Real estate stands as one of the prime investments in present times. Nevertheless, cases exist where buyers acquired inferior homes that crumbled within months or years of purchase.

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There are also illegally built or acquired houses that the government eventually recommended to demolish.

ALSO READ: There are fake construction permits on the market, City of Kigali warns

The New Times talked to experts in the field on things to check when buying houses to avoid risks.

1. Know age of house, standards of construction materials

According to Rene Albert Nahimana, a civil engineer and property valuer, the buyer should have the following information; when the house was constructed, the construction materials that were used, and if the owner had a construction permit.

He said the client should always consult an engineer to help them check substandard houses.

The house might have plumbing issues, water damage and mold, cracks in the foundation, drywall or ceiling, gaps above doors and windows, sunken stairs or porches, and sloping or uneven floors or tiling.

"Let a qualified home inspector tell you whether a minor crack spells major trouble,” Nahimana said.

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Bulging or bowing foundation walls are a sign of structural weakness that can be expensive to repair.

"If you are going to buy a Rwf30 million house why can’t they pay Rwf200,000 or 10 per cent of that value to help check all things to assure the house it not substandard? It helps to know if the house still has life span and durability,” he noted.

The www.fortunebuilders.com wrote that a factor to consider when buying a house is the age of the property.

"An older home may have its certain charm and appeal, but in turn, may need more upgrades, repairs, and improvements.”

2. Use a trusted realtor

A realtor is a person who acts as an agent for the sale and purchase of buildings and land.

Forbes published that potential buyers should keep in mind that a listing agent (the agent representing he seller) doesn’t protect your interests and "that agent would simply pocket both sides of the commission.”

"That means that you’re not saving money. A savvy realtor who works for you can protect your interests and guide you through the buying process - from negotiating a price to navigating home inspections.”

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3. Is the house legally constructed?

Nahimana urges buyers to check if the house was legally constructed with construction permits and supervision.

"Otherwise the house might have been constructed in an area set aside for a road, water facility and others which means it might be destroyed as it did not comply with the master plan,” he explained.

Some houses are constructed with fake construction permits.

ALSO READ: Districts with most cases of forged construction permits, land titles named

Rwanda Investigation Bureau recorded 30 cases of fake construction permits involving 44 suspects over the past three years.

4. Checking property owner

Nahimana said buyers should dial *651# to know the owner of the property to avoid scammers.

RIB recorded 34 cases of fake land titles involving 74 suspects across the country in the past three years.

ALSO READ: City dwellers warned of scams in property market

5. Does the property have caveats or conflicts?

Nahimana said that visiting the property, consulting neighbours and realtors and dialling *651#, a code to detect land information, in your phone, will indicate if the house has a caveat (warning) about property conflicts or if the property was given as collateral for a bank loan.

6. Checking the house demarcations

"The buyer should know the demarcations of the house and its land. House owners, neighbours, local leaders and land information systems help to know the demarcations,” Nahimana said.

7. What is the civil registry status of a house seller?

According to Nahimana, knowing the civil registry status of the owner of the house is very important because they might be selling the property without the consent of the spouse.

This is detected by dialling *651# and presenting marriage documents.

"On the land title, it might be written that the seller is the sole owner of the property yet she/he might have been married. So marriage documents are very important. The buyer might eventually be sued by the spouse.”

8. What does the master plan say?

Nahimana said there is a need to check the situation of the master plan (using geodata. rw) explaining that the house might have been constructed on arable land which is not set aside for a residential zone.

9. Buy the property before land notary

"After checking all the information, you should buy the house before the land notary as they help to confirm if the information is exact.”