Where to look for a property in The Gambia depends on many things but first off, expect to be seriously ripped off if you use an agent. After that the ways of finding a property are many and various. There are several large (in Gambian terms) Supermarkets around the Kombos and they all have a noticeboard. You will find properties advertised on them. The ex-pat bars also have noticeboards but even more important they have ex-pats, all of who know everything about every other ex-pat including who is selling a house.
There are also a couple of guys around who will meet you, check out your requirements and go looking. They are much more cost-effective than agents but avoid paying them a penny before they find you a house. Always arrange your own taxi and pick them up and do not pay for viewing trips. If you do you will spend many hours looking at houses and have great difficulty persuading them to show you houses to your specifications.
Broadly you have three choices:
Buy a house on an estate like the one built by TAF on the Gunjur Road, pay crazy prices and soend your life fighting TAF for the services they should but rarely do provide.
Search the local market, there are compounds to be bought but finding them is a complex and time-consuming business.
But a huse in an ex-pat compound. There are loads for sale and every one for a good reason. They are generally overpriced because the owner paid the developer too much. The security is always a problem and a group of expats nicely packaged in an exclusive compound is a magnet for thieves.
We spent six months looking and decided there are easier places to live. Bulgaria has less expensive housing, no malaria, a lower cost of living and Bulagrians are generally honest. Granted, the weather is not so good but the beer is cheaper an dbetter quality.
馃愤1 member reacted to this post