Friday, November 4, 2011

CUBA ALLOWS UNRESTRICTED BUYING AND SELLING OF CUBAN REAL ESTATE

CUBA REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
Cuba Beachfront Condos in Varadero & Havana on Sale

HAVANA CUBA. Cuba has opened the doors to allow Property to be bought and sold without any restrictions. The new Cuban real estate laws come in effect Nov 10 and will effect all Cubans and foreign [ernament residents of Havana & Varadero, Cayo Coco, Trinidad, Santa Lucia, Santiago de Cuba and the entire island of Cuba.
 The new Cuban real estate laws are a huge breakthrough after 50 years of Fidel CAstro Communist rule and Cuba's socialist housing system
Finally Cuban buyers and sellers will be allowed to negotiate thier own home prices and move when and whereever they want in Cuba.
 Any type of real estate transaction is acceptable including sales, trades, gifts to families by Cubans who are leaving Cuba with no government approval.
Cuba's foundation is shifting to capitalism, by allowing the free trade of all Cuban property.
 Cuban residents who have been expecting the law for decades agree that Cuba real estate laws are likely to be far-reaching in a country full of 50 years of pent-up demand for freedom of all kinds.
Over one billion dollars of property is excepted to change hands in the first year.
CUBA NEW REAL ESTATE LAWS CONDOS FOR SALE IN CUBA
Cuba Havana Libre Hotel Former Havana Hilton Hotel
Cuba Hotel-Condo for Sale
Cuba hotel-condos for sale

Economists on the island favoring economic liberalization have said the country’s other changes — making room for small businesses, and private agriculture — have been limited by lack of internal demand. Some experts say home sales could free up the capital needed to jumpstart the island’s economy. At the very least, they argue, it will probably lead to a boom in renovation. In Cuban real estate economy the Cuban people now have some wealth and that’s a stake in the economy.

Yet on the other hand, there are also significant social concerns. Mario Coyula, Havana’s director of urbanism and architecture in the 1970s and ’80s, said that wide-scale buying and selling would lead to a “huge rearrangement” in Havana and other cities as the wealthy move to better areas. He and others said it would inevitably exacerbate class conflict.
Legal issues in Cuba law can cause concern  which involves foreigners and Cuban American exiles. The new Cuban real estate laws requires permanent residency however anyone can buy a second home in areas of “descanso” or “veraneo” — vacation or summer destinations — leaves open the possibility of looser enforcement in selected places, perhaps coastal areas, Old Havana and the golf communities that are currently under development with foreign investment.

The new law does not broach the subject of property confiscated by the government in the early years of the revolution. Lawyers and experts say these claims, representing tens of billions of dollars, are still a long shot. Property law worldwide generally favors compensation, not the right of return, and Cuba has yet to show serious interest in addressing the issue. Officials have insisted that the United States must first pay restitution for the economic damage caused by the 1962 trade embargo.


Enhanced by Zemanta

Friday, February 4, 2011

CUBA TRAVEL

Cuba Hotel Nacional in Havana
                      

Cuba, that grand island of mystery, is also a land of timeless beauty, an eco-paradise, the land that time forgot and an other-worldly sort of travel experience as one feels as though they are stuck in a time warp…but certainly a most enchanting one.   The largest Caribbean island, Cuba is all you can dream of and a much more. Pulsating with sensual music, endless sandy beaches, captivating culture, old-age architecture, welcoming locals, and delicious food it is the sort of time warp experience you’ll never want to leave. This is the largest of the Caribbean islands, which is about the size of England. It lies to the west of the Greater Antilles group and about a quarter of its terrain is mountainous. Cuba consists of the main island, the Isle of Youth and about 4,195 Cayes, commonly known as Cayos. Cuba is 140 kilometers from the Bahamas and 180 kilometers from Florida. It’ 13,000,000 inhabitants predominantly speak Spanish.
Enhanced by Zemanta

CUBAN LAW AND COMMERCIAL PRACTICE

Havana Grand Theater in Old Havana


As is the case in many developing states, the commercial legal environment in Cuba is in a formative stage and accordingly, the legal rights of the Company and its subsidiaries may not be enforceable in Cuba to the same extent as they would be in a fully developed industrialized state, parliamentary democracy or market economy. The Company’s Development Agreement with Cuba provides for arbitration of disputes in Cuba and Cuba has, in the past, properly submitted to commercial arbitration and agreed to abide by the results thereof, but there can be no assurance that it will do so in the future.
Also, since Gran Caribe is an agency of the Cuban government, it may make decisions with respect to the development properties which are driven by non-commercial considerations. There can be no assurance, therefore, that actions by Gran Caribe, in respect of the Company’s joint venture, will always be in the best interests or consistent with the interests of the Company.
Under the Company’s Development Agreement with Cuba, Wilton is responsible for obtaining 50% of the financing of each development project by way of third party debt financing, with the remaining 50% to be contributed equally by way of equity from Gran Caribe and Wilton. If Wilton is unable to obtain such debt financing on reasonable commercial terms, Gran Caribe and Wilton must contribute equally by way of equity, the entire amount required for such development project.
If either Gran Caribe or Wilton fails to contribute its portion of the required equity, the other party may make a loan to the defaulting party or may contribute the amount of the equity required directly to the subsidiary and subsequently dilute the defaulting party’s share in such development project. There is no guarantee or assurance that the Company will be able to arrange third-party debt financing for 50% of the cost of each development project. There is also no guarantee or assurance that the Company will have or be able to raise the amount it will be required to contribute to any given development project in equity.
If Wilton is unable to contribute its equity portion to any given development project, Gran Caribe is entitled under the Development Agreement to dilute Wilton’s interest in such development project. There is also no guarantee or assurance that Gran Caribe will have or be able to contribute its portion of equity required to finance any given development project, in which case Wilton would be required to contribute the entire amount required to finance the development project. There is no assurance that the Company will have or be able to obtain the equity required to any development project on its own.
The Company has made significant progress in arranging prospective sources of financing for its development projects, but definitive terms and conditions, and agreements reflecting these, have not been finalized. There is no assurance that those terms, conditions and agreements acceptable to the Company will be completed on a timely basis.

The various U.S. laws and regulations establishing the embargo have been amended from time to time, including the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996, also known as the Helms-Burton Act (“Helms-Burton Act”), which extended the reach of the U.S. embargo. As a result, the Company is affected by these changing political and legal relationships between the U.S. and Cuba. Although the Company monitors and analyzes the potential impact of any anticipated changes and generally prepares to capitalize on any future opportunities or mitigate any increased risks, there is no assurance that the Company will not be adversely affected by changes in U.S. laws.
The Company is currently prohibited from accessing U.S. capital, debt, customers and suppliers, which limits its ability to mitigate the financial risks described above.
We have made every effort to ensure that the Company’s development projects are located on land which will not be subject to a claim which has been certified by the U.S. Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, the body responsible for dealing with U.S. nationals whose Cuban properties were confiscated by the Cuban government. However, there is no assurance that claims will not come to the attention of the Company or the U.S. government in the future.
The Company and its subsidiaries do not hold assets located in the U.S. The Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act (Canada) provides that any judgment given under the Helms-Burton Act will not be recognized or enforceable in any manner in Canada. It also allows a Canadian corporation to sue and recover, in Canada, any loss or damage it may have suffered by reason of the enforcement of a Helms-Burton Act judgment abroad.
Summary
So, are you ready to buy some Leisure Canada stock? Are you ready to invest in Cuban real estate development projects?
The Carbonera Club project has been offering Cuban villas for sale yet there is no groundbreaking date for that project that I know of. To be fair, I have not heard of ANY groundbreaking of any new golf, course, marina or resort project in Cuba.
The biggest hotel owner/manager is Sol Melia in Cuba. I don’t think any foreign company comes close to Sol Melia with regards to a foreign business in the tourism industry. The company will be opening yet another Cuban hotel by the end of this year.
Since joint ventures are required for ALL development projects and since qualified large-scale construction contractors in Cuba are selected by the Cuban government, we may not see any ground breaking on any project for not just months but perhaps years.
Enhanced by Zemanta

CUBA REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS



The Company and its joint venture, Bellavista Resorts SA has registered surface rights and development rights. Complete architectural, engineering and concept design plans have been approved by the Cuban authorities and all three phases of this project will be built concurrently. Specifications and project information have been compiled in order to begin a Request for Proposal process to select a general contractor.
The Company is also studying alternatives to underground parking and is working on detailed design components of the project and establishing a proactive value engineering analysis. Under the development agreement reached with the Cuban government, the Company through its subsidiary Wilton Properties Inc. has to match in costs the value of the land contributed by the Cuban Government of $10,350,000, after which costs on the project will be split 50-50.



The Company is continuing discussions with the Cuban authorities and officials in charge of tourism and foreign investment regarding the approval of certain feasibility studies submitted to the Cuban government and clarifying the recent announcements from the Cuban government allowing the construction and sale of residential real estate associated with resort and golf projects. The Company is awaiting the formal approval from the Cuban authorities on the preliminary master plan and development program for Jibacoa. The specific joint venture for this property has been created and the Company is renewing its development rights and is proceeding towards the registration of its surface rights in light of the new 99-year residential leases recently announced by the Cuban government.



In September 2009, the Company received the authorization from the Cuban Government on the preliminary master plan and renewed development rights and to proceed with the land development process on 260,000 m2 of beachfront property and in December 2009, the Company received site approval. We have commenced program design for an eco-resort of approximately 400 rooms and the Company is currently engaged in economic feasibility studies. The Company is proceeding with the creation of a specific joint venture for this property and the registration of its surface rights.
Risks and Uncertainties
Country Risk
Taken from same Management Discussion paper, “The Company’s financial position and its development projects may be affected by political or economic instability. These risks include exposure to fluctuations in currency exchange rates and high rates of inflation. While the Cuban Government is currently seeking to encourage foreign investment by removing certain restrictions on foreign investments and permitting foreign entities to repatriate profits from Cuba, there can be no assurance that this trend will continue.
Operations may be affected by varying degrees by such factors as government regulations with respect to price controls, income taxes, expropriation of property, environment legislation, land use, water use and land claims of Cuban nationals. The effect of these factors cannot be accurately predicted.
The Company is also dependent on the Cuban economy, which itself is highly dependent on external factors such as commodity pricing of oil and nickel, and the state of the world tourism market.”
My comment - Is Cuba somewhat to blame here? Of course. There have many news story in 2010 about the Cuban government reviewing and/or approving a variety of new Cuban golf course and vacation resorts complemented by Cuban villas and real estate “for sale”, none have broken ground yet. Trying to develop golf resorts in a Communist country with a centrally controlled economy is certainly like pushing a rock up hill. Leisure Canada should know this and not over-hype their development status. They are a publicly traded corporation with a responsibility to their shareholders.

Enhanced by Zemanta

Real Estate in Cuba

Real Estate in Cuba - Still no “groundbreaking” events
Over promise and under deliver should be the slogan of Leisure Canada.
Perhaps this phrase could serve as a warning to other Cuban real estate developers looking to start projects in a timely manner on Cuban land.
Of course the Cuban government doesn’t do many things quickly and I’m sure this is partially to blame for the extremely long delay regarding Leisure Canada’s development projects in Cuba but when it comes to hyping, perhaps even misrepresenting Leisure Canada’s state of real estate development in Cuba, the company is squarely to blame.

Recent Developments
The recent press release titled Third Quarter Results regarding its real estate development projects states that the architectural, engineering and concept design plans for their hotel development project, in Havana’s Monte Barreto district, have been approved by the Cuban authorities.
However, In April 2007, almost four years ago, the company was granted surface rights to the Havana land with a statement saying this would lead to “groundbreaking of the 238-room Phase One by end of 2007” so this item is not news. The press release also states that the company has not even begun to even solicit proposals from contractors to begin construction. This would appear to be a misrepresentation of the facts.
A positive comment about the Cuban government approving 99 year leases in the press release is a newsworthy event for Leisure Canada yet the stock price barely changed on this major announcement.
The release stated “This paves the way for consumers to acquire leasehold real estate in Cuba under competitive financing conditions similar to other offerings in Mexico and the Caribbean.” I don’t know about other offerings in other countries but we all know Cuba is not like other countries so to compare real estate in Cuba to real estate in Mexico and other Caribbean countries also appears to be hype or at least a misrepresentation of common sense.

Enhanced by Zemanta

EXPLORE CUBA

CUBA "Pearl of the Caribbean"

For over 40 years Cuba has been isolated from the mainstream of the world while trying to live the socialist dream.  The world has changed and so has Cuba.  Now is the time to come and explore this country that has so much to offer.  Whether you are a savvy entrepreneur, or want to live part-time or full-time in Cuba, or are just interested in wintering in a mild tropical climate, this eBook will help you.  It paints a realistic picture of living in a Latin American country and tells you how to deal with the many challenges you will inevitably have to confront.
Cuba is the most populous and largest island in the Caribbean.  Located only 90 miles from the U.S. mainland, Cuba - sometimes called the "Pearl of the Caribbean" for its beauty - boasts miles and miles of breathtaking terrain, towering mountains, spectacular landscapes, quaint colonial towns and a couple of cosmopolitan cities.  The 300-odd unspoiled beaches, bays and inlets surrounded by the beautiful crystal clear waters of the Caribbean have always been the island´s main attraction.
Cuba offers something for every imaginable taste and lifestyle.  Trends Magazine has predicted that Cuba would someday become the baby boomers´ retirement haven of the future.  In June 1998 The Miami Herald stated, "A mass new migration of retirees will start to settle abroad, lured by the low cost of living to stretch their shrinking pensions, reasonable health costs and warm weather.  Cuba will be the hottest destination due to its proximity to the United States and the relative lack of industrialization."
Cuba is ripe for entrepreneurs since foreign investment is now welcome and small enterprise is beginning to flourish.  The country´s 12 million people constitute the largest potential market in the region.  Canadians and Europeans are pouring capital into the country since investment laws have been relaxed.  The country´s new investment law allows foreign businessmen to own businesses, their offices and their housing.  Cuba has left the Cold War behind and is now ready to participate in the emerging global economy.  It is now time to get your foot in the door before the gold rush begins and hordes of entrepreneurs carve up the island completely.  A few of the reforms made to the Cuban economy in the last 10 years have created limited self-employment, legalized the use of U.S. dollars and encouraged foreign banking and investment.  Additional advantages for foreign investors include a highly-educated and well-disciplined labor force, tremendous opportunities in tourism´s untapped areas, and an improving infrastructure.
Although conditions for investing and living in Cuba are improving, nobody can foresee the future with absolute certainty.  However, given the events of the last couple of years and the direction the country is currently moving, the predictions made in this eBook are on the verge of coming true.
Enhanced by Zemanta

MONEY IN CUBA

Invest in Cuba

HAVANA CUBA. Should we be surprised that there's money in Cuba? Imagine that you are rich Spaniard or an Italian with a huge multi-national corporation that makes millions.  You want a Caribbean hideaway -- so you choose Cuba.  Where else? To some US or UK government controlled Caribbean island where your business is common knowledge to everyone?  In Cuba, you've got one of the most secure spots on earth.  This based on the very probable supposition that anyplace safe from US Government snooping is the only safe place to be.  I very much agree with that.  There is no crime in Cuba.  Whoops the US government left that out when they told you Cuba was a Rogue State. Even foreigners get excellent medical treatment in Cuba at a price lower than anywhere else in the world based on what you get for what you pay.  A large number of non-Cuban foreigners specifically travel to Cuba for medical treatment, as they get 'First World' medicine at bargain basement prices.)  Okay, the US government left that part out too.  But they're the ones who've blockaded Cuba and pushed her into a economic corner.  Well, it is easy to admit that Castro could have done better things with the economy and civil liberties while Russia had the island on welfare and he had a free lunch; but he was too busy being a firebrand, add to that the fact that Communism and Civil Liberties don't mix. An engineered society must be a restricted society by definition.  That aside, this isn't a political document, it's an announcement of the fact that you can live in Cuba, and live quite well
Enhanced by Zemanta

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

CUBA REAL ESTATE

REAL ESTATE IN CUBA
Buy Real Estate In Havana Cuba
Welcome to Cuba Real Estate Blog where you will find the best information on the internet regarding everything about buying and selling Cuban Real Estate properties in Havana, Varadero and all of Cuba.

Enhanced by Zemanta