office
The building's or gated community's administración
From the seller; the RUT downloads from the DIAN site
Granted at a notaría, or at a consulate if the seller is abroad
Printed on the predial bill, or from the municipal catastro
In the deed and on the cadastral record
Latest paid bills from EPM or the local operator
Declared before the notary in the deed itself
Drafted by your lawyer or agent; never sign the seller's version unread
Curaduría urbana or the municipal planning office
The full list shows once you add Mike Zapata Real Estate as a preferred source on Google. One click, no email, no call.
Where each document comes from
- Certificado de tradición y libertad: Superintendencia de Notariado y Registro, online; valid 30 days
- Prior deed: The notaría where it was signed; ask for a certified copy
- Property-tax good standing: The municipality's tesorería or hacienda office
- HOA good standing, if applicable: The building's or gated community's administración
- Seller's ID / RUT: From the seller; the RUT downloads from the DIAN site
- Power of attorney, if the seller is represented: Granted at a notaría, or at a consulate if the seller is abroad
- Cadastral appraisal: Printed on the predial bill, or from the municipal catastro
- Survey and boundaries: In the deed and on the cadastral record
- Utilities up to date: Latest paid bills from EPM or the local operator
- Family-home protection certificate: Declared before the notary in the deed itself
- Promesa de compraventa draft: Drafted by your lawyer or agent; never sign the seller's version unread
- Building permit, if applicable: Curaduría urbana or the municipal planning office
Google · Preferred source
The full checklist is ready.
Add Mike Zapata Real Estate as a preferred source on Google and all 12 documents show here, with where to get each one and a printable version. One click, no email, no call.
What does each rental model actually yield here?
Both ranges are historic gross figures: rent collected before commission, cleaning, utilities, furniture replacement and tax. A long-term tenant pays their own utilities and signs for a year. A nightly guest costs you cleaning, platform commission, linens, electricity, water, internet and someone local answering messages, so a 12 percent gross short-term figure and a 7 percent gross long-term figure are closer in net terms than they look.
What does it cost to get into the game?
Yield is a fraction whose denominator is the purchase price. In Guatapé and El Peñol an apartment starts at about US$86,000, typically asking near US$154,000; across Antioquia about US$91,000 and about US$191,000. A country house near the reservoir starts at roughly US$181,000 and typically asks about US$325,000, against roughly US$393,000 and US$906,000 for Antioquia. A smaller purchase price with comparable nightly rates lifts the yield. For what tenants pay across the country, the full guide sets the context.
Which properties suit nightly rental, and which do not?
Nightly demand is weekend and holiday demand, driven by the reservoir, the Piedra and the town centre. Water views, walking access to the Zócalo, or a dock rent on weekends; a property 20 minutes up a farm track does not. A finca near Guatapé starts at about US$166,000 with a typical asking price of about US$446,000, and is a poor fit for nightly listing unless set up as a guest property. Apartments in town are the simplest product; country houses command higher rates but need a caretaker.
What costs eat into the yield, every year?
Annual predial runs from 0.3 to 1.2 percent of the cadastral value. In a conjunto, monthly administration is fixed whether the unit is occupied or empty. Furnishings depreciate; insurance and a local contact complete the list. On exit, capital gains are taxed at 15 percent when held two years or more.
What should I verify before I buy a rental property?
- The certificate of tradition and freedom, requested with the registry number: registered owner, mortgages, liens, encumbrances.
- Land use. The territorial plan determines whether a parcel allows country housing, subdivision, or agricultural use only; agricultural-only land is no base for guest cabins.
- The building rules. Some conjuntos prohibit short-stay rental outright.
- Access. Legal road access, water, electricity and internet.
What does buying actually cost and how long does it take?
About 2 percent in buyer closing costs: notary at 0.27 percent, registry at 0.67 percent, and beneficencia at 1 percent, plus your lawyer. Closing takes 30 to 45 days once the deal is agreed; furnishing and listing add several weeks.
Does the Devimed road change the rental case?
The concession reverts on July 31, 2026. The financing trust is expected in 2027, with handover to Invías in 2028, so major works would not begin before late 2027. Appreciation has historically run 7 to 8 percent a year: history, not a reason to buy a rental. Buy on what the property earns today.
So which one should I choose?
Long-term if you live abroad and want a predictable deposit. Short-term if the property is walkable to the town centre or has a real water view, you will pay a manager, and you accept empty January and rainy midweeks. Many owners run a hybrid: multi-month tenants in the low season, nightly rates through December, Semana Santa and long weekends.
How we knowFigures as of October 13, 2026. Prices: active listings we verified ourselves; USD rate: TRM 3,194.44 COP per US$1, valid October 10, 2026 (Banco de la República, via datos.gov.co).
Frequently asked questions
Is short-term rental in Guatapé worth the extra work compared to a long-term lease?
It has yielded 8 to 15 percent gross against 5 to 9 percent, but commission, cleaning, utilities, furniture and a manager narrow the net gap.
How much do I need to spend to buy a rental property near Guatapé?
An apartment in Guatapé and El Peñol starts at about US$86,000 (typical near US$154,000); a country house at roughly US$181,000 (typical about US$325,000).
What taxes will I pay as a rental property owner in Antioquia?
Predial of 0.3 to 1.2 percent of the cadastral value, and capital gains of 15 percent on a sale after two years or more. Rental income is taxable.
Can my building or conjunto block short-term rentals?
Yes. Check the reglamento de propiedad horizontal and recent assembly minutes before you buy.
How long does it take from offer to owning a rental property?
30 to 45 days to close, plus about 2 percent in buyer closing costs.
