Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Pennsylvania

Hello , Purchased a pre-construction condo in Costa Rica and put an initial deposit of $60,000, and was promised that ground would be broken soon, but that was two years ago. We made a contract with a lawywer from Costa Rica, stating that if ground was not broken within a certain time period, I could get my money back. But the owner of said property, told me that all the money is invested and he cannot return the initial deposit.I really donot want to do business with the lawyer from Costa Rica, I would prefer some attorney from the U.S. Also, the owner of property in Costa Rica, lives in the U.S. in Florida and has a U.S. passport, and he has a Corporation in Florida, also. So would I be able to get a International Lawyer to handle this situation, and do you know of a reliable and trustworthy from the U.S. I live in Pa.Also, I would like to do a "background check" on this certain individual, as I have seen some sites on the internet, to check this person's income, if he has any liens, etc. Could you give me an honest site in regards to this. Thank you, Frank


Asked on 11/09/10, 5:34 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Miriam Jacobson Retired from practice of law

You need to find a lawyer who is licensed in Costa Rica. There may be PA lawyers who also are licensed there. But PA law does not cover out of state, and certainly not out of country, properties. You may want to check out Florida lawyers, some of whom do practice law in Central and South American countries.

This response is not legal advice, since I do not have all of the information that would be required, and I do not have a representation agreement with you.

* If the answers to your question confirm that you have a valid issue or worthwhile claim, your next step should almost always be to establish a dialog with a lawyer who can provide specific advice to you. Contact a lawyer in your county or township.

* Another reason for contacting a lawyer is that it is often impossible to give a good answer in the Internet Q&A format without having more information. The unique circumstances of your situation and things that you may not have thought to mention in your question may completely change the answer. If you want to be sure that you have a complete answer to your question and an understanding of what that answer means, establish a connection with a lawyer who practices in the area of your concern.

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Answered on 11/14/10, 8:10 pm


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