What a Bummer!

Just before closing time yesterday, the Notary rang Marcela to say we needed another document from the Catastro, but no one seemed to know how to obtain it.

We spent the res of the evening, once Marcela was home, researching how to get this document, and then Marcela found we could obtain it online, so I paid the $25000 COP and downloaded it, only to find printed across it, (in Spanish of course) \’ Can\’t be used for Notary\’, Robbers, Thieves, Ladrones! why didn\’t it say this before I paid?

So this morning Marcela is going to speak with the Notary, and I am heading down to the Alcaldía to see if the Catastro can find the original, and give me a copy…for a price! As a result our appointment this morning is cancelled.

It will now be another ten days at least until we can have a new appointment, because Marcela is working full days, whilst her Mother dog sits for her other Daughter, who is on holiday.

On the bright side, we have three lots of potential Viewers this weekend for the finca, we now just have to keep our fingers crossed that at least one of them turns up.

In the mean time, work on re-grouting the swimming pool has resumed, and is drawing to a close, I have done over half the pool floor, and prepared another quarter, so I hope to get the rest prepared today, and then finish the grouting this weekend.

UPDATE:

Not what we wanted to hear! I went to the Catastro in Copacabana, and was told that I would have to go to the Catastro Departmental, in Medellin , no problem, so jumped on the bike and headed to La Alpujarra.

My friends from my days in Spain will find that amusing, because we lived in La Alpujarra area of Granada, however this is certainly not as beautiful, or inviting, it is the Financial district, and the location of the Government of Antioquia, as well as the main Criminal Courts, and covers about three Blocks.

I was signed into the building and eventually found the Archive for the Catastro on the 11th Floor, I explained what I needed, and was told that it was not in that building but outside and underground!!

Everyone was most helpful, and friendly, whether that was because I was a Foreigner, I have no idea, but I found the Office needed, was given my ticket, and didn\’t even have a chance to sit down, I was called immediately.

It turns out that, they can\’t just give me a new Certificate, the land is registered, albeit there is a discrepancy of 1m, but the house(s) registered on the plot are two old Fincas that have long since been demolished, and when the \’new\’ finca was built about fifteen years ago, it was registered in the Registry but not the Catastro, who\’s fault that was is anyones guess, but it has to be rectified, I knew things were getting complicated, so I rang Marcela and put her on to the woman, so I didn\’t get it all wrong. I didn\’t speak to Marcela again in the office, but she asked me later if the woman told me, that Marcela had burst into tears, she hadn\’t, but I already knew why, because I was listening to the woman talking, and she said the whole process to get the new certificate would take six to twelve months, she worked for the Catastro, and it had taken her six months!

I was told that I could either lodge the application in the Catastro in Copacabana, or bypass them, get the documents together, pay the fee of $46000 COP in the bank, and return to Medellin, who would then start the process.

What does this mean for us? well, unless we find a cash buyer, we are stumped, because a Bank won\’t give a mortgage without all the correct documentation, the only possibility is if the Bank or the Cash Buyer is willing to proceed on the understanding that I continue the process, and pay for it. otherwise we will be going nowhere in the immediate future.

I then left the Office, and rang Marcela, who was still in tears, but what is the point, it doesn\’t change the situation, and it sounds as if most properties in Colombia are in the same situation, so the chances are that we will come across it again….t least next time we will be prepared and find out in advance!