House hunting in Nairobi can be quite a hustle. In a city with millions of people and not so many developments coming up compared to this growing number, the demand for houses is becoming crazy. Finding something that is within budget, is comfortable, and comes with the right amenities is quite hard. And let’s not get started on the many conmen waiting to prey on innocent tenants.
The housing market in Nairobi either offers very expensive units with amenities or some old units with outdated facilities and poor living conditions. In simple terms, finding something that will check all your boxes is quite hard, but not impossible. In this article, I will be taking you through some tips that you can use to find the perfect house for you. I will be highlighting some of the differences between old-school house hunting and digital house hunting.
Old-school house hunting
House hunting begins with assessing your needs as a person. Information like where you work, your income, and if your kids are in school is quite important to factor in when looking for a unit. This enables you to create a checklist of priorities, non-negotiables & things you might overlook during your search.
The next step is to schedule a day to visit the area and experience the neighborhood’s atmosphere. During a visit, you can tag a friend or partner along to get multiple views of the area. Talk with some residents. I love going to shops, buying a soda, and striking up a conversation with the shopkeeper. This enables me to ask about issues of security, the water situation, typical rents in the area, etc. The main aim is to get an unbiased opinion about the area.
You can also walk around the area to get a glimpse of activities there. I recommend doing this on Sundays when the area is full of life and in its most used state. Go around checking houses with the “To Let’ sign and taking down their contacts. You can actually call and get the house price and even a viewing of the properties.
House hunting checklist
Below is a checklist of factors and questions to answer. I have put it together in order of priority. High-priority factors are those you can’t change after you move in. High priority factors include things like security and access to water. Medium priority are somewhat manageable, and you can work around them. For instance, if they are not near schools, your children can use the school bus to school. Low-priority factors like the landlord’s rules can always come last. You can definitely move things around in the priority list as different things appeal to us differently.
1. Highest priority Factors
These are factors that you have zero control over but are really important in determining the comfort of your stay. You might discover a beautiful unit in a place, but the security there is terrible, and hence moving there is not worth the risk.
- How is security in the area (crime rates)? _____________
- What are the rents in the area like? _______________
- Is electricity reliable in the area (frequency of outages)? _____________
- What is the frequency of water supply, and what is the main source (city council, borehole, water vendor)? _____________
- Is the area prone to flooding or poor drainage during rainy seasons? _____________
- How is noise pollution in the area (traffic, clubs, churches, construction)? _____________
- What is the general cleanliness and waste management situation? _____________
- What is the overall reputation of the neighborhood? _____________
2. Very high priority
These are factors that determine how easy it is to move within the area. For instance, if you typically come home from work quite late, then having an area with adequate transport connectivity is a must. Similarly, having essential services close by is also needed to prevent you from wasting time searching for things like shops.
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- What is the distance to your workplace or school? _____________
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- How long is the commute during peak hours? _____________
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- Are roads well maintained and accessible in all seasons? _____________
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- Is public transport available and reliable? _____________
- How far are shops, supermarkets, and essential services? _____________
3. High priority Factors
As human beings, we are social creatures, and when selecting an area to move to, you need to keep this in mind. Things like churches, schools, and recreational areas add life to an area. Also some of the services, like healthcare, are very important in case of a health emergency.
- What are the nearest schools, and how is their quality? _____________
- How close are healthcare facilities (clinics, hospitals, pharmacies)? _____________
- Are there places of worship and recreational areas nearby? _____________
- Are emergency services easily accessible (ambulance, fire services)? _____________
4. Medium Priority Factors
If an area meets your high-priority items, the medium ones can be negotiated. For example, if a unit you are moving in does not receive natural light, you could always look for another one. Similarly, if parking is not available, you can make arrangements to park your vehicle elsewhere. These factors are still important, but you can substitute them.
- Is the house well ventilated, and does it receive enough natural light? _____________
- What is the condition of plumbing, wiring, and fixtures? _____________
- Is there adequate parking space? _____________
- Is the house well maintained (walls, roof, floors)? _____________
- Are there backup systems (water tanks, generators, solar)? _____________
5. Lower priority factors
Low-priority factors are those you could easily adjust to. Rules like not having pets in a unit might not apply to many, as few people own pets. You could also negotiate these factors, but they do not really affect your stay that much.
- What additional costs are involved (service charges, garbage, security)? _____________
- What are the landlord’s rules (pets, visitors, modifications)? _____________
Pros & Cons of old-school methods
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| You get a one-on-one and firsthand experience of the area | Time-consuming |
| Allows you to understand the neighborhood, security, and environment better | Being unfamiliar with the area makes it difficult to know where to start looking |
| No need to pay agents or finder’s fees, reducing overall costs | Transport costs can add up, especially when searching over several days |
| You can negotiate directly with landlords or caretakers | Tiresome and physically demanding |
| Builds personal connections that may help with future housing opportunities | You only get to view a limited number of options |
| Gives you flexibility to ask detailed questions about rent, utilities, and rules | If you are not talkative, it can be hard to get useful information from people |
Digital House Hunting
Old-school house hunting can be quite tiresome, as seen above. Despite its advantages, traditional house hunting is not the easiest or most convenient method. That is where using digital platforms comes in. What is even better is the fact that you could explore hundreds of listings all from the comfort of your home, get linked to agents, and schedule viewings. That is what platforms like kejafinder.com and others are doing. We ensure that house hunting is easy, convenient and protects Kenyans from conmen. Some of the online platforms offering such services include.
House hunting websites in Kenya
If you want more information about an area, you could read the neighborhood guides for the locality. Such guides contain detailed information about the area, its amenities, the range of rents, and the types of units available. While the guide is not meant to substitute a physical visit, it can give you a lot more information. Which will enable you to narrow down your options. I will leave a link to a sample neighborhood guide for you to check it out.
Tips for House hunting
- Don’t pay any deposit without seeing the house.
- Always insist on knowing who is either the landlord or agent of the house and negotiate with them to avoid getting conned.
- Ensure that the features advertised in the unit are what you will be getting. Some units come advertised as being Ensuite (meaning one or more bedrooms have a washroom inside), but the truth is that they don’t have one.
- Be careful when you notice that you are being rushed to pay deposits. Especially if the person is claiming that “another person wants to occupy the same house.”
- Always get a clear breakdown of the rent and water price per unit. Some agents can exploit you into paying more.
- When at the unit, try making a phone call to prove that the network is working well.
- Avoid apartment blocks with too many units. They come with lots of drama, and when water rationing kicks in, you will be getting very little water.
