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introduction
property types
buying process
protection
escrow
title insurance
squatters
financing
construction
corporation
residency
conversion chart
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how to avoid problems with squatters
Study the title of your property as it is registered in the Registro Publico. Review the ownership status of the property to make sure that ownership and the possession rights are not challenged in a local court.
Just because the property is registered, it does not mean that no squatters have infested the land or that
other situations might not exist which affect the ownership.
When the property you bought had people working on it, study the legal conditions and rights of any worker living or hired by the former property owner. Make sure these workers were properly compensated by the former owner. If you buy the property and rehire the current workers, write a contract citing the date of hire, wages, benefits and conditions of employment, stating unequivocally he or she is a worker and not a possessor. Make sure the property is properly taken care of and does not look abandoned. Hire someone to take care of the property and to inform you if squatters are encroaching on the property.
Caretakers may be able to claim rights to the land if they have been living on the property for a certain
length of time, so be careful!
To avoid squatter battles, keep good books, and keep the receipt when you pay the caretaker. You will avoid hassles if you register the person as an employee. (You will need to pay minimum wage, plus Social Security.) Also, it wouldn't hurt to have a friend look in on your property while the caretaker is working. |
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