5 Essential Things to Check Before Buying a Plot
Purchasing land is one of the largest investments you can make, whether you are looking to build your dream home, start a business, or just add to your existing property portfolio. Buying land is much more involved and has more legal checks than purchasing a home or apartment in a ready-to-move-in condition.
In order to purchase the land safely and with confidence, here are five important checks that you need to do before you purchase a plot:
1. Land Title Verification
The first and most important thing to do in any land deal is to verify the land title. You must confirm that your seller has a proper and clear title for the land—clear of disputes, loans, and other encumbrances.
What to do:
- Ask for original title deeds, sale agreements, and encumbrance certificates.
- Check for any registered litigation or bad legal disputes on the property.
- Get a lawyer to have a proper look at the documents and ensure the title is clear.
Why:
A disputed title with verifiable legal issues can mean years of legal battles and possibly losing the land altogether.
2. Zoning and Land Use Regulations
Before buying, check how the land is zoned in the local authority development plan as not all land is zoned for residential.
What to check for:
- If the plot is classified as residential, commercial, agricultural or industrial.
- Local zoning laws to understand the activities you can and cannot conduct and the building regulations.
- If any areas are prohibited or environmentally sensitive zones, such as; green belts, floodplains and other similar things.
Why it matters:
Purchasing a residential plot in an agricultural or restricted zone may result in demolition notices or future resale complications.
3. Road Access and Basic Utilities
A plot without lawful access is essentially worthless. Make sure that the land has had a public or authorized private road connect and verified whether or not the land has electricity, water supply, drainage, or sewage lines (or obtain them). Then, understand the costs to get started.
Checklist:
- Verify if you have access to a motorable road (DO NOT buy a landlocked plot).
- Make sure you have (or can get): electricity, water supply, drainage, sewage lines.
- If you don’t have access to these services, costing of receiving those services is important to understand for when you get started.
When to worry:
When there is no access and no utilities, you may not know the cost of construction or the timing of construction.
4. Government Approvals and NOCs
Ensure the plot has been cleared with all pertinent planning bodies. When acquiring a plot in a planned development, make sure the developer has secured all relevant government approvals and NOCs (no objection certificates).
Key approvals/NOCs include:
- Local municipal authority or city development authority
- Water and sewage authority
- Electricity authority
- Environmental permits (if applicable)
- Land conversion permits (if previously agricultural land)
Why is this important?
There may be legal action taken against unauthorized plots in the future, or they could be demolished. It is also likely that banks will not lend against an unauthorized plot.
5. On-Site Plot Verification
Don’t rely only on documents and brochures—visit the plot personally. This is a non-negotiable step to ensure you are buying exactly what’s being offered.
What to observe:
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Actual size and dimensions match legal documents.
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Boundaries and landmarks are clearly marked.
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Surrounding infrastructure and neighborhood are as promised.
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Check for encroachments or informal occupation by third parties.
Why it matters:
An on-site inspection can reveal issues that no paperwork can—such as poor soil condition, disputed fencing, or deceptive location claims.
Final Thoughts: Buy Smart, Build Strong
Buying land is a rewarding investment, but only if done with due diligence. Skipping any of these essential checks can lead to complications, delays, or worse—loss of your hard-earned money.
✅ Always verify the title
📍 Check zoning and usage laws
🔌 Ensure road access and utilities
📄 Confirm government approvals
👀 Do an on-ground inspection
Taking the time to verify these five aspects will help ensure that your plot purchase is secure, hassle-free, and a solid foundation for your future plans.
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