Selling land online in Kenya has become increasingly popular over the past few years. With more Kenyans gaining access to the internet and smartphones, using online platforms to market and sell land has made the process much easier. There are several benefits to selling land online in Kenya:
- Wider reach – Listing land for sale online exposes it to a much larger audience across Kenya and even globally, compared to traditional methods like putting up a sign on the property or advertising in a local newspaper.
- Convenience – The seller can market the land and deal with buyers completely online, without having to physically show the land to each interested party. Photos and videos can be shared instead.
- Lower costs – Listing online is often free or low-cost, unlike newspaper ads or real estate agents. There are no printing or distribution costs either.
- Easier comparison – Buyers can easily evaluate multiple land listings side-by-side online and contact sellers directly.
However, there are also risks like fraudulent listings and buyers that need to be kept in mind when selling your land online in Kenya.
Overall, with some diligence, Kenyans can leverage online platforms effectively for faster and more lucrative land sales.
Choosing the Right Online Platform To Sell Land in Kenya
When picking an online platform to list your land for sale in Kenya, you need to evaluate several factors:
- Reputation and traffic – Choose established platforms that get good traffic from serious buyers. For instance, Realty.co.ke, BuyRent Kenya, and Pigiame are popular options with existing user bases. Newer platforms may get less traffic initially.
- Location focus – Some sites like Farmers Trend focus on agricultural land while others like Kenya Property Guide have urban home buyers as their target audience. Pick ones most relevant to your locale and land type.
- Listing costs – While some like Jiji offer free listings, others like Property24 charge a fee. Consider your budget and how much you’re willing to spend to list. Pricier sites tend to offer more exposure and features.
- Advertising options – To increase visibility, look for sites that allow paying to boost or spotlight your listing. This gets more impressions in search results and listings pages.
- Listing duration – Some only let you list for a limited number of days while others allow renewing till it sells. Pick the latter if you don’t want restrictions.
- Listing features – Evaluate useful features like search ranking factors, photo galleries, location maps, visitor stats, lead messaging, and property widgets.
- Buyer verification – To avoid fraudulent buyers, pick sites that screen users, verify IDs and allow earnest deposits to be processed through the platform if possible.
- Support – Check if the platform offers self-service support resources or dedicated assistance in posting and managing your listing.
- List on multiple sites – Instead of choosing just one platform, list your property across several relevant sites to maximize exposure. Use aggregated listings sites like Mamahud to easily post to multiple marketplaces at once.
Thoroughly researching and comparing real estate platforms takes work upfront, but maximizes your chances of successfully selling your land online in the Kenyan market.
Preparing Your Listing Details
To create an effective online listing for selling your land in Kenya, you need to prepare all the relevant details buyers will need to make an informed decision. Here are key things to focus on:
Photos and videos
Quality visuals showing all parts of your land are essential. Capture the boundaries, any developments/structures, surrounding roads and amenities, scenic views and unique aspects. Showcase the best attributes through multiple photos, aerial shots by drone, and walkthrough or panoramic videos if possible.
Detailed description
Be thorough in describing the land’s size, dimensions, terrain, soil quality, vegetation, access to utilities like water and electricity, nearby schools, hospitals and other facilities, etc. Highlight any special or rare aspects. Mention if it’s a titled property with leasehold rights versus communal land. Disclose any encumbrances.
Location
Pinpoint the precise location on a map with GPS coordinates if available. Directional details are very important for remote rural plots. For urban areas, mention major roads and landmarks nearby.
Price and terms
State your asking price and specify if it’s negotiable. Outline payment terms – deposit amount, full payment on transfer, installment options if any, acceptable payment methods, who pays transfer costs, etc. Be transparent about pricing to establish trust.
Reason for sale
Explaining why you are selling, like relocating, upsizing, etc can help buyers relate to your motivation. Avoid vagueness that raises suspicions.
Development potential
Note construction potential for residential or commercial projects, scope for farm use based on soil, availability of utilities for amenities, etc.
Comparables
Where possible, research prices of similar neighboring plots of land sold recently to back up and justify your asking price. This indicates it’s a fair market value.
Contact details
Provide multiple contact channels like phone, email, social media, online form, etc. Make it easy for buyers to reach you with questions or site visits. Be responsive.
Legal compliance
Specify if the land has a title deed. Outline the transfer process clearly. Keep your listing language compliant with Kenyan property advertising laws.
Being meticulously detailed and accurate in your listing content will gain buyers’ trust and interest much more effectively than vague, skimpy descriptions with key details missing.
Verifying and Screening Potential Buyers
Once your land listing starts getting inquiries online, you need to carefully vet buyers to avoid fraudulent dealings, especially for high-value properties. Here are some tips:
- ID verification – Request official photo ID like national ID cards, driver’s licenses, passports, etc. Check names and photos match. Run background checks on them if possible to uncover any red flags.
- Call buyers – Actually speaking over the phone lets you assess if they sound genuinely interested. You can gauge if responses seem evasive or inconsistent.
- In-person meetings – Nothing beats meeting face-to-face before finalizing a sale. Notice their mannerisms. Visit their claimed residential address. Assess body language for signs of deception.
- Social media review – Study their social media accounts if public. Fake buyers usually have sparse friends/connections and minimal authentic posts or reviews.
- Professional background – Ask for their current occupation, workplace phone numbers, LinkedIn profiles, etc. to corroborate they are who they claim to be.
- Funds verification – Ask for proof of sufficient funds like bank statements, loan pre-approvals, etc. if you don’t require full payment upfront.
- Purchase purpose – Understand why they want the land, their plans, timeline, etc. Detailed coherent responses indicate sincere buyers.
- Earnest deposit – Require a substantial upfront deposit that you can retain if they default on the sale. This screens out non-serious buyers.
- Legal contracts – Have both parties sign legally binding sales agreements with strict penalties for any defaults or misrepresentations.
- Title transfer – Only handover title deed after full payment is received and cleared. Use escrow services if possible.
- Awareness – Stay alert to common scams like bidding with no intention to buy, reselling at higher prices, etc. Trust your intuition.
Taking these precautions will help avoid falling victim to “buyers” who give fake details and disappear after tying up the land or gaining ownership through deceitful techniques.
Read also: 6 Best Online Business Platforms in Kenya
Closing the Sale Securely
Once you’ve found a verified serious buyer for your land in Kenya, you want the sale process and transfer of ownership to be smooth, legal and secure. Here are some tips:
Tip #1: Choose reputed professionals
Work with a known trustworthy lawyer to oversee the transaction and transfer. Pick an established firm for official land surveys if required.
Tip #2:Review the sales contract thoroughly
Understand each term before signing. Clarify any doubts. Ensure it covers contingencies, payment timeline, transfer date, penalties for defaulting, dispute resolution, etc.
Tip #3: Stick to the agreed timeline
Delaying the process after accepting an offer erodes trust. But don’t rush through either. Fulfil contract terms on time.
Tip #4: Keep documentation ready
Have the title deed, survey maps, sale agreements, PIN certificates, tax compliance papers, payment receipts, etc. well-organized in advance for efficiency.
Tip #5: Inform relevant authorities
Notify the Lands Ministry, county government, land control board, etc. about the upcoming change in land ownership per legal requirements.
Tip #6: Make only lawful alterations
Even if the buyer requests changes to the land pre-transfer like erecting a structure, check regulations to avoid contravening any.
Tip #7: Accept payments cautiously
Insist on bank cheques or formal transfers. Don’t take cash, which can be counterfeit. Only acknowledge full cleared payment.
Tip #8: Use escrow services
For extra security, have payments routed through licensed escrow agents who only release funds once title deed transfer is complete.
Tip #9: Handover title deed in person
Where possible, physically deliver the original title deed to the buyer rather than relying on postal or courier services which can get lost or stolen in transit.
Tip #10: Get official confirmation
After completing the transfer process, obtain documentation from the Lands Ministry confirming the buyer as the new lawful owner.
Tip #11: Keep sale records forever
Retain sale agreements, payment evidence, bank transfer records, govt notifications, tax filings, etc related to the transaction permanently in case any disputes arise in future.
By following best practices around contracts, documentation, payment and title transfer during the sale, you can ensure a smooth seamless land transfer free of fraud or legal issues.
Key Takeaways
- List land for sale on reputed online platforms with high buyer traffic to gain maximum exposure.
- Prepare a detailed, accurate listing with visuals, location, pricing, disclosures and contact details.
- Carefully screen buyers for authenticity before allowing viewings or accepting offers.
- Use legal contracts, escrow services and verified professionals for secure sale process.
- Transfer title deed only after full payment clearance and required government notification.
- Retain all sale documentation perpetually as future evidence.
Read also: