MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Cuban government joins the internet sales-auction-exchange business

It’s illegal to buy a home in Cuba but no longer to exchange housing

Cuba’s Housing Institute has created as specific site in the web to facilitate the search and paper-work for people interested in the interchange of homes, reported the broadcasting station Reloj. The sale and purchase of real estate in Cuba is illegal.

The “housing exchange” will operate with offerings, legal information, data on documents needed and access to the exchange of “one for one, one for two, one for three, two for one, and three for one”.

The lack of housing in Cuba is one of the country’s most serious problems and direct consequence of the revolutionary policy towards private property, with an estimated deficit of 600.000 houses in a country with a population of 11.2 million.

The situation worsened with the three hurricanes that plunged on the island in 2008, causing billions of damages and losses.

The site announced as permutascuba.infosoc.cu is the first internet option facilitated by the Cuban government which so far in the real estate sector was limited to broadcasting and television promotion.

Although there are serious restriction for the use of Internet in Cuba, it’s not possible to contract the service at home, in the last few years several sites, non related to government have emerged, which do not specify origin, but which have boosted the sale, purchase and barter of goods and services.

The new trend has also created new jobs: the “permuteros” or “exchange agents” who for a modest commission help bring together demand and supply sides.