*BUYING STAND TIPS*

When buying stands the first point of call AFTER VIEWING is council, then deeds office and
surveyor general
Ask for the following documents and information
1. Subdivision permit- issued after layout plans have been approved
2. Development Permit - issued after engineering designs have been approved by Council
Engineers
3. Dispensation Certificate - issued after title survey have been approved by Surveyor General
4. Certificate of Compliance- issued by council
5. Title deed of the property(title deed gives the legal name of the property which can be verified
by the Registrar of Deeds , including the person who owes the property or stand) or Offer letter
from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works & National Housing (this can be verified
by the Department of Stateland or Department of Physical Planning)
6. If he/she holds an offer letter from Ministry of Lands be suspicious because he/she needs no get
a change of use permit from say agriculture to residential/housing, then layout has to follow

Buying Real Estate Property in Zimbabwe; What to look for?

We all know someone who has been a victim to some sort of scam concerning real estate property.
It might be someone selling land they do not own or simply selling land that does not exist.As
buyers we need to do our due diligence before we buy properties and to sufficiently protect them
once we acquire them.We will focus on the measures that can be taken to safeguard yourself from
falling victim to conmen who dupe people by selling properties that do not belong to them .
Does the land exist and is it fit for the purpose?
Before you buy land, whether you are buying a stand or plot, firstly you need to know if the land
actually exists. This seems fairly obvious, but some people are quick to pay for land they have not
seen. There are some people who are quick to dupe you if you’re gullible.
Secondly, you need to know the exact location of the piece of land and assess its fit for the
purposes you need it.We would not want to buy land in a swampy area or buy land designated for
something else or an open space to build a home. If not sure of the permitted use of the land, you
have to check with the local authority on what is permissible in certain areas
If the property has a deed it is also important to verify that the land has no caveats or
encumbrances that might restrict what you can do with the land. A caveat is a formal notice
lodged on real estate property and is endorsed on the title deeds. Its purpose is to stop any person
from dealing with the real estate property. An encumbrance is a right by a third part on the
property of another, which restricts the owner from alienating the property without uplifting the
encumbrance.

Land with cession

The buyer is to accompany the seller when applying for the cession. It is a requirement of the
council that the buyer should have attained the age of majority and be registered on the council
housing waiting list.
It is prudent that buyer brings spouse along with them.
The district officer will complete a cession application which the seller and buyer will sign
together with their spouse.
The district officer will retain a copy of the application on the property file at the district office
and then sends the main copy to the head office.
The district officer will refer the buyer and seller to the head office where cession will be
concluded.
Private developers may have their own internal processes which buyers and sellers have to
follow.eg. an agreement of sale and proof of payment and declarations by both parties confirming
the transaction ,followed by name change .
This normally is conducted and concluded at their offices of operation.

If there is a Title Deed there is need for Deed search and Verifications!
The title deeds represent the registration of a real right in a property at the Deeds Office.
This registration is intended to remove any doubts as to ownership of a particular property.
A seller shall never fail to avail the DEED or the deed NUMBER along with their Identity details
in form of a certified photocopy of their national ID card .
This will enable the prospective buyer to carry out independent verifications of the Deed and
property and owners.
This is done at the deeds office.
It is imperative on purchasers of a property that they first verify with the Deeds Office the
authenticity of particular title documents as this will put doubts to bed if all checks out or raise
alarms in case of red flags found!eg seller may not be real owner,seller may change names,cases
of stolen Identity and forged papers!

Fake Title Deeds

I will mention fake title deeds. fake identification cards are used in the issue of fake title deeds.
This shows that even when the name on the title deed matches the identification card, it may not
be legitimate. For this scam to be successful, buyers are referred to fake law firms on transferring
the properties. Fraudsters can pose as lawyers so if you are suspicious look deeper, find out if the
law firm has a license and if that lawyer is a member of the law society.

Buying from cooperatives is usually discouraged for number of factors

1) land given or allocated to cooperatives is meant to benefit the subscribers only
2)there has been a lot of unregistered coops descending on land and settling illegally which has
left a lot of people crying foul after losing hard earned cash as well as the structures being
demolished!To see if a coop is genuine you are advised to get a copy of its certificate and verify
with Registra of Coops at Remembrance
To see if land being sold is genuine there has to be papers to verify with the relevant local
government office!
Eg Allocation or offer letter with the coop name,Subdivision permit, surveyor general certificate
etc
With the plan numbers
Best wishes
For genuine stands from genuine established developers follow
Buying from cooperatives is usually discouraged for number of factors
1) land given or allocated to cooperatives is meant to benefit the subscribers only
2)there has been a lot of unregistered coops descending on land and settling illegally which has
left a lot of people crying foul after losing hard earned cash as well as the structures being
demolished!
There is need to see if a cooperative REGISTERED and is genuine
There is need to verify the paperwork
You are advised to get a copy of its paperwork
Best wishes
For genuine stands from genuine established developers follow
https://www.facebook.com/pg/realestatehubsolutions/