House hunting made easy

A residential area in Nairobi: For many people, moving to a new town presents many challenges because it involves making adjustments in many areas. Photo/FREDRICK ONYANGO | FILE 

In Summary

• Among the most expensive residential areas in the city are Karen (named after the Out of Africa author, Karen Blixen), Muthaiga, Runda, Kitisuru, Kyuna, Loresho and Gigiri.
• Nevertheless, houses in these areas are still quite pricey, with a two-bedroom apartment going for about Sh55,000 and a three-bedroom town house going for about Sh100,000. Notably, Kilimani, Hurlingham and Ngong Road are easily accessible by public means.
• Another major town is Nakuru, which is located 160 km north-west of Nairobi. It is the fourth largest urban centre in Kenya after Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

By SILAS APOLLO
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For many people, moving to a new town presents many challenges because it involves making adjustments in many areas.

There will be issues like finding schools for the children, getting to know new people, and sometimes adapting to a totally different way of life.

For instance, life might be more expensive in the new town, with higher rents, more expensive transport and higher cost of food. Or it could be the opposite. But perhaps the greatest challenge is finding a decent and affordable house. If you are moving from one town to a smaller one, chances are that rents will be lower. But if you are moving from a small town to a bigger one, you will probably have to cough up more for rent.

So what should one expect when moving between the major urban centres?

If you are moving from a smaller town to the capital, Nairobi, life is likely to be more expensive in terms of rent, food and transport.

Nairobi has some of the most expansive housing projects in the country, catering for high-income, middle-class and the low-income earners.

Among the most expensive residential areas in the city are Karen (named after the Out of Africa author, Karen Blixen), Muthaiga, Runda, Kitisuru, Kyuna, Loresho and Gigiri.

These areas are home to some of the wealthiest Kenyans, as well as large numbers of expatriates. Typically, they do not have apartments, with most houses being bungalows or maisonettes. These come in a variety of sizes and styles, with some having detached guest wings and servants’ quarters. They also offer a lot of privacy and tranquillity.

Transport to these areas might be a problem if you do not have a personal car, since public vehicles are usually not allowed within the estates. A taxi ride to these estates from the city centre costs an average of Sh1,500.

The houses are definitely pricey, and one must be prepared to pay a six-figure rent.

Westlands, Kileleshwa, Kilimani, Hurlingham and Ngong Road, which once also boasted sizeable bungalows in their own compounds, have undergone a radical change, with many of the bungalows having been brought down to give way to apartment blocks. In Kilimani, for instance, business premises now neighbour residential houses, so privacy and tranquillity have been compromised to some extent.

Nevertheless, houses in these areas are still quite pricey, with a two-bedroom apartment going for about Sh55,000 and a three-bedroom town house going for about Sh100,000. Notably, Kilimani, Hurlingham and Ngong Road are easily accessible by public means.
Home to city’s oldest estates

Eastlands is home to some of the city’s oldest estates. Houses in this section of the city vary greatly as tthey cater for a cross section of people, ranging from the middle-class to slum dwellers.

Eastlands covers estates like Eastleigh, Umoja, Buruburu, Doonholm, Fedha, Jacaranda, Komarock and Greenfields. Others are Dandora, Kariobangi, Kayole, Ngomongo, Mukuru Kwa Reuben, Kiambui, Sinai and Lunga Lunga.

Rents in this part of the city vary greatly, as does the type of accommodation. Here you can find single rooms with a communal bathroom and toilet, bedsitters, apartments, maisonettes and bungalows. Rents depend on the size and location of a house, as well as the facilities available.

For instance, a one-room stone house without water or electricity in parts of Tassia goes for about Sh2,000. Meanwhile, houses in a gated estate like Nyayo Estate go for about Sh27,000 for a flat, and about Sh30,000 for a maisonette. In between the single room and the gated estate lies a whole range of possibilities.

Many newly employed people, or those looking reasonably priced houses are sure to find something in Eastlands.

The disadvantage in some of the areas in Eastlands — such as an expansive area known as Pipeline which is packed with apartments, some six or seven stories high — is that they are densely populated, so problems like water shortages and burst sewers are common.

Most estates in Eastlands are accessible by public transport, although fares depend on whether one uses a bus or a matatu. For instance, matatus to Embakasi charge Sh80 during peak hours while buses charge Sh70. During off-peak hours, they charge as little as Sh40 and Sh30 respectively.

Housing is also available on the outskirts of Nairobi in emerging satellite towns. The land south of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, which was once expansive shrubland, has undergone a remarkable change with the springing up of several middle-class estates in Syokimau, Athi River and Lukenya. However, these estates cater mainly for the middle class.

Another major town is Nakuru, which is located 160 km north-west of Nairobi. It is the fourth largest urban centre in Kenya after Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

Once known as the cleanest town in East Africa, the town is expanding rapidly, and continues to attract all sorts of people.

Ms Grace Nkasa, the proprietor of Grand Park Estate, a real estate company targeting the middle-class and young executives, says that Nakuru town has grown rapidly as a destination town for the middle class.

In estates such as Milimani, Kiamunyi, Naka and Section 58, a two bedroom house goes for Sh15,000 a month while a three or four-bedroom one goes for about Sh60, 000, depending on the size and location of the house. These are among the high end estates in the town.

In areas that cater for low-income earners such as Bangladesh, Racecourse, Kiti, White House, Pipeline and Free Area rooms go for anything from Sh300 to Sh1,000, depending on the size.

Grand Park is currently developing a modern housing estate targeting today’s urban families.  The project consists of eight blocks, each comprising eight three bedroom apartments divided into two courts of four blocks each.

The town is also warming up to the idea of having gated communities, which many property developers hope will go a long way in reducing crime, which has rocked the town for some time now.

One good thing about Nakuru is that food is plentiful and relatively cheaper compared with Nairobi, for instance. Besides, most parts of the town are accessible by public transport. And to access those that are not, one can take a tuk tuk.

Another major urban centre is Eldoret in the North Rift. As is the trend elsewhere, Eldoret town is also witnessing remarkable growth in real estate, thanks to the town’s rapid expansion.

GROWING DEMAND FOR HOUSING

According to Mr James Chelule, proprietor of Elid Ventures Limited, a real estate company, demand for housing in the town has grown steadily over the years as people move in from other parts of the country.

However, he notes that most houses in the town target high-end and low-end markets, with relatively few for the middle class.


Rent for high-end houses can be anything from Sh50,0000, with a two-bedroom house going for Sh60,000 a month, and a four or five-bedroom one going for about Sh200,000. The high-end estates in Eldoret include Kenmosa, Elgon View and Eastern Avenue. Some of them are home to the country’s renowned athletes.

In estates targeting the middle class such as Pioneer, West Indies and Kapsoya, rents range from Sh15, 000 for a two-bedroom house to Sh40,000 for a three or four-bedroom house.

Meanwhile, rents in areas where low-income earners live such as Langata Estate on the Eldoret-Kisumu highway, and Huruma Estate on the Eldoret-Kitale highway, can be anything from Sh350 to Sh800.

However, Mr Chelule is quick to point out that even though rents for the middle market in Eldoret are higher than those for similar houses in towns like Nakuru, the quality is not comparable to that of a similar house, say in Nairobi.

Consequently, he says, a newcomer to Eldoret would do well to live in temporary accommodation such as a hotel for a while and do a thorough search to find a suitable house.

“There is still a difference in the quality of housing in Eldoret compared with other urban areas like Nairobi and Nakuru, thanks to the slow pace of real estate development in the town,” he says.

In Kisumu, the high-income residential areas are Millimani and the Riat Hills, with the Riat hills attracting home developers who prefer to invest far from the town centre. Even though most of the houses coming up in these areas are privately owned, rents range between Sh200,000 and Sh500,000, depending on the size and location of the house, as well as the extras it has such as a servant’s quarter and car park.

In estates such as Migosi, Mambo Leo and Carwash, which host the middle class, rents range from Sh8, 000 for a single room house to Sh15, 000 for a two-bedroom house. Others in this category are upper Manyatta, Nyawita and Nyamasaria.

On the lower end are Nyalenda, Obunga and lower Manyatta estates, where rents range from Sh2,500 for a bedsitter to Sh4, 500 for double rooms.

As a result of the shortage, property developers in the town are coming up with alternative housing for the growing population in the lakeside city, with the latest entrant, White Gold Holding Ltd, building houses targeting the middle class. The company’s proprietor, Mr Shafiq Zavery, says the that once complete, the project in Kibos will consist of town houses comprising four bedrooms each, as well as three-bedroom apartments.

“Our aim is to create value for money while at the same time focusing on affordability,” says Mr Shafiq.

Most areas in Kisumu are accessible by public transport, and those that are not can be reached by taxi or tuk tuks, whose charges are fairly reasonable.

And what happens if you have to Mombasa? Here the high-end estates include Tudor, Nyali, Bombolulu and Bamburi. Rents range from Sh30, 000 for a two-bedroom house to almost Sh100, 000 for a mansion.

MIDDLE CLASS

In the middle class category are Moons Estate, Makande, Kizingo, High Level, Ganjoni, Gulshan and Kedeni among others. House rents here range from Sh15, 000 for a two-bedroom house to Sh20, 000, depending on the estate.

On the lower end are Tononoka, Buxton, Kisauni, Majengo, Mvita, Kwa Mwanzia whose rents vary from Sh500 to Sh1, 000. Houses in these areas are mostly single rooms.

Most of these areas are accessible by public transport.

It is notable that there is a shortage of housing for the middle class in nearly all the major towns. The situation is likely to become even more acute in the coming years with devolution, since many people are likely to move to these urban centres. That means that those moving from a middle class area in a small town to a middle class area in a larger town might be forced to downgrade a little, if only to afford rent.

Should you find that you have to move, do not worry too much about the name of the place you are moving to. A BBC news magazine report on the impact of the name of a city or town reveals that even though the name might make a place sound posh, it does not have much impact on its political, social and economic status.

The report titled, “Why do Towns want to become cities?” indicates that apart from giving a place a sense of status, the name does not confer any additional powers, functions or funding.