Before purchasing a landed property, it is essential to perform extensive due diligence to make sure the property is authentic, unencumbered, and satisfies your needs and expectations. Before buying a landed property, you should investigate and obtain information at the following important locations and organizations:
Community/Village:
The community/village should be your first point of call when a property is to be sold to you whether or not the property is an individual’s property or a community property. This is so, because the community/village will provide valuable information as to the original owner(s) of the property and the recital thereto.
Land Registry:
Every state in Nigeria has a land registry and this should be the primary place to verify the true status of the land you intend to buy. It is therefore advised that before you pay money for that land, you should first apply and obtain a search report from the land registry as this report will verify ownership, boundaries, and any encumbrances (such as mortgages or liens) on the property.
Surveyor’s Office:
The office of the Surveyor General of every state houses all the survey plans within that state. Where the property you intend to buy has been surveyed, apply and obtain a copy of the survey plan for the said property from the surveyor’s office. This plan should display the exact boundaries and measurements of the property, which will enable you to ascertain that the property corresponds to the one offered you.
Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC):
Where you intend to buy a land from a company, it is important to conduct a search at the Corporate Affairs Commission. This search at the CAC will help you ascertain whether or not the company is in existence and its status. Where the company is in existence, it will help verify whether the company has such a property in its records.
Court Records:
It is also important to search court records to ascertain that the property you are about to buy is not subject to a pending legal dispute.
Planning and Development Authorities:
Finally, to determine that the land you are about to buy is not a Government Reserved Area (GRA), it is essential to contact the local planning and development authorities to inquire about any development restrictions.
Having highlighted the places where searches could be conducted before the acquisition of a landed property above, it is very crucial to engage the services of a legal practitioner as he is equipped with the knowledge and skill to carry out this due diligence on your behalf and to ultimately advice and guide you to transact smoothly without any hitches.