Globull Review: Seller Financing for Colombia Property

The new Medellin Unfiltered video about Globull lands on a pain point almost every serious foreign buyer eventually hits: Colombian property is easy to fall in love with, but hard to finance through a local bank.

If you have good income in dollars, a strong credit score abroad, and enough cash for a serious down payment, that does not automatically translate into a Colombian mortgage. Local banks often care far more about Colombian credit history, local income documentation, and paperwork than about your FICO score or brokerage account back home. That is why many foreigners end up buying in cash, borrowing against assets abroad, or staying in rentals longer than they planned.

Globull is trying to turn that problem into a product: a marketplace for Colombian property where sellers can offer financing directly to buyers. It is not just another listing portal. The pitch is: browse verified properties, make an offer with a down payment and monthly schedule, complete KYC, close with attorney support, and make payments without waiting for a Colombian bank to approve you.

Globull is worth examining, but seller financing is not magic. You still need to understand title timing, default rules, payment routing, legal security, and due diligence before signing anything.

What Globull Actually Is

Globull describes itself as a cross-border marketplace for buying and selling property in Colombia with seller financing. On the buyer side, the core promise is simple: buy property abroad directly from the seller, without needing a Colombian bank loan. On the seller side, the offer is equally clear: list a property with financing terms and reach international buyers who may not have local mortgage access.

The public buyer flow is three steps:

1. Browse a verified Colombian property and review the seller's terms.
2. Submit an offer with a proposed down payment and payment schedule.
3. If the seller accepts or counters and both sides agree, complete identity/financial checks, close with attorney support, and make monthly payments after closing.

That puts Globull in a different category from Colombia Move, FincaRaiz, Metrocuadrado, or a typical broker site. Those platforms mostly help you discover listings and contact sellers. Globull is trying to structure the financing conversation itself.

Why This Matters for Foreign Buyers

The Medellin Unfiltered video frames the problem bluntly: many foreigners arrive with real financial strength but little usable Colombian credit. Its linked article gives one personal example of spending years building local credit and still facing a high-rate mortgage. Whether your exact experience is better or worse, the broader issue is real enough that Colombia Move already covers it in our guide to buying property in Colombia as a foreigner: yes, foreigners can buy, but bank financing is often the hard part.

Seller financing changes the bottleneck. Instead of asking a bank to underwrite you, you negotiate with the seller. The seller accepts a down payment, agrees to a payment plan, and earns a finance return over time. The buyer avoids putting 100% of the price into the property on day one.

That can be powerful in three situations:

• You have strong foreign income but weak Colombian credit history.
• You want to keep part of your cash liquid instead of buying all-cash.
• You are buying an investment property and need the numbers to work against rent, appreciation, and currency risk.

But the tradeoff is just as important: you are no longer dealing with a regulated mortgage lender. You are dealing with a seller, a contract, a payment rail, and whatever legal structure protects both sides.

What the Current Globull Terms Look Like

Globull's public guidance says typical down payments range from 20% to 40%, and typical cost-of-finance rates range from 8% to 15% annually depending on the property, down payment, and term length. The current public listings show why you should treat those as ranges, not promises.

At research time, the listings page displayed 48 properties, mostly in Medellin and Cartagena, with examples in Envigado, Guatape/San Rafael, Barranquilla and other Colombian locations. Visible terms varied widely: some listings showed 20% or 25% down; many showed 50%; a few were 75% or 80%. Cost-of-finance examples ranged from 8% to 15%, and terms ranged from 1 to 10 years.

That matters because "seller financing" is not one standardized product. Every listing is its own negotiation. The headline monthly payment may look simple, but the real economics depend on:

• purchase price and currency;
• down payment percentage;
• interest or cost-of-finance rate;
• term length;
• whether there is a balloon payment at the end;
• who receives each payment;
• when title transfers;
• what remedies exist if either side breaches.

Globull also says making an offer is free. If the offer is accepted, buyers complete a one-time $99 credit screening, refundable if screening cannot be completed. Its public guidance says down payment and balloon payments are paid directly to the seller off-platform, while monthly installments are processed through Globull's payment rail.

The Buyer Flow, in Plain English

A practical Globull buyer flow looks like this:

1. Pre-screen your own budget. Use the monthly payment as only one input. You also need closing cash, notary/registry fees, taxes, insurance, building administration, repairs, and currency buffers. Colombia Move's housing budget calculator is a useful sanity check.
2. Read the seller terms. Look at down payment, cost-of-finance, term, payment currency, and whether the principal is amortizing or due as a balloon.
3. Compare against cash and foreign financing. A seller-financed deal is not automatically cheaper than borrowing against assets in your home country.
4. Make an offer only after due diligence starts. Seller financing makes access easier, but it should not make you careless.
5. Use independent counsel. Globull says contracts are attorney-reviewed, which is good. You should still have your own lawyer read the agreement before you sign.
6. Confirm title mechanics. Know exactly when title transfers, how the seller's unpaid balance is secured, and what happens if the seller or buyer defaults.

The most important document remains the Certificado de Tradición y Libertad, usually called the CTL. It shows ownership history, liens, mortgages, lawsuits, embargoes and other encumbrances. Do not rely on an old copy. Pull a fresh one before money moves.

For closing cash, also model notary and registration costs. Colombia Move's notary and registry estimator can help you build a range before an attorney gives the final number.

What Sellers Get Out of It

Seller financing is not charity. It can be attractive to sellers because it expands the buyer pool and can turn a slow cash-only listing into a payment-producing asset. A Colombian owner with a good property may find that foreign buyers can afford the down payment and monthly note, but cannot satisfy a local bank. Globull's seller pitch is built around that gap.

The seller upside is obvious:

• more international buyers can qualify;
• seller can earn financing return, not just sale price;
• the property may move faster than waiting for an all-cash buyer;
• terms can be adjusted by down payment, rate and term.

The seller risk is also real. If the buyer stops paying, the seller needs a contract that is enforceable, a clear security structure, and a practical recovery path. If you are a seller, do not copy generic terms from another listing. Your attorney should define default, cure periods, late fees, possession, insurance, title transfer, tax responsibility, and dispute forum.

The Trust Layer: Useful, But Not a Substitute for Due Diligence

Globull's public site puts real emphasis on trust: KYC verification for both parties, ownership-document checks, lien checks, attorney-reviewed contracts, payment processing, and closing coordination. Those are the right ingredients for this category.

But Globull's own terms also matter. The terms say Globull acts as a marketplace facilitator and is not a party to the real estate transaction between buyer and seller. They also say users are responsible for conducting their own due diligence on properties and counterparties.

That is not a red flag by itself. Many marketplaces work this way. It simply means you should not confuse platform workflow with buyer protection. A polished dashboard does not replace:

• a fresh CTL/title review;
• verification that the seller can legally sell and finance the property;
• independent attorney review of the promesa, escritura and financing agreement;
• inspection of construction quality, administration debts and utilities;
• clear rules for early payoff, default and dispute resolution;
• tax and rental-use advice if you plan to rent the property out.

Questions to Ask Before You Make a Globull Offer

Before you click into any seller-financed deal, ask these questions and get written answers:

1. When does title transfer? At closing, after the final payment, or through another structure?
2. How is the seller protected? Mortgage, lien, condition subsequent, escrow, trust, promissory note, or another legal mechanism?
3. How is the buyer protected? What stops the seller from creating liens or selling twice before the buyer is fully paid up?
4. Which payments are off-platform? Globull says down payment and balloon payments go directly to the seller, while monthly installments run through its payment rail. Know the exact routing before sending funds.
5. What currency controls the deal? A USD price paid from dollar income is different from a COP price exposed to exchange swings.
6. Is there a balloon payment? A low monthly payment can hide a large final balance.
7. Can you pay early? Ask about penalties, discounting, and paperwork to release any security interest.
8. What happens after default? Cure period, late fees, possession, eviction, forfeiture and court venue should not be vague.
9. Who pays closing costs, taxes and administration? The answer should be in the contract, not assumed.
10. Can you rent it out? Globull says some sellers may restrict rental use during the financing term. That matters for Airbnb or investment buyers.

When Globull Could Make Sense

Globull is worth a look if you are a foreign buyer who is serious about Colombian property but does not want to drain all liquidity into one purchase. It is especially relevant if you are comparing Medellin or Cartagena apartments, have a stable dollar income, and can make a meaningful down payment.

Skip it if you need a small down payment, do not understand Colombian closing mechanics, or want standardized mortgage protections. Flexibility cuts both ways.

The Bottom Line

Globull is attacking a real gap in the Colombian property market. For foreigners, the hardest part of buying here is often not legal ownership. It is financing. A platform that lets sellers finance buyers directly, with KYC, attorney review and payment infrastructure, could unlock deals that the bank system leaves sitting on the table.

But the right mental model is "structured seller-financed marketplace", not "bank replacement with no risk." If you treat Globull as a way to discover negotiable terms, then bring your own diligence, your own attorney, and a clear payment model, it can be a useful option to compare. If you treat it as a shortcut around legal work, you are taking the wrong lesson from the technology.

Start with the platform, but finish with the documents. That is where Colombian property deals are won or lost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Globull a bank?

No. Globull presents itself as a marketplace for seller-financed property transactions. Its public guidance says the seller acts as lender, and its terms say Globull is a marketplace facilitator rather than a party to the real estate transaction.

Do foreigners need a Colombian bank account to use seller financing?

Globull says buyers can complete the transaction without a Colombian bank account or local loan approval, using secure international payment channels and its monthly payment rail. Still confirm payment routing, currency, fees and compliance requirements before sending funds.

How much down payment do Globull listings require?

At research time on July 8, 2026, Globull's FAQ said typical down payments range from 20% to 40%, while visible listings included higher seller-specific terms. Read each listing as its own negotiated deal.

Is Globull safe, and are properties verified?

At research time on July 8, 2026, Globull said properties are vetted before listing, including ownership-document and lien checks. Buyers should still order a fresh CTL and have an independent Colombian attorney review the documents.

Can I rent out a seller-financed property?

Sometimes. Globull's FAQ says many buyers purchase for rentals or vacation homes, but some sellers may restrict rental use during the financing term. Get that permission in writing before you model Airbnb or long-term rental income.

What should I compare before using seller financing?

Compare the seller-financed offer against all-cash, borrowing abroad, and waiting for a local mortgage. Include down payment, monthly payment, total finance cost, balloon payment, closing costs, taxes, currency risk and legal fees.

Want to compare ordinary Colombian listings first? Browse apartments for sale, fincas and rural property, or read the full foreigner property buying guide before making any offer.