Real estate market moves at two speeds: sales hold steady, credit falls, and prices plateau

Buenos Aires' real estate market is exhibiting a dual nature in 2026, with property sales remaining robust while mortgage lending experiences a sharp downturn. July saw a notable surge in purchase deeds, reaching 6,051 transactions in the city. This figure represents the highest monthly total for the year and a slight increase from June, although it falls short of the numbers recorded in July of the previous year.

Despite the year-on-year decrease, real estate professionals highlight that current sales levels are historically high. Magdalena Tato, president of the Colegio de Escribanos porteño, noted that July 2025 and 2026 were among the best months in recent years, with figures not surpassed since 2008. This suggests a solid underlying market, far removed from the difficulties of the past decade.

The total value of transactions in July exceeded one trillion pesos, marking a year-on-year increase of 9.37%. The average transaction value stood at approximately $176.6 million pesos, or about US$116,967 at the prevailing official exchange rate. This represents a 20.2% increase in peso terms and a modest 1.8% rise in dollar terms compared to the previous year.

However, the picture changes dramatically when examining mortgage credit. In July, only 959 deeds were formalized with a mortgage, a significant 31.2% decrease from the same month in 2025. Mortgages accounted for roughly 16% of all property sales in Buenos Aires during July. This stark contrast between overall sales activity and mortgage financing underscores the market's "two-speed" dynamic, with a substantial gap emerging between general transactions and the availability of credit.