The angles to property acquisition are numerous and a secured approach to each is very important to avoid becoming a victim of a bad land transaction.

The angle in focus is on how to secure your legal hold when buying a C of O land belonging to a late property owner. If you find yourself in this position, the best approach to such an angle to property acquisition is to verify if the late owner left a will and be sure you are dealing directly with the persons named in the will as the new owner(s) because by the will they have the legal authority to sell the property to you. In transacting with the persons named in the will, you put yourself in the legal position to secure your legal hold/title to the property because with the signed property agreement between you and the named person(s) you can apply for your governor’s consent or tile to the property.

If the reverse is the case and the late property owner left no will, then the persons or family members claiming to be the new owners must provide you a letter of administration obtained from the court which gives them the legal authority to sell the property to you.

Where the late owner’s family members or persons claiming to be the new owners cannot provide the will of the late property owner or a letter of administration from the court, then they have no legal authority to sell the property. When they have no proof of legal authority to sell the property and you go ahead with such a property transaction, you pay for a property you have no legal hold to and no legal right to secure.