I have never really understood why people abroad buy land/property without informing their family members or friends. I believe it is mostly due to trust issues but I wonder which is safer – to completely trust a seller who you don’t know well or your family member or friend you have known for years. People who do this often find that when there is a problem, they have to fall back on family and friends to help them. And most times the person they fall back on feels sad and disappointed that they didn’t know anything about the transaction from the onset. As far as I can tell, keeping your property acquisition completely away from those you know hardly ever works out. At least, it hasn’t worked out for those who have contacted me for help after making mistakes that could have been easily avoided if they carried somebody they know well along.

If you are abroad and you need to acquire a property, carry along a family member or friend you have known for a while and have some trust in. You don’t need to give the person all the details but let him/her know. You can conclude the negotiations with the seller but before you make your payment, get this person involved. Tell the person about the transaction and send money for him/her to visit the site and do any necessary investigation before you pay for the property. It can save you a lot of headaches.

One eye on the ground is always better than ten eyes abroad.

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