STEPS TO TAKE BEFORE BUYING A LAND IN LAGOS

There are basic steps you ought to take when you've finally decided to buy a land in Lagos, to reduce stress you must ask basic questions and take these steps.

(1)Consult your agent and tell him exactly what you want and how you’ll like to have it, if you have a good agent he will most likely get a property close to what you want faster than you might think is possible, this will save you stress, but give him the instruction that you won’t want a land under government acquisition, this will make him to work harder and search for the right one.

(2) You can also do your research too from family members, friends and online especially through an online forum like nairaland.com property section, there are lots of professionals on that forum that that are ready to treat your questions for free at the speed of light.

(3)After you must have been introduced to a land, the first step is to go for site inspection. Considering many reasons at the back of your mind to make you decide if to buy the land or not.

Issues like-

‘i’ Nearness to your office or business.

‘ii’ Will you be able to match the financial task required if the soil is waterlogged and needs filling, and if you are going for a storey building can you afford the type of foundation that will be recommended.

‘iii’ The commercial value of the land in nearest future

‘iv’ Nearness to high tension cable (wires).You know it is required you leave out at least 60m from the high tension cables.

‘v’ how close is the site to Fuel or petroleum pipeline.

‘vi’ Nearness to major roads, if your site is too close, and the road is expanded in the future, it may affect your property.

‘vii’ Check the level of the ground to the surrounding environment, I mean the topography, is your site at the lowest level to the neighboring sites, its likely that runoff water will converge in your site when is raining and no adequate planning for drainage system like Lagos.

(4)If you are okay with the land after having met most of these requirements above. Get your land surveyor to accompany you to the site with his instruments (compass) and don’t worry he is not going to charge you for going to the site with him,just promise to give him the survey job and that will settle it.

So why the Land surveyor?

He has the instruments/compass that he will use to know the coordinates (direction located in map)of where the land falls into and he has his colleagues at the surveyor general’s office in Alausa Ikeja who he can easily call right on your site to furnish him with the condition of

your proposed site. with this you can know if the land falls under government acquisitions or not.

If there is a survey for the plot before, then do the photocopy and check by yourself at the surveyor general’s office Alausa, those guys there may eventually do it free for you at most you only need to pay N2,000.

(5) Note that you've not paid money to accomplish the steps above. If the site meets the right conditions, then get your Lawyer, he is to help you ensure the paperworks are properly done. Omo onile fears lawyers so having one is very important apart from other benefits you’ll get from him. He will make sure genuine papers are gotten for your property and he is there to defend you, Omo Onile won’t prey on you if you have a bold lawyer.

Certificate of Occupancy, Deed of assignment,Governor’s consent, e.t.c whatever you are required to have it is better to have someone taking off the stress from you.

(6)Make sure you collect the genuine receipt from Omo Onile after paying for your property fully.