Photo: Pi3.124, CC BY-SA 4.0How it works
Buying or selling directly with the owner, without an agent. Here's what to expect on Roatán.
Buying
- Find a home
Browse the map, save the ones you like, and message owners directly. Ask for more photos or a video call.
- Visit in person
See the house, the road in, the water and power setup, and the neighbors. Never pay anything before you've visited.
- Hire your own attorney
Choose a Honduran attorney who works for you, not the seller. They check the title and liens at the property registry, the survey, and that property taxes are paid.
- Agree on terms
Your attorney drafts a promise of sale (promesa de compraventa) with the price, deposit and closing date. Deposits are best held by an attorney, not paid to the seller.
- Close and register
Sign the deed before a notary, pay the transfer tax, and your attorney registers the new title in your name.
Good to know
- Dominio pleno means full ownership. Dominio útil is a right to use the land, which can often be converted to full title. Ask your attorney what that involves for the specific property.
- Foreigners can buy on the Bay Islands, but coastal land has special rules and size limits. Your attorney will explain what applies.
- Most island purchases are paid in cash or by bank transfer. Local mortgages for foreigners are uncommon.
What would it cost to buy?
About $259,350 all in
- Price
- $250,000
- Transfer tax
- $3,750
- Attorney / notary
- $5,000
- Other fees
- $600
- Estimated total
- $259,350
A starting point only. Your attorney will give you the real figures for your purchase.
Selling
- Get your papers ready
Your title deed (escritura), survey or cadastral map, and a receipt showing municipal property tax is paid. Buyers' attorneys will ask for all of these.
- Take good photos
Daylight, clean rooms, and the view. The first photo is the cover, so make it your best outside shot.
- Price it honestly
Look at similar homes on the map. Overpriced listings get views but no messages.
- List and answer quickly
Your listing goes live once we check it, usually within a day. Buyers who hear back the same day are far more likely to visit.
- Close with attorneys
Let the buyer's attorney do the title work. Mark your listing sold when you're done.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and costs change; your attorney has the final word.