FIRST TIME IN GHANA! REAL ESTATE TOUR WITH U.S. INVESTOR – WHAT HE FOUND WILL SHOCK YOU! #GhanaRealEstate #AfricaRising #Sus

Welcome to the journey of Darren, an American real estate agent and investor who touched down in Africa and Ghana for the first time to uncover the real estate opportunities here. Darren chose to engage with Royal Kingdom Estate because of our proven track record and credibility. During his stay, he enjoyed the luxurious comfort of our short-lit apartment, the Decade, listed on Airbnb. He was thoroughly impressed with the style and luxury it offered. Royal Kingdom Estate took Darren on an extensive tour of our various sites and developments. We started at The Future at East Airport, then moved on to the upcoming African Renaissance Tower at Osu. Our journey continued to The View, Phase 1 and 2, located at Abukubi Hills and Rikusu, respectively, where Darren got to see the developments with the City View. This is called The View, Phase 1. How do you see it? It's awesome. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah, you're overlooking all of Accra. Exactly. Yeah. And the good news about this place is that it's partly greater Accra, partly eastern region. Okay. So that is Abukubi, so we call this place Abukubi Hills. So you wake up in the morning and you have Accra right in front of you. So this is all your property here? So our property starts from here. Come, let me show you. We're actually going to build the security post over here. That's the entrance to the estate. Oh, right here? Right here, yes. Okay. So it starts from this fence wall. That is property number one. All the properties here, they belong to us. All this place from here. How many properties? So we have, I think, almost about 30 acres. Okay. Of land right here. It goes all the way down. Because if you like, you can still... You want to hike some more? No. You don't want to hike? No, I can see. Yes. Yeah. Very beautiful scenery. You said 30 acres? Yes. So it goes down. It moves from where the blocks are packed. You go right this way and it goes all the way down. And you can see people are already building. Yeah, that's a nice view. Yeah. So from here, we are going to the view phase two. Okay. That's a little bit on the top over here. But all of them gives you the city view. And you know the interesting part? The more you go down, the more you get closer to the city view. Because the greens here are blocking this part off. But the more you are going down. Let's go down a little bit. Okay. Then you'll be able to see. I said that the city view is widening. It's opening for you. How do you see it from here? How do I see it? How do you see the view? It's amazing. Yeah. It's nice. Yeah, it's nice. I think it's okay here. It's nice. Yeah. You can see the other developments down there. Absolutely. Absolutely. It's like being in the country. Yeah. Up in the mountains. Exactly. I'll reserve like 10 plus here for you. Wow. I just love the last word. Wow. Exactly. Yeah. And we strategically get this lands at strategic positions. So did you buy it with the walls already up? Or you just started that? We started those. Okay. Now, how long before the roads around here come in? So what we are doing here is unique. You see, unlike other places where we will be charging for roads, for you drains, for sidewalks, streetlights, and all. What we have done is to discount the land that we are selling. I told you something earlier on whilst we were in the key things that we always want to do is to bring back the African feel. What is the African feel? The communal togetherness. Let's come back. Let's get together. Let's build together. So what we're doing is that at Royal Kingdom, though it's a profit-making organization, we are not here to rip off anybody. So what we're saying is that the roads in the community, the drains, the sidewalks, the streetlights, will have property owners forum for property owners themselves to be able to take charge of what they are getting. So we are contributing to build our own roads. So I have the opportunity to be able to suggest to them, well, Darin has been in the States for a long time. He knows what goes into property. He knows what goes into roads. Let's add him to the technical committee for him to be able to make suggestions on the type of roads that we have to build so that you'll not just be there. You wake up. They are constructing roads and they do something shoddy and you're like, oh, this is not how it's supposed to be. So everybody on any of our developments have an opportunity to be able to contribute and tell. So where do the government step into? Because when we do a lot of things in the States, you have to pull permits and you have to build things accordingly for the safety of the people. So how do you trust of everyone that's doing the things without the government guiding you or giving you specs on how things should be done? Okay, so what we're doing is that in our architecture, we have the town and country planning department here in Ghana. That's where the government is. So what we're doing at Royal Kingdom is that we are bridging the gap. We liaise with the town and country planning department of our assemblies. So they actually okay all the works that we are doing. Let me give you another example. All the buildings that we have here are supposed to have a permit. Now we have been able to liaise with authorities to tell them at Royal Kingdom, we have assembled all the engineers to make government work a bit less difficult for them. So they have met with our engineering team. We have collaborated such that we are supposed to ensure that every building springing up here, they are doing the right thing. So what am I saying? If I come up here and somebody's building for you and you are over there, the person is doing the wrong thing, I'll tell you stop what you're doing. Darren, I'm at your building, what you're doing is wrong, I'm stopping them. Because I have the local authority empowering us for us to be able to ensure the right things are done. Okay. So the government is aware when we get to the office, we will show you the layout stamped by the authorities, the government themselves. Okay. This is how it's supposed to be. We have been able to earmark the roads, everything that we have to do. And we go onto the drawing table, put the designs together, so that when we present it to homeowners, it's like we have already given you 50% of the work. Then now we now take the technical ideas. And let me say this, Royal Kingdom will still not leave you, we will still be with you during the development agenda. We'll be able to guide you, offer technical advice, because Darren, let's be honest with ourselves, you are in the States, I'm here, I'll have more knowledge here on material, on methodology, on how things work here. When I get to the US, you have more leverage over me. That's true. But over here, I'll have more power over you. Right. So I'll still be with you to be a guide. And that's what Royal Kingdom has put in place to be able to help everybody build here in Ghana. Okay. Makes sense. Okay. Takes out a lot of hassle. Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Right. Thank you. So let's go to phase two of the view. So Darren, this is the view phase two. Okay. And as usual, you can still see why we're calling it view phase two. Oh, I was looking that way. So, okay. That's it here. So the homes are going to be facing this way. Exactly. So if you like, let's, let's, let's move up here a bit so that you're able to see the view a little bit more. And this is equally selling very fast. Like the saying goes, the right time to buy is now. Yeah. You always want to buy early. Exactly. Yes. Absolutely. Yeah. So how do you see this place as well? Yeah. It's a great view as well as that view. Absolutely. Yeah. Okay. I'm impressed. Thank you. Yeah. So from here, I'm sending you to our next, which is called the Black Star Village. Okay. And we, we nicknamed it the Black Star Village because all the streets names have all Africanists named after them. You know, it's funny you say that because we have a development in Detroit where they developed a neighborhood and they, are you familiar with Motown? Yes. The music? Yes. So they named all of the streets after the musicians. Oh, okay. Like Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye. Okay. Those folks. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So you say that I can respect. Exactly. What you're saying about naming them after black. Exactly. But over here, it, it transcends the whole of Africa. Marcos Gave, Martin Luther King Jr. Street, Kwame Nkrumah Street, Yaa Santua Street. What about Malcolm X? Malcolm X is there. Malcolm X is there. Okay. He's my favorite. Awesome. That's cool. But Africa is different from the U.S. Our, our younger generation wants to be in a downtown area where they can maneuver. Yeah. Right. Although the cost of living in the downtown is going sky high. Exactly. They can't afford it. Yeah. So, I mean, what do you, what is your market? Okay. So let me, let me say this. If you watched right from our office, which is close to the airport, to this place, we drove for just 40 minutes. It was less than an hour. Right. Good. Now, if you also look at our current road network and what is happening in this country, it is such that this place and the city itself is, is close. So once we have been able to bridge, because right from this place, and that's what Royal Kingdom does, we strategically get the lots at areas where it is easy for the younger folks to be able to go out there, go have fun, drive back home and rest. So when you get to Ashesi and you go straight, it takes you to a place called Kwabena. Kwabena takes you straight to Pukwasi interchange, the biggest interchange in West Africa, which is again in Accra. If you want to travel to, let's say, Kumasi, Koforidia, they are all connected to what we So 40 minutes, 50 minutes stops, you are in town. You finish and you are coming, you get home, nobody. So we have actually strategically placed all these lots at areas where it is able to cater, so that the younger folks are also able to get what they will need today. Because let me say this, give yourself the next five years. When the road network, you see the road we drove on, I told you, you also saw you are into construction. So you saw the massive work on that road. Can you imagine that road is tight? Yeah, travel should go a lot smoother, a lot quicker. Absolutely. Maybe it won't take 40 minutes. Absolutely. Yeah. So if on this road is taking 40 minutes, that would take like 25, 30 minutes. Okay. Which makes it shorter to town. Yeah. And so that is why the younger folks need to buy these places now. So that by the time the road network, by the time they finish building and all, the road network connecting to the big cities are also done at the same time. And it means that you have taken a wiser decision at the right time. You got to show them that. That's what you are here to be able to do as well. You're able to tell them because you are experiencing it. Yeah. So you're able to tell them, I experienced it myself. Yeah. We drove on it for 40 minutes and we're there. Yeah. So why don't you get it now so that you're able to help yourself tomorrow. It doesn't make sense. It makes a lot of sense. Yeah. Thank you. So we are now going to the Black Star Village. Okay. We proceeded to Black Star Village located at Brekusu. Here, we explained to him the heritage and culture tied to the developments. This is the world. You know, each area is different. Yeah. And Africa is truly a lot different. Exactly. Yeah. And that's what I'm trying to instill. I understand. And I'm open. And that's why I like the questions that because these are questions that most people want to ask. They want to know. They want to know what is happening. How is your tax system like? What type of taxes are you paying? Because if we invest into Ghana. Yes. We invest. Yes. We want to make sure that we're not going to lose it to the government. Absolutely. And like I told you, I don't know. I'm trying to think about on top of my head who has lost a property in Ghana. If you lose your property, maybe to fire. Yeah. To natural disaster. But for the government to come and say I'm taking unless of course there are issues with the land that you have purchased. Once there are no issues, who is going to disturb you? So that brings up another concern. We have a thing called eminent domain. Yes. You familiar with it? I'm familiar with it. Do you guys have something like that? Yes, we do. OK, so if I have a property and you want to build a road through it, the government comes in. Do they reimburse you? Yes, they do. At market value? Yes. Because most of the time their market value is not the same as. In fact, the market value we even pay in Ghana here is so high. If we were to drive on the Amasaman stretch, you can sometimes go and interview them. It's so high. We hedge it against inflation and the current market price. Yes. OK. It's got to be understood. Exactly. And that's what we are trying to do. We are here to explain to you the realities itself. Yeah, yeah. Because if I invest, I want to make sure that if I haven't been here because I was ill for 25 years and my daughters finally come and see what I have. Yeah. They understand everything about it has not been lost. Absolutely. Because of nonpayment or something. Yes. You know what I mean? Absolutely. So. In fact, Ghana, you don't lose anything because our system is such that government will not just wake up and say, I'm coming to take this from you. Well, I'm from the US. Yes. So. I'm talking about Ghana. I know, but what authority, what authority do I have being a US citizen? Let me tell you now. Whilst coming here, you bought your visa. Right. That's that's what gave you the opportunity to be here. So legally you are here. Yes. When you buy property in Ghana, we are using your name. We are using your daughter's name, whoever you want to be on the document. OK. When that is done again, you are going to register with the same government, telling the government this piece of land. With Ghana's government. Yes. Ghana's government. You are telling them that I have done a transaction with Royal Kingdom and I have done my due diligence. I've brought my lawyers. They have checked everything. Everything is accurate. So I'm announcing to you government that the transaction is a transaction. Make sure it is legitimate. Register it for me. Once they have done that and now you take those documents to your daughter. You are sick. Whatever it is, they come down here. It's for them. OK. Because you have documents to prove. OK, so there's a thing I'm hearing about citizenship. If you own a piece of property, you can apply for citizenship. Does that help you protect your property if you do that? Yes. So let me say this. If you are a citizen of Ghana today, you don't get 50 years. You get 99 years. Oh, that's the difference. That's where the difference from 50 to 99. I thought you were going to smile to that. That's the difference. Absolutely. Because you keep saying 50, but I hear I heard 50 and 99. But if you become a citizen. Yes. You have 99 years. You got 99 years. Absolutely. Before they read. Everything's the same. It's just at 99. Exactly. Or 95. So what he says is that if you are a citizen of Ghana, you are entitled to 99 years, non-citizens 50 years. OK. Yes. And becoming a citizen, that's a whole nother conversation. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. But you see, was it somewhere last year? We had almost like 2,000 or 1,000 people. I may be wrong with the numbers, but a lot of a lot more people got their cards last year. I know. I heard that Ghana was giving away free citizenship. Absolutely. Did they did they turn that off or? No, no, no, no. They got it. And I have. They got it. Yes. But is it still going on now or? At the moment, no. They paused it. They paused it. OK. But individually, you are able to get your own. So what happens is that you can start with a work permit because you want to work. Well, if you have a work permit, it means that you can also leave here, do whatever, because definitely work permit means that you you have the right to stay anywhere in the country. Right. So after that, with time, because the immigration wants to know, are you a good person? Are you are you a nuisance to the country? Right. So we'll look at all that with time. Sometimes I am told I'm not an immigration expert. But the last information I got from there is that between five to 10 years, when they check your movements and everything is OK, then now you proceed to be a citizen of Ghana. So when they were giving away the free citizenship, you didn't need to prove anything? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Not at all. I missed that boat. OK. Not at all. OK. Yes. You give me a good understanding. Exactly. So this is this. This is the Black Star Village. It's a hundred acre. Wow. Right from here, it's moves, it sweeps even to the back. Now, I understand what Danny meant when he said he's a land bank. Yes. Landly, yeah. Yeah. A hundred acres. Yes. And I'm taking you to a place where we have over 600 acres of land. The next place. Exactly. Okay. Good. Are you enjoying yourself? Oh, yeah. Awesome. The education, what you're telling me and teaching me, it's just, it's good. I need to know this. Okay. It's helping. Thank you. So, let's get moving. The tour concluded at Gray City Phase 4 in Ebri Amman Farm. Look at the houses you are seeing. One, two, three, four, five. Are you going all the way back to the white house with the green roof and coming this way? All the things you are seeing here, they are all in our property. So we call this- And who are these guys here? What you are seeing here, the wall, this is Gray City Phase 3, this is Phase 4. So that's the demarcation of the fence wall. So they work for you? So they're actually building our wall. In fact, I'm supervising the work they are doing. Okay. Wow. Yes. So this is Gray City Phase 4. So we have Phase 1, which is on this side. You see the buildings up there? Look at the buildings up there. Where after the tree, the big tree, the buildings up there, that is Phase 1. Okay. Phase 2 is the white house you are seeing at the top there, with the road, you can see there. Uh-huh. Phase 3 is after this fence wall, and we are now in Phase 4. And so someone's already purchased those buildings there. Let me answer that question. Phase 1 is sold out, Phase 2 is sold out, Phase 3 is sold out, we are now at Phase 4. Wow. So in your development, how long is it going to take you to finish each phase? So, like I was telling you earlier on, we are using the communal system, where land buyers or homeowners have power to be able to make decisions within... So it depends on how long it takes you. Exactly. So what we are doing is that when you buy a property, I will tell you about the Gray City Prime shortly, but when you buy, currently with a model we own, when you buy a property, you have two years to start something, either you are building a fence wall, or you build your foundation or your substructure. Now after the two years, you have time to be able to build, so it's about financing. What are you able to do? Now, when we are sold out, what we are seeking to do, let's say Phase 3, we are yet to constitute the homeowners' forum. Gray City Phase 1, we have an HOA, Phase 2, they have an HOA, Phase 3, we are now making it a POF, Property Owners' Forum. Okay, so you're doing away with the HOA? Absolutely. Why? Because we have most people like Darren, who are saying, I've been in the States, I know how property works, homeowners' forum and all, I don't really like it, because what we are actually doing is a bit different from the homeowners' association that you have in the US. So, when they hear homeowners' association, it's like, this is not what I want! So, we said, okay, because what we are doing is unique and is different, let's now rename it Property Owners' Forum, because here, the laws that are going to govern the community is by the people, for the people. You don't have some group of people sitting somewhere, we are RKE, and we are making laws for you. No, you yourselves, the legal brains you have within this environment, come together, form the legal team, tell yourself, these are the rules we are making for ourselves. So, the HOAs, are they going to be like the POAs? Absolutely. That's just the HOA, the name. Exactly. So, you should change it. We are going to change it. So, currently, it's the Property Owners' Forum that we have, that we are going to put together. So, like I was telling you earlier on, you are going to be responsible for your own roads, your own drains, your own sidewalks, your own streetlights. You are going to be responsible for everything within your community. So, when you have the HOAs and the POAs… POF. POF, I'm sorry, and a road needs repairing. Yeah. You have to come together with the other folks. But what if you have people that don't want to cooperate? Very good question. That's why, in the paperwork, it is captured in there. Remember, when talking about land ownership, the number of years, I told you, is captured in the document. Right. This, as well, is also captured in there. How do you force someone? So, how do you buy a property? Now, for example, Darren, if I'm giving you this property, and I told you it's for 50 years, and then you start, you pay me, and you're not getting the land, what would you do? Would you take me to court? You want to enforce it. I pay the money. Right. In the same way, at the time of buying, we have an agreement between both of us… Right. …that you are going to be part of the property owner's forum. We have explained it to you. Would you take them to court to fix the road? Of course. We are going to do that. But if you have a HOA, here's the difference. You have a HOA, they do the road, and you pay them. They force you to pay them. Yes. So, this time around, because it's part of the paperwork… So, let me explain. That's why I told you, Leon, the Royal Kingdom, we are not leaving all the work on the HOA executives for them to be able to do what they have to do. Right. Royal Kingdom is part of every process. So, when you say, I don't want to pay, we'll take you on. We have the agreement with you. Okay. You sign the paperwork with Royal Kingdom, so we have the documents. So, you go to the neighbors and you enforce it. Exactly. We enforce it. And we are enforcing it now. So, you take them to court. Yes. We do that. And we are doing that on other phases. You would have to pay. Okay. Because we have explained it to you. And you see, the beautiful thing is that we are encouraging people to pay because if this place develops, who are the greatest beneficiaries? Yeah. I get that part. But you won't know how it's really going to work out until the first person… Says I'm not going to pay. Says no. And then you know the fight you're in. Right. That's, you know, so it's a risk you take. Absolutely. And like I said, we are also seeking, we are going to enforce it. Okay. That's one of the things we are doing for all the phases that currently face one. For instance, as we speak, we are trying to come together and build a perimeter fence wall. We give them, is it three, four months? And the time has elapsed. They have given one more week window. People are making payment. And we are going to jump on and start to work over that. Okay. So what is going to happen is that if you are saying I will not pay, Royal Kingdom will come in and we have the legal right to be able to take you. You have signed to an agreement to pay. It's a different thing where you come in and say, well, I'm having challenges. Can we work something out? I'll pay. But if you say I will not pay and you have a document which says you have to pay. Yeah. Then I'll take you on. To court? To court, yes. And we'll enforce it legally to ensure that everybody within the community is enjoying the serenity, is enjoying the peace. It's kind of leaving it open. I get it. Yeah. I get it. But again, the HOA would enforce it without going to court. Absolutely. Because you've already paying money to them. Absolutely. To do what they need to do. Yeah. But again, we are coming up with one more thing, which is the Grace City Prime. Grace City Prime. Okay. What is that? For Grace City Prime, the model is a bit different from what we are doing here. We are doing the roads. We are doing the sidewalks. We are doing the streetlights. We are doing water treatment centers, what have you. Now, what is happening is that it's a well-thought-out community. Now, we have model homes. I haven't seen that yet. Yes, you're going to see it. So that is currently on paper. Okay. Currently. Going towards the top here, we're going to have the Grace City Prime. Now, what is going to happen is that we have designed already model homes from two-bedroom detached, two-bedroom semi-detached, three-bedroom bungalows, three-bedroom story buildings, and all. Okay. So when you come, you look at the models. If you want to make some alterations to your design, you will do that. You have the costing. It's like choose to build. Okay. You point at it, and we are going to build in phases. It's not going to be like everywhere, because the plan is that it will be sector by sector. Okay. Let's say we pick sector A. If it is 20 homes that we are doing, we finish the 20 homes, all the linking roads, everything will be complete. You stand on phase two. Then, when we are done, we'll close that path to heavy trucks going in there to destroy the roads. So, it's a 10-key project. We give it to whoever it's supposed to be for. If you have paid for it, you get your buildings. You can stay there while we move to phase two. Okay. Then, phase three. So, if you come and phase one is sold out, we'll tell you phase one is sold out. Phase two, perhaps, will begin in 12 months. So, you can start making payment for phase two. Yes. So, those are the arrangements that we have, and it's rolling very fast. Hopefully, between mid-year to end of the year, it will be a program that will be… So, now, you're selling the land here. Here, where we are. So, if I want to build something, if I purchase a piece of land I want to build on it, then you will orchestrate or manage that building. Yes. Do I choose who does the architecture of the… You can choose. So, currently, what we do is that we have given an open field. And that's the difference between what we just talked about. Exactly. Okay. So, what I was saying is that Royal Kingdom, we wanted to change a narrative. We wanted to create a certain narrative. What are we creating? When you don't have any bad idea on doing something, you are free. So, what we're saying is that we are a one-stop shop. We are providing you with all the technical know-how. Okay. However, if you feel you have your people, let them come and work. Okay. We are not tying a string to your neck to say that you have bought land from us, so let us build for you. No. But if they're not doing it the way it needs to be done, you can stop them. Exactly. I can stop them. Yeah. And we have done that in some of the phases where we have seen wrong things being done and then we have moved in to stop what is being done. Yes. So, that is if the wrong thing, but if the right thing is done, why not? But do you find when you stop something, it's mostly not the owner's fault? It's the builder, whoever's doing it? They're just trying to shortcut or something? So, what we do is that first off, when we see that what is happening is wrong, we stop it. The next person we get to is the owner. We are telling you the shortfalls. Yeah. Then you, the owner, can choose to say, okay, I also want these people to continue what they are doing. Correct them for me. We don't have any problem. We'll correct them. You can continue building. Okay. But if they continue consistently getting it wrong, we advise change your builders. Gotcha. Yes. Yeah. That's it. Okay. Cool. Okay. All right. So, it's been wonderful having you here. Yeah. Generally, how has the tour been before we get to the office? The tour has been good. Yeah. I mean, the property that you guys have is prime property from what I see. Thank you so much. It's a learning experience. Thank you so much, Darren. You're welcome. Let's go have lunch. Okay. All right. At Royal Kingdom Estate, we go beyond business transactions to foster fruitful relationships for greater collective impact. We are delighted to have hosted Darren and look forward to more impactful collaborations that yield positive results. This experience also serves as an invitation to the diaspora to return home. The motherland still has ample room to accommodate and present thriving opportunities and peaceful habits.