7 Tips to Buying Property in Africa.

Buying property in Africa is a complicated process. It’s often difficult to find the right property for you, and foreign investors can face challenges with regards to customs, taxes, and other regulations. Here are some key points to consider before purchasing property in Africa that will help you be successful with your investment.

Where to buy property

The first step to buying property in Africa is determining where you want to buy. Different countries have different climates, economic conditions, and other considerations. For example, South Africa has a higher crime rate than Botswana, so it could be a better idea for some investors to purchase property in Botswana.

The cost of property

in Africa

The cost of property in Africa varies from country to country, and it can be hard to find the right property for you. In some countries, the price of a house can be as low as $25,000 USD, but in other countries it can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Keep this in mind before you start looking for a place.

Taxes for foreign investors

One of the challenges that foreign investors can face is with taxes. In order to avoid these difficulties, foreigners should consult a lawyer or accountant before purchasing property in Africa, and they should always have a lawyer on hand during the process.

Foreigners who purchase a property in a country for which they are not a citizen must pay taxes in the country where they live. They will also need to spend some time filing with their home country’s revenue service.

If you have investments or other income from outside your home country, you will need to file that income separately with your home country’s revenue service.

In order to avoid any problems with the tax authorities, foreign investors need to do their research and be aware of what can happen if they don’t comply with certain regulations. The tax authorities are typically more lenient on people who are investing money locally, but if you are importing goods or services into the region for profit, you may be charged hefty fines.

Finding the perfect location

One of the most important things when buying property in Africa is making sure you find the right location. The location of your property will affect the type of tenants you attract, the price, and how much work it takes to maintain it. Ideally, you want to find a location in a city that has good public transportation in order to maximize rental potential.

Getting finance for your property

Purchasing property in Africa can be difficult if you’re not already financially stable. You might need to apply for a loan or consider bringing your finances into order before making the purchase.

If you plan on financing your purchase, it’s important to understand the process and what is expected of you beforehand. When applying for a mortgage, lenders will look at three main factors:

1) your credit rating; 2) the type of loan; and 3) the type of property. If you have any negative marks on your credit report, it will be difficult to find a lender willing to finance your investment. If you do manage to find one, they will likely charge a higher interest rate than someone with a clean credit history.

2) The type of loan is another factor that lenders will consider when deciding whether or not they want to lend money for your investment purchase. There are two types of loans:

a) an interest-only mortgage – where you make payments on only the interest accrued from the loan amount for a predetermined period of time (usually 10 years); and

b) a repayment mortgage – where you pay back both principal and interest from the initial sum of money borrowed from that lender at set intervals over a longer period of time (usually 15-25 years).

3) The type of property is also important as lenders will take more risk with certain types of properties than others. For example, lenders may not be too keen on lending money

Insurance

You should always make sure you have the right insurance before buying property. It is important to protect yourself and your investment. You may want to purchase insurance for damage to the property during the construction process, as well as protection from theft.

Legal implications

One of the most important points to consider when purchasing property in Africa is the legal implications. This may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many people don’t take this into account.

For example, if you are buying property in Ghana, there are two ways to own it:

1. The first option is that you can buy land for development purposes (developer), which means that you purchase the land and then build on it with your own resources.

2. The second option is to buy an existing building (buyer) which means that you purchase an existing building and rent it out or use it as your own office space.

If you decide to buy land for development purposes, there may be restrictions on what type of buildings can be built on the property. For example, in South Africa, any building over three stories high must have its own water supply and sewage facility outside of town limits. If these requirements aren't met, then the building requests planning permission which is often difficult or expensive to obtain.

If you decide to purchase an existing building instead of buying land for development purposes, you will need to make sure that all necessary documentation has been completed before taking ownership of the property. It's common for documents not to be up-to-date or even missing because this process can sometimes take years due to administrative delays.

Conclusion

Buying property in Africa is no walk in the park. There are many things to consider that are not necessary in other countries.

We’ve compiled a list of 7 tips to help you buy your perfect property in Africa. Keep these tips in mind when you are looking for your next home.

1. Where to buy property

2. The cost of property

3. Taxes for foreign investors

4. Finding the perfect location

5. Getting finance for your property

6. Insurance

7. Legal implications