How To Buy A House In Abuja
If you want to buy a house in Abuja, there are processes to follow to avoid stories that touch. According to Section 1 of the Land Use Act of 1978, all lands are in the control of the state governor or Minister in Abuja’s case. Since the government has to give up rights over a particular land when it is sold, you can see how important it is to get the Minister’s consent. So to buy a house in Abuja, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory has to give his consent.
Procedures To Follow To Buy a House in Abuja
Buying a house is a big deal and the steps that are involved need to be followed carefully and I have highlighted those steps in the following paragraphs.
Identify Your Choice of Property
It all begins from finding the kind of house you want to buy and who the seller is. There are different ways to find a property including through adverts or recommendations.
Get a Property Lawyer
This is a step you don’t want to skip over when trying to acquire the title to not just a house but any property at all. Property lawyers are the only personnel with the authorization to draft legal documents for acquiring property titles. Aside from that, they are also very knowledgeable when it comes to the legal transfer of title to land. If you want to have a smooth process when you buy a house in Abuja, don’t skip this part of the process.
Physically Go To The Property For Inspection
This is actually a no-brainer for anyone who wants to buy a house in Abuja. So many things can go wrong if you don’t physically visit the property you are aiming to buy. You can spot any defect in the property and you can negotiate the price according what you see
Request for The Necessary Documents
You need to request important documents such as Title Documents which can be used to verify the seller’s legal ownership of the property being sold to you. A property lawyer needs to examine the document to be sure it is genuine. Other important documents to request include:
- Certificate of Ownership which proves that the person’s name which appears on the document has a right of occupancy over the property.
- Approved Survey Plan which is to verify the location and the legally allotted boundaries of the land.
- Power of Attorney is needed in a situation where the person selling the property is not the legal owner of the property but is acting as an agent. This document serves as authorization for the agent to sell the property.
- Probate or Letters of Administration is needed in the case where the legal owner of the property is deceased and so the person selling the property needs to show that they have the right to sell the property.
Carry Out Investigation
This is a necessary process when you want to buy a house in Abuja. It is usually done by a lawyer and it involves investigating to confirm the authenticity of the documents given by the owner of the property. This investigation is usually carried out in three places including the land registry, probate registry, and Corporate Affairs Commission in cases where the property being sold belongs to a company.
Draft the Necessary Documents
After the investigation has revealed that the documents offered by the seller are valid, it is now time to draft the documents for the transfer of title which will be signed by both the seller and buyer in the presence of two witnesses.
Perfection of Title
This is the stage where, as the new owner of a property, you register your new home with the Federal Capital Territory Administration as required by law.
Conclusion
These are the general procedures to follow to buy a house in Abuja. But make sure to seek the counsel of a specialist as it applies to your situation. If you found this article helpful, do well to subscribe to aroundabuja.com for more updates.
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