Buying or selling a home involves a lot of things, it also raises questions. In this column ‘Ask Bob’, real estate expert/broker Bob Bartikoski of RE/MAX Paradise Homes Bonaire answers a real estate question from a reader. This time:
Question: I’ve decided to sell my house, and I’ve leaving to island to live somewhere else. Do I have to come back to Bonaire when my house sells and it’s time to transfer the deed?
That is a good question and the answer is simple. Once you decide to sell your house you need to got to the Notaris office and sign a “Power of Attorney” form (Volmacht in Dutch) where you give the Notaris office permission to sign the transfer deed on your behalf. This is a quick and simple process that you can do before you leave the island so you don’t have to come back. You just need to remember to bring along your passport or other ID so they can make a copy of your ID for their files. If you have already left the island, signing a power of attorney can still be done as long as you are in a country with an established legal system, like North America, where you can use a Notary Public or lawyer to legalize your signature and a copy of your ID. You can also have you ID and signature legalized in the Notaris office in most European countries. This process can become complicated if you are in some third world countries, so it is best to take care of this before you leave Bonaire.
Please email me directly if you need more information on a specific property at [email protected]. Bonaire: +599-717-7362. Call for free from the US: 1-866-611-7362. See all our listings here.
Ask Bob Bonaire