If you are purchasing land with another person e.g. your sibling, parent or spouse, you will be asked to indicate whether you want to hold it as joint tenants or tenants-in-common.
Joint Tenants have rights of survivorship so if you die before the other owner(s), they will automatically own the entire property and have all the rights associated with that ownership.
Tenants-in-common need not hold equal shares in the property e.g. you could own 70% of the property and your sibling 30%. In addition, your portion of the property does not automatically go to the other owner if you die before them. Instead, you can use your will to determine who the property should go to.
You do not have to be in Jamaica to buy or sell land here. Through your attorney, all documents can be prepared and sent to you for signature. Depending on where you are located, the requirements for witnessing your signature will vary and your attorney will provide guidance on this. The movement of funds can be facilitated through wire transfer.
Agreements for Sale usually state the length of the transaction anywhere from 45 days to 120 days (6 weeks to 4 months). These days are counted after the agreement has been signed by both the purchaser and the vendor. The length of time is agreed by both parties through their attorneys based on funding arrangements e.g. the purchaser needing to obtain a mortgage, and the availability of the property e.g. the vendor needing to find a new home.
The length of time between making an offer on a property and having the keys in hand will be a little longer than this because there is often a period of negotiation between the attorneys before the Agreement for Sale is signed.