How to buy a house in Cuba: a step-by-step guide

Buying a home in Cuba has been legal since late 2011, when Decree-Law 288 authorized the sale of houses between private individuals. Before that date, the only legal way to change homes was the permuta, a swap. That recent history explains a lot about today’s market: there is no mortgage lending, no compulsory agent licensing, no public price registry, and much of the process rests on the notary and the Property Registry.

This guide walks through the entire buying process: who can buy, how to set a budget, what to look at on the visit, what to verify before paying, how the transaction is formalized before a notary, and what it all costs beyond the price of the house.

Who can buy property in Cuba?

Homes can be bought by Cuban citizens residing on the island and by foreigners with permanent residency in Cuba. The law limits ownership to one permanent residence plus, additionally, one vacation home.

If you live outside Cuba and want to buy, the usual route is through a trusted family member residing on the island, who will appear as the legal owner. It is a common practice, but it requires absolute trust: legally, the home belongs to whoever signs the deed. Our guide on buying from abroad explains how to reduce that risk.

These rules are going to change. The National Assembly approved a new Housing Law on 30 July 2026, which will replace Law 65 of 1988 and Decree-Law 288. Among other things, it raises to two the number of permanent homes a person may own, plus one vacation home, and it recognises that Cubans who emigrate keep, inherit and pass on their properties. But approved is not the same as in force: the text must be published in the Gaceta Oficial and, according to what was submitted to the Assembly, takes effect 90 days later. Until then, the rules described in this guide apply.

Step 1: define your budget and area

The price of the home is not the cost of buying it. Before setting a ceiling, add up everything paid around the transaction, because in Cuba a significant part of the spending lands after signing.

Prices vary enormously depending on the municipality, the state of the construction and very Cuban details: whether the building has its own cistern or water tank, the water and electricity situation in the area, whether there is a garage, or whether the ground floor allows a business. Before visiting properties, compare prices of similar listings in the same area. On CubanPortal you can filter by province, municipality and neighborhood, and by price range, to get a realistic market reference.

• The price of the home, in the currency it will actually be paid in.
• The property transfer tax paid by the buyer.
• Notary fees for the public deed and its certified copies.
• Registering the new ownership at the Property Registry.
• Updating the technical report or the floor plan if the description does not match what is built.
• Immediate repairs: roof, wiring, plumbing, joinery.
• Moving costs and, almost always, some procedure that appears halfway through.

Step 2: visit and evaluate the property

Always visit the home in person, ideally more than once and at different times of day. Check the real state of the construction: leaks, roof condition, electrical and plumbing installations, water pressure and schedule. A twenty-minute visit with the seller standing there tells you nothing; the second, unhurried visit is the one that informs.

Ask about the usual expenses and problems of the building or the area: water cuts, condition of the staircase, neighborhood life. Talk to neighbors if you can — in Cuba they are an invaluable source of information, and they have no interest in selling you the house.

• Roof and ceilings: stains, bulging, cracks in the corners.
• Water: the real schedule, pressure on that floor, whether the cistern and pump are private or shared.
• Electricity: 110 or 220v, state of the wiring, capacity for air conditioning.
• Plumbing and drains: pressure, smells, the condition of the original pipework.
• Structure: active cracks, shoring, timber floor structures, rising damp.
• Surroundings: noise, flooding in heavy rain, transport, safety on the block.

Step 3: verify the documentation

Before discussing money, ask to see the property title and confirm that the home is registered at the Property Registry in the name of the person selling it. An up-to-date ownership and liens certificate confirms who the owner is and whether the home carries debts or restrictions.

Be wary of sales where the seller is "still processing" the title, there are unresolved inheritances, or intermediaries appear who cannot prove their relationship with the owner. Our guide on required documents details every paper involved in the transaction.

1. 1Ask for the original title deed and read it: name, address and description of the home.
2. 2Request an up-to-date ownership and liens certificate from the Property Registry.
3. 3Compare the technical description with what you see: floor area, rooms, extensions, garage.
4. 4Check the seller’s ID against the registered owner.
5. 5If an attorney-in-fact is acting, demand the original power of attorney and confirm it includes the power to sell.
6. 6If the home comes from an inheritance, confirm the adjudication is done and registered.

Step 4: the sale before a notary

The sale is formalized through a public deed before a notary. Both parties must present their identity documents and the property paperwork. The notary verifies the legality of the transaction, checks that the declared value is not below the minimum reference values, and executes the deed.

The transaction generates taxes for both parties. Payment is credited at the moment the deed is signed before the notary and can be made through electronic channels at a discount. Confirm the current figures and procedures with the notary or the tax office (ONAT) at the time of purchase: the rates are stable, but the procedures and discounts change.

After signing, register the new ownership at the Property Registry. That final step is what protects you as the new owner; without it, as far as the system is concerned, the house still belongs to the seller.

How long the process takes

With the paperwork in order, weeks rather than months pass between agreement and deed: the bottleneck is not the notary, it is the documents that come before. When there is an unadjudicated inheritance, an unlegalised extension or an out-of-date technical description, the timeline is measured in months and depends on third parties.

That is why the most useful question on the first phone call is not the price but: "is the home registered in your name, and does the description match what is built?" The answer tells you whether this is a transaction of weeks or of a year.

Common first-time buyer mistakes

Almost every serious problem in a Cuban purchase comes down to a handful of repeated mistakes. None of them is sophisticated, and all of them are avoidable.

• Paying a deposit before seeing the title and the Registry certificate.
• Agreeing to declare a lower price in the deed "to pay less tax": it leaves you with no proof of what you paid.
• Relying on a verbal agreement with the seller about repairs or handover dates.
• Not registering the deed after signing.
• Buying without comparing prices for the same area and type of home.
• Assuming that an extension that has "always been there" was legalised.

Final advice

Never hand over money without seeing the home and the original documents. If you agree on a deposit or advance, put it in writing before witnesses, ideally with legal advice.

Take your time: the Cuban market moves more slowly than others, and good opportunities require patience and verification. A good purchase starts with the paperwork, not with haste.