Coastal Road 150m Setback: Why Putting People Matters Over Profit. Dont want a long read? Watch or listen (2:50 mins only) here 👉 It started with what felt like a small win. Our first ever listing on the coastal road went live. Interest came fast, and a buyer committed. For a moment, it felt like we created the best thing after sliced bread. Then, BOOM!!! Two days later, reality caught up. A quiet but firm news headline: “Lagos State suspends approvals indefinitely, for properties along the coastal road.” No press conference, just a regulatory bombshell. A shift powerful enough to freeze an entire corridor of real estate overnight. The announcement said: “The state is uncertain about the state of things along the entire corridor” “We'd rather defer to a higher authority on this” & “Don't buy or sell properties along this corridor for now” And that was what we did. Even though it was uncomfortable. Even though it meant losing our first sale. Even though it made us look incompetent. We made the hard call. We pulled the listing and refunded the buyer. And yes, it hurt financially. But we refused to sell uncertainty disguised as affordability because the "indefinite suspension of approval" was as clear as day. It meant: "You are all on your own" whereas, ownership should come with confidence, not anxiety. At the time, the buyer was disappointed. Anyone would be. Especially when you see others still buying properties and closing deals along the same corridor... And it did not only make us look really bad. It made other buyers lose confidence in us. But today, that decision has paid off. The Federal Government finally made its decision. It anounced and is already enforcing a 150m setback. That is the length of 1 football pitch and half from the coastal road before any fence can be erected. And it affects thousands of properties, including our listing. The one we pulled down and refunded. And suddenly, that early disappointment became protection. Of course, from a business standpoint, we would have reimbursed buyers. But that wowoun't have happened until after we've claimed compensation from the government. (Land has complete and correct title)... But... Why should we drag anyone through that experience if it could be avaoided. This experience reaffirms one thing. That “affordability” is not just about price, but also about predictability, legality, and peace of mind. To get the best value, walking away may be your safest deal. A cheap property without regulatory clarity is not a discount. It’s a problem waiting to happen. Government policies will change, setbacks will be reviewed and zoning will shift. Not a problem. The real problem is prioritizing sales target over their security. The problem is, despite reading the signal, yet rushing people into irreversible decisions while pretending regulation doesn’t matter. Now many homes will be lost without any compensation. And only the buyers will bear the consequences.