INFO-SURINAM

Buying, building or renting a house in Surinam

For residents and non residents it is possible to buy a house prices when u compare them to western countries are low. Some real estate agencies in Paramaribo have projects where entire residential areas are build and where you can buy a house key ready.

Before you buy a house, make sure that the street and house is not flooded during the rain season. The sewage system in Paramaribo is not well maintained flooding of urban and land areas during the rain season is more common then exception. The best season to buy a house is the big rain season, then you also know if have to buy rain boots. When you buy a house in most cases you have to pay in cash 25 % of the price of the house or lot, for the remaining amount you can apply for a mortgage. Repayment of a mortgage most of the time must be done in 15 to 20 years. A disadvantage of taking a mortgage in Suriname is that interest rates are high.

Plot and maintenance obligation

Resident and non resident of Suriname can buy plots, houses(recreational or commercial) company properties entitled owners plot, for this the approval of the Foreign Commission of Suriname is required. Prices for a property or plot are related to the size and location. Prices in Paramaribo for a plot or house are higher than in a districts.

On popular sites such as the Suriname river, the price for a plot or house are high. The whole process of buying a house or a plot is handled by notary and takes up to two or three weeks. Most of the Surinamese people buy a plot when they are young once they grow older they start to build their own house. The time between buying a plot and building a house can take quit a long time one of the disadvantaged of this is that plots are not cleaned and become a nuisance for other houses next to the plot.
The Surinamese government is trying to do something about it, reasonably they passed a law were the owner is responsible for keeping his plot clean. This maintenance requirement apply to both residents and non residents. If the plot is not maintained, then the government will give notice if there is no response the order can be given for expropriation of the land. This is a good thing because areas not maintained are a threat to the living environment(fire, snakes and other vermin).

Building a house

For resident and non residents it is also possible to build a house, you will need the right permits and you will have to monitor everything. A building plan must be submitted and several rules have to be applied to. To get the required permits you have to be patient it can take a long time before you get them, official Surinam mills can run very slowly.
Electricity and water is a totally different story, it can take more than a year before it is connected to the house. If you are not familiar with the Civil Service of Suriname we can only advice you to use the experience of a , notary, broker or architect, this can save you a lot of time, trouble and money.

When you still want to do everything by you self then pay attention and be sure that you have the right contractor for the job(cheap can often turned out to be expensive) The title contractor in Suriname is easy used, many people say that they are a contractor bud in many cases the opposite is true. Improper procedures, inferior materials, sloppy completed projects and a very poor guarantee are common problems.
When there is a urbanization projects you can buy a plot cheap, brokers (Landmark) buy a large piece of land and parceled it into smaller parcels and then sell them for a reasonable price. You can also buy parcels of land from third parties, so called individuals sale.

Control

Almost everything has to be checked, unfortunately it happens that even a reputable contractor use other materials and equipment then agreed. It is wise to appoint an administrator who will monitor the building object for you. In most cases this will be a manager appointed by the family or acquaintances.
If you don’t have family or friends in Surinam you need to get a reliable party to help you. WIMA can help you with this if you want to know more about this service please contact us.

Mortgage

You can build a house financed by using your own resources or a bank. Getting a mortgage in Surinam means you will pay a high rate, for more information you can contact the Surinamese bank. Link Surinamese bank
A mortgage is usually for a maximum period of 25 years and there are rules associated to the object. A minimum frame size of 60 m2 and a maximum size of 150 m2 and you must have a plot.

Materials

Buying materials in Suriname can be a problems, we are not talking about sand, cement, gravel, tiles but plumbing, electrical switchgear and accessories for the house. A simple example, switches and sockets are available in a cream color. If you want a other color you will find it bud it is mostly Chinese and of poor quality. It is also difficult to get finishing strips for tiling a bathroom. There are plenty round strips in gold, silver gray and white, but to get a rectangular strips is a problem.

Because of flooding of areas during the rain season the location to build your house is very important is. The best time of the year to buy a plot or a house is in the rain season, then you know for sure if the neighborhood is not flooding. More and more plots are increased with sand and the house are built on a mound.

On the internet side of CasaCama.com (house and bed) you will find a large range of private apartments and houses in the Caribbean and Suriname. The main office of this organization is based in the Netherlands. When you click the logo in the left menu you will be redirected to the home page of CasaCama.

When you’re going to rent a house it is also wise to look in what neighborhood it is, the state of the house and make sure the house is also not flooded during the rain season. Prices for renting a house can be very different and sometimes quite high. Negotiate with the landlord and make sure you have a contract, avoid surprises.

Brick flat

If you hear brick flat then you probably think that it will be an apartment building with several floors. The name brick flat in Surinam means that it is a low-rise brick house, with no upper floors. Most houses in Suriname are brick flats build on a owners lot. Outside Paramaribo house are build on lots with the size of many acres. The most expensive lots are near by a river.

Neuten

A house on as they are calling it in Surinam neuten is build on concrete pools in most cases you will find the living room, kitchen and bedrooms on the top floor. Some also have bedrooms or a storage room on the ground floor.

Villa's

American-styled houses, who are verry beautifull to look at, to buy one is fore Surinamese standard quit expensive.

Bruinzeel Houses

Wooden houses built  by the firm Bruin Zeel from the Netherlands are also available in Surinam. This picturesque houses are still present in various neighbourhoods off Paramaribo and districts.

KLM Houses

KLM also built several houses in Suriname wich can be found nearby the airport Zanderij. Sometimes there is the possibility to rent these houses, KLM houses are also build on piles.

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