TIPS: Buying Residential Stands In Zimbabwe -ZNOART
The Zimbabwe National Organisation of Associations and Resident Trust (ZNOART) has listed procedures that can be followed by home seekers to avoid being duped when buying residential stands.
This comes when many people have for many years been duped by land barons who sell them illegally acquired residential stands.
ZNOART said when buying residential stands or any piece of land in Zimbabwe, the first port of call is the relevant local authority and then the Deeds and surveyor general. Said ZNOART:
Ask for the following documents and information :
- Subdivision permit- issued after layout plans have been approved
- Development Permit – issued after engineering designs have been approved by Council Engineers
- Dispensation Certificate – issued after title survey have been approved by Surveyor General
- Certificate of Compliance- issued by council
- Title deed of the property(title deed gives the legal name of the property which can be verified by the Registrar of Deeds for $1RTGS l, 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)
- 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 be approved by Dept of Physical Planning
- NB In Zimbabwe only 2 Local Authorities are allowed to give subdivision permits (at this point in time) without passing through the Ministry of Local Government, that is City of Harare and City of Bulawayo.
If he/she fails to produce these when you request for them put a big? It’s highly likely that their project or development is not compliant and you might be duped. Even if he/she tries to persuade you that we will be done with all the paperwork 📝 soon, just walk away. Many people have been told that before and there are areas which have no complience as far back as 1998. You will not work and It won’t work simple!!!
We all know that investment in Real Estate (Buildings) is one of the best investment one can ever make in life but if you are not careful unobirwa. So be observant and analytical. Don’t be given a contact person by the developers for enquiries. Visit and call the government and local authorities offices. Visit their websites. Most councils are now online, even Deeds office has an online portal for inquiries about deeds(but you have to know the name of the property as it is on the title deed.
DO NOT LOSE MONEY TO LAND BARONS FOR NOTHING.
Recently, hundreds of houses were demolished countrywide with relevant local authorities arguing that they were built on undesignated areas such as wetlands and recreational spots.–pindula
