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Securing Property for Your Business – Real ESTATE

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Belize has land suitable for agricultural purposes in all six (6) districts with an estimated 1.9 million acres of arable land. There exists great potential for organic farming, crop production, permanent tree crops, milpa agriculture, pasture and productive forestry.

The Northern and Southern lowlands are suitable for agricultural production while land in the north is more alkaline, supporting the growth of crops such as sugar cane and papayas; land in the south is more acidic, supporting crops such as citrus, pineapple, mango, rice, and cashew. Specifically, land in the Belize district is most suitable for ecotourism, pasture, and smallholder agriculture, while agricultural land in the Cayo district supports cattle rearing, and crops such as papayas, citrus, corn and beans.

The continuous enhancement of the country’s infrastructure has positively influenced the real-estate market. It has increased the number of listings available throughout the country, allowing for an array of options to suit the needs of any customer, whether they are seeking to buy or lease. For a list of verified local real estate firms to assist with your search for property, please visit (Link to Director for the Real Estate ).

Leasing Property Through a Real Estate Agent or Party to Party (directly from owner)

  • Provide agent/proprietor with criteria for land/property being sought - details such as size, special characteristics (i.e. sea frontage, highway frontage, etc.), and purpose (i.e. agricultural, commercial, etc.). Indicate the estimated budget to lease the land/property.
  • Physically visit the proposed site(s).
  • Prepare and present an offer for the selected site of interest. If the offer is accepted, a lease contract or agreement is prepared between the lessee and the lessor for agreement and signature by both parties. Based on the terms of the contract, a security deposit fee, first month’s rent, and last month’s rent may become payable, which may be refundable or non-refundable based on the terms.
  • Once a lease contract has been established, it governs the period the property is under the lease. This contract sets terms for termination, renewal, or violation of the lease and outlines the rights of both parties.

Purchasing Property through a Real Estate Agent

  • Provide agents with criteria for land/property being sought - details such as size, special characteristics (i.e. sea frontage, highway frontage, etc.) and purpose (i.e. agricultural, commercial, etc.). Indicate the estimated budget to acquire the land/property.
  • Physically visit the proposed site(s).
  • Prepare a formal “offer” for the selected site of interest. Based on the value of your offer, 10% is held in escrow. If your offer is “accepted” the escrow becomes non-refundable.
  • Based on your above offer and acceptance, the terms of agreement and sale are stipulated and are to be followed contractually for “closing” of the deal.
  • The Title Transfer is to be prepared by an attorney or the Real Estate Agent and duly registered by him/her at the Lands Registry. The usual cost is between 1.5% to 2% of the value of the land/property under consideration.
  • Ultimately, stamp duty is payable to the Government of Belize at the rate of 5% of the value of the land for Belize and CARICOM nationals once the land value is in excess of BZ$20,000 (8% stamp duty is charged on the value of the land for any other person). In addition, a BZ$30 application fee is payable for the land certificate and registration.
  • Once the completed forms and the proper supporting documentation have been submitted to the Land Registry, and all applicable fees have been paid, the documents then go through a process where ownership of the property is transferred and the land documents are issued in the new property owner’s name.

Procedures for Acquiring Property from Party to Party (directly from owner)

  • Identify a parcel of land or property and locate the owners.
  • Negotiate details and terms of sale and payment.
  • Prepare and submit proper documentation (Certificate of Registration (certify or non-certify) and Land Transfer Form) to the Registrar of Lands for transfer; this is usually prepared by the seller.
  • Ultimately, stamp duty is payable to the Government of Belize at the rate of 5% of the value of the land for Belize and CARICOM nationals once the land value is in excess of BZ$20,000 (8% stamp duty is charged on the value of the land for any other person). In addition, a BZ$30 application fee is payable for the land certificate and registration.
  • Once the completed forms and the proper supporting documentation have been submitted to the Land Registry, and all applicable fees have been paid, the documents then go through a process where ownership of the property is transferred and the land documents are issued in the new property owner’s name.

Note: Upon submission of a complete application for transfer, the applicant is issued an instrument number for them to reference for any matters pertaining to their application.