If by VE you are talking about Venezuela, clear title is just one of a number of concerns you should have. In terms of obtaining clear title, it is recommended to most North Americans that they seek the assistance of a reputable local attorney to explain what constitutes clear title under their law and how one clears the title. If you contact the American embassy or Consolate General they may be able to point you in the right direction as to an approved list of local attorneys.
Make certain that you understand exactly what it is that you are getting. Foreign laws differ greatly from ours with respect to this issue. When I was in law school I had the opportunity to work with a German exchange student. German laws like most of continental Europe rely on statutory law rather than a combination of statute and common law. They cannot understand our system of legal precedent. The fact that different judges' interpretations and enforcement of statutes are inconsistent does not seem to concern them much. The same may be true in the country in which you are purchasing the condos. You should condition the sales contract on the seller's delivery of clean title as explained by your attorney, and have your attorney read the contract before you sign it. Delivery of marketable title may not be a requirement of the sale as it is in our country.
Title insurance will be of critical importance. There are American title insurance carriers that insure Latin American properties. I believe that Stewart Title Guaranty may be one of them. They advertise that they insure properties in Costa Rica. They may be available to insure your property.
Make certain that you understand the insurance policy's exceptions to coverage and requirements for insurability.
If you are still in the process of negotiating the sale, it is often recommended that you use a local native intermediary/agent to negotiate the sale because the price will almost certainly increase if the seller knows that he is dealing with a wealthy Americano. There are people locally for hire that act as such agents.
It is also a good idea to determine whether you are going to pay the sale price in American dollars or local currency. The rate of exchange may significantly impact on the price you pay.
I am not certain that by VE you are talking about Venezuela, but if so, I agree that it is a beautiful country, especially along the coast. The rain forests also have their allure. I was amazed to see monkeys rather than squirrels in the trees, and some people even keep them as pets. They charge tourists to have their photos taken with the monkeys. The people are friendly, and the cost of living is low...one of the few places that you can probably live well on social security. It does have its dark side though. It is one of the few places I have been where the police patrol the streets heavily armed. I am not just talking about pistols. Also anti American sentiment often runs high in Latin America, and the Chavez government is not a big fan of the Bush administration. The negative sentiment can often erupt into violence.
Other than that, enjoy the property.
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