When someone starts thinking seriously about retirement in Colombia, the first question is almost always about the pension fund: how much it will return, at what age you can retire, whether the amount will be enough. But there is a second question more people are asking themselves these days, especially those who have been saving for years: does it make sense to add a tangible asset to that savings, something you can visit, use, and eventually pass on, alongside the money sitting in a fund? This is not financial advice, and there is no single formula that fits everyone, but there are concrete questions worth asking before deciding, no matter what asset you are considering or where in the country it sits.
Before you add it to your plan: what to ask about the title
The first question is always about the paperwork: does the asset come with its own independent title, or does it depend on a shared title with other properties, or on paperwork that gets resolved later? In Colombia, the matrícula inmobiliaria is the registry that legally identifies a property, and not every project hands it over independently from day one. The second question is just as simple: can you visit it today, walk it, see with your own eyes what you are buying, or does it only exist on paper or in a rendering for now? An asset you plan to actually use in retirement, not just hold, is worth more if you can evaluate it in person before deciding. The third question is about who is selling: is it the developer directly, or are there several intermediaries standing between your money and the final title? Every intermediary adds a layer of conditions worth understanding before you sign.
How to evaluate financing without depending on a bank
A traditional mortgage is not the only way to finance the purchase of an asset in Colombia. Direct financing from the developer, where the buyer negotiates the term and conditions directly with whoever builds and sells, is a legitimate and increasingly common structure in land projects. Before committing, it is worth asking in writing how many stages the payment plan has, what percentage of the total value can be financed and for how long, and starting at what amount you can reserve the asset while you finish deciding. These questions apply no matter the project, and clear, written answers are the difference between an informed decision and a leap of faith.
A concrete example: Altos de Yariguíes Country Club
These same three questions, about title, the ability to visit, and how financing works, are the ones I ask myself about every project I look at, and they are what led me to Altos de Yariguíes Country Club, on the shore of the Topocoro Reservoir in Santander. Every one of the project's 138 residential lots is delivered with its own independent title deed, regardless of whether the buyer builds right away or later. The development itself, paved roads, solar powered street lighting, underground electrical wiring, and its own drinking water treatment plant, is already built, so it can be walked in person before you decide, in addition to the 360 degree virtual tour filmed on the actual site. Proyecto Girasoles S.A.S. finances its buyers directly, with no banks involved: in Stage 1, financing extends up to 7 months, and in Stage 2, buyers can finance up to 40% of the lot's value over 22 months, with reservations possible starting at $20,000,000 COP. The project is also described as ideal for short term rentals like Airbnb, which opens the door to using the asset even before the moment you are ready to enjoy it full time.
No asset, tangible or not, replaces financial advice tailored to your own situation. But if you are weighing whether to diversify your retirement savings with something you can visit, use, and eventually pass on, the same three questions about title, the ability to visit, and how financing works will serve you well with any project you consider, at Topocoro or anywhere else in Colombia.