24/07/2026
I Have A Rule That Has Saved Investors A Lot Of Money:
Never Pay A Deposit Until These 5 Questions Have Been Answered.
Most investors ask:
❌ Is the location good?
❌ What is the rental return?
❌ Can I negotiate the price?
These are important questions.
But they are not the first questions.
The first question should always be:
"Can this property legally be sold to me?"
A surprising number of property problems begin because investors verify the opportunity before verifying the ownership.
And by the time they discover the issue, they have already:
Paid a reservation fee.
Signed documents.
Transferred funds.
Lost negotiating power.
So here is the exact pre-deposit checklist I recommend.
Question 1
Who Is The Legal Owner?
Do not ask:
"Who is selling?"
Ask:
"Who legally owns the property today?"
Request the ownership documents.
Request supporting evidence.
Request proof, not explanations.
If ownership cannot be clearly demonstrated, stop.
Question 2
How Did The Current Owner Acquire The Property?
This is where many investors stop digging.
Don't.
Ask:
Was it purchased?
Inherited?
Assigned?
Acquired through a company?
Acquired through a power of attorney?
You are not only verifying ownership.
You are verifying the path that created ownership.
Every transfer should make sense.
Every link should connect to the next.
Question 3
Does The Seller Have The Legal Authority To Sign?
One of the most expensive mistakes investors make is assuming:
Seller = Owner
This is not always true.
Ask:
Is the seller the owner?
Is the seller acting under a power of attorney?
Is the authority still valid?
Can the authority legally transfer ownership?
Never assume.
Verify.
Question 4
Are There Any Hidden Liabilities?
Ask specifically about:
Outstanding taxes
Utility obligations
Mortgages
Encumbrances
Existing disputes
Many investors verify the property.
Few verify what comes attached to the property.
That difference matters.
Question 5
Can Ownership Actually Be Transferred To You?
This may sound obvious.
It isn't.
A property can exist.
A contract can exist.
A seller can exist.
Yet ownership transfer can still become complicated because of legal, registration, licensing, or documentation issues.
Always verify the transfer process before paying money.
Not after.
The Real Lesson
Most investors spend weeks choosing the property.
Professional investors spend time verifying the decision.
The property itself is rarely the biggest risk.
The information you fail to verify usually is.
CTA
Before reviewing your next property opportunity, create a document on your phone called: 01110905096
"Property Verification File"
For every property you consider, write down:
□ Who owns it?
□ How is ownership proven?
□ Who has authority to sell?
□ Are there liabilities attached?
□ Can ownership legally transfer?
Do this for the next 3 properties you review.
You will immediately start seeing opportunities differently than most buyers.
And better decisions almost always start with better questions.
