It always advisable to keep your rent under 30% of your income. But many young people in Nairobi these days are not keen on budgets. Millions of Kenyans spend more than 30% of their income on rent as prices increase.
For example:
A one-bedroom costs an average of 15, 000 a month in smaller towns. In Nairobi, it’s 21,000-45,000. As a professional living in Nairobi, where the average one-bedroom apartment goes for 20,000 a month, I get it. The house rates keep changing without notice and you have to adjust yourself.
When it came time to move into my own place, it was incredibly difficult to find rent that wasn’t going to break my budget. After two months of searching, I eventually found an affordable apartment for just 15,000ksh at Wanyee Road.
From having gone through the process of finding an apartment on a budget, here are tips:
Know your deal breakers
Being on a budget doesn’t mean you have to compromise your quality of life. Take a minute and brainstorm what you would like and what you couldn’t stand.
Here’s a recommended list of things to consider:
- Your commute time
- Distance to the nearest bus stop
- If you want a quiet or lively place to live
- Borehole or ‘kanjo’ water
- The kind of house you are looking for
- Does it have a balcony, en-suite, hot shower or kitchen cabinets
Additionally, think about whether or not you can afford to use a real estate broker. If you’re on a tight budget, chances are you won’t be able to. Brokers in Nairobi generally charge 500 or 1000 bob depending on the site visits.
Search for real estate agencies online
To stay up to date on the listings, subscribe to websites like Kenya Homes. Checking them daily is a convenient way to cast a wide net since you’ll find unique listings on each. If the website offers certain benefits to people who create an account take advantage of them. Your search will be a lot easier.
In addition, enable notifications. You’ll be pinged every time a new listing that matches your criteria is added. When thousands of other people are searching for places, responding even minutes earlier than others can make a huge difference.
Related: why you should Hire Us
Join Facebook Real Estate groups
There are dozens of Facebook groups out there where people post house listings. It makes searching for a house more personal since you can check out the lister’s social media profile and put a face to the name.
Or you can follow real estate social media accounts and track what they are posting like Kenya Homes
Stay safe
Never send money or any other personal information to strangers, no matter what they say. Seriously, there’s a huge market out there of people trying to scam you.
Don’t sign any documents or turn over any cash until you have sufficient information.
When going to view an apartment, always meet in a public place and tell a friend where you’re headed. If you have any doubts, do more digging or just hold off. There will be more listings tomorrow.
And if you’re considering moving into someone else’s SQ or DSQ, make sure to actually meet the person. You’ll be able to ask key questions about their lifestyle and habits.
Look into new areas
Finding an affordable apartment in the posh parts of any city, like Parklands, Westlands or Langata is extremely difficult, even if you’re planning to share the space. Many young professionals in Nairobi are moving to the less gentrified areas of Ruaka, Kikuyu and nearby Mlolongo for this reason.
If you look at less trendy but still vibrant neighbourhoods such as Satellite, you’ll find more listings at competitive prices. The commute might not even be that much worse.
Find out where your friends are moving and do some research. Look into where the shopping centres, what the crime rate is and where the nearest bus stops are. Visit. You might just find a good fit.
Don’t make impulse decisions
Looking for an affordable apartment is very stressful. Remember to take your time and relax. After you see an apartment, walk around the neighborhood. Do you like it? Could you see yourself living there?
If the answer is “Yes,” follow up as soon as you can, as apartments go quickly. If the answer is “Maybe,” think about it more. Don’t allow yourself to get swept up by the panic.
The ultimate tip is to stick to your budget. If you find someplace worth the compromise then adjust the budget. However, do not lose track of why you had the budget in the first place.
Related: House Hunting Red Flags in Nairobi
