½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

    Good day, I have a small property i inherited  from my sister, which I wand to sell. Lawyer fees €4000 agents fee €2000 that’s over 20 % of property value in Cape Verde Please help, is it here a cheaper way I can do this !many thanks Ken from Zimbabwe         -@cottagetoview

Yes there is a cheaper way, Ken. Don't use a lawyer. Most foreigners think that you need a lawyer to purchase/sell land in Cape Verde.

You do not. It's a very poor country, so ALL civil procedures have been set up so that the average person can do all the procedures themselves. No lawyers needed! Every local resident knows this. Of course, lawyers know this too and they prey on uninformed foreigners.

But thankfully, you realized something is amiss. But as a foreigner, you may still need help. So what you can do in Cape Verde when dealing with property matters is to seek the assistance of a good real estate agent.  They work on a commission basis and take their fee only from the SELLER and only after the transaction is complete. A customary commission of 5% is the norm in CV.

Warning: Buyers should be cautious. Unscrupulous real estate agents try to also extract the commission from the buyer. If you are a foreigner buying property in CV, simply refuse to pay any sales commission.

And a final observation for everyone reading this response: completing a real estate transaction in Cape Verde can take 4-8 weeks. There are a number of steps in the process as it is designed to protect the sellers who are typically not wealthy. There are also provisions built in that also protect the buyer. So you must be patient and it is also the reason you must work with a trustworthy agent who will keep you informed at every stage of the process, whether you are buying or selling property in CV.

Ken, on which island is your sister's property located? Send me a private message and I will recommend a trustworthy agent.

In Cape Verde, the ONLY reason to engage a lawyer is to assist you in the case you are the victim (or perpetrator) of a criminal or civil crime!

Cheers,

Angelo

@cottagetoview

Hi, did you manage to sell your property?