My Cousin Will Sell Me Half an Acre of Granny’s Land for Cash. There Is No Title and No Survey

A reader writes:

I am twenty-seven and I have been saving to buy a piece of land to build on, slowly, over the next few years. Last month my cousin Devon called me with what he says is a blessing. Our grandmother had about four acres up in the hills above Savanna-la-Mar. She died six years ago. Devon lives on part of it and he says he can sell me half an acre by the big breadfruit tree for much less than land is going for around here, if I pay cash by the end of the year.

The problem is, there is nothing on paper. When I asked about a title he laughed and said, “Everybody knows it’s Granny’s land.” When I asked about a survey he said we can just put down some stones. He says the other cousins won’t mind because they are all in England or Canada and not coming back. My mother says to be careful but also not to offend Devon, because he has been good to the family and he is the one who looked after Granny at the end.

I don’t want to lose the chance, and I don’t want to insult my cousin. But I also don’t want to put everything I have saved into something that could be taken from me. What should I do?

— Kemar, Westmoreland

Our response

Kemar, your instinct to pause is a wise one, and it does not have to insult anyone. Asking proper questions about land is not a judgement on Devon’s character. It is how you protect him, yourself and the rest of the family from a misunderstanding that could last for generations.

The key question: is it Devon’s to sell?

From what you describe, the land belonged to your grandmother. When someone dies, their property does not usually pass automatically to whichever relative lives on it. It generally forms part of their estate, and depending on whether there was a will and who the heirs are, several people may have a share. The cousins in England and Canada may not be coming back, but they may still have rights. If they do, Devon may not be able to sell you a clear piece on his own, however good his intentions.

There may also be a title you have not seen, an old registered title in your grandmother’s name or even in her parents’ names. Or the land may never have been registered at all. Each of these situations has a different path.

Before any money changes hands

1. Find out what records exist. Ask older relatives for any papers, tax receipts, old deeds or a will. The National Land Agency and the property tax office may hold records connected to the land.
2. Speak to an attorney-at-law. Ask them to explain who is likely to be entitled to the land and what would be needed for you to receive a secure title to a portion of it.
3. Get a commissioned land surveyor. Stones by a breadfruit tree are not a boundary. A proper survey shows exactly what you would be buying, and whether it has road access.
4. Involve the other heirs. A family call, including the relatives abroad, may feel awkward. It is far less awkward than a dispute after you have built.
5. Put any agreement in writing, prepared or reviewed by your attorney, and avoid paying large sums of cash with no receipt or written terms.

How to say it to Devon

You might try something like: “I really want to do this, and I’m grateful you thought of me. But I’m putting every dollar I have into it, so I need it done properly so nobody can ever question it, not for my sake or for yours.” If the family land has never been sorted out, you could even suggest that you help pay towards getting the whole thing surveyed and regularised, as part of the arrangement. That could be a gift to everyone.

If Devon insists on cash by a deadline with no papers, treat that as a warning, whatever his intentions. Real opportunities usually survive a few months of proper checking.

Proverbs warns against moving the ancient landmark set by your fathers (Proverbs 22:28). Boundaries matter to God because they protect people, especially the vulnerable and the absent. Doing this carefully honours your grandmother, respects the cousins who are not in the room, and gives you the security to build without fear.

This article is general information only and is not financial, legal, tax or other professional advice. Please speak to a qualified professional about your own circumstances.

Reader letters may be edited for length and clarity, and names and identifying details are changed.

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