Buying property from London, Toronto, Brussels, Amsterdam, Melbourne, Nairobi or Dubai while the property sits in Kigali is a genuinely different transaction from a local, in-person purchase — not because the legal steps are different, but because you can't personally verify anything on the ground. This service exists specifically to close that gap.
What's different about buying remotely
| Step | Local buyer | Diaspora buyer |
|---|---|---|
| Viewing | In person | Live video call or recorded walkthrough |
| Verification | Can visit the site personally | We verify on your behalf, with photo/video evidence |
| Signing | In person at a notary | Notarised power of attorney authorises someone to sign for you |
| Payment | Can be handled locally, in person | International transfer against a written milestone schedule |
| Handover | Collect keys directly | Keys held or handed to a nominated representative until you arrive |
Power of attorney, explained simply
A power of attorney (POA) is the legal instrument that lets someone else act on your behalf in Rwanda — signing the sale agreement, appearing at the notary, and registering the transferred title in your name. For most diaspora clients, this is prepared and notarised either at a Rwandan embassy or consulate in your country of residence, or through a local notary with the document subsequently legalised for use in Rwanda. We'll tell you which route applies in your country and can recommend where to start, though the notarisation itself is a legal step outside what we directly provide.
A properly drafted POA should specify exactly what the holder can and cannot do — limiting it to a single, named transaction rather than granting broad, indefinite authority is standard good practice, and something we'll flag if a draft you're given looks too open-ended.
Virtual viewings that actually tell you something
A single video call walking past a building's exterior tells you very little. Our virtual viewings are structured to cover what actually matters for a purchase decision: room-by-room video with commentary, water and electricity connection points, boundary walls and access roads, and — where relevant — the surrounding street and neighbourhood context, not just the property itself.
Payment without being present
We structure payment in stages tied to specific, verifiable milestones — signed sale agreement, confirmed title transfer application, registered transfer — rather than asking for the full amount upfront. This isn't a licensed escrow account in the formal sense some buyers may be used to from other markets, and we're upfront about that distinction; it is, however, a significant improvement over paying in full before any documentation is confirmed, which remains common practice with less careful sellers.
Currency and pricing
Every property we list shows the RWF asking price with an indicative USD equivalent beneath it, so you can budget without a separate currency conversion. The RWF figure is what the transaction is actually priced in; the USD figure moves with the exchange rate and is shown for guidance only.
Common mistakes we see diaspora buyers make
- Sending money before seeing the title documents. Documentation should come before payment, not after.
- Granting an overly broad power of attorney. Limit it to the specific transaction.
- Relying on family members for verification instead of an independent check. Well-meaning relatives are not a substitute for formal title verification.
- Accepting a higher price without knowing it. Ask directly whether the price quoted matches what a local buyer would be quoted for the same property.
Where to start
Browse current properties for sale, read our title verification guide to understand what protects you, or go straight to contact us with your budget, timeline and preferred area — we'll take it from there.