Buying property in Zimbabwe from abroad: a checklist for the diaspora

Zimbabweans abroad can buy property at home safely when three things are in place before any money moves: a trusted person on the ground, a lawyer in Zimbabwe acting for you, and proof that the seller has the right to sell. The rest is paperwork you can follow from anywhere.

Start with your own team in Zimbabwe

Choose three people. The first is a relative or friend who can visit the property for you. The second is a lawyer registered with the Law Society of Zimbabwe who acts for you, not for the seller. The third, if you use one, is an estate agent whose agency appears on the Estate Agents Council of Zimbabwe's register of agents in good standing. If you cannot sign documents in person, give your lawyer written authority through a power of attorney.

Know what you are buying

A stand on a new development, a house with title and a flat each carry different risks. A stand on a new development usually comes with a cession first and title later. A house should come with title in the seller's name. A flat should be in a registered sectional title scheme. Ask which of these you are being offered before you discuss the price.

Run the checks from abroad

• A Deeds Registry search through your lawyer, to confirm the registered owner and any bond or caveat over the property.
• For a stand: the council's subdivision permit and the Surveyor General's general plan, with your stand number on it.
• Written confirmation that the stand or house is still available on the day you pay.
• A visit by your person on the ground, with photos and a video call from the property itself.
• For a house: proof that rates and utility accounts are paid up, and that any extensions were passed by the council.

Each stand check is set out step by step in How to check a stand in Zimbabwe before you pay.

Paying from abroad

Send money only to the seller's company account, or to your lawyer's or the estate agent's trust account, and only against a signed agreement of sale with a payment schedule. Keep proof of every transfer. Be wary of any request to pay a person rather than a company, to pay quickly to hold a stand, or to switch to a new account at short notice. A change of bank account announced by message is one of the most common frauds.

If you are paying in instalments, ask how the developer records each payment and how you will see your balance.

Following progress after you pay

Ask for a statement after each payment, the cession or transfer documents when they are ready, and photos of the stand or the building work at agreed intervals. A developer that shows its stand map and your payment record online saves you from chasing updates by message.

Red flags

• The seller cannot show title or a development agreement with the title holder.
• The price is far below similar listings nearby.
• You are pressed to pay before your lawyer has seen the papers.
• You are asked to pay into a personal account.
• The stand number is not on the general plan.

Questions diaspora buyers ask

Do I need to travel to Zimbabwe to buy property?

No. A lawyer acting under a power of attorney can sign for you, and a trusted person can inspect the property for you. Some buyers still choose to travel for a final inspection.

Who holds the title on a new development?

Usually the developer or the landowner holds title to the whole piece of land, and you receive a cession of your stand. Title in your own name follows once the subdivision is registered.

How can I see what similar properties are asking?

The free price range tool gives an asking-price range for a suburb, property type and size, built from comparable listings. It is an estimate, not a valuation.

PropertyHandle Africa is a property technology company in Harare building tools for buyers and developers, including PlotMap, a map of a development's stands that shows which are available, reserved or sold.