lamudi Magazine _Aug_Sept_Email (1)

1Lamudi | Sept - Nov 2015
KENYA’S BEST REAL ESTATE MARKETPLACE SEPT - NOV 2015
PURPLE HAZE:
THE SUPREME
RESIDENCES
THREE BENEFITS
OF INVESTING IN
LAND
HOW TO
MOVE OUT
OF A HOUSE
FREE COPY

4 Lamudi | Sept - Nov 2015
Welcome to our first edition of Lamudi Magazine for all your real estate news. The
September- November edition is filled with facts, trends and tips that will either make
you think twice before investing in a certain area or make you glad that you invested in
this lucrative sector in the first place. This issue will make you think outside the box
in terms of interior design around the house and give it a new look.
Wewillanswersomeofthecommonquestionslikewhyyouneedamortgagecalculator
and also share some of the currently trending real estate projects.
Enjoy this issue as you venture into real estate.
Mumbua.
Editor-in-chief: Mumbua Susan
Managing Director: Dan Karua
Sales & Advertising: Christine Njeri, Yvonne Malebe, Patricia Mulehi,
Fredrick Ogamba, Susan Mutua.
Photography: Kings Missions Photography
Design & Layout: Paul Wanjoeh

Smart Home Solutions
Smart Mall Solutions
Smart City Solutions
Smart Hotel Solutions
Smart Building Solutions
Smart School Solutions
Smart Hospital Solutions
Smart Office Solutions
Smart Restaurant Solutions
Tener Exito Smart Building Technologies
Did you ever leave the house or office and forget to turn off the lights, electrical appliances, put on the alarm system or
wonder the status of your building when you are out of town? Search no further, as Tener Exito introduces
Smart Building Technologies that give you absolute control of your home, office and building. We achieve
this by integrating Information and Communications technology systems into your building thereby allowing you
to control every home appliance like TV, Lights, CCTV Cameras, Curtains , Gates, Security Systems etc, remotely
from a single touch of a button on your phone or by SMS.
With our Smart Building systems, you get real time updates on the energy consumption, intelligently turn off high
energy consuming devices and assurance that your property and occupants are safe and secure. Our intelligent
building assistant software solutions completely manages the building based on predefined parameters including
automated sequence of common events like opening curtains, turning on and off perimeter lights etc to simulate your
availability at home , while you are away on vacation. We bring the future to you today and excite your senses with our
functional Smart Building Solutions allowing you to experience the utmost level of luxury, safety and convenient living.
Tener Exito Limited , 6th
Floor, PWC Building, Delta Corner, Chiromo Road, Westlands, PO Box 14805 – 00800, Nairobi, Kenya
Website – www.tener-exito.com Phone- +254 730 112029 Email – info@tener-exito.com
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Our Services Include:
• Twelve / Twenty – Four hour
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• CCTV, Electric Fence installation
• Cash In Transit (money escort)
Services
• Private Investigations
• Security Survey / Audit Consultancy
Services
Head Quaters: Nairobi
Tel: 2710107, 2710431, 2710304 | Fax: 2710089
Mob: 0722 816 046 , 0722 773 699
E-mail: Info@intersecurityservices.co.ke
www.intersecurityservices.com

FEATURES
• Elegant 4 Bedroom triple storey
Town Houses
• Self Contained DSQ
• Additional Spacious Family Room
• SolarWater Heating
• Large RoofTerrace
• Private Garden and parking for
two cars
UNIQUEFEATURES
• IndividualTitle Deeds
• Borehole & mains water supply
• Swimming pool and gym rooms
• Shopping complex
• Club house
• Guard and management offices
Show house ready,
Now Selling Phase II,
*Final project may slightly vary from illustration shown.
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ELEGANCE MEETS
COMFORT

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Mobile: 0700 000 802 / 0731 888 111 | Email: info@chigwell.co.ke
Website: www.chigwellholdings.com
FEATURES
• 3 bedroom maisonette
• Master en suite
• Self contained DSQ
• Solar water heating
• Private garden
• Private parking for 2 cars
UNIQUE FEATURES
• Individual title deeds
• Borehole and mains water supply
• Designated play areas and
landscaped gardens
• Common visitors parking
• Imposing gatehouse with management office
• Safe and secure living
Price as
from 7.5m
SIDAI
VILLAGE
ATHI RIVER
Book & pay deposit for Sidai Village and get one hamper free!

What is a safe zone and why do you need one?
A safe zone is an area with extra defences against
intruders. It can be used as a retreat in which to wait
for help if your home or workplace has been invaded by
criminals or it can simply be a well-secured bedroom
area where you can feel safe at night.
Most of us don’t need a safe zone quite as elaborate as
that used by billionaires, with satellite phones, security
cameras and food supplies. But a simple designed well-
protected place can certainly help us sleep easier at
night.
A safe zone can also put parents at ease when they have
to leave children at home. Children and their care givers
can be taught to lock themselves into the safe zone if
there is any sign of danger. They can then phone for help
while waiting in this properly secured area.
Safe zones work equally well for elderly parents that may
not hear suspicious noises in time to take evasive action.
Locked inside their safe zone, they will hopefully escape
any nasty confrontations.
Work spaces, too, benefit from safe zones. If robbers get
inside commercial premises, employees can hide out in
the designated space and avoid the violence and fear that
unfortunately often comes with such an invasion.
Trellidor Kenya’s safe zone tips
Trellidor Kenya installs the security grilles needed to
create a safe zone. Here are their tips for creating one:
• Choose an appropriate area for your safe zone.
This is usually the bedroom section because if it’s
properly secured you’ll be able to sleep at night
without worrying about a security breach.
• Install a reliable security barrier in the passage if
it’s a single storey home or in suitable part of the
staircase or landing if multi-storied.
• Install security barriers on all windows in the safe
area.
• Make sure at least one of these windows has a
security grille that can open to create an emergency
escape exit should you need one. This will need
some thorough planning in a multi-storey home.
• Lock up when you go to bed at night. It is no good
going to the trouble of securing a safe zone if you
don’t keep the security barriers closed and locked.
Suitable products to create your safe zone
“We manufacture a wide range of suitable barriers to
protect safe zone doors and windows, including steel
sliding security gates and aluminium roller shutters that
can be fitted to doors, passages and windows. We also
offer many other window grilles including polycarbonate
bars and security screens. Readers are welcome to
contact us for assistance in creating a safe zone at home
or work,” said Trellidor Kenya’s Mick Svinos.
SAFETY TIPS
FOR YOUR
HOME

The value of your home is very important, especially when it is
time to sell the property or if you are looking at get a home loan
for investment. Most banks will have to inspect the property
before they consider the amount of money to lend you. The value
is determined by a number of factors including location, the size of
the land, amenities and finishing.
To help house-hunters through this process, Lamudi
takes a closer look at how you can calculate your
home’s value.
Step 1: Gather information on comparable sales in
your area.
You can get this information from agents, online real
estate portals, newspaper classifieds and magazines.
Look for recent sales in the area that are similar to your
property to give you an idea of how much your home is
worth. Look for houses that are very similar to yours in
order to get the right value.
Step 2: Take out the prices that do not represent
your market.
Look out for properties that took a long or short time
to sell, and exclude them from your calculations.
Properties which spend too long or too short a time
in the market could mean the owner priced it too
high or too low. If there is a house close to the road
or the highway and yours is not, remove that from the
comparison list as well. Make sure the listings that you
gather match your property.
Step 3: Do the calculations.
Once you have the final list of houses similar to yours,
take the total sale prices and divide that by the number
of listings so that you can get the average price of a
house comparable to yours. To get the best results, get
sale prices of at least four or five houses.
Step 4: Analyze the differences.
Finally, look for differences between your house and the final
listings. For example, if the average price is Kshs. 20 million but you
had spent Kshs. 100,000 to remodel the living room and the kitchen,
then the value of your house could be higher.
HOW TO
CALCULATE
YOUR HOME’S
VALUE
Address: 57 West, Westland Rd,
Postal: P.O.Box 30309
00100 Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 700 933 933
Mobile: +254 700 940 940
Website: sjr.co.ke
Email: info@sjr.co.ke
ContactsLavington 5 Bedroom
Town Houses For Sale
¾ 3 bedroom apartment in Kilimani 30 million
¾ 2 bedroom apartment in Kileleshwa 16.8 million
¾ 3 bedroom apartment in Riverside drive 30 million
Other listings

CHINA WU YISPACIOUS • ELEGANT • LUXURIOUS

China Wu Yi is a multinational company that was started
in 1994. China Wu Yi is a jack of many traits which include:
Domestic and global construction, real estate investments
and development, design and scientific research,
importation and exportation trade. They started with
road construction here in Kenya with the famous Thika
Superhighway before venturing into real estate. Some
of the real estate developments they have done before
include Lobellia Court in Kilimani and ten townhouses in
Fair Acres, Karen.
The first real estate project was started in 2011 with the Wu
Yi plaza along Galana road, 300 metres from Yaya Centre.
The current project, Lobellia Court, was completed in
June, 2015 and it’s ready for occupation. It consists of 63
luxury units that can be bought as investment and later
rented out as furnished or unfurnished units.
The three bedroom apartments consists of a separate
DSQ. This is a new trend that comes with most of the
apartments in the market. Some of the amenities
available for the tenants include; swimming pool, alarm
system, cctv cameras, fully equipped gym, high-speed
lifts and open car spaces. They will also have a back-up
generator in case of power outages.
As you enter the complex, the first thing that you will
notice is the unique wave-shaped blocks of apartments
separated by the pool area leaving an open space for kids
to play. Inside the apartments you are welcomed to the
spacious living area that opens to a big balcony where
you have extra space to entertain guests overlooking the
beautiful scenes of the city.
All bedrooms are ensuite and have a balcony suitable for
relaxing while reading a book or enjoying a cup of coffee.
This makes Lobellia Court unique in that, all rooms have
a balcony including the kitchen which is hard to find in
apartments.
China Wu Yi has sold over 25 percent and most of the
units sold are buyers looking to invest other than living
in the apartments because of the returns expected. For
example, one apartment can be rented for Kes. 250,000
per month depending on the size. The courts have bigger
units and smaller units that range from Kes. 27 million.
Kilimani is a widely sought after area for apartments
because it’s close to the city centre, shopping malls
and hospitals. The location of the apartments at George
Padmore Road allows the tenants to enjoy the fresh and
beautiful tree shade towering the area.
To get one of the units today contact Idah Chege
on: 0715 343472, 0715343463, 0715343451.

WHY A MORTGAGE CALCULATOR IS GOOD FOR
YOU
Buying a home can be an exhilarating yet mind numbing
experience. Especially if it’s your first time. Having taken
into account that owning a home is a huge financial
commitment, taking a mortgage normally is the safest
route to ease that burden. When scouting for a mortgage
facility, it is trivial to know the full cost of the loan, the
interest rates involved and any other fees required.
HOW DOES THE MORTGAGE CALCULATOR WORK?
Picture this, you’re considering a number of homes
you’ve come across that meet your budget, a mortgage
calculator will probe the homes’ prices, your down
payment, your current expenditure and income, probable
insurance and property taxes, and the home loan’s
interest rate plus terms to approximate your monthly
premiums.
This is very important in determining which credit
terms are most ideal for you as well as the monthly
commitments.
CAN A MORTGAGE CALCULATOR HELP WITH MY
SEARCH OF A HOME?
Most definitely! It’ll help you focus on homes that explicitly
meet your budget, saving you time and strain, getting
your dream home sooner. Lamudi Mortgage calculator
is designed to do exactly that. To help you make informed
choices and shop better.
MORTGAGE
CALCULATOR
WHY YOU NEED

YOUR HOME
FIRE SAFETY TIPS FOR
Most of the time, fires that start in the home are
unexpected. The usually start due to a short circuit, or
cooking. Some homeowners have taken precaution by
getting home insurance to make sure all is not lost. Make
sure that you know how to prevent this happening in your
home.
Lamudi has come up with some key tips below to make
sure that you keep your home safe.
INSTALL SMOKE ALARMS
Smoke alarms save lives. Install them in every room and
maintain them to make sure they are always working.
Test the smoke alarms at least once a month. If your
house has different levels, make sure every level and
every sleeping area has a smoke alarm.
DON’T LET CHILDREN PLAY WITH MATCHES AND
LIGHTERS
Keep matches and lighters out of reach of children. They
are always curious and want to know how things work
and this could easily cause a fire. Use socket protectors
to prevent children from picking the sockets that could
easily cause a fire.
IF FIRE OCCURS, GET OUT, STAY OUT AND CALL
FOR HELP
Don’t try and save some of the stuff in the house, this
could cause more harm than good. You can easily get
burned or suffocate in the fire because of the smoke. Get
out and call for help immediately.
PRACTICE HOME FIRE ESCAPE DRILLS.
From time to time, do drills with the family using a
stopwatch and see how long it takes for them to respond.
The kids will find it fun and easy to participate in.
Perform the drill with every member of the family and
get them to leave the house as fast as possible. During
this time, check all the exit points in the different rooms
and encourage the family members to use them so that
they can always remember when there is a fire.
DON’T LEAVE HOT OVEN OR STORE TOPS
UNATTENDED
Always be alert when in the kitchen and make sure
there’s limited distraction while cooking. Don’t watch the
tv while cooking or multitask, you could forget what’s in
the kitchen especially if you are living alone.

This is a question that most people ask before buying property. The two options are feasible but it depends with the type of
property you want to buy. For example, you can get financing for buying a house or an apartment but it’s not advisable to get
financing when buying land.
Cash payment is the best when you can afford it. Some
people will think it’s better to invest the money instead
and buy the house with mortgage but no mortgage is a
good mortgage. There are pros and cons with either of
the choices. If you buy a house with cash; there’s security,
monthly mortgage payment will not be hanging over your
head should your financial situation turn for the worse and
you have a better discount as a cash-buyer than mortgage.
The disadvantage of buying a house with cash is, if you need
to access the money fast due to unavoidable circumstances
like sudden illness or financial trouble, you can only get the
cash by selling the property or borrowing money against
the property.
Don’t invest all your money into the property if you don’t
have a back-up plan. Especially for retirees, it’s hard to
get a second loan because they have no source of steady
income.
A mortgage makes homeownership affordable. Although
you’ll make the payments over a long period of time, to
make it easie, spread out the repayments over so many
years so that the monthly payment is more manageable
and affordable.
The main disadvantage of a mortgage is; you will end up
paying back a lot more that you originally borrowed. Right
now, the mortgage rates are really high between 15 percent
and 21 percent, after 30 years the total amount paid back
will be so huge.
There’s no conclusive answer to this question. Read through
the pros and cons and see which outweighs the other. Do
your research before you decide on either because it all
depends with your financial situation and what you can
handle.
SHOULD I BUY MY PROPERTY CASH
OR SHOULD I RESORT TO FINANCING
FINANCINGCASH

As the real estate industry continues to boom in Kenya,
people are looking to invest in property. This is because
investing in real estate has a lower risk than stock and
forex trading. There is a trend of owning a house or
land in Kenya and many high-net-worth individuals as
well as investment analysts are confident in real estate
investment.
Investing in real estate guarantees good returns over
time depending on the location of the property and the
type of property one has invested in. Land in Kenya is very
common property and people are willing to invest far and
wide because infrastructure in the country is growing fast
in different areas of the country.
There are several benefits of investing in land as opposed
to the other types of properties in the market.
You do not have to do anything to vacant land.
Once you buy land, you do not have to spend extra money
to do anything to land. You can sell it as it is. The most
people do is to put a fence round the piece of land to
show the area bought by the owner. Some agents will
develop the land by adding electricity, water sources and
construct the roads leading to the land to raise the value
of the land and sell it off faster.
Land is a ‘hands off’ Investment
You do not have to deal with tenants or fixing any leaks
or any other issues that come with owning a house or a
building. Investing in land gives you peace because it’s a
long-term investment and a tangible asset that does not
wear out. Since prices in the market are flexible in Kenya,
one can make a profit in a short time.
Valuable Resource
The fact that they are not making more of it, those who
invest in land find out that they have an asset that many
would want. Do not be in a hurry to sell it off, once you
buy a piece in the right location, it will make more sense
in the long-term and get you good returns. For example,
land that was worth KES. 50,000 ten years ago is now
worth KES. three million to five million per acre.
Start small and buy the and going for KES. 100,000 to
250,000 now. As they say, ‘Do not wait to buy land, buy
land and wait.’
THREE BENEFITS OF
INVESTING IN
LAND

Kenya has been tagged by the World
Bank as one of the fastest growing
economies in
A f r i c a
with a GDP growth averaging at
6% yearly. This is largely due to
the investments in infrastructure
development by investors and the
government. Real Estate for example,
grew by over 11.3% in the first quarter
of 2015 and the trend is expected to
continue.
The growth of Real Estate is expected to
propel the adoption of Smart Building
Technologies, with home owners
and developers finding the niche
for differentiation. Smart Building
Technologies have been available
for over a decade and were initially
introduced as energy conservation
measures in response to the call for
the reduction in the emission of Green
House gases. Buildings with Smart
Technology were assigned the ‘Green
TechnologySeal’,duetotheabilityofthe
Smart Building Systems to intelligently
optimize energy consumption. More
recently however, Smart building
Technologies are being applied in other
areas to include lifestyle convenience,
security and building supervision.
As the number of controllable devices
in the home rises, interconnection and
communication becomes a useful and
desirable feature. For example, Rooms
will become “intelligent” and send
signals to the controller when someone
enters.Ifnooneissupposedtobehome
and the alarm system is set, the system
could call the owner, or the neighbors,
or an emergency number. In advanced
installations, rooms can sense not only
the presence of a person but determine
who that person is and perhaps set
appropriate lighting, temperature,
music levels or television channels,
taking into account the day of the week,
the time of day, and other factors.
Direct energy optimization application
of this can be observed in buildings,
where the system intelligently reduces
indoor lighting by considering the
amount of light from natural sources.
Thissaveswastedenergybyasmuchas
25% to 40% over time. Simple functions
such as motion sensors and detectors
integrated into a relatively simple home
automation system can save hours of
wasted energy in both residential and
commercial applications. For example
imagine an auto on/off at night time in
all major city office buildings, say after
10pm. When no motion is detected,
lights shut down, and could save
kilowatts of wasted overnight energy.
Similar controls on HVAC (Heating
Ventilation and Air Conditioning) in
buildings could save even more energy.
These savings represent a huge impact
to the bottom line of offices, hotels,
commercial spaces and homes. Its net
on effect is to reduce Green House gas
emissions.
An example of automated monitoring
could be triggered when a smoke
detector detects a fire, causing all
lights in the house to blink to alert all
occupants of the possible emergency.
If the house is equipped with a home
theater, the system can shut down
all audio and video components to
avoid distractions, or make an audible
announcement. The system could
also call the home owner on their
mobile phone to alert them, or call the
fire department or alarm monitoring
company.
Other automated tasks may include
setting the HVAC to an energy saving
setting when the house is unoccupied,
and restoring the normal setting when
an occupant is about to return. More
sophisticated systems can maintain an
inventory of products, recording their
usage through bar codes, or an RFID
tag. Home automation can also provide
a remote interface to home appliances
or the automation system itself, via a
telephone line, wireless transmission
or the internet via a smartphone or web
browser.
The Kenyan home of tomorrow is
expected to incorporate these smart
Building technologies as more
developers and building owners
become aware of the embedded
benefits from the implementation of
this technology.
By Mutiu Salami
EAST AFRICA RIPE FOR
SMART BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES

TO BUILD OR
The dilemma of whether to build or buy a house is something that
goes through the mind of every first time homeowner looking to get
their dream home. Either choice, there are pros and cons and the
choice also depends on the a couple of the things.
Always weigh in the advantages and the disadvantages of either
buying or building your dream home. Think of the long-term plan
and the investment opportunities in terms of returns.
BUYING
One of the advantages of buying a house is if you are taking a
mortgage or any sort of financing, you can shop around for a house
and move in 90 days, considering the process and the duration in
Kenya. Buying an existing house is very convenient and most of
them are located near your children’s schools or your place of
work. The other advantage is the cost could be lower depending on
the location and the finishing used in the house. For some houses
the appliances and the fixtures are included in the cost. Most of the
houses are within a community so it makes it easier to maintain
your home through shared costs with the neighbours.
The disadvantage of buying a house is, it may not be
exactly what you were looking for in terms of your
dream home and you will have to settle for less.
The other disadvantage is, most existing homes
have some renovations and you will have to take care of it. You will
have to do some maintenance especially if the house is not new.
BUILDING
Many developers in the country have come up with predefined
floor plans that make building your dream home much easier.
The project could take six months to one year depending on the
developer you have contracted. The obvious advantage of building
your home is that, you get to choose the materials to be uses, the
finishing, the appliances, fixtures, amenities and how the lawn
should be shaped. You can also choose the colors that you want
to be used in the different rooms, basically you can customize your
home to show your personality.
The disadvantage of building your home is the project could take
longer than expected and exceed the cost expectations. This could
be caused by the weather, lack of funds in the process of the
building the house and daily inspections.
There is not a right choice for everyone. The decision depends on
your job security, long-term plans in the area and your financial
situation before deciding on whether to build or to buy
your dream home.
Lamudi looks at the dilemma of building or buying a house

TOWNS GAINING
POPULARAITY WITH
HOUSE-HUNTERS
Lamudi’s first quarter report indicates commuter towns within
the Nairobi metropolis are growing due to the ongoing move from
the CBD
Infrastructure developments around Nairobi have led to
a property boom on the outskirts of the city, prompting
an exodus of people from the city centre in search of
property further afield. This finding is contained in the
first quarterly report from leading property portal Lamudi
Kenya’s, which reveals that people are looking to relocate
to satellite towns within the metropolis of Nairobi.
As a result, areas including Athi River and Kitengela
on Mombasa Road, Thika and Ruiru on the Thika
Superhighway, Kiambu, Kikuyu and Ruaka have become
more highly sought-after with house-hunters. Lamudi Q1
2015 report indicates that property prices in these areas
have been on an upward trend due to the increasing
demand for real estate to meet the growing population.
Athi River, Kitengela, Thika and Ngong’ towns have been
transformed to become the most sought-after areas
for affordable and valuable housing facilities. Property
in theses areas now retails for 11 million shillings on
average for a three-bedroom town house, a 10 percent
increase from the last quarter of 2014.
Lamudi Kenya Managing Director Dan Karua said: “The
low income market segment still remains untapped
and these areas have become a favourite for affordable
housing. Coupled with the presence of adequate
infrastructure, these areas are now highly sought-after
with those looking to buy or rent a home in Nairobi.”
Kiambu has become a prefered destination for luxurious
yet affordable houses, with property here ranging from
14 million shillings to 19 million shillings for a three-
bedroom house. Closer to Kiambu, Ruaka is creating a
name for itself in the real estate sector. The former tea
plantations are now home to luxurious rental apartments
COMMUTER
The low income market segment still remains untapped and these
areas have become a favourite for affordable housing. Coupled with
the presence of adequate infrastructure, these areas are now highly
sought-after with those looking to buy or rent a home in Nairobi.
“ “

ranging between Kshs 20,000 to Kshs 30,000 for one-
and two-bedroom apartments. The area will also soon
be home to three shopping malls, namely Two Rivers
Mall (the largest in East Africa), Riviera Mall and Village
Market.
Kenya’s stable economic environment has further
bolsteredthegrowthofrealestatesector.Thegovernment
is currently pushing for a stronger middle income
economy after the rebasing of the economy, which saw
the country claim middle income status, further steering
developments in the property sector.
“The growth the real estate sector is experiencing is
monumental and with the current conducive business
environment, the sector will only go from strength to
strength. The rebasing indicated that the construction
and allied sectors accounted for 11 percent of the country’s
gross domestic product (GDP), a clear indication of the
potential the property sector has,” Mr. Karua noted.
The growth of the middle class has facilitated the growth
of shopping malls and commercial spaces. Areas such
as Upperhill and Westlands have proved to be the most
preferred for office spaces while areas along Mombasa
Road are most popular for industrial spaces. This is
primarily because of the proximity of Upperhill and
Westlands to Nairobi’s central business district, while
Mombasa Road is a major trunk road for East and Central
Africa and therefore goods are easily transported along
the road. However, among the commuter towns, buying
a commercial space in Kiambu is the most expensive at
18 million shillings.
Lamudi quarterly report also indicates that technological
trends in the real estate sector are gaining traction as
more people are now searching for houses online. The
rising internet penetration, which stands at 64.3 percent
according to the Communications Authority of Kenya, has
forced businesses to realign their services to meet the
growing internet usage around the country.
The Lamudi quarterly report for Q1 2015 is available in an easy-to-read online format at:
www.lamudi.co.ke/research/quarterly-report-q1-2015/
See more expert analysis from Lamudi Kenya at:
www.lamudi.co.ke/research
Demand Heat Map
Region Searches
Nairobi 88.83%
Coast 5.74%
Central 2.86%
Rift Valley 1.76%
Western 0.81%

AccordingtotheUnitedNations,AfricaandAsiaareurbanizing
faster than any other region. Forecasts predict that the two
continentswillbecome56and64percenturban,respectively,
by 2050.
Rapid population growth has led to physical growth of urban
areas. Consequently, cities must adapt to increased demand
for affordable, yet high-quality housing, commercial and
industrial space, as well as infrastructure development.
As the emerging markets urbanize, cities are becoming
increasingly populated by young, educated workers. These
younger populations are more affluent, with growing
amounts disposable income; as they move from rural areas
to more developed cities, this population bracket gains
purchasing power, resulting in growing pressure on housing,
infrastructure and industrial development.
The growing middle classes in many emerging markets are
contributing to this urban shift. As income rises, more money
isavailabletospendonhigh-qualityservices,includingluxury
housing. With increased economic power, this population
bracketisdemandinghigh-quality,mixed-usedevelopments,
to meet their commercial, residential and retail needs.
Whilst urbanization to date has been rapid, this is only the
beginning for the emerging markets. The development of
transport, water, energy supply and technology will continue
to draw both residents and investors to cities across Asia and
Africa.
Kian Moini, Co-Founder and Managing Director of global
real estate portal, Lamudi, states: “Africa is expected to see
a rapid rate of urbanization, with a 16 percent increase in its
urban population by 2020. In Asia, statistics show that almost
200 million people moved into cities between 2000 and 2010.
With this growth comes expansive opportunities on the
continent, with the creation of new jobs, development of
improvedinfrastructureandmoreaffordablehousingoptions.
This is not to say that there won’t be challenges.”
IS URBANIZATION AFFECTING
SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IN THE
EMERGING MARKETS?

PURPLE HAZE:
THE SUPREME RESIDENCES
Meet Deep Nagda one of the developers at Purple Haze by Edifice. Deep takes us through the
project and what it offers and why you should invest.
WHEN WAS THE DEVELOPMENT STARTED?
Purple Haze was launched in November 2014 and
groundbreaking was in March 2015. The project is
expected to take two and a half years to complete. We are
currently selling off-plan.
TELL US ABOUT PURPLE HAZE
Purple Haze is a project by Edifice Limited and is located
in Kilimani along Kitale Lane off Denis Pritt Road. The
development consists of 2 & 3 bedroom apartments and
luxurious duplex penthouses overlooking the Nairobi
skyline. The Penthouses are elegant; they are 5000 square
feet in size and have a private Jacuzzi on the terrace. You
can have friends over to enjoy the views and even do a
barbeque.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE AMENITIES FOUND IN PURPLE
HAZE?
All the apartments have an attached self contained DSQ.
There is a full back-up generator that powers the entire
apartment blocks, high-speed lifts, solar heated water,
and a borehole to ensure ample water supply.
Other facilities include a swimming pool, a fully equipped
gym with steam and sauna and a clubhouse. There is also
a convenience store strictly for the residents where you
can pick up things like newspapers and groceries. A cigar
lounge is also available for people who enjoy the art.
WHY PURPLE HAZE?
Why should you choose Purple Haze over the hundreds of
other residential apartments and penthouses springing

up everywhere? The answer is simple. Purple Haze has
been designed and developed by a highly innovative and
qualified team in Singapore ensuring quality in every
square metre. The kitchens, tiles and sanitary ware are all
imported and of European standards providing superior
quality to residents.
WHAT’S THE COST OF THE APARTMENTS?
The apartments are starting from KES 18 million. We
have a very favorable payment plan as well; you can put
down a deposit of 20 percent now and the balance would
be split equally until completion. We understand that the
mortgage rates in Kenya right now are too high, so we are
offering a meager finance cost of 10 percent compared to
16 or 17 percent offered by different institutions.
CAN THIS BE AN INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR REAL
ESTATE ENTHUSIASTS?
Absolutely, according to our market research, if you invest
in an apartment at Purple Haze, our market research
shows that you could easily rent it out for KES 140,000
per month. That is almost 11 percent in returns, which is
well above the market rates. This is a good investment
opportunity, and for the people buying at this off-plan
stage, they guaranteed to get good returns.

The living room is the centre of a home.
This is where people spend most of their
time, so you have to make it comfortable
and appealing. How you set up your living
room sets the tone for the rest of the
house.
Lamudi Kenya gives you five insightful
tips to consider when picking your
living room pieces.
TAKE MEASUREMENTS
Make sure you have furniture that fits
the scale of your living room. Use a tape-
measure to calculate the living room area
and see how much room the piece of
furniture would take. Measure the length
and the width of the room; this will give
you an idea of how many pieces can fit in
the space.
FUNCTIONALITY
When choosing the furniture, think
of the activities that will take place in
the living room; this will determine the
type of furniture you should get. For
example, if you want people to watch
TV in the living room, you will have to
get a TV stand that you can place at the
centre of the living room for everyone
to have a good view. If people will be
reading in the living room, you will have
to get book shelves.
CREATE A FLOOR PLAN
You can have a sketch of the room on
a sheet of paper. Draw how the pieces
of furniture will be set up in the living
room. Sketch different ways they can
be placed in the room. Make sure there
is space between the furniture to move
easily in and out of the room — leave
approximately one metre.
MEASURE THE DOORWAYS
TThe doorway measurements are very
important because they will determine if
the pieces can go through the door. This
will also give you an idea of the width of
the sofa so that it fits without forcing it
through and damaging the sofa.
START WITH THE BASICS
Before adding decorative pieces, get
the basic pieces of furniture first. The
most common basic pieces are sofas,
armchairs, side tables and coffee tables.
Once this is done, if you have more space,
then you can add local art pieces and
other pieces that you want to have in the
living room to make it look different and
to your taste.
CONCLUSION
Picking furniture depends on the space
available and the decoration on the
walls. Make sure you pick pieces that are
durable and match your personality to
love being in the room. Fabrics are also
important, so pick comfortable fabrics
such as: cotton, linen, wool, microfiber,
velvet, faux suede, and leather.
TIPS TO PICK
LIVING ROOM
FURNITURE

From mortgage fraud to foreclosure bailouts, property
scams can take many forms. It pays to be vigilant of red
flags that may warn of forthcoming legal battles and
wrangles involving real estate fraud.
One thing worth noting is that fraud and scams proliferate
in all levels of the property market whether it be an
informal agent property illegally flipping a client on a
rental unit, or a renowned contractor who misappropriates
funds in the name of “offplan” property sales. A lot of leg
work and vigilance is required even if it means exercising
some level of cynicism and common sense to protect your
property.
CHECK YOUR PROPERTY IS REGISTERED WITH THE KENYA
LANDS OFFICE
In the event your property is not registered, the Kenya
Lands Office charges a reduced fee if first registration
is done on a voluntary basis. Also it is a good idea to
make sure your property registration is up to date with
the correct addresses. This will assist the Lands Office to
reach you or anyone else who might show interest in the
property.
DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE SIGNING ANY
AGREEMENT
Taking precautionary measures is advised for the
property you intend to purchase. This is simply to ensure
your investment does not have impediments tied to it,
especially if you’re mortgaging it. A number of financing
institutions also do these background checks, but it is
recommended for you to do your own research into the
property’s history.
BE MINDFUL OF UPFRONT PAYMENTS
Other than reading all documents carefully before signing,
avoid make outright payments even if some financiers
ask for it. Also look out for hidden costs when applying for
financing, to avoid inflated interest rates.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
FROM PROPERTY FRAUD

As you stream along Limuru Road just after the Village
Market, you meet a fast-growing small rural town that
has recently become a real estate frontier within the
Nairobi metropolis. The former coffee plantation Ruaka
Town has been given a different outlook with the ongoing
property boom in the town.
Ruaka is now the most sought-after location for affordable
yet elegant houses and apartments by the majority of the
middle class within the city center. The different property
types are elegant with well-fitted finishes and have given
the town a new look. The boom has attracted both local
and foreign investors in the town.
Its proximity to UN agencies, international organizations
and embassies has facilitated the real estate boom in the
town in addition to the excellent infrastructure in the area.
It is easily accessible from the Nairobi Central Business
District (NCBD) through Limuru Road and a road that
links to Westlands, in addition to the newly built Eastern
by-pass connecting Limuru road to Thika Super Highway
and Mombasa Road.
The presence of large retail stores like Tuskys and
Quickmart have made accessing shopping amenities in
the area more convenient. Sub-Saharan largest lifestyle
mall outside South Africa Two Rivers Mall,Rosslyn Riviera
Mall and Village Market are other shopping amenities in
Ruaka that are tapping into the expanding middle class
in the area.
The apartments in the area are relatively affordable as
they range between Ksh. 5,000 to Ksh. 50,000 for rentals
and Ksh. 5,500,000 to Ksh. 15,000,000 for sales, depending
on location, number of bedrooms, and finishing.
Its proximity to the serene Runda, Gigiri, Rosslyn and
Nyari estates has facilitated the growing affluence of the
town. Ruaka town will continue growing to be a regional
property gem.
Artistic impression of the Two Rivers Mall (Courtesy of Two Rivers)
THE NEW
AFFORDABLE
REAL ESTATE
FRONTIER
RUAKATOWN

For real estate agents, having an online presence is
no longer optional. In a world where so much of our
interaction is now online, the advantages of using property
portals and social media to reach house-hunters cannot
be ignored.
1. PICTURES, PICTURES, PICTURES
High-quality photo are crucial for creating a strong
first impression and, ultimately, to getting more house-
hunters to attend a viewing. Research from residential
real estate firm Redfin shows that professionally
photographed homes are more likely to sell - and for more
money. However, you do not necessarily need to fork out
thousands for a professional photo shoot. If you are taking
the images yourself, keep the following in mind: use a
good camera, make sure the property is clean and tidy,
and try to take the photos in natural light where possible.
2. SHARE YOUR PROPERTY LISTINGS
Use social media to spread the word about the properties
that you currently have on the market. To drive traffic
to your listings, set up a Facebook, Twitter or Google+
account for your business, where you can post photos and
links to your properties. This is now one of the best ways
to spread word about your catalog of available properties.
And do not forget about your own social media accounts:
share your top properties with your personal network as
well.
3. BE TARGETED WITH SOCIAL MEDIA
With so many options for social media these days, how do
you know whether Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn
is right for your business? Instead of spreading yourself
too thin, select one or two of the networks where your
customers are most likely to be active. Focus your efforts
on building a strong following on these key channels
before setting up additional accounts on other platforms.
4. ENGAGE WITH CUSTOMERS DIRECTLY
More than any other channels, social media offers the
opportunity for you to directly engage with your customer
base. Rather than only posting links to your property
listings and promoting upcoming open house times, get
creative with the ways you interact with potential clients.
For example, look for users on platforms such as Twitter
who are actively searching for property to buy or rent;
reach out to these users with suggested properties to
match their needs.
5. POST REAL ESTATE NEWS, ADVICE AND MORE
Share news about developments in your local real estate
market, as well as tips and advice for property-seekers,
on your various social media channels. This is a great way
to position yourself as a market expert and gain the trust
of your client base.
6. TRY CONTENT MARKETING
Producing your own content is another way to build trust
and convince property-seekers that you are a true market
expert. Create a blog on your website where you answer
house-hunters’ most frequent questions. You could
also produce a weekly newsletter that promotes new
properties on the market.
SIX EASY HACKS
FOR MARKETING
REAL ESTATE ONLINE

While women are the primary users of online real estate
portals in the west, men still dominate the property
search process in the emerging markets, according to
new data from Lamudi. However in some key countries
in Latin America and Asia, women are emerging as the
dominant decision-makers when searching for property
online.
Onsite data from Lamudi, the global property portal,
reveals that men account for the majority of users
searching for real estate to buy or rent in the emerging
markets. In countries such as Nigeria, Pakistan and
Bangladesh, as many as three-quarters of online
property-seekers are male. Male house-hunters also
significantly outnumber women in the online property
search process in Ghana (where 68 percent of users are
men), Tanzania (68 percent), Saudi Arabia (63 percent)
and Senegal (60 percent).
Research has shown that women are the primary users
of online property portals in western countries. In the
US, 53 percent of people who sign up to buy or sell real
estate online are female, figures from Realtor.org show.
Meanwhile, more than 40 percent of Australian women
regularly use online real estate classifieds, compared
to 28 percent of men, according to Nielsen/Net Ratings
research.
In Kenya, 55 percent of Lamudi users are male. This is
because, majority of the men have dominated the real
estate sector in terms of investments in the last decade
but now we are seeing women being involved in decision
making and also coming up with real estate agencies and
developments.
In parts of Latin America and Asia, women account for the
majority of online property-seekers. The countries where
female house-hunters are more likely to search online
for real estate are: Colombia (64 percent female), Mexico
(63 percent), Peru (66 percent) and the Philippines (64
percent). In Indonesia, male and female online property-
seekers are split 50-50.
Lamudi’s Co-Founder and Managing Director, Kian
Moini, said: “While our findings support the notion that
men are the primary decision-makers in households in
many emerging markets, this is not necessarily the case
across the board. In countries such as Mexico and the
Philippines, it is women who drive the search for property
online, though men may still make the final decision.”
Country Male (%) Female (%)
Algeria 53 47
Bangladesh 75 25
Colombia 36 64
Ghana 68 32
Indonesia 50 50
Kenya 55 45
Mexico 37 63
Morocco 54 46
Myanmar 59 41
Nigeria 74 26
Pakistan 74 26
Peru 34 66
Philippines 36 64
Qatar 56 44
Rwanda 70 30
Saudi Arabia 63 37
Senegal 63 37
Sri Lanka 60 40
Tanzania 68 32
Tunisia 58 42
MEN DOMINATE ONLINE PROPERTY
SEARCH IN EMERGING MARKETS
Men are primary users Women are primary users 50-50 split between genders

Moving from one house to another is always a huge a task
especially if you have a family. It does not matter if you are
moving to another house in the same area, you will still have to
plan and go through the entire process.
Since moving houses is unavoidable, Lamudi shares with you
some tips on how to move out easily.
Plan early
You don’t have to wait until the last minute to pack stuff in the
house. Start packing the essentials first and everything and
everything should be put in a box and well labelled. This makes
it easier for the movers or yourself to organise the stuff once you
have moved to the new house. Start by packing room by room so
that you have all the things from the kitchen one place and the
rest of the other rooms in the house.
Organize your personal belongings and paper work
School certificates, title deeds, log books and other important
documents should be stored carefully to avoid looking them
during the move. These documents are hard to get once lost so
to avoid the inconvenience, make sure you pack them together
in a bag and place the bag somewhere that’s easy for you to
remember.
Wrap breakables in clothing
This will definitely protect the dinner set from breaking during
the move. If you don’t have clothing and you are packing them
in one box, you can wrap each utensil using a newspaper, it also
helps protect them from breaking easily when they are stuck
together.
Hire a moving company
There are so many moving companies in Kenya today that offer
different services to make work easier for you when moving.
Some companies go the extra mile of packing for you and moving
the stuff to the new home and arranging it as it was. Definitely
this depends on your budget and how much stuff you have in the
house. For some people it’s easier and cheaper for them to do
it because nothing much needs to be arranged or packed. This
also depends on the time available for you to move.
Leave your old home clean
This is important especially when selling a house. A dirty house
can cost you a good deal from a potential buyer. When moving
out, always make sure the house is clean to make it easier for
the next tenant to move in to.
HOW TO MOVE
OUT OF A HOUSE

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS
WITH LAMUDI
www.lamudi.co.ke
cs@lamudi.co.ke 0800 721 301

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