Buying Property in Fiji

The foreign ownership of property in Fiji is restricted. If a foreigner wishes to purchase land then he/she requires either a residence permit or a work permit. Also, in case the area of the property is greater than 1 acre, then there has to be an approval obtained from the Minister of Lands. However, if a foreigner wishes to purchase an apartment, he/she can easily do so. This is because the trend of apartment living is not very popular there and hence there are very less takers for apartments. However, the only evidence of some sort of apartment living popular in Fiji is in the beach condominiums.

Also if a foreigner intends to rent a property out, then it is not allowed. Renting is a “restricted economic activity”. If 51% of the equity is held by a Fijian is when the Fiji law allows a foreigner to rent a property out.

Once a buyer chooses a property, the documents for sale are prepared by the help of a solicitor. These documents are then submitted to the Stamp Duties Office for stamping and payment of transfer tax. This process can take up to 7 days.

Once the stamping process is complete and the transfer tax is paid, the buyer and the seller meet at the Registrar of Titles office for settlement. This is where the verification of the title deeds is done and then the transfer documents are submitted for registration. It is at this point that a “guaranteed search” can be requested to verify any pending encumbrances on the property.

From here on, it can take up to 60 days before the new title is issued in the name of the buyer. The payment in the mean time is done in accordance with the agreement between the two parties during the time of purchase.

Buying Property in Norway

There is no restriction for foreigners to buy property in Norway. However, the first step for a foreigner to purchase a property is to get a “D” number which gives the buyer an identity in the country. This is obtained from the Population Register that is located in the vicinity of the property that the foreigner wishes to purchase. This number is issued to the foreigner after he/she submits the required documents.

The easiest way to proceed with a purchase is via an estate agent. After the buyer chooses a property, he approaches the seller. Once a selling price has been settled upon, a contract is set up which contains all clauses of agreement and also contingencies between the 2 parties. These include the course of action to be taken in case of the breach of contract by either of the parties.

Once both the parties sign the contract, a deed is issued to the buyer who makes an initial payment which is a percentage of the total cost (usually 10%). This deed is not transferred till the remaining steps are complete. There is also no need of a notary or an attorney to complete the registration process. The documents are sent to the Land Registry by post. These details are registered in a daily book. This is followed by the all the relevant information being entered in the database. Then the information is passed on to the relevant department for verification. This verification process is completed within 3 days and an official paper acknowledging the verification and registration is sent out. This document also states the name of the new property owner.

The responsibility of the stamp duty and the payments of any other fees to a third party, if involved in the process, lies on the buyer. After this document is received is also when he/she is liable to making the remaining payment to the seller and closing the deal. This is the last step in the purchase.

Buying Property in Poland

If you are not a citizen of Poland but belong to the European Union, then you can purchase property in Poland of all types except when it is farmland, woodland or a second property. However, if you are acquiring a farmland for renting or agricultural purpose for a period of a few years, then you do not need a permit. If you are able to establish that you will use the woodlands for work purposes for several years, then too you do not need a permit. A second property if is used for touristic purposes (like an inn or motel) does not require a permit. If you need it for residential purpose, then it does.

The process of purchase starts with the buyer approaching the seller for the property. The seller has to obtain an extract from the Land Registry which proves the seller’s authority to sell the property and also whether any mortgages or taxes are pending on the property. This process can take up to 7 days. Once the information is extracted, the seller passes it on to the notary appointed by the buyer.

At the same time, both the parties have to obtain an extract from “Cadastre” which states the evidentiary number and the boundaries of the property on official map.

Also, one has to obtain a local spatial development plan to establish that the property is not for agricultural use. Also, in case either or both the parties are entrepreneurs, an extract from the register of entrepreneurs of the National Court Register is required, in order to establish who is authorized to act on behalf of the entrepreneur.

After all these documents are obtained, the notary prepares the transfer agreement. With this agreement the notary applies for registration at Land Registry or Registry Court. This process can take up to 6 months and on completion is when the property considered transferred.