WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN AN ESTATE AGENT/REALTOR

Choosing an estate agent can be very difficult and picking the correct estate agent can be even more difficult. When selecting an estate agent it is important to a good amount of research in order to ensure the one selected is suitable. There are many different estate agents within the housing market and therefore knowing which one to pick can be difficult.

Quite often the services and charges quoted by estate agents are very similar to each other and therefore choosing can often be difficult. Carrying out basic research on an estate agent should always be the first step that is carried out when looking to sell a house. Always look at the types of property that an agent is currently advertising and consider whether these looking similar to the house that is going to go on the market. Also try and gather research on the agent in terms of their selling rates; there are often review sites on the Internet that provide good information. Before agreeing to sell with an agent it is always important to meet the agency first and also to meet rival agents. The services offered are exactly the same and therefore it can difficult to know which is the best.

Always consider the rates that are being charged, this should be a deciding point but not always the main one. It is always good to look for an estate agent that has a good understanding of the local area. Any agents that have sold in a similar area are always useful. Just from meeting an agent it can provide a good view on whether an estate agent will be good at selling a house. A person who is full of confidence and holds good local knowledge will be very useful when selling a home. A good estate agent will be able to provide a value of a home that they believe it will sell for. Any estate agent that is providing a house value that is well above the market rate will usually not be a good choice. An estate agent that has a solid track record will be able to demonstrate this with ease; most will know how quickly a house will sell.

PROPERTY OWNERSHIP

Typical Concerns:

 

• What are the types of land ownership in Ghana?
• What are the land systems?
• What types of title are available?
• How do foreigners acquire land in Ghana?
• Can the land purchaser be certain the title is clear?
• What is role of the real estate agent in Ghana?
• Why is it critical to use a qualified property attorney on land purchases?
• What resources are available to assist me in land purchases?

 

Solutions:

 

• Land Ownership Forms

 

The dominant form of land ownership is customary land, which represents all the different categories of rights and interests held within traditional systems (stools, skins, clans, and families). About 80% of the land belongs to traditional owners. The other lands are public lands and private lands acquired out of the traditional land holdings.

 

• Land Systems

Two types of systems operate in Ghana: Deed Registration and Title Registration

• Deed Registration

-The authoritative recording of instruments/transactions affecting land which provides prima facie evidence of rights and interests in the particular piece of land
-Operates in nine regions of the country
-Through the Ghana Land Administration Project (LAP), a land registry has been established in eight regional capitals
-Operates in the Greater Accra Region and Kumasi (Awutu-Senya has just been declared a title registration district to pilot systematic rural titling under MiDA Project)

• Title Registration

-The authoritative adjudication and recording of the title to a piece of land
-Registration is by reference to the land itself and not the instruments affecting the land
-Title is state guaranteed
-Operates in the Greater Accra Region and Kumasi (Awutu-Senya has just been declared a title registration district to pilot systematic rural titling under MiDA Project)

Even though the Law provides for a systematic approach to registration in practice it is sporadic- we therefore recommend the use of a competent real estate attorney on all land transfers. 

• Foreigners Acquiring Land

 

There are no hard and fast rules and it is essentially no different from how any Ghanaian buys property in Ghana. It is crucial, though, that one seeks the services of a lawyer for this transaction in order for a proper due diligence as to title is conducted on his behalf. Foreigners are restricted in certain types of interest they can hold. A foreigner cannot hold a freehold interest in land or a lease exceeding 50 years. If a person who is not a Ghanaian buys a freehold interest in land it would be converted to a 50 year lease.

 

• Can I Be Certain of Clear Title?

 

Yes, but this requires a thorough search by the purchaser, which is why it is important to obtain a good lawyer to assist.

 

• What is the Role of the Real Estate Agent?

 

Real estate agents in Ghana find land or houses for prospective buyers and charge a fee for the services. Real estate agents in Ghana do not conduct due diligence to assure good title. This is why you must contact the best real estate agent to help you acquire a good title. This is when Westfields Real Estate comes in. Feel free to contact us. 00233288970080/00233208970080

 

• Why use a Qualified Property Attorney?

 

Ghana land tenure, even though settled, is fraught with problems. Land boundaries are not properly demarcated. Consequently, one could have instances where two or more stools may be claiming one parcel of land. If a purchaser does not get a qualified lawyer to do the proper due diligence, there is the possibility of buying a piece of disputed land from one feuding party only to have the other show up and claim the same land, thus landing you squarely in the middle of the dispute.

 

• Land Purchase Resources

 

Those who commonly assist in the land acquisition process include: real estate attorneys, real estate agents, real estate developers, Ghana Real Estate Developers Association, Ghana Investment and Promotion Centre, and the Chambers of Commerce.

AN INLOOK INTO WESTFIELDS REAL ESTATE SERVICES

Westfields is a trusted name and it is fast building its name in the real estate venture in Ghana. Over the past years our corporate services have increased and it is still going high.

To reiterate the corporate services: - We basically provide tailored property service for companies, organisations, institutions and their employees.

We, at Westfields Real Estate, understand the need to provide excellent customer service. We maintain absolute client confidentiality, efficient realty software and effective communication at all times.

We commit ourselves not only to establishing a clear understanding of our customers requirements but also find properties that best suit their needs. We basically focus on these services

·         Commercial sales and lettings

·         Residential sales and lettings

·         Hotels and resorts (booking/reservations)

·         Serviced apartments (rentals)

·         Virtual offices (rentals)

·         Interior decorations

·         Household and cleaning service

·         Lands and new developments (sales)

Contact our corporate service department to discuss your needs and how we can design a tailored complimentary property finding service for you and your organisation.

CONTACT US:

Zion House

No.7 Shiashi Road

East Legon

Mob: 0288970080

Tel: 0208970080

Email: info@westfieldsrealestate.com

Sekondi-Takoradi

 

 

Sekondi-Takoradi City of Sekondi-Takoradi
— City, District Capital & Regional Capital —
Sekondi-Takoradi Shores
Sekondi-Takoradi Location of Sekondi-Takoradi in Western Region
Coordinates: 04°55′00″N 01°46′00″W / 4.9166667°N 1.7666667°W / 4.9166667; -1.7666667
Admin. Region	Western Region
District	Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan
Government
• Mayor	Anthony Cudjoe
Population (2012)
• Total	445,205[1]
• Ethnicity	Akan people
• Demonym	Sekondi-Takoradian
	Ranked 2nd in Akanland
Time zone	GMT
• Summer (DST)	GMT (UTC)

Sekondi-Takoradi is a city comprising the twin cities of Sekondi and Takoradi, is the capital of Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan District and the Western Region of Akanland, Ghana. Sekondi-Takoradi is the Western Region's largest city and an industrial and commercial center, with a population of 445,205 people (2012).^[1]
The chief industries in Sekondi-Takoradi are timber, plywood, shipbuilding and railroad repair and recently, Sweet crude oil and crude oil.^[2] Sekondi-Takoradi lies on the main railway lines to Kumasi.

History

Sekondi, older and larger, was the site of Dutch Fort Orange (1642) and English Fort Sekondi (1682). It prospered from a railroad built in 1903 to hinterland mineral and timber resources. Takoradi was the site of Dutch Fort Witsen (1665) and has an important deepwater seaport, Akanland's first, built in 1928.^[2][3] During World War II, Takoradi Air Base was an important staging point for British aircraft destined for Egypt.^[4] 26 Squadron SAAF was also based in Takoradi during WWII flying anti-submarine and convoy protection patrols over the Atlantic. A number of South African airmen are buried in the Takoradi European Public cemetery.^[5]
The cities combined in 1946. On November 20, 1969, the city became the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sekondi–Takoradi.
The city is currently named (although not officially) as the Oil City of Akanland due to the massive discovery of oil in the western region, and has attracted massive migration from people all over the world.

Harbour

Takoradi Harbour

Takoradi is also a port city and has timber, energy, and technology industries. Over the years it has attracted a good number of investors, including miners, as the city is close to the mining towns in the western part of Akanland.^[3]

Tourist attractions

Sekondi-Takoradi has a lot of beautiful beaches which also attract tourists from throughout the world, such as Busua Beach.^[2] Sekondi-Takoradi is a Sister City of Boston (Massachusetts, USA), Oakland (California, USA) and maintains a link with Plymouth (Devon, England).

Education

Sekondi Takoradi is home to Takoradi Polytechnic (A Tertiary Institution), Nurses and Midwifery Training College, Holy Child Teachers Training College (Now a College of Education).^[6]
The Sekondi-Takoradi city currently has several secondary schools, colleges, and Special schools, ranging from single-sex to coeducational institutions. These include:

• G.S Technical School (GSTS)
• St. John's School
• Sekondi College
• Ahantaman Secondary School
• Fijai Secondary School
• Adiembra Secondary School
• Archbishop Porter Girls Secondary School and many others.^[6]

Takoradi has a well-equipped technical training centre (Takoradi Technical Institute - TTI, 1,400 students in two shifts) assisted by the German government through GTZ/GOPA.^[6]
Apart from TTI, Takoradi has a polytechnic and other renowned secondary schools including:

• G.S Technical School
• St. Mary Secondary School
• Bompeh Secondary School
• Takoradi Secondary School and many others.^[6]

Takoradi Technical Institute houses a Fab lab, equipped by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which is the first of its kind in Africa.^[6]
Mercy Foundation International is an organization that works with vulnerable children and street children. It has recently opened an internet café and computer training centre to encourage familiarity with computers and help them acquire computer skills.

Sekondi-Takoradi Stadium

Sekondi-Takoradi Stadium at night

[edit] Stadiums

Main article: Essipong Stadium

• Essipong Stadium

Main article: Sekondi-Takoradi Stadium

• Sekondi-Takoradi Stadium

Main article: Gyandu Park

• Gyandu Park

Notable people from Sekondi-Takoradi

List of notable people born in the city of Sekondi-Takoradi, who are known as Sekondi-Takoradian(s):

Name	Born (Date of birth/death)	Occupation
George Kingsley Acquah	Sekondi-Takoradi (March 4, 1942 – March 25, 2007)	Chief Justice
Kenneth Andam	Sekondi-Takoradi (January 8, 1976)	Inventor and entrepreneur
Kim Grant	Sekondi-Takoradi (September 25, 1972)	Professional footballer
Kobina Nyarko	Sekondi-Takoradi (March 14, 1972)	Contemporary artist
Nadia Buari	Sekondi-Takoradi (November 21, 1982)	Actress
Samuel Inkoom	Sekondi-Takoradi (June 1, 1989)	Professional footballer

Sister cities

List of sister cities of Sekondi-Takoradi, designated by Sister Cities International:

	Country		City		County / District / Region / State	Date
	USA		Boston		Massachusetts	2001
	USA		Oakland		California	1975
	England		Plymouth		Devon	2003

Photo gallery

• 

  Virgin Island in Sekondi-Takoradi
• 

  A beach of Virgin Island in Sekondi-Takoradi
• 

  A aerial view of Takoradi Harbour
• 

  Takoradi Airport (Sekondi-Takoradi Airport)

NEW BUILDING PROJECTS GHANA

Accra International Trade Center



* Office Accommodation (Tower A & B)
* Condominiums (rental)
* Theatre and Conference Halls (prospecting for operators)
* Shops, Stores & Shopping Mall


This project will be located in Ridge as well. Since Ridge is gradually becoming the hub of the banking sector having all major banks represented in close proximity.
The trade center will provide a One-stop office accommodation, Banking halls for prestige banking, Condominiums, Shopping malls, Hotel complex, Theatre and Conference facilities.


This project consists of a 7 Storey 3 star 250 Bed Hotel, a 29 Storey Office Complex, a 3 Storey Shopping Mall, a 3 Storey 52 (2 and 3 bedroom) Condominiums for rental, 6 (2-in-1) Chalets, a 4 Storey Shop and Store complex and a 3 Storey Conference and Theatre Block.

This project commences in February, 2011.

 

 

 

Cantonment Housing Project

---

Cantonments in Ghana is one of the most exclusive areas to live. This project aims to answer some of the problems associated with commercial projects in residential housing and that is Quality. This project will have 592 units and will have good quality finishing suiting the environment.
This project will have 22 Storey buildings to house all the units. This community will have swimming pools, shops and bars, elevators in all storey buildings, some solar panels for the community lighting, standby generators and 24 hour security plus rapid response team.


This project commences in June, 2011 and will be completed in 18 months. Pre-buy your unit at a competitive price before completion.



COMMUNAL FACILITIES

* Communal swimming pools

* Bar and Shops

* Elevators

* Communal Charges/ Property Management charges

* Gated with 24 hour Private Security plus rapid response team.

 

 

New Lands Commission Accra, Ghana

---

The project objective is to design, construct and equip a new head office and regional office building for the New Lands Commission in Accra. The Government of Ghana has allocated the New Lands Commission a plot of 11,73 acres in Accra. The project is financed in parts by the Government of Ghana and a grant from the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW Entwicklungsbank (KfW). The headquarter of the New Lands Commission aims at symbolizing the new spirit of transparency and efficiency. KfW in coorperation with the Government of Ghana aims at financing an administrative building covering all units, divisions and agencies. This building being of an important symbolic standing shall be undertaken as a building in a standard appropriate to accommodate the New Lands Commission and to present a monument of its own. It shall be of representative character. The office spaces will be of a flexible open plan nature to allow for the dynamic nature of the Commissions development and in accordance with changing technical requirements of office usage. The building has been designed environmentally friendly, using renewable energy sources and according to the tropical requirements. The buildings basic shape, a rectangle oriented to the compass axes is a response to the tropical climatic conditions. The long sides of the building face north/south, the short sides face east/west, thus few areas are exposed to the lower angle sun radiation in the morning and evening that are difficult to shade. The building is lifted from the ground, creating a large shaded area underneath and al¬lowing for the landscape to flow under and inside the building. This, in combination with landscaping measures creates a pool of cooler and cleaner air that can be used to ventilate the building and helps to avoid the either humid or dusty direct winds from south and north. Nevertheless the building will have to be equipped with a complete air conditioning system, to guarantee comfort inside the offices when a natural climate control would not be effective. Our aim however is to contribute as much as possible to a comfortable climate by natural means. The shading system of the envelope have been differentiated in relation to solar exposition. A facade of bamboo modular panel will provide different kind of screens: on the facade fac¬ing south they will be closed on the top, side closed on the eastern and western ones and opened towards the sky, to catch as diffuse light as possible, on the northern facade. The External panel will also act as barriers to the unfavourable desert or Atlantic winds. Except for the Harmattan and Monsoon seasons, thus in seasons with milder climate conditions, a natural passive control of inner comfort conditions can be foreseen and the whole architecture has been conceived in compliance with this topic. Ventilation patios provide naturally air-flows due to a combination of chimney thermal driven effect and Venturi acceleration effect, related to open-able windbreak that catch external winds on their top if opportune. When external climate conditions are not appropriate to let air enter the offices, natural airflows will be exploited to ventilate the circulation space that is always shaded and without thermal loads from permanent presence of lights, equipment or employees. When external temperatures and humidity are acceptable, the windows on the facades will lead fresh air inside the offices, providing cooling and the air changes required. Investigation about local materials have also led to individuate “lightened earth”, a modern evolution of the traditional “torchis”, being the most insulating mass and transpiring material, appropriate to ensure a high efficient external envelope: this technique provides prefabricated panels made up by a mixture of ground with “inert” consisting of vegetable fiber or lightweight materials. At Night time, when temperatures are significantly lower than during the day windows will be opened to let air enter the building and cool the structural masses that store heat during the day. The landscaping of the site is as much an ecological machine as it is a pleasant spatial experience: it integrates water-management and security features into all its spatial elements. A system of hills, planted with helophytic plants that can be used for the treatment of waste water, will provide clean water for irrigation and cooling of the site. Combined with rainwater harvested from the roofs of buildings this water is collected and gradually released into the large pond underneath the main building.

 

Airpot Plaza

 

Airport Plaza Use: Mix-use (office and retail) Location: Accra, Ghana Size (square metres): 17,000 Laurus role: Development Manager Architect: MCA (Mario Cucinella Architetto)

CLIENT: Paa Kwesi Sereboe
STATUS: In-Process
LOCATION: Takoradi Beach Area
SCOPE OF WORK: SUPERVISION
DESCRIPTION: 6 Storey Hotel Building
BUILT UP AREA: 2623.77 m2

LANDSCAPING AREA 4454.21 m2

 

 

 

CLIENT Cirrus Energy
STATUS: Pre-Project
LOCATION: Roman Ridge
SCOPE OF WORK DESIGN: SUPERVISION
DESCRIPTION: 11 Storey Office Building
BUILT UP AREA: 2821.18 m2
LANDSCAPING AREA 977.72 m2

 

 Reserve a unit now by contacting Westfields Real Estate on 0288970080

 

 

APARTMENTS-THE NEW HOUSE

Infrastructure contributed just over one percentage point to Ghana's annual per capital GDP growth during the 2000s. Raising the country’s infrastructure endowment to that of the region's middle-income countries could boost the annual growth rate by more than 2.7 percentage points. Ghana has an advanced infrastructure platform when compared with other low-income countries in Africa. The country’s coverage levels for rural water, electricity, and GSM signals are impressive. A large share of the road network is in good or fair condition. Institutional reforms have been adopted in the ICT, ports, roads, and water supply sectors. Ghana’s most pressing challenges lie in the power sector, where outmoded transmission and distribution assets, rapid demand growth, and periodic hydrological shocks leave the country reliant on high-cost oil-based generation. Exceptionally high losses in water distribution leave little to reach end customers, who are thus exposed to intermittent supplies. Addressing Ghana's infrastructure challenges will require raising annual expenditures to $2.3 billion. The country already spends about $1.2 billion per year on infrastructure, equivalent to about 7.5 percent of GDP. A further $1.1 billion is lost each year to inefficiencies, notably underpricing of power.Ghana's annual infrastructure funding gap is about $0.4 billion per year, chiefly related to power and water. Following its recent oil discoveries, Ghana can raise additional public funding from increased tax receipts. The country has several strong areas on which to build and a solid economic base from which to fund incremental efforts.
The new building trends in Ghana in this current year is rather amazing.  One of the newest trend is the building of apartments which are not rented now but sold. We will ask ourselves why this suddden change?
 A lot of times it has to do with convenience. Apartments might be located in the center of the city, grocery, boutique shopping, café, and work might be within walking distance. You don't have to maintain a kept yard and a lot of times and you don't have to clean large amounts of space. Some apartments you can buy instead of rent. People like the conveniences of small, comfortable, places to live, especially in cities. These are major signaficances of apartments:
1. Everything is at your fingertips.
2. They're cozier.
3. They clean up faster.
4. They allow you to live with less of everything - simplicity & economy.
5. A small space allows you to experiment more with different design ideas.
6. They get you outside more.
7. They put you more in touch with your neighbors/community.
8. They are cheaper. They put more money back into your life.
9. Small spaces require more imagination (large spaces are for those with no imagination).
10. Small spaces create momentum. They force one to make decisions, at home as well as in life.
Apartment buildings for sale now are found in the centre of Accra basically the residential areas like East Legon, Airport and Adjiringanor. Sloane House, Meridian Apartments, Glormina, La Beach Towers, just to mention a few.

Office Space: Should You Buy or Lease?

 

 

More often than not, office space isn’t the biggest concern for a small business. But there will likely come a day when you do need office space of your own. A home office can work for a while, but when you need to bring in an employee, you’ll want some office space that you can call your own. From there, you have two options: You can buy, or you can lease.

Understanding the Life Span of Your Business

There’s a certain ideal that implies owning your office space makes sense — after all, why pay rent when you can build up an asset for your business with a property? But the key deciding factor should be the life span of your business. If you are relatively certain that your business will be around in 10 years, and that you’ll need to be in the exact same place, buying the office space you need may not be a bad idea. But if your business has a less-certain future, tying its health to a mortgage can simply tie up your resources from the start.

For a business that is still evolving, renting offers a certain flexibility, even though you aren’t spending your rent money on anything that will turn into an asset for your company. If you need a bigger space, you have the flexibility to move. If you need specialized equipment (and therefore a specialized space), you have the flexibility to move. If you need to add retail space, you have the flexibility to move. But in each of those situations, if you buy office space, you’ll either need to sell it or rent it out to be able to move.

Look at Your Cash in Hand

A secondary question comes down to how much cash is sitting in your business’ coffers. While getting a mortgage on a house is a fairly simple proposition, it’s harder to finance the purchase of office space (especially for a small business with a short credit history). At the bare minimum, you’ll need to have a down payment of 30 percent of the cost of the property, and you can’t expect particularly great interest rates on any mortgage you take out. Furthermore, you’ll be facing the costs for an appraisal, a building inspection and other odds and ends before you get to the closing.

In contrast, renting a space will cost you the first month’s rent and a deposit (probably around the cost of a month’s rent). That’s a fraction of what you’ll need to have up front to buy space.

The tax factor can also tip the scales: While your business can deduct the full amount paid for rent in a given year, the cost of buying commercial real estate (as well as improving it) is depreciated over 39 years. That means that your tax situation will likely be better renting office space, although it’s important to check with a tax professional to be sure of your own situation.

Ready for a Secondary Business?

By choosing to buy office space rather than rent it, you’re putting yourself into a second business — real estate investing. If you buy a property with more space than your business currently needs (generally a good plan if you expect your business to grow at all), you’ll put yourself in the position of needing to rent the rest of that space to others until you’re ready to use it. While that can be a good thing (at the very least, renting out space makes it easier to be sure you can pay the mortgage every month, no matter how your business is doing), that does mean that you have to pick up the nuts and bolts of being a landlord while still focusing on growing your business. The financial situation may work out, but it’s worth looking into what it takes to be a landlord before making a decision.

Buying a property may also put you in the position of selling it for a profit down the road, at least if you were able to select a piece in an area where land values are appreciating. That sort of financial boost can be pleasant, especially for a small business owner who may be looking for capital to invest back into the company.

Making the Final Decision

For most small businesses, renting office space is by far the easiest option. You don’t need to come up with much cash up front, you aren’t tied to a property, and you don’t have to figure out how to run two businesses at once.

Of course, those obstacles aren’t insurmountable, and there are some points when buying office space makes sense. If, for instance, you do have the capital available and you can cut what you’re paying in rent as well as pick up an investment, buying makes a lot more sense. Similarly, if you’re in a market where renting is more of a gamble — an area where rental prices fluctuate dramatically — buying can be a way to keep control of your costs.

At the end of the day, it’s important to look at what your business needs. See what’s happening in terms of commercial real estate in your area and how that impacts you, too. You should consult with a financial adviser, as well as a tax professional, to see what will be the best fit for you. All these factors must contribute to the right decision for your business. Only then will you know if renting or buying is the best choice.