Buying property in Ghana

Yes, foreigners can buy property in Ghana.
The only advice I would give is to demand to see the paperwork before you commit to anything! Land is registered with the land's commission and in order to buy you need to know that the person selling actually owns the land. Never just take the word of the agent - get an independent person to do the search for you.

Hi hkann!

Thanks for your input

Armand

Hi I wish to contribute my 2-cents here. I have lived and worked in Ghana for almost 20 years, owned ( still existing) a house and a piece of land (hopefully will still be there when I get back), and lost quite a few properties all legally acquired - that's thru the proper channels: land's commission, vetted thru' legal offices, documented by the judiciary system etc ... and still there are avenues for loop holes to exist. Such is the sad case.

Some of these unfortunate situations are not only suffered by expatriates alone but to the locals as well.

Thanks for your help diver7up!

Harmonie.

Hi Harmonie,

You're welcome. What I mentioned was but just the tip of an iceberg. One needs to understand the fundamentals in which the systems (The Government, local authorities, paramount chiefs, sub-chiefs and clanship's property caretakers, etc) govern how lands and territories are divided and/or shared.

To most layperson, me included, it would be wise to purchase the property brand new and direct from seasoned developers, exercise patience for the transaction to be completed. Never rush or attempt to take shortcuts and do well to avoid agents and at times, even friends who happen to have "a friend who has a relative and in turn has someone who knows someone ..." 

Happy property hunting. Cheers

And even developers can be a problem. My husband purchased a property only to find, even though he seemed to have all the paper work, that the land was mortgaged!

Whilst in Ghana, my job entailed plenty of interactions with governmental agencies on land, local authorities, chiefs- big and small down to a single clan spokesperson. 

These have provided me with good hindsight and foresight thereon after from experience.

Hkann, please forgive me if I am indeed so prudent to invade on your unfortunate encounter with mortgaged land bought thru proper channel.

I may not be totally right about this assumption but I, too, had such hard luck.

In my scenario, the house was properly sold to me but unbeknownst then, developers buys the “rights” to develop the land and reserves the “rights” too to dictate the sales and purchase agreement.

Land, no matter under whatever conditions, belongs to the chief/clans.

In short, the land is leased but developer has so conveniently invented new terminology to circumvent the proper word – LANDLEASE.

hello really happy about the subject am about to buy a land in ghana through a developer estate . could tell me more about it  , can a foreigner can buy a land in ghana without any problem

buying from an estate developer is it secure

kindly answer me

Your question has been answered. Do the checks, ask for proof of ownership. Do a search at the lands department to find out if the developer has title to the land.

Hi Christine,
I can assist you to purchase property here in Ghana. Just follow proper procedure and you're saved. Contact fk_annor@yahoo.com for more information.

Hi Fkannor,

Feel free to share informations here on the forum. It might be very helpful

Thank you

Maximilien
Expat-blog Team

freddy525 wrote:

buying from an estate developer is it secure

It does make better sense to buy from an estate developer, an established estate developer that is, even so, the risks of being fleeced is not entirely absent. Proper due diligence and intuitiveness need be thoroughly exercised.

There were instances where land deeds (registered at lands department) were not acceptable to local/tribal/traditional "authorities" and/or feuding families.

By far, buying of land/s in regional capitals tend to be less messy if lands department there cleared the title deeds in question.