05/09/2022
BUYING LAND IN KENYA
If you are buying land from an individual or group please follow the following STEPS to avoid being CONNED;
1. Ask to see the TITLE DEED or copy of the title deed. THEN DO A SEARCH at the Ministry of lands to confirm who the real owners or if the land has any CAVEAT on it, the search will cost you Ksh.520
2. Do a search with LOCAL AUTHORITIES to check of any unpaid land rates. If any, agree with the seller who will settle the land rates. NB: Land cant be transferred with land rates in arrears.
3. Go to the ministry of lands and buy two maps, one showing the exact measurements of the piece you are buying(called mutation) and the other showing the neighboring lands, each cost Ksh.350
4.With your two maps and a surveyor(you can do it yourself) visit the land you are buying and verify the details on the map. Check out all beacons.
5. Sit down with your seller and bargain the price. Write down an agreement. The agreement can be done in presence of a lawyer. According to the Law Society of Kenya(LSK), land value below one million you pay the lawyer Ksh.3,000 and land whose value exceeds one million you pay the lawyer Ksh.8,000 for the agreement.
6. Pay some amount as per your agreement.
7.Book a meeting with the Lands Control Board(LCB).It will cost you Ksh.1,000 The LCB will issue consent for the land to be sold.
NB: The board meet once every month.
8.Pay the outstanding balance after the consent has been issued to you.
9. Go to the ministry of Lands offices with your KRA PIN(S), 2 passport photos and a copy of the TITLE DEED to change ownership.
This will cost you Ksh.5,000
10. At this stage you don't need the seller, go pay stamp duty(amount is dependent on land value)-4% of sales value in municipalities & 2% in reserves.
11.Now the land belongs to you, but before celebrating go to the ministry of lands & do a search to confirm if the records have been updated and it reads your name.
Be safe with us.
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