Completion Time Frame: 5 days (simultaneous with procedures 2, 3, and 4)
Completion Costs: 1–2% property value
Points to Note:
The purchaser’s lawyer prepares the title deed and ensures that all rates and taxes are paid by the vendor. Water rates are paid to the National Water and Sewerage Authority, and property tax and property transfer tax are paid by the vendor to the Department of Inland Revenue, Ministry of Finance. The purchaser pays lawyer’s fees at this point.

Step 2: Title search at the Deeds & Land Registry

Completion Time Frame: 5 days (simultaneous with procedures 1, 3, and 4)
Completion Costs: EC $200
Points to Note:
The lawyer conducts searches on the vendor’s title deed for the last 10 years, in addition to previous owners, going back as far as 60 years. The lawyer also searches the wills under the previous owner and any judgments against the property for the last 12 years.

Step 3: Obtain tax clearance from Inland Revenue

Completion Time Frame: 1-2 days (simultaneous with procedures 1, 2, and 4)
Completion Costs: no cost
Points to Note:

Step 4: Obtain clearance from National Water and Sewage Authority

Completion Time Frame: up to 14 days (simultaneous with procedures 1, 2, and 3)
Completion Costs: no cost
Points to Note:
The lawyer sends a written request to the National Water and Sewage Authority in order to obtain clearance that all water rates and taxes have been paid. It can take about 2 weeks in order to receive clearance from the National Water and Sewage Authority.

Step 5: Payment of transfer fee at Inland Revenue

Completion Time Frame: 1 day
Completion Costs: 5% (property value minus $20000, exempted)
Points to Note:

Step 6: Execution of the deed at the lawyer’s office

Completion Time Frame: 1 day
Completion Costs: (lawyer’s fees paid in procedure 1)
Points to Note:
The deed is executed in the presence of the lawyer and the cheque is exchanged for the deed. All previous deeds relating to the land, all papers (including insurance policy), and all keys are delivered to the purchaser.

Step 7: Payment of Stamp Duty at the Deeds & Land Registry

Completion Time Frame: 1 day
Completion Costs: 1% of property value
Points to Note:

Step 8: Registration of the deed in the Deeds & Land Registry

Completion Time Frame: 60 days
Completion Costs: EC $5 (registration fee)
Points to Note:
The deed is collected by the purchaser’s lawyer after registration and processing.

Documentation required:

• Original deed
• New deed (with stamps from procedure 7)
• Proof of payment of all taxes and rates relating to the property
• History of title