Wednesday, September 2, 2009


(Published by La Nación, including text and picture)


Nueva Ley de Migración regirá el 1° de marzo
Ley exige más ingresos a foráneos por residencia
Álvaro Murillo
alvaromurillo@nacion.com
Publicado: 2009/09/02
More information at www.landcolaw.com

A los extranjeros jubilados o rentistas que tramiten residencia en Costa Rica se les exigirá, a partir del próximo año, tener mayores ingresos para obtener ese estatus.
La nueva Ley de Migración y Extranjería dejó en $1.000 el monto mínimo que deberá declarar un pensionado al momento de pedir la residencia. Eso significa $400 más que en la actualidad.
Mientras tanto, los rentistas deberán tener un ingreso de, al menos, $2.500 mensuales, o sea $500 más que en este momento.
Ambos ajustes entrarán en vigencia a partir del 1° de marzo del 2010. Ese día regirá la Ley de Migración publicada ayer en el diario oficial La Gaceta .
Su transitorio final dice que la nueva normativa rige seis meses después de ser publicada.
Los montos para solicitantes de residencia se fijaron después de una discusión sobre la proporción conveniente del aumento.
A finales del año pasado, los diputados pretendieron dejar en $2.000 el ingreso mínimo para jubilados y en $5.000 para los rentistas, lo cual generó molestia entre colonias de extranjeros que residen en nuestro país.
Tras el debate, los diputados dejaron los montos tal como ahora se indica en el artículo 81 de la nueva Ley de Migración.
Cambios. La nueva ley limita las potestades de la Policía de Migración, pero le da más recursos. También crea un Tribunal Administrativo para resolver apelaciones sobre visas.
Además, establece la obligación de todos los extranjeros con estatus legal de cotizar para un fondo especial, con el cual se pretende financiar gastos de la Dirección de Migración y los servicios sociales que el Estado da a los foráneos.
Por otra parte, los extranjeros podrán tramitar el cambio de sus estatus migratorio en Costa Rica, sin tener que ir a su país de origen.
Dicha normativa derogará la ley que rige desde agosto del 2006.
En Costa Rica hay unos 600.000 extranjeros legales, unos 300.000 en situación ilegal y vienen 2 millones de turistas por año.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Anonymous property
How to acquire a property through a corporation

(more information at www.landcolaw.com)

When tourists come to Costa Rica, a lot of them are simple marveled by the beautiful natural views and they decide to by a property with the intension to live their future with their family.

This phenomenon has increased considerably within the last years and it is concreted in the purchase of thousands of properties abroad the coastline and the Central Valley.

However, tourists have, usually, a lot of difficulties when they decide to go back to their original homes. Though, an alternative to these persons is to buy a property using a corporation.

Today, is quite common that properties like houses, condos, offices, belong to corporations. Is because that, when a person acquires the total stock (shares) of the corporation, practically becomes the owner of the property. The only step to take is having the shares endorsed into his/her name, and change the Board of Directors of the corporation. This way of closing is widely used in Costa Rica, to sell or to buy Real Estate, with great advantages, especially for foreigners.

Advantages. Within these advantages, Francisco Molinero, lawyer and Notary Public of LandCo, a company offering real estate legal services, detailed the reasons why the foreigners prefer to buy a property using this method:

1. First of all, it is extremely difficult for those who reside outside the country to buy a property from the legal point of view because of the complicated procedures they have to face and or in order to find a trustable person who can represent them. Their best option will be have any appointment with a Costa Rican Consulate in order to triangulate the procedure, but this is not quite easy always since not all Consulates have the Notary Public capacity.

2. Secondly, a lot of foreigners do not like to have their names published in public records, like the Public Registry. Buying the shares of a corporation will guarantee its condition of anonymous, because the property is registered in the name of the corporation and not the real buyer.

3. A legal method, usually used by a lot of investors, is to register the properties into a corporation name to avoid the consequences of possible sues, judicial procedures, etc, against them, because, in almost all these kind of procedures, the goods registered into third party corporations are not affected.

4. Open a bank account in Costa Rica could be extremely difficult for a foreigner. However, with the acquisition of a corporation, this procedure becomes very easy, since the banks will only request the change of the Board of Directors of the corporation plus other minor requirements.

5. The acquisition of cellular lines is also an advantage using a corporation as the applicant.

6. By these means, a lot of foreigners save a lot of time, money and avoid translating themselves each time a transaction is needed.

Because all these advantages, a lot of buyers, including Costa Ricans, buy properties through a corporation.

Recommendations. However, the benefits of buy a property through a corporation takes some another issues to bear in mind, quoted Molinero.

“Either the client and the consulting lawyer, must perform a due diligence over the corporation in order to verify there are no procedures against it, no debts with public or private financial institutions, that the corporation is up to date with the property taxes and the Yearly Income Tax”.

The lawyer said also, that it is needed to verify that the corporation does not own any other property or goods related to it, since this could carry out further judicial problems to the new shareholder.

Lastly, acquiring a property by this method does not avoid the new shareholder to make the Tax Revenue Declaration to be made at the end of each fiscal year, point to be considered by any Costa Rican or foreigner buying properties in Costa Rica with this option.

From La Nación, June 18, 2005, Metro Cuadrado.
DUALITY IN PROPERTIES

The Property Surface Right.

(more information at www.landcolaw.com)

Land "is richness", it generates utilities and profit, is the ideal way for the investments in real estate, without forgetting that it fulfills a social function by the payment of taxes, the production of income and prime matters "to make easier the life" in the planet.

What can an owner do, when he has a lot or a property that does not want to sell, but cannot also take advantage of it, because he doesn’t have economic resources for do it?

The law allows selling, donate or lease the property, but it is not allowed for one person to be the owner of the property and another one who constructs within.

Right now, if a developer offers you to construct an industrial park or a mall in your property, keeping you as the owner of the land and him of the constructed area, there is no law at the moment that authorizes it.

Nevertheless, there is a project in the Congress filed under N°16303, of the Congresswoman Ofelia Taitelbaum, law’s name is: Ley de Regulación del derecho real de superficie, the law pretends to allow "selling for a period of time” the right to take advantage of the area and that, ultimately, will pass to being yours, or, your inheritors.

In Costa Rica th property rights do not limit theirself to the surface of the land, but it continues over accession to what it is on the surface and what is below.

The Romans used to say that the property rights are extended from heavens to hell, in allusion to the center of the earth. Then, any construction, sowing or plantation is presumed done by the owner of the area and, therefore, it belongs to him.

If someone constructs or sows in area property that is not from his own, or in his own land, but with other person´s materials, the law has the ways to regulate these situations, but always in according with the mentioned principle, so that the construction or sowing pass to be a property of the owner of the land.
At worst, when the construction or plantation has being done with the knowledge of the owner, a co-ownership might arise.

Although it is true that there are figures as the concession that allows using "foreign" properties belonging to the Government of Costa Rica, many foreign investors are afraid of this figure, since the certainty and safety of this kind or property tenure is not the same that grants, for example, a property right duly registered in the Public Registry.

New trend. The property surface right establishes a new model of production to generate utilities to the owners of the property, both urban and rural, on having allowed that others develop projects without buying the land, meaning in other person’s lands, which reduces the costs of investment.

This figure has been in use for years, in some countries as Spain, Argentina and Brazil.

Here’s a small summary of the principal regulations that contains this project of law, presented to the Congress:

It’s constituted in favor of third persons, by the owners of the property o horizontal property over a land that is susceptible for edification, sub edification or over edification.

Is a temporary and autonomous property right, that offers the use, enjoy and legally dispose of the surface of a another person´s property, with the faculty to carry out some construction or plantation and to do own it built or planted.

For third parties, it should be constituted in public deed and to be recorded in a special section in the Public Registry, generating a double registration for a same property. It should be done a detailed description detailed of works or plantations to be done. The price and forms to calculate and to cancel the property surface right, as well as the time limit.

The surface right can be transmitted by the living or by mortis causes, for free or onerous title, owing the new owner to respect the rights of the surface right holder and can be given in guaranty (mortgage).

Will have a maximum time limit of 50 years.

It has a time limit of five years in order to start of the constructions and of three for the plantations; when this term is expeired, the right of property surface right will be extinguished.

It can be sold, mortgaged, constituted in trust, usufruct, as well as any another act limited only to the time period and type of construction or plantation that can be carried out according to the writing of constitution.

Produced the extinction of the property surface right, the owner of the property extends his authority to the buildings or plantations, and he must indemnify the property surface holder in the measurement of his enrichment, unless otherwise stipulated.

Logically, all this implies the modification of several laws, included the Civil Code, however, in any case the important thing is that this legal procedure should be adapted to our needs and realities in order to concrete the wished effects, not only of the investors, but also and especially, of the property owners.

Published by La Nación (including picture)

Datos se unifican en registro inmobiliario
Ley fusiona catastro y bienes inmuebles
Irene Vizcaíno
ivizcaino@nacion.com
Poner fin al divorcio entre la información que está en los planos catastrados y los que contienen las escrituras de las propiedades es el objetivo del recién creado Registro Inmobiliario.


Este fue el resultado de una reforma que aprobó la Comisión Legislativa Plena Segunda el 13 de enero pasado.
“Ahora andan de la mano el registro literal con el catastral. Esto da certeza jurídica”, explicó el diputado Óscar Núñez, que preside el foro legislativo.
La ministra de Justicia, Viviana Martín, a cuyo cargo está el Registro Nacional, coincide en que la seguridad jurídica es el principal beneficio.
Además, crea un sistema de información territorial que involucrará a municipalidades y ministerios como el Vivienda, Obras Públicas, entre otras entidades.
La reforma es un paso más del Programa de Regularización de Catastro y Registro que dio inicio en el país en el 2001.
De acuerdo con Alexander González, miembro de la Unidad Ejecutora del proyecto, la creación del Registro Inmobiliario representa la estructura legal que “permite de forma más sencilla e inmediata establecer la idoneidad entre datos físicos y la propiedad”.
Para el 2002, por ejemplo, los planos registrados superaban en un 20 por ciento el territorio nacional.

Published by La Nación (including picture)

Hacienda entrega a municipios valores reales
Monto de tributo a propiedades aumenta por nuevos avalúos
33 cantones tienen nuevos precios; alzas oscilan entre 50% y 230%
Oficina de Hacienda estima que recaudación por ese rubro se duplicará
Jairo Villegas S.
jvillegas@nacion.com
Publicado: 2009/06/06


Los dueños de casas, locales y terrenos percibirán un aumento significativo en el impuesto de bienes inmuebles debido a una actualización que realiza Hacienda en el valor de las propiedades.
Dicho avalúo está a cargo del Órgano de Normalización Técnica (ONT), el cual contrató para ello a la firma canadiense Roche.
MÁS SOBRE ESTE TEMA
Vecinos tienen temor de perder sus propiedades
Alcaldes tienen dudas sobre nuevos precios
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La ONT ya entregó los nuevos valores a 33 cantones.
En Tibás, por ejemplo, los dueños de propiedades pagarán entre un 50% y un 75% de más por el impuesto; en Santo Domingo el alza oscilará entre el 100% y 150%.
Alberto Vargas, alcalde de San Rafael de Heredia, comentó que ahí el incremento será de un 80%, en promedio.
Mientras, en algunos distritos de San Carlos el aumento llegará hasta el 230%, dijo Leonidas Vásquez, administrador tributario de ese ayuntamiento.
En cuanto a los cantones que todavía no tienen los nuevos avalúos, la ONT estima que los entregará, a más tardar, en diciembre próximo a los municipios.
Posición. Alberto Poveda, director de la ONT, comentó que los dueños sentirán un ajuste elevado en el monto del impuesto sobre bienes inmuebles pues pagan una cifra muy desactualizada.
Los municipios recaudaron el año pasado ¢28.000 millones por ese impuesto. La ONT estima que esa cifra se duplicará (¢56.000 millones) cuando los nuevos valores se apliquen en todo el país.
Poveda indicó que los dueños deben actualizar el valor de sus propiedades cada cinco años, pero que muchos no lo hacen.
Eso sí, agregó el funcionario, cuando estos deciden vender la propiedad no cobran la cifra que reportan al ayuntamiento, sino que el precio es mucho más alto.
“Las municipalidades han exonerado del pago a quienes más dinero tienen”, aseveró.
Poveda insistió en que los montos establecidos para los primeros 33 cantones son un 25% más bajos que el valor de mercado.
El dueño deberá pagar al municipio ¢2.500 por cada millón que valga la propiedad. Es decir, si el inmueble está valorado en ¢40 millones cancelará ¢100.000 anuales.
Pero el incremento que percibirá cada contribuyente dependerá de varios factores como, por ejemplo, lo desactualizado que esté el valor de su propiedad.
También afectarán las características del bien como servicios (luz, agua, y año), acabados, área del terreno, frente y ubicación.
Además, en algunos cantones el precio de los inmuebles se disparó debido al boom inmobiliario.
El director de la ONT admitió que varios municipios están aplicando mal la herramienta de cálculo y que eso está ocasionando confusión y cobros inadecuados.
Vecinos de Turrubares, Poás, Escazú, Santa Ana, Santa Bárbara y Grecia ya están expresando malestar por el aumento.
Poveda aclaró que el ayuntamiento no puede cobrar los montos máximos establecidos si el contribuyente acude a actualizar el valor de su propiedad.
No obstante, indicó que si declara un precio risible, el ayuntamiento tiene facultades para realizar un avalúo del inmueble y aplicar los nuevos montos.
Gradual. No todos los contribuyentes tendrán que pagar los nuevos montos este año.
Esto se debe a que las personas no deberán pagar el valor actualizado hasta cinco años después de presentada la última declaración voluntaria de bienes inmuebles.
Lo anterior quiere decir que unos sí pagarán este año, otros en el 2010 y otros hasta en el 2013.
Ahora bien, si la persona tiene un solo terreno puede pedir exoneración por los primeros ¢12 millones del valor del inmueble.

Published by La Nación (including picture)

Alza en tarifas pendiente de publicación
Usuarios deberán pagar más por servicios de abogados y notarios
Profesionales justifican reajuste por la existencia de nuevos procesos
Comisión considera que las tablas de honorarios violan la libre competencia

Irene Vizcaíno ivizcaino@nacion.com
Publicado: 2009/08/10

Si va a inscribir bienes en el Registro Nacional o enfrentar un proceso judicial le convendría reservar más dinero para pagar los servicios de notarios y abogados.
Un aumento en las tarifas de estos profesionales está en proceso de publicación en el diario oficial La Gaceta , requisito con el cual entrará en vigencia.
Con esta nueva tabla de honorarios mínimos, por ejemplo, el cobro de un abogado para que lo represente en juicio penal ante un tribunal colegiado (de tres jueces) pasará de ¢200.000 a ¢600.000.
Entretanto, el pago mínimo por un servicio notarial que ahora está en ¢25.000 se duplica.
“Lo que estamos tratando es de ajustarlos a las necesidades actuales por temas que han comenzado a surgir. En Costa Rica comenzó a manejarse el tema de los procesos colectivos, eso no se tenía”, justificó Gilberto Corella, presidente del Colegio de Abogados.
Esa entidad trabaja en la propuesta desde 2007 y hace un mes la envió al Ministerio de Justicia para su aprobación.
La oficina de prensa de esa cartera confirmó la semana pasada que el documento ya pasó a manos de la Oficina de leyes y decretos de la Presidencia de la República, encargada de trasladarlo a la Imprenta Nacional.
Contras y pros. La Comisión para Promover la Competencia se opone a la existencia de tablas de honorarios o tarifas mínimas de profesionales por considerarlas “una violación expresa a la libre competencia y a los derechos de los consumidores”, según un pronunciamiento de agosto del 2008
No obstante, como explicó Victoria Velásquez, directora de esa dependencia, deben acogerse a criterios de la Sala Constitucional y la Procuraduría General de la República según los cuales, las tarifas mínimas de profesionales son válidas siempre que estén respaldadas en una ley.
“La opinión de la Comisión es que siempre (los costos de los servicios) son acuerdos y las excusas que utilizan (los profesionales) de que tiene que ver con calidad de servicio y de que no haya competencia desleal son para favorecerlos a ellos. No son ni en beneficio de la competencia ni de los usuarios”, externó Velásquez.
Incluso, según la funcionaria, pese a ser un grupo grande actúa como monopolio.
Por el contario, Roy Jiménez, Director Nacional de notariado ve en la tabla de honorarios una garantía del servicio para los usuarios.
Él argumenta su defensa en las visitas que realiza su oficina para supervisar notarios, pues según él un notario que cobre menos ya es motivo para sospechar.
“Hemos tenido denuncias contra un notario que trabaja en una minivan cerca de la Dirección de Migración y otro que atiende en una banca por el matadero de Alajuela”, ejemplificó Jiménez.
La polémica viene desde 1999 cuando un decreto del Ministerio de Justicia dejó las tarifas por la libre pero la Sala IV las reinstaló.
Published by La Nación
Huella digital frena fraudes en Registro
Carlos Arguedas C. carguedasc@nacion.com
Publicado: 2009/07/20

La colocación de 900 dispositivos que reconocen la huella digital del usuario se convirtió en el sistema que puso freno a los fraudes con propiedades que se daban en el Registro Nacional.
La ministra de Justicia, Viviana Martín, explicó que el mecanismo se instaló en enero en las 900 computadores del Registro, donde el funcionario, para ingresar, además de poner el dedo para detectar la huella, debe insertar la tarjeta de identificación de trabajador.

La máquina no responde si no reconoce el carné ni la huella.
Martín agregó que, además, una bitácora digital anota el nombre de registrador que realiza un movimiento en el trámite de inscripción de documentos.
Asimismo, los registradores deben verificar en el Registro Civil si las personas consignadas en los documentos están vivas o muertas.
Según la Ministra, eso impide que se produzcan estafas con personas ya fallecidas.
Las medidas que se aplican en el Registro Público tienen, al parecer, un efecto positivo, pues en las 540 denuncias que investiga la Fiscalía de Fraudes no aparece involucrado ningún funcionario del Registro.
El fiscal Miguel Navarro dijo que las acciones penales están dirigidas ahora contra notarios.
Para la ministra de Justicia, esta noticia es muy significativa, pues antes se decía que durante las noches terceras personas entraban a las oficinas y manipulaba las computadoras. “Ahora –resaltó Martín– la seguridad se extremó y nadie puede decir que le robaron la clave para usar su computadora”. La Ministra agregó que tampoco hay denuncias contra empleados en la Contraloría de Servicios del Registro.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Maritime Zone, Costa Rica


Maritime Zone:

Costa Rica's property ownership located in the shorelines, are regulated and established by the “Ley de la Zona Marítimo Terrestre” (Maritime Zone Law) Nº6043, dated March 02, 1977. The maritime zone encompasses 200 hundred meters counted from the low tide line and are owned by the Costa Rican Government, in this case represented by the local Municipalities. This zone, is subdivided in two parts: (a) The so-called “public zone” or “zona pública”. In this zone no form of ownership is allowed in any form whatsoever. Therefore, if you heard in the past that there are properties with “private beaches” is completely not true, such a thing is prohibited in Costa Rica; (b) The “restricted zone” or “zona restringida”, owned by the Government as well but is suitable for grant of “leases” called concessions, made usually from 5-20 years. No ownership is present in this zone, concessionaire only has what we call “concession rights”, and in the event of proven default of the Concession Agreement, the Municipality will be allowed to void and take back the property. Properties acquired before the establishment of this law are not subject of application of this law, and they have the normal status of any titled property.

Folio Real structure

The Folio Real Structure:

This is the “social security” number of properties. It is the unique number assigned to each property to identify it and distinguish it from other properties. This number is comprised of three parts: the first number indicates the Province; Costa Rica is divided in 7 provinces, each one assigned with a number as follows: 1. San José, 2. Alajuela, 3. Cartago, 4. Heredia, 5. Guanacaste, 6. Puntarenas & 7. Limón, therefore a typical Folio real Number in Guanacaste for example shall always initiate with 5-. The second group of six numbers is the number of the property itself; and the last group of numbers indicates how many co-owners the property has, for example, if the Property has only one owner, at the end you will see “-000”, if there are two owners you will see “-001 and -002” and so on, that is how you can know when the property has multiple owners. At the end, a normal Folio Real number, in Guanacaste for example, with only one owner will look like this: 5-386523-000. All Titled and recorded Concession properties MUST have this number in order for clear title to be obtained. The Concession properties duly recorded at the Public Registry should have a “Z” just right before the “-000”, for example: 5-000177Z-000.

Real Estate Sales Agreement

Why is important a Real Estate Sales Agreement (R.E.S.A)?

Whenever is possible, the Broker has to foreseeing any troubles when the sales commission is to be paid. Many of our associate brokers asked about how to protect themselves against this difficulties… the answer is simple: a Real Estate Sales Agreement (R.E.S.A.), a document signed by the Broker or Brokerage Company and the seller, stipulating commission to be paid, payment schedules, eventualities, communications in the event of default, procedures, time for selling, etc. This document, will likely be formed by at least two pages and it will be a strongly recommended tool for the broker to protect his commission in the future. Of course, this document is drafted by LandCo completely free for the broker if the Closing is to be carried out by our Company. Take your time, it will take no more than 2 minutes to sign and it will save months of troubles.

The Special Power of Attorney in Costa Rica

The SPECIAL POWER OF ATTORNEY (SPA):

This is a SPECIAL, SPECIFIC & UNIQUE document that authorizes a person (or corporation) to act on behalf of another to perform specific and special actions such as purchase of a property. This tool is especially useful for clients that wish to close on their property without returning to Costa Rica. It is best to sign the SPA before leaving the country because the law requires this SPA to be signed in the presence of a Costa Rican Notary Public. Otherwise, a visit to a Costa Rican Consulate in the US (or another foreign country) will be necessary, or the Notary Public will have to go the residence country of the one granting the SPA. One exception to this rule, however, is if the property is being purchased through a corporation. In this case, a signed proxy letter will be sufficient and there is no need to visit a consulate. The Special Power of Attorneys can work both ways, for the Seller and the Buyer, no matter if such parties are persons or corporations. Important rule for the Special Power of Attorney: by law, the SPA is a document for a specific act, then, has to be drafted very carefully, and in case of being used for a Real Estate Transaction, it has to be very complete regarding Purchase Price and details of the Property, moreover, has to be drafted by a Notary and recorded in his Book of Deeds. No “private” documents are valid in this matter.

Concession Properties in Costa Rica

Concession properties in Costa Rica:

Properties located within the 150 meters farther inland from the low tide line, and are not titled are called “concesiones”, these kind of properties can not be owned, but “leased” with the Government of Costa Rica, represented by the Municipalities. The law, allows the government to grant these “leases” for the occupation and use of this area for a term of 20 years (in average). As a very “business-killer-issue”, the law restricts foreign ownership of land under concessions. The following may not acquire a concession: (a) A foreigner, without at least the past 5 years of residency in Costa Rica; (b) Corporations domiciled outside of Costa Rica; (c) Costa Rican corporations incorporated by foreigners; (d) Corporations with 50% or more ownership by foreigners. Important note: any transfer which is carried out in violation of the law shall deemed void. However, there is always some possibility of having the investors to control the assets of the corporation for example by submitting the shares in a trust with the 51% tico shareholder. Concessions SHALL be duly recorded at the Municipality and at the Public Registry to be ready for a “sell”. Always be sure of this before dealing with these properties.

How to amend property measurements in Costa Rica?

How to amend property measurements?

A lot of clients have asked us about how to amend their or others properties; basically there are 4 ways to do it: (a) According to article 13 of the Ley de Informaciones Posesorias (Adverse Possession Law) the measurement of properties born before October 23, 1930 and its segregations can be amended by the sole declaration of the owner in a simple deed. Rules and tops: (i) Properties until 5,000 m2, no limit (until 5,000 m2) (ii) Properties from 5,000 until 5 hects (50%), (iii) Properties from 5 hects until 30 hects (25% and (iv) Properties over 30 hects (30%); (b) According to article 22 Ley de Catastro Nacional: measurement of properties can be amended by the sole declaration of the owner, not exceeding 10% of the total area of the property (there are no restrictions for this rule and can be used for all properties) and (c) Using a Adverse Possession Procedure at Court. Of course, this last procedure is long and probably can take around 12 to 18 months. All these procedures will need a new survey plan do be done and an attorney to configure all legal details.