Monday, August 26, 2013

Can We Really Trust The Ghana Lands Commission?


If you are looking into buying land to build your dream home or to set up a business in Ghana, you might be wondering what many land buyers like yourself do, and that is if you can really trust the Ghana Lands Commission to help you acquire litigation free land of your choice, as well as provide you with all the necessary documentation that transfers ownership of the land completely to you. This article does not provide you with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer to the question. What this article does is to present to you the pros and cons of the Ghana Lands Commission and why you MUST use them during and after acquiring your land in Ghana.

The Ghana Lands Commission: Pros and Cons

The Ghana Lands Commission currently operating under the Lands Commission Act 2008, is mandated by Article 258 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana to manage all lands, be it public, stool, family or private lands in Ghana. It will interest you to know that 78% of all lands in Ghana are stool lands; meaning they belong to the chiefs and their communities and not the State. That said, as a land buyer you will be presented with the following pros and cons when dealing with the Commission.

Pros

  • You can obtain all genuine documentations to your land by dealing with the Commission for which reason they have offices in all ten regions of the country to make themselves accessible.
  • Documentation from the Commission protects your rights and defends you against powerful chiefs, encroachers and scammers who may try to reclaim or resell your land to inspecting buyers.
  • Transfer of ownership of lands is made easier when you have documentation from the Commission.

Cons

  • You invariably have to travel to six to eight other agencies e.g. Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands, Survey Department, etc. before you can obtain necessary documents from the Commission. This indeed is frustrating and resource consuming.
  • The division of tasks between the other agencies and the Commission has resulted in the fragmentation of responsibilities and lack of coordination in the work of the latter. Subsequently, it can take over a month to receive your land documents unless you offer tips to the staff who attend to you.
  • You can fall victim to losing your land without compensation ‘if’ the Commission under their mandate considers your land belonging to someone else or the State. This can occur if you do not deal with genuine staff in all the other agencies of the commission for example, the Land Title Registry before acquiring your land.
This last demerit is the more reason why you need to use the Lands Commission and its counterpart agencies when you intend to purchase any land in Ghana. They have shortcomings but can be trusted to protect your rights and defend you against powerful chiefs, encroachers and dubious people who may try to reclaim or resell your land in any event.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Looking To Build A Home In Ghana? Here Is How To Calculate The Cost



Building a home is perhaps the largest investment most Ghanaians will make in their lifetime. As with any major purchase, it is important to do your research to ensure that you are paying fair market value. If you begin the process without knowing what to expect financially, you could end up being overcharged for materials or labor and possibly even run out of funding before being able to complete the construction. Following is a quick guide to help you calculate the cost of building your own home.

Research prices.

Take some time to look at existing homes to see what you like and what you don’t like. Once you have basic idea of the type of floor plan you like and how much space you need, you can research the construction cost of similar homes. Even if you are planning to build the home yourself, getting an estimate from a couple of contractors is a good place to start. Shop around and be sure to get line by line estimates so that you can compare them accurately. You might even find that hiring a contractor to build the home for you is more economical than building it yourself. The Ghanaian government recently offered incentive packages to real estate developers to make housing more affordable for those in the low to middle income bracket.

Choose a house plan.

Once you have researched prices and determined how much house you can afford, you will want to choose a house plan. Generally speaking, the simpler the shape the less expensive the cost of construction will be.  A house plan that has a good basic structure typically offers the most flexibility as your needs change. You can always add additional features in the future as needed.

Get a professional bill of quantity.

When sourcing materials yourself, a bill of quantity can be very helpful (Most people skip this part and regret later). This is essentially a list of all of the building materials, hardware and other components you will need to build your home per the house plan you chose. A bill of quantity is invaluable when it comes to forecasting the costs of materials and budgeting accordingly. Ghana Homes Group provides a professional bill of quantity for a nominal fee. Once again, you may find that it is less expensive to hire a reputable contractor such as Ghana homes to build your home after sourcing materials yourself. Contractors often have established relationships with suppliers and are eligible for bulk discounts. The government incentive also offers exemption on the import duties of equipment and other supplies necessary for building affordable housing.



Do you have an uncompleted home project in Ghana?

Let Ghana homes complete it for you. Contact us to learn more.

Do You Need a Builder or a Contractor in Ghana?

Let Ghana Homes build your dreams home at a price you can afford: a custom home that fits your style, on your own land or ours with these three simple steps:
  1. Select and finalize a House Plan here (we can customize as needed)
  2. Work with Ghana Homes to get a bill of quantity (pricing)
  3. Sign a contract to secure price
  4. Make the required down payment (or with a pay as you build plan)
  5. We begin construction
Contact Ghana Homes today for a personal consultation.

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Monday, August 12, 2013

How To build Your Dream Home In Ghana While Living Abroad

building a home in Ghana - Map

Two of the most stressful things in life are finances and family. When you combine the two—the results can be disastrous. Yet, that is what many Ghanaians who live abroad do when building a home. They send money to family members intending for it to be used to build their home. Sometimes this works out, but more often than not the money is used by the family members for other expenses. The dream of building a home in Ghana turns into a nightmare and relationships are ruined in the process. Following is some advice for building a home in Ghana while living abroad.

Think with your head, not your heart.

It is often to separate the two when building a home—this is a very emotional process. Many people think that by dealing with family members and building the home themselves they can save a substantial amount of money. Instead, it usually ends up costing more. The average person is not familiar with local building codes and efficient means of construction. Inferior craftsmanship will not pass a building inspection and will ultimately have to be repaired or replaced. Hiring an experienced contractor to do the work will ensure that the building is structurally sound. Explaining to family members that even though you trust them with your money, you don’t want to compromise on the quality or safety of your home is perhaps the most tactful way to handle the situation.

Choose the right contractor.

There are many other benefits of hiring a contractor rather than family members. Contractors are better equipped to:
  • Offer professional insight to improve your floor plan.
  • Build a home quickly and more efficiently.
  • Negotiate with suppliers and subcontractors to obtain lower prices on building materials, etc.
  • Resolve disputes when necessary.
That being said, it is important to choose the right contractor. Otherwise, you could still find yourself paying more for an inferior product. As with any profession, there are a few dishonest contractors who overcharge for labor and/or use cheap or stolen materials. Take the time to research a few different companies to see what their experience level is and make sure that you trust them. Ultimately, your decision to hire a contractor rather than relying on family should be based on their reputation, reliability and your own comfort level.


Do You Need a Builder or a Contractor in Ghana?

Let Ghana Homes build your dreams home at a price you can afford: a custom home that fits your style, on your own land or ours with these three simple steps:
  1. Select and finalize a House Plan here (we can customize as needed)
  2. Work with Ghana Homes to get a bill of quantity (pricing)
  3. Sign a contract to secure price
  4. Make the required down payment (or with a pay as you build plan)
  5. We begin construction
Contact Ghana Homes today for a personal consultation.

Use any of the social icons below to share this article.
 

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