Investing into Asunción’s growing short-term rentals sector took centre stage at The Asunción Times Investing in Paraguay Forum #5 on 28 October 2026 at Edificio Corporativo SkyPark. Three expert panellists mapped out the opportunities for buyers seeking property that can deliver strong Airbnb yields, what the numbers look like in reality, and what investors should know before committing capital in Asunción. Short-term rentals have become one of the most talked-about ways to invest in Asunción property, with many new apartment buildings going up across the city.
The Investing in Paraguay Forum panel brought together developer Juan Pessolani, whose rental-focused projects have sold more than 1,000 units; Daniel Reese, who co-runs a local Airbnb management company with over 100 units; and investor Jordi Segura, who has built a business furnishing units for other investors after originally just doing it for his own apartments. The discussion ran for about 90 minutes, including audience questions, followed by networking over wine.
Airbnb rentals in Asunción: Pre-sales, cash flow and skin in the game
Juan Pessolani, founder of ProInvest, opened with the scale of his work. “We have five buildings now, 1,009 apartments sold,” he said, with investors from 30 countries. Projects are pre-sold with private capital, often 90% or more before construction starts. He noted that strong pre-sales mean “good cash flow” and reduce the risk that a developer cannot finish. Delivery timelines for recent projects run from 2027 to 2029.
For buyers targeting Airbnb yield, Pessolani stressed price points that make the numbers work. He and his company buy units themselves and rent them on Airbnb, “earning 83% more than doing traditional renting.” Showing actual results from of his one-bedroom units, the numbers confirmed that it has delivered roughly $8,000 in net operating income after expenses. He compared the pre-sale structure to an options-like contract: early buyers can sometimes resell the contract for 30-50% returns on cash before delivery, while the unit itself typically appreciates about 20% by handover due to replacement costs and inflation.
Location within five minutes’ walk of shopping centres and services, low building expenses from larger projects, efficient unit layouts with no wasted space, and professional management were the keys he listed for high yield. One quirk of the local market he highlighted was how newly-built apartments have become smaller over recent years – primarily to keep ticket prices below the thresholds required by a large set of international buyers, who are working within disclosure requirements set by their home country governments.
He also explained in detail how the weaker dollar has impacted both profitability and construction costs, and what he as a developer is doing to balance buyer requirements with the realities of the current market environment.
Running the day-to-day operation, and confirming the numbers
Daniel Reese, co-founder of Guarani Capital, described building the management business from a single unit two years ago to more than 100 today, employing about 15 people. He confirmed Pessolani’s numbers from the operator side. Near Shopping del Sol, a one-bedroom can generate around US$1,400 gross and leave US$750-$800 net per month after electricity, expenses and management fees.
He went on to explain how generic best-practise Airbnb rental management plays out in Asunción, using realised financial results as the evidence. “Pictures are extremely important,” he said; professional photography and optimisation drive bookings. “Location within easy walking distance of shopping centres remains critical.”
Reese highlighted operational realities that affect net yield. Cleaning teams face daily challenges, especially in rain when staff cannot reach sites easily on motorbikes. Furnishing should not be too cheap: “Invest in a proper workspace, good air conditioning, warm lighting and colour rather than a sterile look, because competition is rising. A washing machine, and ideally a dryer, is essential for stays longer than five nights; without it, longer bookings are harder to secure and turnover costs stay high.”
Professional management is not optional if the goal is consistent yield. Reese’s team handles guest communication on the platform, applies configured weekly and monthly discounts, and screens longer-stay requests carefully, noting that high occupancy (often 90-95%) means deep extra discounts are rarely necessary. Quality standards and rapid repairs after guest damage keep units available for the next booking.
Due diligence: location, construction, and liquidity
Jordi Segura, who invests in and furnishes units for short-term rental, focused on what a buyer should verify before purchasing for Airbnb yield. Local knowledge was highlighted as a critical resource, because location is more granular than neighbourhood names such as Recoleta, Las Lomas or Villa Morra. “You have to look that it is not a street that when it rains it floods,” he said. Within the building, the specific apartment matters: a higher floor facing trees and sunset offers a different guest experience than one facing a noisy street.
Because the investment horizon is typically at least five years, Segura prefers buildings that are already 60-70% finished so he can inspect materials, concrete quality, insulation, windows and structural work on site. “You do not want to hold something that will break in 10 years.”
Liquidity of the developer was highlighted as being equally important, as problems (including a weaker dollar) can appear later; buyers should take advice from experienced professionals with broad local knowledge – including various ways to assess financial strength beyond the generic sales claims spouted online by various unqualified and unregulated agents. With some developers going bankrupt every year in Paraguay, the difference between choosing a properly vetted development vs going on sales documentation and unverified claims alone can have a much bigger impact on results than simply the purchase price of the unit.
Finally, a proper inspection – not a quick walkthrough by an agent claiming “everything works” – is essential before signing. In a largely unregulated developing market, construction quality and developer liquidity are even more important than the widely-known mantra of location, location, location.
Airbnb rental yields in Asunción
The dynamic conversation about Airbnb rentals in Asunción at the most recent Investing in Paraguay Forum, with contributions from an engaging and experienced audience of investors alongside the expert panel, showed that attractive Airbnb yields in Asunción are very much achievable, but are highly dependent on the right entry price, an excellent location, efficient design, professional management, and rigorous due diligence on the developer by people who understand the intricacies of the local market and landscape.
To be put in touch with any of the panellists, or to view available units from developers that have passed our own internal vetting, or to check if any developer or building you are considering has any red flags that we won’t publish, contact us via asunciontimes.com/property.
Keep an eye out for the next Investing in Paraguay Forum on The Asunción Times.
