Buying land is exciting, and it is also where most property problems in Ghana start. The good news is that most of them can be avoided with a few checks before any money changes hands.
1. Know who is selling
Find out who owns the land and who has the right to sell it. Family and stool land is common around Accra, and a sale usually needs the head of family or the chief, with the consent of the principal elders. Ask to see how the seller got the land.
2. Ask for the site plan and the indenture
- Site plan: a drawing of the plot with its size and boundaries, prepared and signed by a licensed surveyor.
- Indenture: the document that transfers the land to you. Read it carefully before signing, and make sure the names, plot size and site plan all match.
3. Do a search at the Lands Commission
A search shows who the records say owns the land, and whether there is a dispute, a mortgage or another sale on the same plot. It costs little compared with the price of the land, and it is the single most useful check you can do.
4. Visit the land
Walk the boundaries, talk to neighbours and look for pillars, fences or building work that is not the seller's. Ask whether anyone else has claimed the land.
5. Register your interest
After you buy, register the land in your name at the Lands Commission. The Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036) sets out how land deals should be recorded, and a registered title is your strongest protection.
Pay by bank transfer, get a receipt for every payment, and have a lawyer check the documents before you sign.
Every listing on our website is checked by our team before it goes live, including its documents and title status. If you are looking at land, see our land listings or ask us to walk you through the checks for a plot you have in mind.
