Buyer explainer · Sources checked 23 September 2026
A plot can be easy to point out and harder to verify. Before treating a seller’s documents as sufficient, a buyer needs to establish that the registered property, the person offering it and the parcel being shown are the same transaction.
Ardhisasa describes an official search as a way to confirm ownership details and other interests registered against a property. Its service guidance also explains entries such as charges and cautions. These are matters to understand, not simply lines to skip on a document.
Ask what the record does—and does not—settle
A registered interest may affect the proposed transfer. Ask your advocate to explain relevant entries and the steps needed to address them. Separately, obtain appropriate professional help to check the parcel reference, boundaries and the property being offered.
These checks answer different questions. A reassuring conversation with neighbours does not replace registry information; a document alone does not explain every physical or transactional issue.
Keep decisions ahead of payments
Put unresolved matters in writing before signing or paying a deposit. Establish who is authorised to sell, what documents will support completion and how money will be handled under the agreement. Avoid assuming that an urgent deadline from a seller removes the need for verification.
For parcels affected by digital rollout, confirm the service route with the State Department for Lands or the relevant registry.
This article is a guide to questions, not a legal opinion on a particular purchase. The appropriate checks depend on the title, the parties and the circumstances of the sale.
Reporting note: Prepared with AI assistance from the official sources linked in this article. Photo: SeanTwice / Wikimedia Commons, CC0. Tea farm in Limuru, Kenya. Context photograph; not land offered for sale. Resized for display.
