Vacation rentals in Ghana are available by the dozen, but something more permanent is a little tougher to come by.
Vacation rentals in Ghana are plentiful, which is great if you are not going to be in Ghana for a long period of time. You will be able to find a variety of options - everything from luxurious beach-side villas to modest hotel rooms. These rentals should also be equipped with Westernized facilities and some offer an Internet connection.
Finding accommodation for a longer period of time in Ghana may be quite a different experience.
From expat forums based in Ghana, many people mention that rental properties are found by luck. People have acquired their rentals by either hearing of it by word of mouth, found it posted on a signboard or read it in an ad in the newspaper.
The most widely consulted newspapers are The Daily Graphic and The Ghanaian Times , but their classifieds are only available in the print editions. As far as recommendations are concerned, you may want to ask at your embassy, NGOs or colleagues and their friends.
The best option might be to begin your search pre-departure online, but book a vacation rental for a short period of time for when you arrive. While in Ghana, you will have access to resources about rentals not limited to the Internet. Also, you will be able to visit properties to make comparisons before you finalize a decision.
Recommended websites as to where you can begin your search are GhanaWeb and Business Ghana , but if you do a browser search with the keywords, ‘rentals in Ghana,’ you will have hundreds of websites to choose from.
Making use of a real estate agency may be quite expensive in Ghana. There is no fixed fee, but agents will usually charge either 10 percent of the annual rent, or the equivalent of one month’s rent. An agent can represent a prospective tenant, landlord or both. If you are going to use an agent to help you with your search for a rental property, be clear on how much they will charge and who is going to pay the commission - the landlord or the tenant - because an agent will often collect from both parties.
Traditionally, residential neighborhoods in Accra consisted of Cantonments, East Legon, Labone, North Ridge, Ringway Estates and Tesano. Although, due to the housing demand, a popular trend has now been restoration projects in the areas of Roman Ridge, Dzorwulu and New Achimota, plus new housing developments along Spintex Road.
Depending on your personal preference of amenities, in Ghana, it is possible to find rental properties in the form of a stand-alone house or as part of a compound. Compound living is becoming more popular, and you will be able to find houses, townhomes or apartments that are part of a compound. A stand-alone house may be more private and include a yard, and a compound will usually have amenities such as a community pool, recreational and social areas.