In the property acquisition process, there are documents a buyer should acquire to validate transfer of ownership. Either it is from an individual property seller or real estate company.
Some of these documents require legal assessment to prevent forgery while others are formal paper but just as important.
Obtaining the right document will protect you from getting scammed and any future issue that may occur.
This blog post explains property documents and the importance of obtaining them.
Property Documents
Property documents refers to any instrument either formal or legal used in property transactions and is binding on the parties involved.
The documents will include information and agreements reached during the transaction process to transfer ownership of property.
Types Of Property Documents
Some of the documents issued during property acquisition process include:
Purchase Receipt:
This is a formal document issued by the seller to the buyer to confirm payment for the property. It indicates the previous owner’s name, buyer’s name, amount paid, balance if any, payment date as well as seller’s signature. It is an important document that confirms transfer of ownership.
Survey Plan:
This is a legal document confirming the validity and availability of the property for acquisition. It indicates landmarks as well as the total size of a piece of land.
With the information on a survey plan, you can easily confirm from the Surveyor General office if the land is under government acquisition.
Certificate Of Occupancy (C of O):
This is commonly known as C of O, it is a legal document issued by the government to confer land ownership to individuals. It is the major document that proclaims an individual as the owner of a land in Nigeria.
Deed Of Assignment:
It encompasses all the details necessary for the permanent transfer of land ownership from the seller to the buyer. It includes information about both parties and the land, all agreements made and it requires the governor’s consent for validity.
Deed Of Mortgage:
This is a document used in the mortgage property transaction process. It contains all the terms and conditions of the transaction from both the mortgagor and the mortgagee.
The mortgagor (the one acquiring the property), will be entitled to full ownership of the property once all payment and interest has been paid.
Importance Of Property Documents.
- They are necessary instruments to confirm transfer of property ownership from one party to another.
- They serve as proof of ownership against fraudulent claims to the property.
- They serve as record and evidence of all agreements reached by both parties during the acquisition process.
- Some property documents can be used as collateral evidence for financial loans.
- They serve as legal compliance instruments on the property.
What To Do When Obtaining Property Documents.
- Verify the authenticity of the property documents being issued to you.
- Ensure to request for the original copies of the documents.
- Get a clear understanding of all clauses in any of the legal documents through your legal official.
- Fill in the right information to all appropriate sections.
- Do not leave a section unfilled with required detail, especially if it is important.
- Review all agreements included in the documents, don’t rush the process.
- Do not accept incomplete or missing documents.
Conclusion
Although there are various documents issued during the property acquisition process, they vary according to the property type. Property documents are a means to safeguard your investment.
Aside from the major purchase receipt, some properties were issued a ‘Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), while some required ‘Governor’s Consent’.
It is important to know the entitled document for the property you want to acquire.
Do not make the mistake of looking through the property documents yourself without the assistance of a legal agent. You can get the service of a legal official to review the documents for the property.
There are also trusted and reliable real estate agencies who will issue you the appropriate document for any property acquired through them. You can check out their website for detailed information about their property on sales and the document issued for each of these properties.
At Sterling Homes, every property available for sales to our clients have the required documents.