Expat Community > Colombia

tinuviel
Joined 2010
Posts: 1

Buying an apartment in Colombia

14 years ago

Hi,

I'm considering moving to either Bogota or Santa Marta. I was recently in Bogota for a week, and I fell in love with the place for many different reasons.

I'm a graphic and website designer / SEO web manager, and I've always felt I could take my skills mobile and work from a cheaper place to live in order to charge my clients the same amount but not compromise on my living standards.

The thing is, I'm in about 35k of credit card debt right now (my first 2 years working fully freelance did not quite work out). However, I now have a bigger client base and better relationships with my clients, so I'm fully confident I'd be able to continue pulling in an income in Colombia. Not to mention, I could supplement with teaching English, and if I really need money, come home to live with my parents for a few months of the year and work part-time in a coffee shop to collect money to then take back with me.

I think the biggest concern at this point, is how I'm going to purchase a place in Colombia. I'm coming from Canada. Does anyone have any experience with:

a) obtaining a mortgage in Canada for a property in Colombia?
b) doing so whilst in debt?
c) what would my taxes in both countries look like?
d) if I declared bankruptcy in Canada, is there any chance of me being able to get some kind of mortgage / loan in Colombia (I am planning to have about 8-10K CAD in the bank when I move)?

I'm not sure what the details are, or where to go to ask this kind of advice. If you don't have the answers but know someone who does, I would greatly appreciate if you could put them in contact with me! If that's the case, please private message me their contact details and I will reach out to them.

Thank so much for your help.
- Christina

Cigna Global Health

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