How to buy property in The Gambia from abroad

Last checked 2026-10-03

Diaspora Gambians have lost large sums to real estate frauds, including plots that were paid for and never delivered. Land in The Gambia is freehold, leasehold or customary; government land is leased for up to 99 years under the Lands Act 1990.

The steps

  1. Hire your own lawyer in The Gambia.
  2. Find out the tenure: freehold, leasehold or customary.
  3. For leasehold land, check the lease with the Department of Lands and Surveys, which prepares government leases.
  4. For customary land, get the transfer from the municipality or area council and the certificate of ownership from the Area Council and Alkalo, and confirm with neighbours.
  5. Sign and register the transfer before paying in full.

Buying from a developer

Before paying an estate developer, check that it has title to the whole estate and approved plans, and visit the plot. Pay in stages tied to documents you can verify.

Selling or letting from abroad

Many people abroad own property in Gambia: a house they built, family land, or a home they inherited. You can usually sell it or let it out without travelling, but owners who live abroad are also a common target for fraud. These are the general steps. The rules, taxes and forms in Gambia are for a lawyer there to confirm.

Selling from abroad

  1. Confirm the property is registered in your name. If it belonged to a relative who has died, the estate usually has to be settled and the title transferred to the heirs before anyone can sell it.
  2. Hire your own lawyer in Gambia, not one introduced by the buyer or an agent.
  3. Get a current official search of the title, so you know what the buyer's lawyer will see.
  4. If someone will sign for you, give them a power of attorney limited to this one property and this one sale, with an end date. Ask your lawyer how it must be signed and authenticated (before a notary, by apostille or through the embassy) and whether it must be registered.
  5. Ask your lawyer which taxes and fees fall on the seller, such as tax on the gain and transfer or stamp duties, and whether any tax clearance is needed before the transfer.
  6. Have the buyer pay into your lawyer's client account or your own bank account, never to a relative or agent personally.
  7. Ask your bank and lawyer how to move the money abroad, and keep the paperwork that shows where it came from.

Letting it out from abroad

  • Use a written tenancy agreement and keep a copy yourself.
  • Choose a manager or agent you can check up on, and agree in writing what they collect, what they charge and when they pay you.
  • Ask about tax on rent. Many countries tax rent earned there even when the owner lives abroad, and some make tenants withhold tax from rent paid to owners abroad.
  • Have someone you trust visit regularly, and check the title register now and then. Forged sales of absent owners' property are common.

Warning signs for owners abroad

  • An agent or relative asking for a general power of attorney over everything you own.
  • A buyer who wants to pay in cash, or to pay someone other than you or your lawyer.
  • Pressure to sign before your own lawyer has seen the documents.
  • Someone else listing or showing your property without your knowledge.

Own a home in Gambia? List it for sale or rent yourself, free.

Common questions

How long is a land lease in The Gambia?

Government-owned land is leased for a maximum of 99 years under the Lands Act 1990. The lease is prepared by the Department of Lands and Surveys.

How do I buy customary land in The Gambia?

Get the transfer document from the relevant municipality and a certificate of ownership from the Area Council and Alkalo of the village, and confirm the boundaries with neighbours.

How do I avoid real estate fraud in The Gambia?

Use your own lawyer, check the title with the Department of Lands and Surveys, visit the plot, and pay developers in stages against documents you can verify.

Can I sell my property in Gambia while living abroad?

Usually, yes. Most sales from abroad go through a local lawyer and a representative holding a power of attorney limited to the one sale. Ask a lawyer in Gambia how that power of attorney must be signed and registered.

Do I pay tax when I sell property in Gambia?

Often. Many countries tax the gain on a property sale and charge transfer or stamp duties, including for owners who live abroad. Ask a lawyer or tax adviser in Gambia what applies before you agree a price.

Can I list my own property on ResidentFinder?

Yes. Owners can list a home for sale or for rent themselves, without an agent, and listing is free. Buyers and renters contact you directly through ResidentFinder.

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Sources

This guide is general information, not legal advice, and is not definitive. Laws, fees and procedures change; confirm every step with a licensed lawyer in the country before you pay anything.