Land is the most common thing Ugandans buy and the most common thing they lose money on. Almost every dispute we see began with a payment made before the title was checked. Here is the order to do things in.
1. Get the title number and see the original
Ask the seller for the title number and the block and plot numbers. Insist on seeing the original certificate, not a photocopy or a photo on a phone. A seller who cannot produce it "because it is with the bank" or "with a relative" is telling you something.
2. Search at the land office
A title search at the Ministry of Lands zonal office (or online through the Ministry's portal) confirms who the registered proprietor is and whether there are caveats, mortgages or court orders on the land. It costs a few thousand shillings and takes a day or two. Do not skip it, and do it yourself or through your own lawyer or agent, never through the seller.
3. Match the person to the title
The name on the title must match the person selling, and their national ID must match both. If the seller is acting for a spouse, a parent or an estate, you need the spousal consent, power of attorney or letters of administration that make the sale lawful.
4. Walk the boundaries with a surveyor
A title tells you a plot exists; it does not tell you where the mark stones are or whether the neighbour's fence is on it. A boundary opening by a registered surveyor puts the corners on the ground and produces a report you can rely on. It is the cheapest insurance you will buy.
5. Pay through a sale agreement, never in cash on the plot
Have a lawyer draw a sale agreement that names the parties, the title, the price, the payment schedule and the transfer obligations. Pay into a bank account or by mobile money so there is a record, and get a receipt for every instalment.
What we do differently
Every plot on this site has gone through steps 1 to 4 before it is listed, with the survey report and title search on file. Buyers on an instalment plan can follow each payment and the title transfer stage in their client portal.