A practical guide to buying land in Kenya
The steps, the documents and the checks, plus free tools to size your plot, estimate a fence and plan your payments.
The buying process, step by step
This is the order we follow on every sale. Use it as a checklist even if you buy elsewhere.
Set your budget and brief
Decide what the land is for, which areas work for you, and the total you can spend. Keep roughly 6 to 10 percent above the price for fees and transfer costs.
Visit and walk the boundary
Never buy land you haven’t seen. Walk it with the seller or agent, find each beacon, and speak to neighbours about access and any disputes.
Get the official search
An official search from the land registry, now largely through Ardhisasa, confirms who owns the land and whether there are charges, cautions or restrictions.
Check the survey map
Compare the registry index map and the beacons on the ground. A surveyor can confirm the size and position match the title.
Sign a sale agreement
Have an advocate draft or review the agreement. It should state the price, deposit, payment schedule, completion date and what happens if either side defaults.
Get consents
Agricultural land needs Land Control Board consent before transfer. Leasehold land may need consent from the lessor.
Pay stamp duty and register
After valuation, pay stamp duty and lodge the transfer. Once registered, the title is issued in your name.
Secure the land
Fence the boundary and keep copies of every document. Visit the land regularly, especially in the first year.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Fees and procedures change; confirm current requirements with your advocate.
Free land tools
Quick calculations we’re asked for every day. Results are estimates to help you plan.
Plot size converter
Enter a plot’s sides to see its area in acres, hectares and 50 × 100 ft plots, drawn to scale.
Fencing materials estimator
Estimate posts, chain-link rolls and barbed wire for a rectangular plot.
Assumes 20 m chain-link rolls and two struts per corner. Sloped or irregular land needs a site measurement.
Instalment planner
See the deposit and monthly amount for a plot bought on a payment plan.
Exact terms, including any instalment pricing, are set in each project’s sale agreement.
Due-diligence checklist
Tick off documents as you collect them. Your progress is saved on this device.
Common questions about buying land
Need help with a specific parcel? Send us the details and we’ll tell you what to check.
Every plot we list states its ownership position up front: ready individual title, mother title awaiting subdivision, or leasehold. We share a copy of the title and the official search before you pay anything beyond a booking fee.
Yes. Many of our projects take a deposit followed by monthly instalments over 3 to 12 months. The schedule is written into the sale agreement so you know the exact amount and dates before you sign.
Book a day and we pick you up from an agreed point, drive you to the land and show you the beacons on the ground. Visits run Monday to Saturday and there is no charge for them.
Yes. We run video site walk-throughs, send scanned documents for review by your own advocate, and can work with a family member or a person holding your power of attorney to sign on your behalf.
Yes. Our surveying and fencing services are open to any landowner, whether you need beacons re-established, a subdivision for family, or a perimeter fence on land you already own.
Plan for stamp duty, legal fees, the official search, and registration fees for the transfer. Agricultural land also needs Land Control Board consent. We give you an itemised estimate for your specific plot before you commit.
Want us to check a plot for you?
Send the title number and location. We’ll run the search, confirm the beacons and tell you what we find.