Wow....I discovered this article and was wondering if anyone had information on what cc land is leased vs titled. How does one go about researching this?

http://belize1.com/BzLibrary/trust439.html

It will be a combination, some land may be leased, some titled, some granted, some conveyed.... the list goes on.

This piece seems to be very old/outdated info.

very old. ten years plus

Yes, this is old but son't some of the people who acquired land back then still own it (or think they do) and may be trying to sell? It seemed like half of CC was for sale when I was there and I have met others who want to sell but are not listed for sale. We are interested in owning a piece of CC and this information makes me extremely cautious about researching rightful ownership. The last thing I want to do is pay the going rate only to find that someone else actually owns the land!

The Belizean Crown Lands given or sold to locals isn't a bad concept but rarely is it followed through so that the supposed recipient actually has title. I'm not blaming anyone its just the way it is. Most of the people I hear complaining about not having title really haven't done due diligence.
Sometimes its the political figure who doesn't follow through with the title sometimes its the recipient not understanding the process,
but count on problems if your trying to buy a piece from some one who believes they have acquired crown Lands from a politico.

So it is buyer beware. Is it wise to use a lawyer? Some suggest using a paralegal. In the USA we use lawyers, but the bulk of the work is performed by paralegals employed by the lawyer. I wouldn't have a clue as to what is considered legal possession of property in Belize.

I am no newbie to purchasing property, but only have experience in the US.

An attorney's fees are not that high compared to the price you will pay if you buy into a title problem. When in doubt use the tried and true methods - the laws of Belize are just - however you need to actually use the system.

When I bought my property on the north island of Caye Caulker about 3 years ago, I used a lawyer from Belize City. I know that he did not do the work but a paralegal in his office did the work. He reviewed the paralegals work and I paid the bill. The actual legal fees were very small, I can't remember the amount but few hundred dollars. Money was also paid through my lawyer and the transfer was easy since they had a US bank account. If you would like the name of my attorney PM me.