Buying a beachfront home in Kenya might seem like the ultimate dream crashing waves as your morning alarm, ocean breeze over your balcony, and a relaxed coastal lifestyle. But beneath that beautiful surface lies one of the most overlooked yet critical steps in any real estate purchase: conducting a proper title search.
In Kenya, especially along the coast where property is both desirable and expensive, land ownership issues are more common than most buyers realize.
Numerous cases have emerged where properties some already developed with homes or resorts are found to have contested ownership, double allocation, or even forged titles. Without due diligence, you could unknowingly walk into a legal and financial nightmare.
A title search is your first defense. Conducted at the Ministry of Lands, this official process helps you verify whether the seller is the rightful owner of the property.
It also reveals whether there are any encumbrances on the title things like outstanding bank loans tied to the land, caveats, disputes, or court orders. Purchasing a property with unresolved encumbrances can delay your project indefinitely, or worse, lead to total loss of the property.
It’s not just about checking one record. In coastal counties like Kilifi, Mombasa, Kwale, and Lamu, buyers are advised to cross-check title details with the County Lands Office and, where applicable, the National Land Commission. These bodies keep critical information on land leases, historical land use, or unresolved land claims that may not always appear in the main registry.
Sadly, many people fall into traps because they rely solely on verbal promises from sellers, agents, or brokers. If a deal is moving too fast or the seller is pressuring you to close quickly, treat it as a red flag. Genuine sellers should have nothing to hide, and transparency should be part of the process.
A comprehensive title search may take a little time and cost a bit of money but compared to the risk of buying disputed land or losing your entire investment, it’s a small price to pay. You wouldn’t buy a car without checking its logbook so why would you buy a house without confirming who really owns the land?
In short, the beach view may be breathtaking but so can the consequences of skipping due diligence. Let logic lead the way, not just emotion.
