A
Affordability
What you can comfortably commit after considering income, funds, and existing obligations.
The property ownership glossary
The A to Z of making a better property decision.
A plain-language guide to the terms, questions, and checks that shape a more confident property decision with BALL.
Why the language matters
Better decisions start with clearer definitions.
Property buying in Nigeria can feel opaque, fragmented, and unnecessarily risky. Understanding the words behind the process helps you ask sharper questions and recognise what needs checking before you commit.
Know the terms
Understand what people and documents are actually saying.
Ask better questions
Use the right language to uncover what matters.
Decide with evidence
Move forward when the information supports it.
The A to Z guide
Twenty-six useful terms for the journey.
Use this as a quick reference when you are comparing properties, reviewing documents, or deciding what to do next.
B
BALL Score™
A readiness assessment that turns your current position into a clearer next step.
C
Completion
The final stage of the transaction when agreed payments, documents, and handover are completed.
D
Due diligence
A deeper review of legal, financial, commercial, and investment details before commitment.
E
Equity
The value you own in a property after accounting for any outstanding financing.
F
Find & Match
A focused search for opportunities that fit your brief, budget, location, and goals.
G
Goals
The reason behind your purchase, whether that is a first home, rental income, or long-term growth.
H
Handover
The organised transfer of the property, keys, documents, and responsibilities to you.
I
Inspection
A physical review that helps you understand the property condition and what still needs attention.
J
Joint ownership
Owning property with another person, with responsibilities and rights agreed clearly in writing.
K
Key milestones
The dates and decisions that keep a purchase moving from offer to completion.
L
Location
The area’s access, demand, infrastructure, and fit with how you plan to use the property.
M
Mortgage
A form of property finance where the property supports a structured repayment arrangement.
N
Negotiation
The process of agreeing price, terms, timing, and responsibilities before signing.
O
Ownership
The legal and practical relationship you have with a property after the transaction is complete.
P
Payment plan
The agreed timing and structure for paying for a property, including any instalments.
Q
Questions
The questions you ask early can reveal more than the answers on a property listing.
R
Readiness
How prepared your finances, decisions, documents, and timeline are for the next step.
S
Seller checks
Reviewing who is selling, their authority, and the claims made about the opportunity.
T
Title
The evidence of rights over land or property and the basis on which a transfer can happen.
U
Use
Whether the property’s permitted and practical use matches your plans for living or investing.
V
Verify & Protect
Independent checks on the property, people, and documents before your money moves.
W
Walk-away point
A clear limit that helps you leave an opportunity when the evidence or terms no longer work.
X
X-factor
The specific quality that makes an opportunity especially suitable for your goals, not just attractive.
Y
Yield
A way to consider rental income against the cost of an investment property.
Z
Zero guesswork
The BALL standard: replace assumptions with clear information, practical guidance, and evidence.
Put the ideas into practice.
Start with your BALL Score™ to turn this framework into a practical view of your readiness, buying position, and next move.