Tuesday, 14 May 2013

Toastmasters Speech Number 6 (vocal variety) – When a Deal is Too Good


I am struggling with my second attempt at the CC10 project. For sure, it would have been easier for me to inflate a sisal gunny bag than tackling this project. It is like milking a he-goat. The vocal variety is sounding like an attempt to use a vuvuzela as a trumpet. Maybe the culprit is my CC6 (vocal variety) that I post below.
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CC6 – When a deal is too good
Listen, am telling you this because you are my friends. Some quarter acre plots next to the defence college at Karen are selling at only two million kenya shillings. I know the seller and I can link you up.

Owning a piece of land is most a Kenyan’s vision. Vision without action is a merely a dream. Therefore, we work as hard as mules, toiling day and night, from cockcrow to long after sunset, year in year out and deny ourselves luxuries in the hope of saving just enough to purchase a plot.
Any plot even if at Athi River where the black soil looks like fine tarmac during the sunny season but is a rut with the first drops of rain and therefore one requires either competent wading skills or a canoe.
Jokes aside, the idea is good and the returns can be fulfilling. However the process is replete with pitfalls and snares. Matters are not made easier by our despicable man eat man culture. There are swindlers, bilkers and leeches out there who can smell the money in your pocket better than a shark a drop of blood in the ocean. One blink, just one and your savings evaporate into thin air.

So how do you go about it without burning, your already sore fingers?

For starters follow the law society regulations to the letter. After identifying an interesting piece, the next step should be to ascertain ownership. This is primarily done by talking to the neighbours. They are likely to know the owner or to know of any conflicts associated with the property. However, this is not sufficient proof. You need something written; something official; the official search certificate. The search certificate is got at the local lands office and it confirms the registered owner and lists any restrictions on the property. If the searching officers say that they cannot get the green card it doesn't mean that they won’t make it to American. No. It means one of two things or both either, the deal is shady or you need to do what needs to be done when a civil servant cannot find a file. I recommend you drop the deal at this point like a hot potato.

Next one needs to enter into a sale agreement. In particular make sure the agreement covers terms of payment, plus the vendor and purchaser responsibility. For this use a reputable and honest lawyer. They are many despite 99% of them spoiling for the others. Get one who can ask a learned question, preferable with foreign accent such as
“mr. so so, please answer yes or no, isn’t it so that when the a person dies in his sleep he does not get to know about it until the following morning?”.
Seriously though, use a conveyance lawyer.

Another thing, if the land is subject to land control board, don’t evade it. The land board is like a local council of elders that grants a specific entity authority to transfer land to another definite entity. Ideally it should be chaired the District Commissioner. But the DC delegates the authority to the DO who in turn has delegated to madam Wavy. According to the government, the service is free. But nonetheless Madam Wavy whom, it is rumored inspired the Michelin man, demands a token fee for the wazee that sets you back a couple of thousands.

In a nutshell,
1.    Confirm the details -  if  they are too good to be true, they are.
2.    Use a conveyance lawyer - Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish.
3.    Don’t take short cuts, they will cut your slyness to size.

Remember fellow toastmaster
When the deal is too good think twice? Wrong. Don’t even think about it

Toastmaster

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