Homes in Royal Palm Estate, Butabika. Estates have organised housing
with proper access roads which makes it easier to locate the different
residents.
In the early
90s, more Ugandans especially urban dwellers in the civil service were
opting for life in estates, which gave them status, guaranteed security
and a deserving neighbourhood. This saw the blossom of housing estates
such as Bukoto white and brown flats, Bugolobi, Naalya, Nsambya and
National Housing Flats in Wandegeya.
However, the trend changed in the 2000s as majority of the urban dwellers fancied life outside estates and building houses of their own.
At the start of 2010, estate housing again picked up with the coming of more private players such as Jomayi, Akright, Canan estates to mention but a few. Some estates offer already built houses, while others simply offer land and you build according to your plan and budget.
So why choose a life in the estates? We visited Bulogobi flats and found Rachael Ninsiima, who has lived in National Housing flats in Bugolobi, a city suburb, for more than 20 years.
As she walks me through the estate, Ninsiima says: “Initially, the estate was constructed in the 1970s and was meant to house civil servants and other middle-income earners then. But they have been sold to the seating tenants after passing of the Condominium Act”.
Cost
Estate properties are often more affordable to maintain than their individual ownership counterparts outside an estate. Normally, maintenance, repair and upgrade costs come out of the monthly levies.
“When it comes to garbage collection, compound maintenance and other things the estate is responsible. However, keep in mind that levies only cover building insurance and the upkeep of communal property – you’ll still need to budget for your own home contents insurance, and maintenance on your section,” says Ninsiima.
When it comes to buying, Ninsiima says the cost of acquiring a three-bedroomed flat is Shs360m whereas a two bedroomed one is at Shs260m. However, these are available on mortgages which can be spread over a long period of time.
On the other hand, acquiring a 50X100ft non-estate plot costs about Shs8m according to prices obtained from Wilken property services, a real estate firm. “When it comes to day-to-day maintain costs, and other amities non-estate properties are pricier because they all come out of your own pocket,” says Marx Niyonsaba, a property manager. He adds that this does not necessarily mean you will be paying more if you were in an estate unit. However, as you will have the option of doing a lot of the general upkeep – like gardening or painting – yourself.
He also notes that the other downside of non-estate property is that at times one has to build from the ground up which is costlier in terms of time and money.
There
are high chances of one bonding with neighbours and having people to
look out for them if they lived in an estate. Photo by Ismail Kezaala
Bonding
Besides high level of security, residents in estates easily bond and look out for eachother. Having caring, concerned neighbours is also a blessing and many people form lifelong friendships with people they lived close to as children. However, there is always one bad apple in the batch though and a crotchety neighbour, a nosey neighbour or an overly vigilant neighbour can really make life hell.
Responsibility
“In estates, the responsibility for the general upkeep of the property is shared between all section owners, and managed by the parent company,” Niyonsaba explains.
Sharing this bill across the board reduces the responsibility of each individual, and allows the estate to benefit from a broad variety of members’ knowledge and skills.
“It does not, however, mean you can safely leave all decisions in other people’s hands. If you want to preserve and grow your investment’s value, it’s always a good idea to become an active member of your estate,” he says.On the other hand, sole owners are responsible for any and all maintenance, repairs and improvements that a property requires. This is one of the most time-consuming elements of non-estate ownership, and can be daunting if you have little or no experience in home maintenance.
Organised environment
One of the pros of life in an estate is the organisation. The roads and plots are well demarcated and everyone’s space is respected, which makes locating someone very easy. Besides, utilities such as water and electricity are provided. However, in the non-estate system, it is hard to come to a consensus as everyone has his or her own design and where the roads and other utilities should pass.
Guaranteed ownership
Not a day goes by without reports in mainstream media about land wrangles and people fighting for ownership of the properties. When you buy space in an estate, you are guaranteed ownership of that particular area. And no one can come claiming ownership of the same property, which gives you peace of mind.
Much as life in an estate seems perfect, it also has a downside.
The problem with estate housing is shared responsibility and decision-making is not guaranteed to go your way, and you may well find yourself disagreeing with your neighbours on occasion. Since one’s decision affects the entire community. This is not always a big deal, but if the majority votes in favour of a major change that you feel is a bad idea, you will not be able to do much about it – even if it ends up having a negative effect on the value of your investment. This is also a risk in the event of an ineffective managing agent that neglects its responsibilities to the detriment of your property.
“Yes, the estate is a community and one’s decision can end up affecting the entire village. So we deal with consensus though sometimes it is slow,” shares Rachael Ninsiima, a National Housing resident.
However, this is the part people outside the estate love most. They take responsibility for all their property decisions. They have complete control over the choices made.
Freedom
Naomi Nyongesa, the LC1 chairperson of Bugolobi Estate says: “Estate living is all about being part of a community, and that means obeying community rules.”
She adds: “While you will have some measure of freedom within your section, you will still have to comply with estate guidelines on things like architectural and décor choices, noise, guest behaviour, and the use of communal spaces.” Thankfully, these are usually designed with the comfort of all residents in mind, and should keep both you and your neighbours happy.
On the rules, Ninsiima, a resident in Bugolobi flats, says: “There are rules here, for example, however much you love dogs, they are not allowed inside here. So with certain things, there are limitations.”
For non estate property owners, Niyonsaba, a property manager, notes that as long as you obey native law and your city bylaws, nobody can tell you what you can or cannot do on your own property.
That freedom does come at the price of knowing it applies to your neighbours as well, which means you have somewhat less control of the overall look and feel of your street or neighbourhood than you would in an estate community.
Security
Rachael Ninsiima, a resident of National Housing flats in Bugolobi, says: “With security, here we have no complaints. The estate is well guarded and no hawkers or idlers are allowed in. Plus, we have a neighbourhood watch.”
Adding to ninsiima’s view, Marx Niyonsaba, a property manager, says:“One of the biggest draw cards for many housing estate residents is the security.”
Gated estates allow access only to residents and their approved guests, while non-gated communities tend to have an unspoken agreement around keeping an eye out for the neighbour to be sure everyone stays safe. This is ideal if security is of concern to you, but it can also somewhat dilute your exposure to the richness of your broader community, especially in a smaller estate.
cmuhwezi@ug.nationmedia.com
However, the trend changed in the 2000s as majority of the urban dwellers fancied life outside estates and building houses of their own.
At the start of 2010, estate housing again picked up with the coming of more private players such as Jomayi, Akright, Canan estates to mention but a few. Some estates offer already built houses, while others simply offer land and you build according to your plan and budget.
So why choose a life in the estates? We visited Bulogobi flats and found Rachael Ninsiima, who has lived in National Housing flats in Bugolobi, a city suburb, for more than 20 years.
As she walks me through the estate, Ninsiima says: “Initially, the estate was constructed in the 1970s and was meant to house civil servants and other middle-income earners then. But they have been sold to the seating tenants after passing of the Condominium Act”.
Cost
Estate properties are often more affordable to maintain than their individual ownership counterparts outside an estate. Normally, maintenance, repair and upgrade costs come out of the monthly levies.
“When it comes to garbage collection, compound maintenance and other things the estate is responsible. However, keep in mind that levies only cover building insurance and the upkeep of communal property – you’ll still need to budget for your own home contents insurance, and maintenance on your section,” says Ninsiima.
When it comes to buying, Ninsiima says the cost of acquiring a three-bedroomed flat is Shs360m whereas a two bedroomed one is at Shs260m. However, these are available on mortgages which can be spread over a long period of time.
On the other hand, acquiring a 50X100ft non-estate plot costs about Shs8m according to prices obtained from Wilken property services, a real estate firm. “When it comes to day-to-day maintain costs, and other amities non-estate properties are pricier because they all come out of your own pocket,” says Marx Niyonsaba, a property manager. He adds that this does not necessarily mean you will be paying more if you were in an estate unit. However, as you will have the option of doing a lot of the general upkeep – like gardening or painting – yourself.
He also notes that the other downside of non-estate property is that at times one has to build from the ground up which is costlier in terms of time and money.
Bonding
Besides high level of security, residents in estates easily bond and look out for eachother. Having caring, concerned neighbours is also a blessing and many people form lifelong friendships with people they lived close to as children. However, there is always one bad apple in the batch though and a crotchety neighbour, a nosey neighbour or an overly vigilant neighbour can really make life hell.
Responsibility
“In estates, the responsibility for the general upkeep of the property is shared between all section owners, and managed by the parent company,” Niyonsaba explains.
Sharing this bill across the board reduces the responsibility of each individual, and allows the estate to benefit from a broad variety of members’ knowledge and skills.
“It does not, however, mean you can safely leave all decisions in other people’s hands. If you want to preserve and grow your investment’s value, it’s always a good idea to become an active member of your estate,” he says.On the other hand, sole owners are responsible for any and all maintenance, repairs and improvements that a property requires. This is one of the most time-consuming elements of non-estate ownership, and can be daunting if you have little or no experience in home maintenance.
Organised environment
One of the pros of life in an estate is the organisation. The roads and plots are well demarcated and everyone’s space is respected, which makes locating someone very easy. Besides, utilities such as water and electricity are provided. However, in the non-estate system, it is hard to come to a consensus as everyone has his or her own design and where the roads and other utilities should pass.
Guaranteed ownership
Not a day goes by without reports in mainstream media about land wrangles and people fighting for ownership of the properties. When you buy space in an estate, you are guaranteed ownership of that particular area. And no one can come claiming ownership of the same property, which gives you peace of mind.
Much as life in an estate seems perfect, it also has a downside.
The problem with estate housing is shared responsibility and decision-making is not guaranteed to go your way, and you may well find yourself disagreeing with your neighbours on occasion. Since one’s decision affects the entire community. This is not always a big deal, but if the majority votes in favour of a major change that you feel is a bad idea, you will not be able to do much about it – even if it ends up having a negative effect on the value of your investment. This is also a risk in the event of an ineffective managing agent that neglects its responsibilities to the detriment of your property.
“Yes, the estate is a community and one’s decision can end up affecting the entire village. So we deal with consensus though sometimes it is slow,” shares Rachael Ninsiima, a National Housing resident.
However, this is the part people outside the estate love most. They take responsibility for all their property decisions. They have complete control over the choices made.
Freedom
Naomi Nyongesa, the LC1 chairperson of Bugolobi Estate says: “Estate living is all about being part of a community, and that means obeying community rules.”
She adds: “While you will have some measure of freedom within your section, you will still have to comply with estate guidelines on things like architectural and décor choices, noise, guest behaviour, and the use of communal spaces.” Thankfully, these are usually designed with the comfort of all residents in mind, and should keep both you and your neighbours happy.
On the rules, Ninsiima, a resident in Bugolobi flats, says: “There are rules here, for example, however much you love dogs, they are not allowed inside here. So with certain things, there are limitations.”
For non estate property owners, Niyonsaba, a property manager, notes that as long as you obey native law and your city bylaws, nobody can tell you what you can or cannot do on your own property.
That freedom does come at the price of knowing it applies to your neighbours as well, which means you have somewhat less control of the overall look and feel of your street or neighbourhood than you would in an estate community.
Security
Rachael Ninsiima, a resident of National Housing flats in Bugolobi, says: “With security, here we have no complaints. The estate is well guarded and no hawkers or idlers are allowed in. Plus, we have a neighbourhood watch.”
Adding to ninsiima’s view, Marx Niyonsaba, a property manager, says:“One of the biggest draw cards for many housing estate residents is the security.”
Gated estates allow access only to residents and their approved guests, while non-gated communities tend to have an unspoken agreement around keeping an eye out for the neighbour to be sure everyone stays safe. This is ideal if security is of concern to you, but it can also somewhat dilute your exposure to the richness of your broader community, especially in a smaller estate.
cmuhwezi@ug.nationmedia.com
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