Archives > 1976 South Carolina Code of Laws - Previous Versions > 2007 Session > Title 27

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Title 27 - Property and Conveyances

CHAPTER 13.

PROPERTY OWNERSHIP BY ALIENS

SECTION 27-13-10. Aliens and foreign corporations entitled to same property as natural-born citizens.

Real and personal property of every description may be taken, acquired, held and disposed of by an alien, subject to the provisions of Sections 27-13-30 and 27-13-40, in the same manner in all respects as by a natural-born citizen. And a title to real or personal property or every description may be derived through, from or in succession to an alien, in the same manner in all respects as through, from or in succession to a natural born citizen. Foreign corporations shall have and exercise all rights granted to aliens in this section.

SECTION 27-13-20. Titles derived through aliens legalized.

Any citizen or alien who, prior to December 19, 1807, entered into any bona fide contract or received any grant or other deed of conveyance for or relating to any real property in this State or who derived their titles from or through aliens, either mediately or immediately, shall hold and enjoy it in fee simple or for any less estate, according to the nature of his contract, grant or other deed of conveyance, any law, usage or custom to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding; provided, that nothing contained herein shall be so construed as to interfere with or at all invalidate any grant of real property which may, before December 19, 1807, have been made by the General Assembly unto any person or any body corporate or to affect in any measure descents cast before the date aforesaid.

SECTION 27-13-30. Limitation on alien land ownership.

No alien or corporation controlled by aliens, either in his or its own right or as trustee, cestui que trust or agent, shall own or control within the limits of this State more than five hundred thousand acres of land. Nothing in this section shall apply to lands owned or controlled by any such person or corporation nor to lands mortgaged to such a person or corporation on March 9, 1896, nor shall this section apply to lands conveyed by an alien to a corporation controlled by such alien.

SECTION 27-13-40. Limitation on alien land ownership; lands acquired on foreclosure of mortgage.

But Section 27-13-30 shall not apply to land purchased under proceedings, either by action or power of sale, to foreclose any mortgage acquired after March 9, 1896 by any alien or corporation controlled by aliens, but in such case such alien or corporation controlled by aliens shall not be entitled to hold such excess of land more than five years, unless the Comptroller General shall certify that a sale during that time would be materially detrimental to the interest of such alien or corporation controlled by aliens, in which case such alien or corporation controlled by aliens may hold such land for five years longer upon the same conditions.