Properties in Kenya for Sale Locators

When you do a search on a Search Engine for "apartments" you are going to come across two types of Website resources; apartment locator sites and apartment database sites. Which is the best for you? Well, that depends on what your needs and circumstances dictate. It also has a great deal to do with your privacy comfort level.

The Apartment Locator Site:

If you are relocating to an area of the country that is totally new for you, someplace where you are unfamiliar with neighborhoods, schools, job centers, transportation, etc., then the apartment locator may be your best choice. These folks respond to your query by making telephone contact with you. You will describe your circumstances, needs, budget and other preferences. 

The apartment locator is usually extremely knowledgeable about the area and the local rental market. They will be quite helpful in finding you rental accommodations that suit your particular needs. In most cases, this will be a totally free service. The apartment locator is normally paid a commission or “finder’s fee” from the landlord or rental agent. With regard to your privacy, however, keep in mind that you are required to share your telephone number with the apartment locator and be open to the idea of personal contact. You need to decide if, or how much, that is acceptable to your sense of privacy.

The Apartment Database Site:

Unlike apartment locators, apartment database sites offer a broad selection of on-line apartment listings. They give you intricate descriptions of apartment complexes including, but not limited to, maps, amenities, rent ranges, contact information, etc. Pictures of the apartment units, inside and out, are usually included. An excellent amount of data helps you decide if any particular rental unit meets your needs and satisfaction. When you are moving to an apartment that is located within your present living area or when you are relocating to an area that you are totally familiar with, an apartment database site might be the one for you.

Most require a simple registration process which usually asks for name and email address. You need not submit your telephone number and you will not be contacted personally by anyone. Like the apartment locator, most apartment database sites are free to you. Sometimes you are even offered a bonus if you list their site as your referring source when you sign your apartment lease.

So, which is better for you, the apartment locator site or the apartment database site? The answer to that question is answered by your own unique needs, desires, situation and limits of personal privacy.

Good luck on your Kenya apartment search and good luck in your new apartment. www.kenyan-real-estate.com

Top property Architects or Building Designers in Kenya– Who Do You Choose?

Thinking of building a new home or complex? Will you use an architect or a building designer? Both are involved in the design of buildings – their appearance, layout, structure, and so on. But what’s the difference?

The simplest difference is a legal one. To be called an “architect” in Kenya, you have to be registered with the Board of Architects of Kenya. The title “building designer” can be used by anyone designing buildings. 

But that’s hardly even scratching the surface. Some of the professional architects in Kenya real estate are building designer and treasurer of the Building Designers Association of Kenya. They suggests that building designers are generally less expensive, and mostly involved in less flamboyant buildings. “It’s horses for courses. Most architects probably wouldn’t want to design a single bedroom extension for a pensioner, whereas we’ve done a lot of that.” Said one of them.

The architects also stressed that there are quite often overlaps between what architects do and what building designers do. There’s no simple rule. “But no matter what the job, good building designers and good architects both produce quality work”, they concord. 

Other architects in Kenya real estate agrees that architects are more likely to be involved with more distinctive, “up-market” buildings. But not because of cost. “Architects work to your budget just like building designers. The real reason is that architects are a little more likely to stretch the boundaries and challenge convention.” 

According to one well know architect, you should generally choose an architect if you want more than just a literal translation of your brief. “My clients normally have a rough idea of what they want. I take that idea and transform it into something they love, but could never have imagined themselves.” 

The most important thing is knowing what you want from the service, and choosing someone that suits your job.

And whether you choose an architect or building designer, remember, qualifications are no guarantee of quality. Always ask to see previous examples of their work. Ask for references from previous customers. Ask to see their qualifications. Ask how long they’ve been working. Do they have professional indemnity insurance? 

Are they a member of an accredited body? For more visit our web on www.kenyan-real-estate.com

The Ups & Downs of How Much a House Is Worth in Kenyan Real Estate Property

Determining Fair Market Value is an eternal struggle and major balancing act. That’s because buyers want a house to appraise on the low side—to keep the purchase price down. While sellers want the same house to appraise on the high side—to make the sale price higher. And then you’ve got the owners of the house—who also want the appraisal to be on the low side, in order to keep the property taxes down.

So with all these different agendas and points of view, how is the fair market value of a Kenya real estate property actually determined?

Once a year, KRA in your county sends all area homeowners official notices that put a Kenyan shillings value on their property. And property taxes are based on those dollar values. But before those notices get sent out, a long, detailed process usually takes place. First, the land is valued as if it’s vacant—an empty lot, in other words. Then any improvements are described and measured. Improvements consist of the house and any other structures, pools, sheds, garages, and so forth. 

Next, most counties check the Land Valuation Service Cost Guide. It’s a standardized nationwide guide for determining the value of the cost per square foot to build a building that fits the description of the improved property. Next, if the house isn’t brand new, the replacement cost is considered, as well as depreciation; the year the house was constructed and the condition of the property are factors here. Appraisers then must take the critical step of comparing the value of the house with recent selling prices of similar homes in the neighborhood. At this point, the appraisal might stand “as is”—or it might be adjusted upward or downward.

Market Value is a theory, in other words—not an unchanging fact.

In a perfect world, you have to have willing buyer and a willing seller. Neither is under duress. Both are in a position to maximize gain and are trying to do this. But in the real world, things are rarely that simple and equally balanced. Which is why people feel differently about the appraisal value of a house. It really depends how strong their position is as a buyer or seller.

Does the local economy come into it at all? You bet it does.

Ask a successful Realtor about that! He or she will tell you they’ve noticed that the KONZA’s fast-growing economy is attracting people from other areas who consider Kenya real estate property here a bargain. That helps fuel increases in property values.

So—now you know where that Grand Total comes from.

You’re armed with the information you need to make a better house-buying decision. For instance, you can understand how two virtually identical houses that are in two different neighborhoods could be very far apart in price and appraised value. 

And why your choice of the right house in the right neighborhood could be worth a not-so-small fortune to you right now—and years down the road. www.kenyan-real-estate.com

Kenyans File Changes of Address Online-And Select Retail Catalogs

Here's moving news: According to the Kenya National Association of Realtors, "home sales remain at historically high levels." This means address changes filed with the Kenya Postal Service will likely also remain high: about 5 million a year, Postal Service officials report. 

If you'll be among those moving Kenyans anytime soon, you should know that many consider the fastest, easiest and most convenient way to file a change of address is with the Kenya Postal Service at GPO Other change-of-address options include Telephone Change of Address at +254 and the Mover's Guide found in Kenya Post Offices.

In addition to letters, statements and advertising mail, many movers want to make sure they keep getting their favorite catalogs at their new home. For them, there's the optional Catalog Request Card Service that is available online with the Change of Address form.

After customers complete the Internet Change of Address form, they can select specific retail catalogs-current or new-or choose "No Thanks." 

Since the program's inception last fall, participants have chosen to receive an average of six retail catalogs after they move. And most of these are catalogs they were not previously getting. Evidence, Postal Service officials say, that more and more people are going for shopping via the mail. 

"We're providing this service so that people can have their favorite catalogs on hand when they're needed most, to organize their homes quickly and easily when it's convenient for them," explained one of the top officials in the Kenya postal and telecommunication sector.

 The Postal Service, which gets no taxpayer shillings for routine operations, is an independent national agency that delivers more than 40 percent of the Nation’s mail volume-some 3 million letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year-and visits several homes and businesses almost every week. It's the Nation's leading provider of mailing and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the nation. 

Please browse through www.kenyan-real-estate.com for more Kenyan real estate news.

Kenya’s Real Estate-Alternative Housing

Why alternative housing? To save money, to travel, to live creatively - there are many reasons why people choose to live in tents, RVs, cabins, underground homes, rental rooms and anything else that's less common than the houses, condos and apartments that most people call home. Below are some of these housing options, and their advantages.

Alternative Housing That Moves

Camping at a hot springs area, we sat around the campfire one night with several young men living in the desert in their old converted school bus. It cost them nothing to park it in the desert (on BLM land you have to move every two weeks, though), bathed for free in hot spring tubs that were as nice as those in nearby expensive resorts, sung and played around the fire each night. Not such a bad life.

My friend and I lived for almost a month in our conversion van as we traveled from Nairobi to Cape Town and then to back to Kisumu. Advantages of a van include better mileage and being inconspicuous. We found that could park and sleep almost anywhere.

Other Alternative Housing

In most areas where rents are high, renting rooms has become common. This makes sense for single people. Just pay a set amount each month or week, and (if it includes utilities) you have a predictable and lower cost of living. I rented out rooms in my own home for years, and even put carpet and lighting in a shed so I could get and save some cash out of it.

A friend of mine lived in a shack he built for Kshs.240, 000 on a small piece of land he bought for Kshs. 300k eventually he ran into problems with the county because he had no permit and legal documents. Apparently you can't live on your own land in the forest if your home is too small. However, you can camp on it, so a Kshs.160k used recreational vehicle parked on your land makes for a cheap and legal housing alternative.

For example, some people live on houseboats and avoid paying property taxes. Some live in the jungle near the beaches in Hawaii, so they can afford to be in paradise. I know people who lived in a basement while slowly building the house above for cash. People live in cabins built in the national forest wilderness, moving every few years as they are discovered. Truly, your imagination is the only limit to your alternative housing options. 

In Kenya the case is very different have no alternative than either going back to reserves or rent a room in a slum. www.kenyan-real-estate.com