This week we will be interviewing Julie Musix a Zimbabwean sister who is based in Angola. This is your chance to know more about Angola…Feel free to ask any business related questions. She might not answer all of your questions but she has promised to do her best

Mdala Wa Rue My first three questions are :1) How long have u been in Angola?2)What sort of business are you doing in Angola? 3)Kwakawanda vanhu here maZimbo ku Angola?

Isaiah Williams What about Angola to USA business. Is their anything Angola offers that could be sold here in the US? I’m from NYC

Blandina Mutero Are people from Angola friendly. ..no xenophobic behaviour. ..do they speak good english…do need a visa do come to angola…is life there expensive

Julie Musix Makumbirofa Anything Angola can offer to USA mmm tricky but i think USA can offer clothing n vanoita mari

Julie Musix Makumbirofa Angolans are very friendly, tolerable,open, helpful not jelousy they are just good

Julie Musix Makumbirofa Sinc they wer collonisd by portugues they dont speak englis bt vakutaura english ndevarikutodzidza now th th rest iportugues

Julie Musix Makumbirofa Yes  visa is needed its100$ &ticket its $685 return.

Julie Musix Makumbirofa Life here is very very expensive. accomodation food everything

Julie Musix Makumbirofa A plate of sadza recasava & kalulu (mixed fish ,ockra vegies etc)10-15$ pasi pemuti

Blandina Mutero So basically mabasa anowanikwa hawo easy here?

Julie Musix Makumbirofa yes its easy bt unofanira kutanga wagona Portuguese

Julie Musix Makumbirofa salaries r ok teachr pay yake its $800

Masibanda Sibs Shumba Yohwee sadza radhura pa Angola

Ps* Interview originally appeared on Zimbabwe Business Ideas and Network Facebook page in April 2015.

A lot of people continue losing their hard-earned monies to Real Estate Fraudsters every year. My own estimate is that up to $2m is lost every year to con men who sell non existent residential properties.

Having been studying real estate fraud stories that have been appearing in the local press I have realised the following trends.

1. People are losing money through buying from individuals
2. Loss of money through buying infill residential stand

I would have wanted to give more trends but for now let me concentrate on the above 2 trends/observations. So why should you avoid buying from individuals?

1.The Risk with Individual Real Estate Players: Buying stand kubva kumunhuwo zvake is looking for trouble. Munhuwo zvake haana chaanotya pa reputation yake. Anyone can place an advert in the local press and dupe people and manage to run away without fear of damage to reputation and the resulting repercussions.

2. Infill Stands: They are the easiest to sell it seems. First time residential buyers are likely to go for nice suburbs. Mt Pleasant, Strathaven, Mabelreign, Marlborough, Avondale etc. Now in these suburbs there are no new developments but instead you are likely to find Infill residential stands. These infill residential stands pose the greatest risk when it comes to real estate. Most of these infill residential stands are fake.

So how can you reduce being conned?

1. Avoid buying residential stands advertised as Infill Stands, even involving lawyers in the purchase process does not help. A close friend was duped together with his lawyers when he wanted to buy an infill stand in Marlborough.
2. If you can just avoid buying from individuals-even close friends and relatives cannot be trusted when it comes to buying real estate.

So what do we recommend?

To reduce risk just buy residential stands from established reputable companies. Try CABS, Fidelity, Old Mutual, FBC etc

Iam yet to see anyone who has taken the above institutions to the courts after being conned. These institutions have a reputation to protect so they is no need to risk by selling fake residential stands.

Iam yet to see in the local press a single incident where developments by these institutions have been destroyed by the City Council or where anyone took them to the courts.

So avoid Infill Stands and also avoid buying from Individuals. Even real estate agents have been known to dupe unsuspecting members of the public. So for safety try established institutions and save your money.

Good Luck