By Richard Aina
Wisdom is profitable to direct (Ecclesiastes 10:10).
Over the years there has been lots of debate on which gives a better deal, building one’s house or buying a house already built. Regardless of which side of the divide one pitches his/her tent, there is no absolute answer to whether one should build or buy. Even experts disagree. Contractors recommend building a new home, whereas real-estate agents would sooner have you buy an existing home through an agent. The best way to decide however is to consider your needs and options and find the choice that is right for you.
For those who prefer to buy, and with the need to get value for money, some of the following tips should be followed to be considered a smart buyer and get value for money:
- Do not be in a hurry to pay: Parting with one hard earned money is not easy; losing it to fraudsters is devastating. Never be in a hurry to pay, take your time to evaluate the house. Return to the property in a day or two to re- evaluate the property with fresh eyes;
- Invite a third party: The excitement of buying a new house is overwhelming and you can be carried away to make anxious payment. To avoid succumbing to temptation, invite a pair of fresh unbiased eye to sample their opinions about the property;
- Make sure and confirm the house is not on state government Land: Yes we know all lands belongs to the government, but a property built on state government owned land will eventually be pulled down when the state government needs the land. Unfortunately, compensation is not guaranteed;
- Confirm the identity of the property owner: Professional real estate scammers sell properties indiscriminately using fake identities and document. Be sure the property seller is the property owner;
- Confirmations of all document : see all document related to the property , verify through all available channels before paying ;
- Get a lawyer (not the one introduced by the seller) involved to cover the whole transaction;
- Use a house Inspector: This may sound new, but it’s important to get a house inspector to check the property. A house inspector is an expert at property inspection. They see things you won’t see when looking at a property;
- Use a trustworthy and qualified real estate agent: The importance of this cannot be over emphasised. They help with negotiation, market knowledge and management of the transaction.
At Standard Alliance Properties Ltd (SA Properties), buyers can be sure that they will get value for their money whenever they buy properties from us. Indeed, testimonies abound from those who bought into the over 12 housing estates which the company has developed in the past seven years. As we journey into year 2015, SA Properties will be happy to help you become a smart house buyer and give you the ultimate real estate experience by contracting us for houses you can buy from our existing portfolios or key into upcoming projects.
You can visit our website www.sapropertiesng.com or pull a call through to any of our officers: Joel on 08055257665; Bukola 08028925308 on 0802392952; Efe on 08034969660 and Richard on 08038474838.
