During the first eight months of the year, 98,769 properties were registered, 9% less than those reported in the same period of 2017.
According to the most recent figures of the General Comptroller, between January and August 2017 and the first eight months of this year, vertical properties reported a decrease of 11%, falling from 84,627 to 75,036.
For horizontal properties, no significant variations were reported for the periods in question, since 23,678 were recorded in 2017 and 23,733 in 2018.
A new law passed by the Assembly compiles all regulations concerning foreign and local investment in real estate, in order to provide legal certainty to investors.
From a statement from the National Assembly of Nicaragua:
The National Assembly has unanimously adopted in its entirety, this March 9, the Law on Nicaraguan Legal Digest of Property Matters, which will guarantee legal certainty to Nicaraguans and foreigners wishing to invest in the country, said Deputy Edwin Castro, Vice President of the Commission of Justice and Legal Affairs.
On August 15 pre-qualification documents will be received in Honduras for the project involving property registration, vehicle inspections, supply of number plates, driving licenses, traffic violations and fine collections.
From a statement issued by the Commission for the Promotion of Public Private Partnership (COALIANZA):
On August 15, the Commission for the Promotion of Public Private Partnerships (COALIANZA) will be receiving pre-qualification documents for the Project on Operations, Finance and Administration of the Registry for Vehicular Property, at the national level, and Implementation of Vehicle Inspection Centers, Supply of Number Plates, Driving Licenses, Modernization of the Penalties System for Traffic Violations and Modernization of Fine Collection.
Facilities have been enabled to approve cadastral plans digitally without requiring the physical presence of surveyors and property owners at the offices of the National Registry.
The new initiative known as Approval of Topographic Plans (ATP) has made the process of approving cadastral plans in Costa Rica digital, as from now on the physical presence of surveyors and property owners on the premises of association of Engineers and Architects (CFIA) or the Land Registry will no longer be required reported that union.
In three years only 27,000 out of 350,000 properties have been registered and titled due to the excessive bureaucracy processes which need to be carried out in municipal entities.
The Lotificadores Association of El Salvador (Alles) has revealed that are approximately 15 articles of the Special Act on Subdivisions which must be modified in order to reduce the number of procedures to be carried out to legalize land parcels.
For 50% of the properties that make up the country there are no exact measurements and boundaries are not validated by the national cadastre system.
Out of 478 districts in the country, only 32 have catastral plans and 35 are still being published, ie around 800,000 properties do not have validation of their boundaries. Among the missing cadastral areas are urban areas and land sea areas.
An announcement has been made that as of October 24th all registration formalities in the registry may be made electronically through a new platform.
From a statement issued by the Public Registry of Panama:
In order to optimize the services offered to users and the general public, the Public Registry of Panama, within the framework of modernization, will run the Registry Electronic Registration System (CRS), a new technology platform that will provide greater legal certainty over private property and other rights on goods which are registered with the entity.
The Public Registry web platform allows the digital registration using electronic signatures to authorize transactions.
Panamaamerica.com.pa reports that "the new technological tool will streamline internal processes and allow paperwork and long lines to become a thing of the past through a system that offers security."
The SIR unifies the Public Registry's two current platforms, containing images, data and integrating a charging system for the institution; while Electronic Signatures gives legal value to digital documents and transactions, explains the article.
Processes have been automated with the Land Registry, the Cadastre and Real Estate Appraisals (DICABI) and the Municipality of Guatemala.
From a statement issued by the Government of Guatemala:
Guatemala has reduced by ten days the amount of time it takes to carry out the process that entrepreneurs must undergo to register properties with various governmental entities, improving the business climate and putting the country among the most reformed in the region.
Using trusts the Government of Honduras will transfer into private hands the financing and operation of the system for passport issuance and property registration.
Authorization has been given to the execution of a trust agreement to run the studies required for the structuring, financing, development and operation of the Project entitled "Modernization, Improvement, Management and Operation of the Immigration System and Passport Issuance in Honduras."
Construction, real estate and rentals are the main sectors generating registrations and other paperwork that have raised $40 million in revenue for the Public Registry.
This " ... is a considerable increase compared to the 4% growth which was reported in 2012 , when revenues from January to August were $33 million compared to 2011 when $ 31.8 million was raised ... " , noted an article in Panamaamerica.com.pa.
At the Banco de Costa Rica the volume of assets received in lie of payment increased by 70% compared to 2011.
A survey by Elfinancierocr.com between 6 financial institutions, including the four public banks in the country, revealed that in February of this year, there were 1259 properties in their possession, in contrast to the 884 properties that were reported in the same period 2012, ie there was a 42% increase.
The Panamanian government has presented for review at the National Land Council a draft bill which changes current land titling legislation.
The bill gives more power to the National Land Authority (Anati), such as a period of seven years for the role of administrator and the elimination of free titling in any of its forms.
Through these changes, the government seeks to plug loopholes left by the two existing laws.
Nicaragua's government is trying to calm fears among businesses after the release of a report covering the pending property claims of U.S. citizens, without which bilateral and multilateral U.S aid may be jeopardized.
From June 2011 to date, the government has been attending to about 64 claims by U.S. citizens who had their property seized in the 80s, having already solved about 25 cases, according to a report from the Attorney General's Office (PGR) released to Members of the Council of Private Enterprise, COSEP.