The Property Lawyer

24/08/2026

Most bad transactions don’t start with a court case.

They start with a small warning the buyer noticed… and decided to ignore.

Maybe the price was too attractive.

Maybe the seller was putting pressure on you.

Maybe someone said, “Oga, no worry. Everything dey okay.”

Before you pay for that land or house, watch out for these 7 red flags:

🚩 1. THE PRICE IS SUSPICIOUSLY CHEAP. A property being sold far below its reasonable market value deserves questions.

🚩 2. THE SELLER IS RUSHING YOU TO PAY.
"Pay today. Another is coming tomorrow."
Never allow artificial urgency to stop you from conducting proper due diligence.

🚩 3. THE SELLER'S NAME DOESN'T MATCH THE DOCUMENT.
The may have a legitimate explanation but the seller must be able to establish how they acquired the property or their authority to sell it.

🚩 4. THE OWNERSHIP STORY KEEPS CHANGING.
Today, it was inherited. Tomorrow, it was purchased. Next week, it is “family land.”
Changing stories deserve investigation.

🚩 5. THEY DON'T WANT YOUR LAWYER TO VERIFY THE PROPERTY. You will hear something like "Why waste money on lawyer? The documents are complete."
But if everything is genuinely clean, independent verification shouldn't be a problem.

🚩 6. THERE ARE PEOPLE OCCUPYING OR CLAIMING INTEREST IN THE PROPERTY.
Don't simply accept “we'll settle them after payment.”Find out who they are and what interest they claim before you buy.

🚩 7. THERE IS A BREAK IN THE PROPERTY'S OWNERSHIP HISTORY.
The seller has documents but can you trace how ownership legally moved from the original owner to the person selling to you?A missing link can become your problem after payment.

REMEMBER: A red flag does not automatically mean “don't buy.”

It means: STOP. ASK QUESTIONS. VERIFY. THEN DECIDE.

Because when millions of naira are involved, “I didn't know” is a very expensive explanation.

Found a property you want to buy,
Before you transfer the money, let me investigate what you're actually buying.



The Property Lawyer ®️✍🏿

19/08/2026

11/08/2026

You’ve inspected the house.

Beautiful building. Great location. Good road.

The seller even has documents.

So, you’re safe… right?

One mistake property buyers make is checking the property without checking its history.

Because here’s the problem:

The person selling to you may have documents, but did they legally acquire the property in the first place?

Imagine this chain:

Owner A ➡️ Buyer B ➡️Buyer C ➡️ Your Seller➡️YOU

Now imagine there’s a serious problem between Owner A and Buyer B.

That problem can follow the property all the way down to you.

This is why seeing a property and seeing some documents is not enough.

Before paying, you need to know:

1️⃣Who originally owned it?

2️⃣How did it get to the current seller?

3️⃣Is there any missing link in the ownership history?

4️⃣Does this seller actually have the legal right to sell?

Remember this:

Inspection tells you about the property WHILE Due diligence tells you whether the seller can legally sell it to you.

Don’t just fall in love with the house.

Investigate its past before you pay for its future.

Buying land or a house?

Talk to The Property Lawyer before you pay.

Let’s verify what you’re actually buying


Akinbayowa Morakinyo Esq ®️✍🏿

10/08/2026

👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾

07/08/2026

So, you’ve paid out millions of for a piece of land.

The seller took your money, handed you a receipt, and celebrated your new ownership.

But here’s the question: Did the seller actually transfer the to you, or is that receipt just proof that cash changed hands?

A land receipt is definitely important, it shows that you made a payment and that a transaction occurred.

However, it usually lacks the legal language needed to officially transfer the seller’s rights to you as the buyer.

Simply having a doesn’t put you on the same legal space as someone who has completed all the necessary paperwork.

If you’re serious about buying property, you should get a well-prepared and executed transfer document like deed of assignment

Don’t spend millions on land and stop at just getting a receipt.

While a receipt shows you paid, proper documentation is what proves what you bought, who sold it to you, and the legal rights you now hold.

Therefore, before you hand over any money for land or right after realizing you only have a receipt, reach out to The Property Lawyer for a title investigation, help with your title document and to ensure everything is legally squared away.

Your payment buys the property, but proper legal documentation is what truly protects it.

Get in touch with today for expert real estate legal advice.

Akinbayowa Morakinyo Esq ®️✍🏿

30/07/2026

Many buyers believe that once they have paid for a piece of land, the transaction is complete.

Sadly, that is where many costly mistakes begin.

A land purchase is only as secure as the backing it.

Delays in obtaining and perfecting your land documents can expose you to ownership disputes, fraudulent claims, difficulties in reselling the property, problems obtaining loans, and in some cases, complete loss of your investment.

So, what does proper documentation involve?

✔ Contract of Sale
✔ Deed of Assignment or Land Sale Agreement
✔ Survey Plan
✔ Governor's Consent (where required)
✔ Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), Registered Deed, or other valid title documents
✔ Registration and perfection of title at the appropriate registry

The reality is that many buyers do not know how to verify these or identify hidden legal defects attached to a property.

That is why engaging a Property Lawyer is not a luxury.

It is a necessity.

Before you pay for any land, a property lawyer should investigate the title, confirm ownership, verify the authenticity of the documents, check for government acquisition issues, and ensure that the transaction is legally secure.

Do not wait until a dispute arises before seeking legal advice.

And are you thinking of buying land, investing in real estate, or perfecting your property documents?

Contact The Property Lawyer today for professional legal advice.

The cost of proper legal investigation is far less than the cost of losing your land.

Akinbayowa Morakinyo Esq ®️✍🏿

27/07/2026

Every year, many abroad send millions of naira home to buy land.

Sadly, some discover years later that the does not belong to the seller, has ownership disputes, is under acquisition, or was never purchased at all.

The biggest mistake?

Trusting relatives, friends, or agents to handle everything without proper legal investigation and physical inspection.

Trust is good. Verification is better.

A relative may mean well, but land transactions require professional skills.

A WhatsApp video is not a title search.

A family recommendation is not a legal investigation.

A survey plan is not proof of ownership.

Recent reports continue to show that diaspora buyers are among the most common victims of land fraud because they are far away and often rely entirely on third parties.

Proper due diligence, title verification, and site inspection remain the safest way to protect any investment.

Before you pay for any land:

✅ Verify ownership

✅ Investigate the title documents

✅ Confirm there are no disputes or encumbrances

✅ Conduct an independent physical inspection

✅ Engage a Property Lawyer

A land purchase is too important to be based on trust alone.

The Property Lawyer should be your first call, not your last resort.

Protect your investment. Verify before you pay.

Akinbayowa Morakinyo Esq ®️✍🏿

24/07/2026

The biggest mistake buyers make is believing that "if the documents are complete, the property is genuine."

Fraudsters have moved beyond fake land sales.

They now clone genuine property documents and attach them to completely different properties.

⏩That you received may belong to another plot.

⏩That may never have been issued by the actual seller.

⏩That allocation letter may not exist in the estate's records.

⏩That person claiming to be the owner may simply be an impersonator.

In , appearance is not evidence. Verification is.

A is only valuable when it has been properly investigated and confirmed.

Never pay based on emotions or pressure from an or seller.

Contact The Property Lawyer for proper legal investigation and advice before committing your hard-earned money.

Akinbayowa Morakinyo Esq ®️✍🏿