CSPM and Architectural Committee Updates

What is Cerros Sands Property Management Ltd (CSPM)

CSPM is an independent Belizean Limited Corporation with its own Bank Account, Director(s) and Shareholders. 

Who owns CSPM?

Kayla Awe is the only Shareholder. There are no dividends paid. 

Who is the legal representative for CSPM? 

Elvina Garcia is the Director for 2024. Previously this was Angie Leslie. CSPM is required to have at least one director. The Director receives no compensation at this time.

Note: Any US citizen on a Belizean Corporation is opening theirself to required annual IRS filings and Foreign Bank Account Requirements. This in many cases is a checkmark for an IRS audit as well as serious penalties for non-reporting. 

Who administers CSPM?

Angie Leslie handles all the administrative duties for CSPM and is the signer on the Atlantic Bank account. 

How do you contact CSPM?

CSPM is reachable at +501-670-8725 and cerrossec@gmail.com.  Whatsapp messages can be utilized as well.

In the event of an emergency contact the local authorities and the number above.

Suggestions for improving the community, problems worth noting or oversights are welcomed.  The on-site staff have their job specifications 

and need to follow their assigned tasks, so its important to call or email and not directly interact with the on-site crew. 

What does the Annual Community Fee in Article 6 of our Covenants & Restrictions cover?

Common Area Maintenance which includes:

  1. The Entry and The Gatehouse; This area will be repainted in 2024.
  2. Upkeep of the 66 foot beachfront reserve.
  3. Channel Drainage & Culverts
  4. Roads within The Cerros Sands Community
  5. Common areas (driving range & green space).
  6. Security Onsite 7 Days a week.  These duties are shared by the night watchmen and the onsite maintenance crew.  They are entitled to their annual time off and Holidays.  
  7. Administrative Costs & Accounting which also includes weekly payroll, monthly Social Security and Tax Filings, as well as annual filings. 

Note: Never has at any time has anyone other than Staff or a Sub-contractor been compensated in any way for their time and effort. Cerros Sands Ltd provides on-site direction at NO cost to CSPM.

Note on Security: Night Shift comes on at 7pm. The security staff monitors the entry and the property.  2 Security guards are employed full time.  The gatehouse is equipped with a new power system with lithium batteries and a 24×7 security camera system.  Upgrades for 2024 will be: more cameras, remote viewing capabilities for staff and a call doorbell added.

When are The Annual Community Fees due?

CSPM bills in December which gives the owner over two months to pay the fee by January 31st of the new year.

How often is The Annual Community raised?

Since inception in 2004, the Annual Fee has only been raised once. It can by our Covenants & Restrictions be raised every year by 7%.

What happens if you do not pay your Annual Fee?

Delinquent owners have and will be reported to an attorney. Legal Action will be taken which will result in a lien and further court action to pursue settlement of a debt. This can result in foreclosure. To date only two owners are in serious arrears.

Why wasn’t an Home Owners Association (HOA) formed versus having a Community Fee?

In 2004 Law firms in Belize City as well as others simply recommended against it as it was not necessary. Also at that time setting up a NON-PROFIT was basically met with the answer, it just is not going to happen.

With the items CSPM was to cover, none of these directly effected what happens on a specific owners individual property where a home owner would be directly involved with another owner.

For example:  We have no adjoining structure that connects to another’s structure which is common with Condominiums, and multi-unit projects. This would require or if even desired Fire Insurance. This would also require a painting program to maintain the beauty of that particular structure.

We do not have a clubhouse, community pool or spa, that would require staff, maintenance and liability insurance. Anyone who has lived in a community with an HOA and has attended meetings can attest to the disagreements that occur as many do not use some or most of their Community Common Features.  

HOA fees are outlandish and are raised very often in most communities with the cost of Fire and Liability Coverage constantly rising, if not annually just to keep pace with inflation.

Where can CSPM save money?

Subcontractors have been utilized to run the property management. They did good work. CSPM was charged for travel time resulting in 6 hour days and only having them on-site 2 weeks a month.  

Effectively CSPM was able to hire the same amount of workers and saved over 50%. 

CSPM will at some stage be able to afford a Property Manager. Cerros Sands Limited has provided this service at NO cost to owners. 

CSPM is always open to looking at this again and has approached other entities for consideration. The tractor is the property of Cerros Sands Ltd, allowing CSPM to operate it at no cost other than maintenance and diesel. 

When can the Owners manage CSPM?

This is covered in detail in section 6.06 of The Covenants & Restrictions. Owners, once they reach the threshold of 75% of the parcels within Cerros Sands, they may by vote approve, adopt and record a proposed amendment or amendments to this document. Currently the ratio is less than 30%. If our sales trend continues it could be approximately 5 years when this threshold is met.

Do note the requirements of being a Director. If the requirements for US Citizens are not an issue for that owner, there is a much broader choice of possible Directors. 

What are the duties of The Cerros Sands Architectural Committee?

This is covered under Article 9.02 of our Covenants and Restrictions. This committee considers and acts upon proposals, drawings or plans submitted for construction at Cerros Sands. There is no compensation. Meetings would be scheduled when submissions are received, to act as quickly as possible.

Who can serve on the Architectural Committee?

Cerros Sands Ltd, as Declarant may appoint no more than 5 members to the committee maintaining an odd number so as to not deadlock a vote by this committee. 

Since we are passed 15 years from the date of this adoption of the Covenants and Restrictions, the owners have the right to remove and appoint one member per year. 

This member must be a full-time resident of Cerros Sands. We do understand many owners must return to their birth country as required by law to maintain their nationality, so as long as Cerros Sands is their primary home they qualify as a full-time owner.

Pickleball at Cerros Sands

Pickleball is a fast growing sport around Belize and the world!  We have imported court equipment that is available for use at Blackbeard’s Restaurant.

The rooftop of the Restaurant can be used for the court until a permanent court can be installed.

Disc Golf at Cerros Sands Schedule

Weekly #discgolf Schedule for the rest of 2023, League rounds are $5 BZD, Tournaments $50 BZD. Leagues payout cash prizes weekly to division winners.

https://www.discgolfscene.com/tournaments/Belize

November 2: Cerros Maya League

November 9: Progresso Monkey House League

November 16: Cerros Maya League

November 23: Progresso Monkey House League

November 25: Turkey Shootout a Borracho Cup

November 30: Cerros Maya League (Championship Layout)

December 7: Cerros Maya League (Championship Layout)

December 9: Belize Disc Golf Championships Presented by Cerros Sands

The 2024 Schedule is coming together.  Cerros Maya will be hosting at least 3 Disc Golf Tournaments on top of the weekly league.

Purchasing in Belize

Purchasing in Belize

The process of purchasing property in Belize is amongst the easiest on the planet.

The legal system in Belize is English Common Law just as it is in the USA and Canada.

After locating the property you wish to acquire, an offer to purchase or purchase agreement is written, agreed to and, upon mutual agreement, is signed by the buyer and seller. This agreement sets forth the terms by which the purchase is consummated.

A deposit or full payment as outlined in the agreement is sent to the escrow account. Funds may be held by a broker, developer, an attorney, facilitator or by a title company.

Once the funds are received, the seller or developer sends his title along with the necessary government forms to transfer the title to the escrow agent.

The agent will send the aforementioned forms to the Government of Belize Land Titles Unit in Belmopan for the purpose of recording the transfer of title and issuance of a new title in the name of the new owner, in this case you or any entity name you might choose to hold title to your land in.

If you are buying with a down-payment and a mortgage, an original copy of mortgage is sent to the Land Titles Unit in order to be recorded against the property. Once the mortgage is paid in full, the mortgage is released and title is issued in the name of the buyer.

Cerros Sands at La Playa de Cerros has a master title policy in place with First American Title Company in Miami. Should you like to purchase an individual title policy; the forms will be sent to you. These forms and the funds necessary for the policy should be sent directly to First American Title in Miami.

The costs applicable to purchasing in Belize are as listed below in United States Dollars:

  • Belize Government Stamp Duty on the full purchase price: 5% due upon transfer of title. In the case of a mortgage this is not paid until the mortgage is paid in full.
  • Belize Government Stamp Duty on a Mortgage: $7.50 per $1000.00 due upon filing of the mortgage.
  • Attorney Fees: 2% of the purchase price is the normal rate charged.
  • First American Title Policy: $750.00
  • The attorney fees and title policy are at your option should you desire to use such services.