Buying guides
Every guide also covers selling or letting from abroad. Own a home back home? List it yourself, free.
North Africa
- Buying property in Sudan from abroad
Why buying property in Sudan is very high risk during the war, what has happened to land records, and how Sudanese abroad can protect property they already own.
- How to buy property in Algeria from abroad
How Algerians abroad buy property in Algeria: the notarial deed, registration at the Conservation Foncière, the livret foncier, and a property power of attorney from a consulate.
- How to buy property in Egypt from abroad
How Egyptians abroad and foreigners buy property in Egypt: checking the seller's title, registration at the Shahr El Akary, and the rules for foreign buyers.
- How to buy property in Libya from abroad
Why buying property in Libya is unusually risky: confiscations under Law 4 of 1978, a national land registry closed since 2011, and how to reduce the risk.
- How to buy property in Mauritania from abroad
How land works in Mauritania: the titre foncier, why registered title is the key check, and what Mauritanians abroad and foreigners can hold.
- How to buy property in Morocco from abroad
How Moroccans living abroad (MRE) buy property in Morocco: titled land at the Conservation Foncière, the notary, purchase costs and moving money in.
- How to buy property in Tunisia from abroad
How Tunisians abroad and foreigners buy property in Tunisia: checking the land title, the governor's authorisation for foreign buyers, and the documents needed.
West Africa
- How to buy property in Benin from abroad
How Beninese abroad buy land in Benin: the Certificate of Land Ownership (CPF) from the ANDF, the notary, and checking a plot's history before paying.
- How to buy property in Burkina Faso from abroad
How Burkinabè abroad buy land: the attestation d'attribution, the urban dwelling permit, converting to a land title, and the single window for land.
- How to buy property in Cabo Verde from abroad
How Cabo Verdeans abroad buy property: the property registration certificate from the Conservatória do Registo Predial, the notary, and acting through a lawyer.
- How to buy property in Côte d'Ivoire from abroad
How Ivorians abroad buy land safely: the ACD that gives ownership of urban land, the ADU that starts the process, and checks at the Ministry of Construction.
- How to buy property in Ghana from abroad
What Ghanaians and others abroad can own in Ghana, how to check land at the Lands Commission, buying family or stool land safely, and registering your title.
- How to buy property in Guinea from abroad
How Guineans abroad buy land in Guinea: the land title in the Land Book, why "rights and claims" sales on family land cause disputes, and the safe steps.
- How to buy property in Guinea-Bissau from abroad
How land works in Guinea-Bissau: state ownership, concessions under the 1998 Land Law, customary rights, and the checks to make.
- How to buy property in Liberia from abroad
How Liberians abroad buy land: the Land Rights Act 2018, customary land, registration with the Liberia Land Authority, and checking deeds before paying.
- How to buy property in Mali from abroad
How Malians abroad buy land: the permis d'occuper, converting it to a land title, and checking a plot before paying.
- How to buy property in Niger from abroad
What a buyer abroad should check before buying land in Niger: the land title in urban areas, customary rights under the Rural Code, and the notary.
- How to buy property in Nigeria from abroad
How Nigerians abroad buy land or a home safely: the Certificate of Occupancy, Governor's Consent, a land registry search and a properly scoped power of attorney.
- How to buy property in Senegal from abroad
How Senegalese abroad buy land safely: why only a titre foncier gives full ownership, the notary, and an authentic power of attorney signed at a Senegalese consulate.
- How to buy property in Sierra Leone from abroad
How Sierra Leoneans abroad can buy land more safely: why a conveyance is not proof of ownership, checking survey plans, and the forgery schemes aimed at the diaspora.
- How to buy property in The Gambia from abroad
How Gambians abroad buy land safely: freehold, leasehold and customary land, leases from the Department of Lands and Surveys, and the real estate frauds aimed at the diaspora.
- How to buy property in Togo from abroad
How Togolese abroad buy land in Togo: the land title, the Land and Domain Code of 2018, the notary, and checking a plot before paying.
Central Africa
- How to buy property in Cameroon from abroad
How Cameroonians abroad buy land safely: the land certificate (titre foncier), checks with MINDCAF, and the fraudulent titles that have hit diaspora buyers.
- How to buy property in Chad from abroad
What a buyer abroad should check before buying land in Chad: the land title under Law No. 24 of 1967, customary rights, and why most buildings have no title.
- How to buy property in DR Congo from abroad
How Congolese abroad buy a plot in DR Congo: the rental contract and registration certificate, the Conservator of Immovable Titles, and fraudulent certificates.
- How to buy property in Equatorial Guinea from abroad
What to know before buying land in Equatorial Guinea: Law 4/2009 on land, presidential authorisation for foreign buyers, and the 50 km border rule.
- How to buy property in Gabon from abroad
How Gabonese abroad buy land: the titre foncier, the ANUTTC's single window, and the online land scams selling plots that don't exist.
- How to buy property in São Tomé and Príncipe from abroad
How property works in São Tomé and Príncipe: the property registry, usufruct on rural land, the move to computerised registration, and the checks to make.
- How to buy property in the Central African Republic from abroad
Why buying property in the Central African Republic is high risk: conflict, displacement and contested housing and land rights, and what to check.
- How to buy property in the Republic of the Congo from abroad
How to buy land safely in Brazzaville or Pointe-Noire from abroad: why only a registered titre foncier protects you, and the scams built on a permis d'occuper.
East Africa
- Buying property in Somalia from abroad
Why buying land in Somalia is high risk for the diaspora: no functioning land registry, lost title deeds and frequent disputes, and how to reduce the risk.
- How to buy property in Burundi from abroad
How Burundians abroad buy land: the titre foncier from the provincial land conservator, the communal certificat foncier, and the reciprocity rule for foreigners.
- How to buy property in Djibouti from abroad
How property works in Djibouti: mandatory registration at the Conservation Foncière, the urban land rules, and checking a title before buying.
- How to buy property in Ethiopia from abroad
How land and homes work in Ethiopia, what the Yellow Card lets the diaspora do, the 2025 law opening home ownership to foreigners, and how to check a title.
- How to buy property in Kenya from abroad
The steps a Kenyan in the diaspora takes to buy land or a home safely: the Ardhisasa search, a registered power of attorney, the sale agreement, stamp duty and transfer.
- How to buy property in Madagascar from abroad
How Malagasy abroad buy land: the titre foncier, the cheaper certificat foncier from the communal land office, and the land theft crackdown.
- How to buy property in Mauritius from abroad
How Mauritians abroad and foreigners buy property in Mauritius: the notary, registration within 8 days, the 5% registration duty, and the schemes open to foreigners.
- How to buy property in Rwanda from abroad
How Rwandans abroad and foreigners buy land in Rwanda: checking the title with the National Land Authority, the notary transfer, and Irembo services for the diaspora.
- How to buy property in Seychelles from abroad
How Seychellois abroad and foreigners buy property in Seychelles: the 5% stamp duty, Government Sanction for foreign buyers, and the priority given to Seychellois.
- How to buy property in South Sudan from abroad
How South Sudanese abroad buy land: the Land Act 2009, the three documents that prove ownership in Juba, and the double sales that cause disputes.
- How to buy property in Tanzania from abroad
How land works in Tanzania for citizens abroad and Tanzanians with foreign passports: rights of occupancy, the stalled diaspora land amendments, and the safe steps.
- How to buy property in the Comoros from abroad
How land works in the Comoros: customary and Islamic law alongside registration, why so little land is registered, and the disputes buyers should expect.
- How to buy property in Uganda from abroad
How Ugandans abroad buy land safely: the four land tenures, a search at the Ministry of Lands, stamp duty, transfer, and acting through a lawyer.
- Property in Eritrea from abroad: what the law allows
How land works in Eritrea: state ownership under Land Proclamation 58/1994, usufruct rights for citizens, and what that means for Eritreans abroad.
Southern Africa
- How to buy property in Angola from abroad
How Angolans abroad buy property: the 2004 Land Law, surface rights, the property registration certificate, and why so few properties have clear title.
- How to buy property in Botswana from abroad
How Batswana abroad and foreigners buy property: tribal, state and freehold land, the conveyancer and Deeds Registry, and the limits on non-citizens.
- How to buy property in Eswatini from abroad
How emaSwati abroad buy property: Swazi Nation Land versus Title Deed Land, the conveyancer, and registration at the Deeds Registry in Mbabane.
- How to buy property in Lesotho from abroad
How Basotho abroad buy land in Lesotho: leases under the Land Act 2010, the Land Administration Authority, and consent to transfer.
- How to buy property in Malawi from abroad
How Malawians abroad buy land: freehold, leasehold and customary estates under the Land Act 2016, the ban on selling land to non-citizens, and the title search.
- How to buy property in Mozambique from abroad
How property works in Mozambique: state-owned land, the DUAT land-use right, buying the building, and the protected coastal strip.
- How to buy property in Namibia from abroad
How Namibians abroad and foreigners buy property: the conveyancer, Deeds Office registration, transfer duty, and the limits on agricultural land.
- How to buy property in South Africa from abroad
How South Africans and foreigners abroad buy property: the conveyancer, Deeds Office registration, transfer duty and the deal receipt for money sent from overseas.
- How to buy property in Zambia from abroad
How Zambians abroad buy land safely: a search at the Ministry of Lands, consent to assign, title deeds, and the fake documents used by fraudulent agents.
- How to buy property in Zimbabwe from abroad
How Zimbabweans abroad buy property safely: title deed versus cession, a Deeds Office search by a registered conveyancer, and the scams aimed at diaspora buyers.