How to buy a house for sale in Ghana
Ghana is a land full of many opportunities and one of the most loved ones is real estate in Ghana. It is the dream of almost every Ghanaian to own a home. Finding a house for sale in Ghana is a common pursuit as Ghana has a thriving property market. If you are in the business of buying houses for investment purposes or personal use then Ghana is a great place to invest in.
Real estate in Ghana can be purchased by locals and expatriates alike. For locals, it is a rather straightforward process of getting the price of the house and then making payment for it. Expats and Ghanaians in the diaspora can also buy a house in Ghana but they must understand and adhere to legal requirements. Apart from that, some form of informal investigation must be done before making a purchase. We will discuss those processes below.
Real Estate in Ghana
There are many real estate companies in Ghana who are making a great impact on the quality of real estate in Ghana. The real estate market in Ghana is growing daily. Thousands of genuine properties can be found on the market. Meqasa.com is a real estate marketplace that hosts thousands of properties all over Ghana. Searches can be conducted for properties in Ghana in areas such as Tema, East Legon, Dzorwulu, Airport Hills, North Legon, Cantonments, Osu, Labone, Ridge, Achimota, Westlands, Kumasi and more.
There are a lot of estate houses for sale in Accra that you can take advantage of. For young singles or newly-weds, 1 or 2 bedroom houses are preferred while for most others, properties with a higher number of bedrooms are more appealing. The cost of a 3 bedroom house in Ghana, for example, is very relative depending on the area that you are buying it from.
Ghana has a variety of properties available from 1 bedroom apartments, 2 bedroom apartments, 3 bedroom apartments, 4, bedroom apartments and more. You can find luxury homes in Ghana along with lands for sale in Ghana’s vibrant real estate market.
Types of houses for sale in Ghana
Ghana has houses of all types for sale. Each house is a thing of beauty. You will find many beautiful houses in Ghana as you search for your dream home to buy.
Some of the houses that you can purchase in Ghana are:
- Estate houses
- Detached houses
- Semi-detached houses
- Apartments
- Bungalows
- Condominiums
- Villas
- Container homes
- Mansions
The prices of the houses above range between GHC 100K to GHC 20M depending on the location of the house, the type of material used to build it and whether the house is furnished or not. There are also commercial buildings like office complexes, shopping malls, retail stores, markets, etc that can be owned by individuals. You can also look out for houses for sale in Ghana, East Legon; old houses for sale in Accra; mortgage houses for sale in Accra; estate houses for sale in Ghana or a house for sale in Ghana, Kumasi. These are just examples of some of the property types that many people search for. You can run a search on meqasa.com for the type of property that you are looking for.
What to look out for when buying a house in Ghana
When you are ready to buy a house in Ghana there are some important things that you need to consider before writing that cheque. When you see a “house for sale in Ghana” sign that you are interested in, you should immediately start thinking about these 3 main points:
1. Work with a verified agent or developer
Agents and developers know the real estate market in Ghana and can guide you throughout the process. The agents on meqasa.com are verified agents and agencies that can assist you in your search for a property. We verify each agent and developer that is listed on this website so you can be assured of professionals. Avoid unapproved and unprofessional agents who will cause you more harm than good. You can ask whether the agent is registered with the Ghana Association of Real Estate Brokers (GAR) to start with. For developers, you can check if they are members of the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA).
2. Research
Don’t just take the word of an agent for granted. Even though they are truthful, the fact of the matter remains that they are selling you a property and so they may only highlight the positives. After viewing the property, interview some of the locals about the property to find out if there has been any past history that you should know about. Scout the area by day and night to find out if its a good area with low noise pollution, active streetlights, peaceful neighbours, etc.
Compare the prices of similar properties within the area to find out if you are paying the right amount for this property. Your personal investigation is key to acquiring a worthwhile property.
3. Condition of the home
The condition in which you are acquiring the house is very important if you want to benefit from your investment. In Ghana, Buying a house means that you acquire the land title as well. Check to see in the land is good and whether or not it’s situated in a waterway or is prone to flooding. Check the state of the building and look out for the alignment of the pillars, floor plans, the strength of the building etc. You can get a valuer or developer to profile the land and check the structural integrity of the building.
How to buy a house as a Ghanaian living in the diaspora
If you are living away from home and want to purchase a house then it would be best to work with an agent or someone you trust. This person should be able to inspect the property you want to purchase. The person should be knowledgeable within the Ghanaian real estate market so that they can make informed decisions and communicate that to you.
If you happen to come to Ghana for a visit at an ideal time and have some time to spare, then you can also attend the Meqasa housing fairs to have a real face to face meeting with top developers in Ghana.
How to buy a house as a foreigner in Ghana
If you are an expat living in Ghana or a non-resident foreigner who is interested in purchasing land in Ghana then this is for you. If you are buying a house in Ghana as an investment then you would be required to register with the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC). If you are purchasing land for your personal use then you should do your due diligence first.
Buying land in Ghana is done on a leasehold system where you don’t really own the land but it is leased to you for a set amount of years. For Ghanaians, it is normally 99 years but for non-Ghanaians, the maximum leasehold that you can have on any land purchased in Ghana is 50 years.
1. Work with registered professionals
Foreigners purchasing land in Ghana are usually more susceptible to con men. It is important to work with registered real estate agents/agencies who can assist you in acquiring a property legally. All agents on our website are verified so working on our website is a good place to start. You can work directly with the developers to get the best deals possible.
2.Have a lawyer
The Ghanaian government has very good laws to protect and encourage expatriates to do business in Ghana. Any foreigner doing business in Ghana is bound by the laws of Ghana which protect them and give them certain rights and privileges. Any foreigner buying a house or land in Ghana should have a lawyer who can explain and help in the interpretation of the laws concerning property ownership.
3. Don’t rush
The final piece of advice that we shall give is not to rush or be forcefully coerced into buying a house in Ghana. Take your time to do all due diligence before going on to make a purchase. Ask all the necessary questions and be fully convinced before you buy a house in Ghana.
There are literally thousands of real estate opportunities from the low to the middle income, high-income earners and even the super-rich. There are also lots of houses for rent in Ghana as well if you don’t need to buy. Buying a house in Ghana can make a big difference in your life. Whether it’s as an investment or for personal use, there is always a house for sale in Ghana which will be ideal for you.