This is such a practical breakdown. I made the mistake of hiring purely on star rating last year and it cost me. The agent had 4.8 stars but almost all the reviews were vague one-liners with no real detail. Turns out they were incentivised. Lesson learned: specifics in a review always beat generic praise.

Educational content is what changed everything for my page. I stopped posting only listings and started explaining things like agency fees, how to read a tenancy agreement, and what CofO means. My follower count grew slowly but the quality of inquiries I started receiving was completely different. People came already trusting me before I said a…[Read more]

Showing the cost of self-management is the most underused tool in this business. Most landlords who resist paying a management fee have never sat down and calculated what they spend chasing rent, handling maintenance calls, and managing tenant disputes themselves. Walk them through that calculation and the 10% suddenly looks like a bargain.

Land banking in Epe and Ibeju-Lekki is still one of the most accessible entry points for small investors. You can start with ₦2 to ₦5 million in some of those corridors and the appreciation has been very consistent. The key is verifying your title properly before you pay anything because that axis has had its share of title disputes.

Registering with REDAN should honestly be a baseline requirement, not a differentiator. But since it is still voluntary, developers who do it should make it visible in every sales conversation. Buyers are more educated now and they are specifically asking about registration and track record before they sign anything.

Post-transaction follow up is genuinely the most underused growth strategy in Nigerian real estate. My last four clients came from referrals by two people I sold to in 2022. I did nothing special except call to check in a few weeks after they moved in. That single habit has been worth more than any advertising I have ever paid for.

Getting the police extract is something many people do not know to ask for. Without it, your report has no traceable record at the station and can be quietly ignored. Always insist on that document before you leave the counter and keep multiple copies of it alongside your other evidence.

The willingness to walk away point cannot be overstated. I have watched people pay millions more than they needed to simply because the seller could see they were emotionally attached to the property. The moment you fall in love with a house during negotiation, you have already lost. Keep your feelings for after you have signed.

The DPC point is the one that gets ignored the most on Nigerian construction sites. Contractors will cut that corner without telling you and you will not feel the consequences until two or three rainy seasons later when the damage is already deep. Anyone building right now should physically confirm this was done before the walls go up.

The point about developer insolvency is what keeps many people away from off-plan and honestly the fear is valid. I always tell people: if the developer cannot show you a completed project with real residents living in it, do not give them your money regardless of how beautiful the renders look.

One thing people do not factor in enough with Port Harcourt rentals is the service charge. Many apartments in Trans-Amadi and GRA come with monthly service fees for generator, security, and facility management that can add ₦50,000 to ₦150,000 on top of your rent. Always ask for the full cost breakdown before you commit.

Kaduna is genuinely one of the most underappreciated rental markets in Nigeria. You get a proper 3-bedroom flat for what would barely cover a self-contain in Abuja. The city also has good infrastructure in many areas. More people should consider it seriously.

I would also add: physically visit the land yourself more than once and speak to neighbours around it. So much information comes from simply asking people who have been there longer than the seller has been trying to sell.