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Your buying checklist

Work down the timeline. Tick off every item that applies to your property and transaction, then download or share it when ready.

Before you choose a property

1. Set up your buying position

Confirm who is buying: an individual, company or trust.
Confirm the buyer’s citizenship: Vanuatu citizen or foreign buyer.
If the buyer is foreign, check visa/residence, work and business implications separately. Buying property does not itself grant a visa or residence status.
For a company or trust, give your lawyer the entity, trustee, beneficial-owner and signing-authority documents.
Set the total budget, not only the asking price.
Decide how the purchase will be funded and obtain lender pre-approval if borrowing.
Allow separately for legal fees, valuation, inspection, survey/engineering work, consent, transfer, stamp duty and registration costs.
Allow for ongoing land rent, municipal rates/property tax where applicable, utilities, insurance and property management.

When you find a property

Save the VPSE listing, agency listing, seller/agent details, asking price, photos, plan and every title or lease reference provided.
Confirm whether the property is urban or rural; start rural title, lessor, access and customary-land enquiries early.
Ask the seller or agent for the current registered title search or title reference.
Ask for the registered lease, including the land description, remaining term, lessor, rent and conditions.
Ask what is included in the sale: buildings, furniture, equipment, water/power connections, access rights, tenants or a business.
Ask for current land-rent receipts, municipal rates/property-tax evidence and utility accounts for the exact property.
If there are tenants, obtain the tenancy agreement, rent record, bond details and any promises made to the tenant.
If a company, shares or business are part of the deal, obtain the relevant company and business records before committing.
Do not pay for or sign for an unregistered lease interest without independent Vanuatu legal advice.

Before any commitment

Engage an independent Vanuatu lawyer before signing a document or paying money.
Ask your lawyer to obtain or verify a current official title search and identify the registered holder, mortgage, caution or other recorded interest.
Ask your lawyer to review the registered lease: term remaining, parties, permitted use, transfer conditions, rent, arrears and obligations.
Ask your lawyer to explain whether consent to transfer is needed, who must consent and which forms, evidence and fees apply.
Inspect the building, site, drainage, water, power, road access, boundaries, retaining works, coastal exposure and material repairs.
Obtain independent building, structural, surveying or engineering advice that is appropriate for the property.
Ask an insurer what information is required for that property.
Where appropriate, obtain a cyclone/structural engineering certificate or report before the agreement becomes unconditional.
Obtain an independent valuation if needed for a lender, negotiation or confidence in the price.
Use the VPSE listing’s LandLogic valuation action if you want to start a valuation enquiry with the selected property details.

Offer and contract

Have your lawyer prepare or review the sale and purchase agreement for this exact property.
Confirm the buyer and seller names, property/lease description, price, deposit, inclusions and settlement date.
State every protective condition clearly: title and lease review, finance, valuation, inspection, engineering/cyclone report, consent and any other agreed matter.
Confirm how and when a condition may be satisfied, waived or extended—and obtain legal advice before waiving it.
Confirm where the deposit is held, when it can be released and what happens if a condition is not met.
Confirm which costs are payable by buyer and seller, including stamp duty, consent, transfer and registration fees.
Do not let the agreement become unconditional until the agreed checks are complete or you have independent advice to proceed.

After conditions are satisfied

Complete the required consent-to-transfer application and provide the required forms and evidence.
Confirm the transfer-of-lease document is correct and ready for signing and lodgement.
Obtain the final settlement statement showing price, deposit, land rent, rates/property tax, utilities and all other agreed adjustments separately.
Review the settlement statement with your lawyer before authorising the final payment.
Confirm the documents are stamped, lodged and registered as required; signing alone does not complete the transfer.
Keep copies of the registered transfer, updated title/lease evidence, consent, settlement statement and every receipt.

When the property becomes yours

Arrange insurance from the date you become responsible for the property, using the insurer’s required information.
Put land-rent payments, municipal rates/property tax where applicable and utilities into your payment calendar.
Keep the lease conditions, consents, permits and property records with the registered documents.
If the property is rented or run as a business, arrange the appropriate tenancy, accounting, tax and management support.