Buying from a property developer or through an agent: what to check

Who does what

• A developer acquires land, builds, and sells units or plots in its own project — often before construction is finished (“off-plan”).
• An agent markets a property on behalf of the owner or developer and is usually paid a fee. The agent is not the owner.
• Estate surveyors and valuers are a regulated profession in Nigeria. The Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON) registers and regulates the practice of estate surveying and valuation.
• Rules for agents differ by state. In Lagos, for example, real estate practitioners must register with the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA), and it is unlawful to practise without registration.

Buying directly from a developer

• Confirm the company. Check its registered name and RC number through the Corporate Affairs Commission, and make sure the contract names the same company.
• Ask about the land under the project. Which title covers the estate, who holds it, and will your plot or unit get its own title or a sub-lease? Your lawyer should search the title at the registry for that location.
• Ask about approvals. Is there building or planning approval for the project as it is being built? In the FCT this comes from the Development Control Department.
• Read the payment schedule and delivery terms. For off-plan purchases, check what you pay and when, the promised completion date, and what happens — including refunds — if the project is delayed or changed.
• Know your completion documents. Ask exactly which document you will receive on full payment and who is responsible for registering it or obtaining any required consent.

Browse new developments on Landora to compare projects, then put these questions to the developer through an enquiry.

Buying through an agent

• Ask for the owner’s written authority. An agent should be able to show that the owner or developer has authorised them to market this specific property.
• Agree the fee in writing. Confirm who pays the agent, how much, and when. In Lagos, agency fees are subject to state regulation — check LASRERA’s current rules.
• Pay the seller, not the agent, unless your lawyer has confirmed in writing that a different arrangement is safe.
• Meet the owner or the developer’s authorised representative before you pay anything significant.

On Landora

Landora listings show who advertised them. Where the advertiser has a public professional profile, the listing links to it, so you can see who you are dealing with before you enquire — browse property professionals. Landora reviews partners through onboarding, but this does not mean Landora has confirmed a professional licence or registration, and it does not replace your own checks. See the Property Passport explanation in Help for what has and has not been checked on a listing.