Land Investment Checklist: 15 Things to Confirm Before You Buy

Across our guides on Kenyan land buying, a consistent set of checks keeps coming up. Here they are consolidated into one checklist you can work through before any purchase.

Title and Legal Status

1. Independently verified, clean title with no caveats or disputes — see our verification process
2. Confirmed tenure type — freehold or leasehold
3. Land rates and rent clearance confirmed
4. No outstanding charges or encumbrances — see our encumbrances guide
5. Land Control Board consent obtained, if applicable to agricultural land

Physical Verification

1. Beacons physically located and matched to the survey plan
2. Access road condition checked, ideally in both dry and wet seasons
3. Actual servicing (power, water) confirmed, not just advertised
4. No riparian reserve or wayleave reducing usable acreage

The Seller

1. Verifiable physical office and operating history
2. Willing to answer due diligence questions without pressure — see our vetting guide

The Transaction

1. Clear, written terms on deposit refundability
2. Agreed responsibility for stamp duty and registration fees
3. Realistic timeline for title transfer, in writing
4. Zoning confirmed to match your intended use

Bottom Line

Working through all 15 points before committing takes real time, but far less than resolving a problem that surfaces because one was skipped.