13/08/2026
“THE SELLER HAD DOCUMENTS… SO WHY DID THE BUYER STILL LOSE?”
Imagine finding a beautiful piece of land.
The location is promising.
The price is attractive.
The seller looks legitimate.
And then the seller brings out a file.
Inside are documents.
Survey plan.
Agreement.
Receipts.
Maybe even an old title document.
You look at everything and think:
“Everything seems legitimate. Let me pay before somebody else takes it.”
You make the payment.
You take possession.
You begin planning what to build.
Then someone appears.
And says:
“That land is not his to sell.”
Suddenly, the question is no longer:
“How much is the property worth?”
It becomes:
“WHO ACTUALLY HAD THE RIGHT TO SELL IT?”
One of the most dangerous assumptions a property buyer can make is:
“The seller has documents, therefore the seller owns the property.”
Not necessarily.
A document presented by a seller is not the end of the investigation.
A serious buyer needs to understand how the seller acquired the property in the first place.
That is the beginning of what property professionals refer to as investigating the root of title.
WHAT IS ROOT OF TITLE?
Think of it as the property’s ownership history.
If someone tells you:
“I own this land and I’m selling it to you.”
You should want to know:
How did you become the owner?
And then:
Can that earlier transaction be verified?
Because if the seller’s ownership is defective, the buyer may inherit the problem.
HERE IS WHERE MANY BUYERS GO WRONG
They investigate the property.
But they don’t investigate the seller’s authority to sell the property.
They ask:
“Where is the land?”
But fail to ask:
“Who legally owns this land?”
They ask:
“Can I inspect it?”
But fail to ask:
“Can the person selling it legally transfer the interest they’re claiming?”
They ask:
“How much?”
But fail to ask:
“What exactly am I acquiring?”
At Citismiles Properties Ltd., we believe one of the most important questions in any property transaction is:
WHO ARE YOU BUYING FROM?
Not just the person’s name.
Not just their identity.
Not just their business card.
Not just the documents they place in front of you.
You need to establish the seller’s interest, title and authority in relation to the property.
That is why due diligence is not a formality.
It is part of the investment.
THE 6-STEP CITISMILES PROPERTY CHECK™
Before committing substantial funds to a property, think through these questions:
1. VERIFY THE VENDOR
Who exactly is selling?
Is the person the owner?
If acting for someone else, what authority do they have?
2. TRACE THE ROOT OF TITLE
How did the seller acquire the property?
What documents support that acquisition?
Can the chain of ownership be established?
3. SEARCH THE RELEVANT RECORDS
Appropriate searches should be conducted with the relevant land authority/registry and other applicable sources to determine the status of the property.
4. CHECK FOR ENCUMBRANCES
5. INVESTIGATE PHYSICAL POSSESSION
Who is occupying the property?
Is someone else claiming an interest?
Are there tenants, family members, neighbours or other persons whose presence raises questions?
Physical inspection should not be treated as a substitute for legal investigation but it can reveal questions that require further inquiry.
6. GET THE TRANSACTION PROPERLY DOCUMENTED
Don’t stop at:
“I have paid.”
Make sure the transaction is properly documented and the appropriate steps required to perfect or register the interest are understood.
THE BIGGEST MISTAKE?
BUYING FIRST AND INVESTIGATING LATER.
Some buyers think:
“Let me pay the deposit first. We can verify everything afterward.”
That is dangerous.
Once substantial money has changed hands, the emotional and financial pressure surrounding the transaction can become enormous.
The better approach is:
Investigate → Evaluate → Negotiate → Document → Pay according to the agreed transaction structure.
Not:
Pay → Hope → Investigate.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR PROPERTY INVESTORS
If you’re buying land because you believe the area will appreciate, remember:
Location appreciation cannot rescue defective ownership.
You can buy land in the fastest-growing location in Nigeria.
You can predict the infrastructure correctly.
You can buy at a fantastic price.
But if the transaction was not properly investigated and structured, your biggest problem may have nothing to do with market appreciation.
It may be ownership.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR REAL ESTATE BROKERS
This case study also teaches an important lesson to agents and brokers.
Brokerage is not merely about connecting a buyer to a seller.
A professional broker should understand that their reputation is connected to the quality of the transactions they facilitate.
That means:
Don’t knowingly hide material information.
Don’t make legal assurances you are not qualified to make.
Don’t treat documentation as decoration.
Don’t pressure buyers to skip due diligence because “someone else is ready to buy.”
And when legal verification is required:
Bring in the appropriate qualified legal professionals.
WHERE CITISMILES PROPERTIES COMES IN
This is exactly where we believe Citismiles Properties Ltd. should occupy a different position in the market.
We are not simply interested in saying:
“Here is a property. Buy it.”
Our role as a Real Estate Advisory & Brokerage Company is to help clients approach property acquisition with better information and better decision-making.
We help clients ask the questions that should be answered before the transaction not after a dispute begins.
Because a good property opportunity is not merely:
Good location + good price.
It is:
Good opportunity + credible ownership + appropriate due diligence + proper documentation + sound investment rationale.
DON’T JUST VERIFY THE PROPERTY.
VERIFY THE PERSON SELLING IT.
Because the question isn’t simply:
“Is there land here?”
The question is:
“Does the person selling this property have the right and authority to transfer the interest they are offering me?”
That question could be worth millions of naira.
Imagine someone offers you a plot for ₦5 million.
The location is excellent.
The price is below comparable properties.
The seller shows you documents.
And tells you:
“If you don’t pay today, someone else will buy it.”
Would you pay immediately?
Or would you investigate first?
Before you invest in Real Estate, Talk to Us FIRST
Call/WhatsApp: 08037052013
Citismiles Properties Ltd.
Real Estate Advisory & Brokerage
We don’t just show you properties. We teach you how to think about the transaction behind them.