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CategoriesFinance Real Estate Industry in Kenya

Why you should buy a house in Nakuru

Nakuru is fast becoming one of the ideal places to live in away from the busy Nairobi and Mombasa. 

Nakuru presents a lot of great things from the growing job opportunities, better roads and wonderful places, you can choose to live in Nakuru town, Rongai, Mawanga, Lanet, Ngata, Naka, Elementatita, Kiamunyi and Barnabas. 

Therefore you should look into buying land or a house in Nakuru as soon as possible. 

Here are some of the key benefits of purchasing a house or plot in Nakuru:

  • Lots of great places to live in:  As stated earlier in the post, there isn’t much distance between the Town and some of the smaller villages on the outskirts. So you can choose to live centrally, perhaps in a flat. Or you can decide to live a little out of the way, in a more rural neighborhood like the quiet Rongai. 
  • Boosted Economy: There have been a lot of investments in Nakuru lately in the last 5 years.  Residents have noticed new, modern buildings go up month after month. And this is a good sign of a strong economy. With more office buildings and other outlets, there are lots of opportunities created. Which makes it an appealing place to live.
  • In 6 words “It’s a Great Place to Live”: From the Menengai Crater, the views of Mt Longonot, Lake Naivasha a few KM away and Nakuru National Park also a few KM away from home I truly believe this is one of the finest places to live in the country. Which is the main reason you should buy a property here, so you can experience this for yourself? There’s more to this place than this blog post actually.
  • Affordable housing market: The property market in Nakuru is not yet exaggerated like Nairobi and Mombasa From flats and terraces, to detached and semi-detached houses and also Land.  

Interested in buying a property in Nakuru? Talk to our able team today.

CategoriesHome Tips Real Estate Industry in Kenya

5 Qualities of a good neighbor

In a country headed by a common phrase “Everyone for himself and God for us all” Kenyans have lost it when it comes to living and caring for each other, long gone are the days when Tenants in Nairobi, Mombasa or other workable cities in Kenya used to have that touch of true Africans.

Do you know your neighbor? Do you talk and interact? Many tenants overlook this when moving in to rent or buy a home. Here are 5 qualities of a good neighbor (you too should master this):

  • A Good Neighbor is tidy: Have you ever lived with a neighbor next door who doesn’t even care to make the place clean? Dustbins outside and dust along verandas? Even if you lack self-respect, respect the sensitive tastes of others and clean up your act.
  • A Good Neighbor communicates: Don’t wait for screams, sickness or any other disaster to happen so that you can reach out to your neighbors, building a good relationship by communicating often but be careful to stick to your lane too. Address shared interests like fences, drainage etc.
  • A Good neighbor does not gossip: “Muchene” as it’s commonly known with the ladies destroys relationships and neighborhoods. Good neighbors talk about what concerns them, their kids or how they can relate better and solve issues affecting each other. You are no longer in high school for Christ sake!
  • A Good Neighbor helps when asked:  In the past neighbors used to share even the little things like salt, fast forward today very few even talk to each other. Good neighbors share and help each other during stormy times. Do not trust those who tell you “Let me know if you need anything”
  • A Good Neighbor shares their phone number: Sometimes anything can happen and maybe the only person who can help immediately is your neighbor, what will you do if you do not communicate? you should really question why you don’t have your neighbors’ phone numbers.

If you want good neighbors, you’ll first have to become one yourself and don’t forget to get them cookies 🙂

CategoriesHome Tips Real Estate Industry in Kenya

4 things you must do before listing your home

Are you planning to sell your house this year? If yes then this is the right time to prepare.

As you always know first impressions matter and apply in almost everything we touch or see, therefore you need to set aside a few weekends or off-days for this particular task.

Here are some tips to guide you:

  • Cleaning: This may sound obvious to you but we can’t emphasize more on how important it is to clean and declutter your home. This is the time to eliminate any clutters before you start cleaning, donate items you no longer use and recycle others. You will need to deep clean your house too and pay close attention to kitchens, bathrooms and windows.
  • Go for curb appeal: You want them to fall in love on first sight? Then this will do immediately they open the gates. Clean and repair driveways, plant flowers and look for new pots if the old ones aren’t good enough. Also do mulching and cut down tall branches touching your roof, if your compound is fenced make sure its pruned to the right size.
  • Make repairs: Solve the minor problems before you let anyone it, you wouldn’t want a small leak on your kitchen sink to ruin your day. Repair walls and repaint them in a neutral, generally pleasing color that complements your home. You can also buy new bulbs, fix your windows, shower leaks and the floor.
  • Organize closets, cabinets and drawers: In this case, out of sight is not out of mind. Many potential buyers will open cabinets and closets, because they are thinking about storage space. Clean and organized storage areas signal to buyers that you take care of the house.

That SIMPLE! with just a few hacks here and there your house can be beautiful and welcoming.

Are you ready to put your home on the market? Talk to Myspace Properties. 

CategoriesHome Tips Properties Real Estate Industry in Kenya

5 Tips for a stress free house hunting

New House, New Goals and New Life, that’s how it feels to move into a new home. But do not get carried away by the joy of moving into a new house, hunting for one can be very exciting especially for first timers who have just moved out to live alone or with their partner but again it can be hell on earth if due process is not followed.

Just from the start identify your top priorities before setting out to look for a house to make your hunting experience easier. Here are some of the tips to help you hunt and move successfully with little stress:

  • Come up with a budget and start saving immediately: Before you move, identify how much it will cost eg transport costs, arrangements, deposits, rent etc. If you prefer professional movers then consult one and ask for a rate card, but if your items are very few arrange with your partner on how the items will get there. All this will be covered in your budget, save extra to be secure.
  • Decide on what type of house you are looking for: Looking for Apartments in Nairobi? Apartments in Mombasa or Bungalows in Kitisuru, Kileleshwa, Thika etc? Just decide what amenities you would like to access, plans, kitchen and bedrooms. Once you have this in mind, go back to our number one tip and save money for it.
  • Consult a real estate agent: If the house hunting process is taking toll of you, just consult a real estate agent like Myspace Properties. Real estate agents know most parts of Kenya and most answers will be on their finger tips, they will also give you advice and the best offer to meet your budget needs. But also be careful while engaging one, look out for red flags like not picking phone calls, not replying mails, asking for payments early in the process and delayed viewing appointments.
  • Do site visits yourself: Do not trust those phone calls that tell you how much the house is in demand and that you should make a deposit even before you are on site. Take your time, you still have a home to sleep in the evening right? therefore free up some of your time to access the house and meet the owner in person.
  • Use online property portals: According to statistics about 70% of property searches are done on mobile phones, this reduces time, cost and stress of hunting for a new house. Bookmark some of them like www.myspace.co.ke and you will be having total control under your palms.

Conclusion

House hunting should’t be stressful that you can loose sleep over it. Make early arrangements for this process and please be flexible and realistic with your goals because as long as you are still within your budget consider other properties within your location even if they don’t look exactly as to what you wanted.

CategoriesHome buying Tips Home Tips Properties Real Estate Industry in Kenya

4 Tips for buying an Apartment in Nyali

Nyali is a fast growing residential area within Mombasa City, located on the mainland north of Mombasa County. It is connected to Mombasa Island by the New Nyali Bridge and currently the most sort after residential area because it provides access to various tourist attractions and the amenities.

Here are some of the things you should look into while buying an apartment in Nyali:

  • Apartment Facilities: You will face a dilemma in Nyali while trying to settle on which investment path to take, but surely the amenities will help you decide even faster. Some specific points to watch out for:
    • Occupant mix – higher proportion of long-term owner-occupiers is a good sign
    • Outlook and views – a good outlook is always preferable especially if there are outdoor areas and balconies that take advantage of the views
    • Financial position of the body corporate – a well-constructed and managed building will require lower overall costs to maintain
  • Location: This is still the most important thing in any real estate purchase. Poorly located apartments are difficult to sell and rent and will therefore suffer from lower capital growth and may not be cash-flow positive. Things to consider:
    • Proximity to shops, amenities, transport
    • Appeal of the area and demand for accommodation
    • Rental vacancy rates
    • Future development plans for the area
    • Potential for capital growth
  • Pre-purchase inspections: Obtain an independent valuation prior to purchasing. This can be used to negotiate with the real estate agent and will provide an indication of how much a financial institution might be prepared to lend you.
  • Return on Investment: High rental yield and low vacancy rates – for investors the rental income from the apartment will be crucial to assess its affordability therefore consider.

Here are some of the apartments you can look into buying in Nyali, Mombasa with Myspace Properties : 4th Avenue Apartment , Royal Beach Apartment, Avenue Apartments and Bungalows Road Apartment.

Myspace Project Construction Manager, Joseph Ntimama
CategoriesBuilding Properties Real Estate Industry in Kenya

Meet Joseph Ntimama Myspace Properties Construction Project Manager

Wake up, Run, Breakfast, Project Meetings then Office Work.

This is how a typical day looks like for Joseph Ntimama, Construction Project Manager for Myspace Properties whom we caught up with today to know more about him and learn a thing or two about Project Management.

As project managers do, Joseph wears many hats in his role as project manager and intermediary between clients and developers. He is an enthusiastic problem solver and communicator who skillfully juggles many projects at once.

Here is what he had to say:

How long have you been At Myspace Properties?

I have Been at MySpace since 2016 

Originally from?

I am originally from Narok North, Rift Valley Kenya

What do you do at Myspace?

As a Construction project manager, I manage the construction team including the architect, engineers, quantity surveyors, Construction valuation, contractors and subcontractors. I schedule projects, I source for project financing for our projects, I conduct feasibility studies for our projects and I do quality and budget control

How did you get started in Real Estate?

The construction industry has been very dear to me since I was a young child. Building structures to completion has been a dream.What better way to do it by making and growing money for clients which is what real estate is about

What made you join Myspace?

Basically because of their alignment to my career growth and simply because the leadership of MySpace is inspiring

What is a typical week for you?

A typical week involves me meeting investors, having site meetings in our ongoing projects, meeting with stakeholders in the real estate industry, Going to the gym and reading books and articles on the economic paths of Africa among others

What are the challenges you face? 

Based on our economic status in Kenya right now it’s not easy to get financing from banks mostly because of the capped interest. Another challenge is the project scheduling sometimes can be affected by many things therefore delaying a project and we have to crash it to finish it on time. Among’st the biggest challenge is maneuvering in Nairobi from meeting to meeting in this crazy traffic

What’s your favorite part of working at Myspace?

Growing investment for our client and I get to Play and work hard with our CEO

If you weren’t in real estate what else do you think you’d be doing?

I would be a commercial farmer 

What’s your favorite thing to do in Nairobi when free?

Talking about the economic status of Kenya and the future of the construction industry. Discussing about where Africa is headed politically, socially and economically

What projects have you worked on so far?

Nyali view park Bombolulu Mombasa, One Twiga Project Nyali Mombasa, Belcrest gardens Kileleshwa Nairobi, Springhill park Kileleshwa Nairobi among others. 

That’s it folks. Deal with the best and get the best!

CategoriesHome Design Real Estate Industry in Kenya

7 Hacks to make your bathroom look bigger

Have you ever heard anyone saying “Buying this for my bathroom interior” ? Well very few of us remember to make this important room welcoming enough for us and our guests when we have them. Our Dining and Living rooms are always beautiful and spacious except this place (bathroom), well you do not need to worry anymore here are some hacks to help you get more space in your bathrooms:

  • Add Mirrors: Having mirrors in your bathroom will make you feel you are standing in a spacious room because of reflected light.
  • Hide bathmats: When not using them kindly remove them, they will create more space.
  • Eliminate clutter: It’s as simple as that, when you do not need it just store it somewhere else
  • Go Frame less: Frosted glass breaks up the space making it look smaller, a glass can make the area look frosty and sloppy too.
  • Brighten the room: Make use of natural light from the windows and paint the walls with bright colors. Bright rooms feel spacious than darker ones.
  • Install small cabinets instead of random storage: It will look more organized and leaves you with more space than just being random.
  • Use sliding do: If possible avoid wood in these areas, they are worn out so quickly and seem big occupying more space. Glass sliding doors are recommended.

Small bathrooms aren’t the easiest spaces to work with. They’re usually cramped and crowded, with limited natural light and awkward layouts.

Whether it’s your powder room or your apartment bathroom that’s cramping your style, now you may be having lots of options to sparkle your small room.

CategoriesProperties Real Estate Industry in Kenya

Best apartments in Nairobi and Mombasa, have a look

Apartment living is one thing that has taken the real estate industry in Kenya by storm just because they are affordable and offers a wide range of amenities as well as access to major facilities, something a Bungalow in Thidigwa or Kiambu cannot offer.

Unlike most single-family homes, the best apartment communities come with 24/7 video-surround surveillance coverage. Plus, it’s always good to have neighbors nearby who might catch any out-of-the-ordinary occurrences.

Here are some of the apartment properties in Nairobi and Mombasa:

RUAKA: Exquisitely finished 2 bedroom with Master En-suite, fitted kitchens with balconies, fitted bedrooms, wooden floors, dedicated parking, solar water heaters, borehole, electric + razor fence, CCTV and hanging garden. Selling at Ksh 7.7M

 

NYALI: This newly built beautiful apartment in Nyali offer you spacious rooms and staff for each apartment. It directly overlooks the white sandy beach and features a spacious lounge and a kitchen fitted with a fridge, cooker, oven and microwave. There’s also a swimming pool and gym. Selling st Ksh 50M

 

GACHIE: This newly built development is located Off Redhill Drive Road, within Gachie Estate. It is well connected with good road network, with ease of access to public transport and other means. It’s close to the upmarket areas of Nyari and Rosslyn, with close proximity to the Village Market and UN. It’s only 15 minutes’ drive to the development from Westlands. Selling at Ksh 6.2M 

 

RIVERSIDE DRIVE: We knew that these high end apartments would be attractive to buyers as they offer great location and the scale of that demand is really pleasing, This is a 3 bedroom apartment with sq opposite statehouse Nairobi with swimming pool, gym, ample parking and great finishing. Selling at Ksh 44.5M 

 

NYALI: Zamia heights in Nyali is located behind City mall which houses Nakumatt. It is a very short walk to the Supermarket. It is in a serene neighbor hood, consists of 28 units. Selling at Ksh 16M 

 

NYALI: This is a newly completed apartment complex of two bedroom units. All fitted with Token Power Meters. The features include: Inbuilt wardrobes,  Kitchen Cabinets,  Fully tiled floors,  Balcony,  Parking,  Borehole /Fresh Water,  Perimeter Wall and  Electric Fence. Selling at Ksh 5.5M

There are many benefits to apartment living, including the carefree lifestyle, living in a community where you can share friendships and amenities, being close to stores and public transport, and the ability to move in and out in a short timeframe while incurring fewer costs.

Talk to Myspace Properties today and get sorted with properties in Nairobi and Mombasa.

Site Visit with Myspace Properties
CategoriesLand Purchase Real Estate Industry in Kenya

Did you know? 8 legal procedures of buying land in Kenya

Last week we talked about questions you should ask when buying land in rural areas (Ushago) and I’m now certain if you follow our blogs consistently you are learning something every week. Back to our topic – Legal procedures of buying land in Kenya, do you know and adhere to them? Well sit back and read through to the end, we have witnessed clients loosing Money to fraudsters in Nairobi, Mombasa and other towns in the country due to lack of due diligence. Here are some of the steps to follow while buying land:

  • Ministry of lands search – The first thing before you start negotiating for that land in Thika, Kitengela, Kangudo road, Voi, Mwatate etc you need to ascertain the owners of the land through a search at the Ministry of lands headquarters available in every county. The procedure costs only Ksh 520 and will give you all the details including the real owners, whether there is a court battle on it or a loan secured using the Title etc. All this should be ready in less than 2 hours at the offices.
  • Know the land rates – You will not want problems with the local county council officers over unpaid land rates, therefore conduct a search in your local lands county offices to know whether the land has outstanding land rates or not and if so who will pay the rates before the land is transferred to you? You will be issued with a clearance certificate afterwards.
  • Map Get a map from the Ministry of lands showing the plot and its neighborhoods usually drawn to scale, you can also get a surveyor for the same.
  • On ground Land Verification Now that you have the map visit the site and verify that the dimensions are correct and beacons are clear. You can seek the services of a surveyor too during this procedure, additionally this is the time to familiarize with neighbors and know if they are in agreement of the purchase.
  • Land Control Board – The LCB usually sits once a month comprising of the Assistant County Commissioners and village elders who then give final consent on the sale of the land, you can seek their services at a cost of Ksh 1,000 or you can opt for the Special Land Control Board which comprises of the Assistant Commissioner only and two parties usually at a cost of Ksh 5,000 depending on the availability of the commissioner.
  • Agreement – According to the law, any agreement should be in writing and therefore a written agreement should be in place before any transaction. It is usually advisable to involve a lawyer at this point at a cost to be shared between the buyer and seller, the recommended amount is Ksh 3,000 for transactions amounting a million or below. Above a million the lawyer should charge Ksh 8,000. Moreover witnesses should be involved (Spouse preferred) and the amount can be paid in cash or installments depending with the agreement in place.
  • Land transfer – After all the transactions are finalized the seller signs Land Transfer Forms which together with Consent from LCB, land search, clearance from county/ municipal council, passport photos, KRA PIN, agreement and old title deed are taken to the Ministry of Lands to change ownership. It costs Ksh 5,000 to process new title which should be ready within two weeks. On your side you will need to pay stamp duty based on the value of land.
  • Post purchase – Lastly after a week or two you will need to do a search again on the Ministry of Lands to verify that the land now reads your name. A very important last procedure to finalize land purchasing.

Now you see, buying land in Kenya can be smooth and easy if you follow the above steps with no hurry. You can also opt to engage real estate agents in Nairobi, Mombasa like Myspace Properties to assist you in your journey to land ownership.

Happy Buying! Don’t forget to share.

CategoriesFinance Properties Real Estate Industry in Kenya

Top 10 questions to ask when buying land in Rural Areas

We have been receiving several questions from our online community about what they should do on a site a visit since we have always been insisting on site visits before buying land anywhere in Kenya, lets go dip on some of the things you should inquire about when looking for land to buy in rural areas.

  • If I had to sell this property again in a year, is it desirable to other potential buyers?
  • How does the land lay? (slopes, bottom land, elevation change, etc…)
  • How is the property accessed? (Road frontage, deeded easement, etc..)
  • What are the annual property taxes?
  • Can I get a clear title to the property with title insurance?
  • Are there any water features on the property? (rivers, creek, lake, springs)
  • Has the property been surveyed? (Are boundaries marked?)
  • Are there any known environmental concerns or latent defects with the property?
  • Who are the neighbors surrounding the tract?
  • Have the owners received notice from any governmental agency about possible assessments or actions in the near future that would affect this property? Do you know the laws of Kenya on Land?

This list can even be larger but these are some of the basic things you need to know before committing any deposit or involving any money. Objectives of the buyer are based on whether you are an investor, hunter, farmer or a developer, that is why it is very important to engage competent real estate agents like Myspace Properties when purchasing rural areas property. Having someone to hold your hand through out the entire process can save you thousands of shillings.

Remember this list can also apply to buying land in the City like Nairobi, Mombasa and other cities, but caution must be taken when engaging agents in these areas.

Get in touch

phone

+254 734 555 556

Mombasa and Nairobi, Kenya

email

info@myspace.co.ke

about us

My Space Properties is a real Estate and Property firm that offers a unique and unprecedented value proposition covering all the core skills and requirements fundamental to the success of a real estate venture.

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