Land literacy

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MAKING A WILL? • The deceased can exercise control over property • It can help avoid courts from determining who is entitled to property • Enable appointing property representatives of choice • Avoiding disputes over property • Persons outside family can have property • The deceased can decide on how he/she can be disposed off. WHEN DOES THE WILL TAKE...

This guide explains the process from starting your house search to finally moving into your new home. Step 1: Decide your budget Buying a home is a long-term financial commitment and you should set yourself a purchasing budget that you can afford. The first step is to determine how much money you can raise (the deposit) and the amount you can borrow from a lender (the mortgage). The size of your...

A letter of offer is a document that details the terms and conditions of the transaction. It is drafted before any payments are made and signed by both the buyer and seller. On the other side, a sale agreement stipulates the mutual consent of both parties and signed by them and their lawyers as witnesses. It shows the mode of payment, period of transaction, details terms and conditions under which...

Section 12 of the Land Act provides that The Commission may, on behalf of the National or county governments, allocate public land by way of: Public auction to the highest bidder at prevailing market value subject to and not less than the reserved price; Application confined to a targeted group of persons or groups in order to ameliorate their disadvantaged position; Public notice of tenders as...

Have you tried to buy or sell a plot? Different people come up to you offering help they identify themselves by various titles; these include real estate agent, real estate broker or realtor. How do you tell the difference? Many times we use these terms interchangeably. However there are some important differences, and also varying conditions for using particular titles. Let's break it down one by...

Before building a house do your homework to avoid inconveniences and counter obstacles that may arise. Simple checks and covering all your bases before deciding to take the leap to build your dream home can save you from foreseeable losses. Here’s a checklist that will make the building process more conducive, especially for a first timer: Get legal Documents in...

If you are buying land from an individual or a group, please follow the steps below: 1. Ask to see the title deed or copy of title deed. Then do a search at the ministry of lands to confirm who the real owners are or if the title has any Caveat on it. The search will cost you kshs 520. 2. Do a search with the local authorities to check if there are any unpaid land rates. If any, agree with the seller...

LAND RATES Land rates are levies imposed on all parcels of land and payable to the county governments. Upon full payment of all rates, one is issued with the rates clearance certificate which is conclusive evidence that all rates due and interest accrued have been fully paid. County governments charge different amounts for the land rates. Pay for land rates online (Nairobi County) Pay for...

The ownership of land in Kenya is not absolute and this right can be lost in the following ways; Non-renewal of leasehold interest Land holding tenure in Kenya is either free hold or leasehold. A Kenyan citizen or a company that is fully owned by Kenyans can hold land on freehold or leasehold tenure. A non-citizen or a company that is not fully owned by a Kenyan however can only hold land on a leasehold...

Nairobi has some of the most expensive estates in Africa but it also has very affordable houses for low-income earners. With fluctuating rent prices, low-income earners face challenges in getting a decent house to live in but here are good estates to choose from: 1. Roysambu Located near Thika Superhighway, Roysambu is mostly inhabited by fresh graduates and upcoming middle-class residents. The...

Land tax is a local tax with rates varying depending on the location of the land. Land tax applies to land regardless of whether or not income is earned from the land. Land includes: vacant land, including vacant rural land. Land where a house, residential unit or flat has been built. This is the tax levied on land based on: 1. The market value of land. 2. Value of land increases as it is serviced...

It is an immutable fact that only houses built on solid foundations transform into strong, long-lasting structures. However, as many Kenyans living in parts of Kiambu, Nairobi, Kajiado and Machakos counties have found out, getting that steady foundation often comes at a steep cost. This is because land in some areas of those counties is notorious for being covered with black cotton soil. “Building...

WHAT IS LEASE RENEWAL? Renewal of lease is granted by the government through the NLC when the lessee applies for an extension of term after the existing term has expired. For example in the above case if the lessee applies for an extension after 1st January 2019 at the time when his lease expires then he will be granted a renewal of lease through re-allocation. An allotment letter is issued granting the...

Investing in real estate is more emotional than a financial decision. The land is always treated as a prized asset because it is limited in supply. Many people invest in real estate through different means such as plots, individual houses, commercial complexes or apartments,to achieve their financial goals. Properties like apartments, individual houses etc., are high-value investments and may not...

Land transactions such as purchases, transfers and leases in Nairobi will now be done online with the introduction of new regulations, more than a year after Parliament annulled laws that discontinued manual transactions Lands ministry said transactions in the capital city that include searches, application for registration of documents, transfer of ownership or lease, caution and withdrawal of...

This is not one of those blogs that claim the Kenyan real estate bubble is bursting. Not at all.  The real estate market in Kenya is not even a bubble in the first place. Rather, what we’re currently experiencing now is more of a market correction, which is arguably a common occurrence in a healthy market.    The property prices in Kenya are no longer dictated by a huge demand combined with...

Kenya is an agricultural economy. Even with the advances and aspirations of being a manufacturing-driven economy, agriculture will continue remaining a key component in supplying raw materials, or at least food. However, it is also not possible to talk of food security without mentioning land tenure which is directly correlated with economies of scale and hence the pricing matrix. A...

A high percentage of Kenyans, especially, those who live in cities and towns, reside in rental houses. Therefore, investing in rental houses can be fruitful, provided you identify your face the challenges that may come up, there is a chance you’ll experience disappointment in the future. Below are factors to consider before building rental houses in Kenya:   1. Your financial status...

Title Deed Fraud Despite the rapid growth of the real estate sector, getting a piece of land with a clean and trouble-free title deed remains a major challenge in Kenya. Indeed, tales of people who have invested huge sums in the sector, only for their property to be brought down by bulldozers, abound. The reasons for this merciless act are almost always that the land was meant for public use, or the...

Getting your desired piece of land is not a walk in the park — you have to go through some legal processes to ensure the land you acquire is legitimate. Nowadays, land selling offices are all over and one wonders where all this land that is being sold on a daily basis is. “Advertisements run throughout on radio, television and newspapers. People believe the media too much and end up being...