Although the Nigerian real estate market has not witnessed significant growth in recent years, many are still buying property in the most populous African country. Do you wish to own a Nigerian home? Follow this straightforward process:
Decide on a Location and Budget
When buying a house in Nigeria, it is important to consider the location of the property. You want to live in a house that is near amenities like shopping malls, healthcare centers, and schools. Moreover, the property should be close to your workplace so that you can save on transport costs. Another thing that you need to factor in is a budget. Buy a house that you can comfortably finance.
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Hire a Qualified Lawyer
While there are several lawyers in Nigeria, not all are familiar with the property law. Therefore, pick a lawyer who has experience in dealing with property-related matters. The lawyer will interpret all the legal elements found in the home-buying process before you sign any agreement.
Look for Your Ideal Property
With the help of a professional real estate agent, you can begin looking for the house you want. The agent will provide you with a list of houses available for sale and arrange property viewing. But how do you find the right real estate agent? Your lawyer can help you pick a trustworthy agent.
Investigate the Seller
After finding your ideal property, make it a point to investigate the seller. Ensure they are the house owner or have the authority to sell that property. This stage is key, considering the growing scam cases of people selling houses they don’t own to buyers. We recommend you let the lawyer do the investigations. They will request the documents of the property in question and ask all the right questions to ensure that the seller has the authority to sell the house.
Investigate the Property
After confirming that the seller is genuine, you can go ahead and investigate the house with the help of your lawyer. Check if the property has any pending litigation.
View the Property
After you’ve confirmed that the property has no legal issues and the seller has a valid title deed, you can arrange a house viewing to gauge if it meets your expectations. We recommend getting a surveyor at this stage. This professional will explore the property to identify any areas that need repair.
Negotiate
After surveying the property and discovering it meets your expectations, you can proceed to negotiate with the seller. The lawyer will play a vital role in this stage. They will give you information about government fees involved in the buying process so that you can factor them in when submitting your offer. Before making an offer, it is important to research the house prices within the location of your ideal property to quote a fair amount that reflects the current market prices.
Documentation
After the seller accepts your offer, your lawyer can start preparing all the required documents, which include the Deed of Assignment, the receipt, and the contract of sale.
Complete the Deal
At this stage, you can sign and exchange contracts with the seller. After that, you will be required to transfer funds to the seller in exchange for the original documents of the house. Once this is done, you become the rightful owner of the house.
Post-Completion
After taking possession of the house, you now need to file the property documentation with the relevant government authority to receive a title bearing your name.
Mistakes to Avoid When Purchasing Your Nigerian Home
Failure to Hire a Lawyer: As mentioned, there are scammers in the Nigerian real estate market. So, you risk being scammed if you don’t hire a lawyer to help you identify genuine property sellers.
Selecting Property That Doesn’t Meet Your Needs: If you find a beautiful house, but the location does not meet your needs, it is advisable not to choose it.