Real Estate

Kenya Real Estate: Top 6 Things to Consider Before Buying Land

Real estate investment in Kenya offers you numerous options. Buying land is one of the factors you should consider before buying land in Kenya.

Development perspective:

Buying land for residential or commercial use? Do you want to build your home, apartments for rent or commercial premises for rent? Your answer to these questions can determine the location of the land you must purchase. For example, if you want to build flats for rent, consider areas with nearby local facilities, such as grocery stores, schools, and healthcare facilities. Many families prefer to live just a couple of miles from their children’s school. Therefore, this will affect where they rent a house.

Rental:

You’ve heard it before: location, location, location. It affects the price considerably. Half an acre of land can cost 10 times more in Runda compared to the Embakasi area. However, Embakasi is closer to the airport compared to Runda. The location of the land you want to buy should fit your Kenyan real estate development goals.

Distance from the main road:

The further you go from the main road, the cheaper the plot of land will be. However, security can also be compromised. If you are buying land with the goal of building a rental property, you may have to deal with less rental income if you build away from the main road. I was looking for a house to rent recently and settled for a smaller property that was closer to the main road rather than a larger one further away.

Access to water, electricity and telephone lines:

Some real estate areas in Kenya, such as Kitengela, are not highly developed and may lack power and telephone lines, as well as running water. However, the lack of these facilities makes land cheaper, but at what cost. My mother bought a couple of acres in Kitengela and had to make her own well and pump water into the house. He also had to order electricity from Kenya Power and Lighting Company. Fortunately for her, it turned out to be a smooth process. It is cheaper to buy land in those areas, but you must be prepared to bear the additional costs and delays. Sometimes, as in my mother’s case, it was worth it.

Earth texture:

Well, believe it or not, soil texture affects the value of Kenyan real estate. Black cotton soil areas tend to be cheaper compared to red soil regions. For example, parts of the Mombasa road have black cotton soil and cannot be compared to areas of red soil such as Karen, Muthaiga or Runda. Soil texture also affects construction costs.

Sewer location:

Some areas have sewer restrictions and are therefore not suitable for certain types of Kenyan real estate development. Developments along the famous Ngong Road have been restricted due to overloaded sewers. If you intend to build an apartment complex to sell or rent, you should check the sewer restrictions, as well as other planning restrictions issued by the city council.

Considering all these factors, buying land in Kenya should be a smooth journey.

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