Real estate shopping in puerto rico

Sitka wrote:

Please be more specific about the inheritance issue.  What is the reason that property can not be transferred to the heirs when the owner dies?  Is it due to lack of a proper will or due to how the deed was recorded or other reason?

Somewhere on this forum there are some good threads discussing the PR concept of "forced heirship" or you can Google it.  It means that with or without a Will heirs of the decedent need to be provided for, although dying without a PR Will does make it a lot messier.  Basically, the simple tactic of husband and wife owning property and having the expected intention that, say, upon husband's death the property passes to the surviving spouse doesn't work if the decedent had heirs - not just children of the surviving spouse but even more remote nieces and nephews.  Trusts are important as a way to address these concerns.  Seek good legal advise in PR and remember that your Wills drafted in the states won't work to overcome PR laws of inheritance.