A step-by-step guide to help you buy your first house in Kenya

1.) Find a registered real estate agent licensed to operate in your town or area of interest. It is advisable to look for a reputable agent that specializes in buying and selling homes, although agents with backgrounds in construction management can be of assistance too.

2.) Find a house that meets your desired criteria such as location, size, roofing style, etc. This is where property agents come in as they already have several homes for sale in their portfolio and you can discuss with them your preferences so they may source for your dream house.

Property websites and magazines can also help you to find a home based on criteria such as asking price, square footage, number of bedrooms, and more.

3.) Once you find a house that meets your criteria, work with your agent or lawyer to make an Offer to Purchase (sometimes referred to as an Agreement of Purchase and Sale). This is a legal document that should be carefully prepared – hence the need to work with a legal officer.

4.) Offer to Purchase includes your name, the name of the seller, the address of the property, the price you are willing to pay, amount of your deposit, the closing day (the date you take possession of the house usually up to 90 days), request for a current land survey of the property and the date the offer expires.

The document may also request a satisfactory home report, appraisal, and lender approval of mortgage financing. In this case, the document will become legally abiding only when the conditions are met.

Sale Deed

The sale deed is regarded to be the most important document necessary during a property purchase. Your estate agent ensures that you are provided with the original sale deed as it acts as evidence that you have ownership of title of the property. The deed needs to be registered in the Sub-Registrar’s Office located within the area of the property you are buying.

Power Of Attorney

The main purpose of this document is to prove that both the purchase. And sale of a specific property has been undertaken by an authorized person or a licensed estate agent working on behalf of the seller or buyer. You need to produce the Power of Attorney if you are planning to get a home loan.

Extracts

The Extract or Certificate (it is known by different names in different states) is important . As it acts as a proof that the property you are buying has been registered in the local municipal records . And every sort of construction work done in the property has followed an approved plan. You will also need this if you transfer the company’s ownership to someone else after a few years.

NOC

There are almost 19 No-Objection Certificates a builder has to acquire from various authorities. Before they start the construction work of a new housing project. The exact number of NOC required varies from state to state. If you are interested in a , make sure to collect copies of the NOCs from the developer.

Allotment Letter

This document is quite vital if you need a home loan . And can either be issued by the housing authority or the developer. It includes a description of the property and clearly states the amount you have paid to the developer. It is generally issued to the first owner . And the following buyers can ask the previous owner for a copy of the document . Make sure not to confuse the Agreement of Sale with the Allotment Letter.

Conclusion

Since you are aware of the various documents required by a buyer. Approach an estate agent who will take care of those documentation hassles. You can also check the aspect while buying the property.

The full use of the house and staff that work there, which will include house cleaners and cooks in

most properties. If the house is situated in a complex, then you will also be able to use the facilities

found within the complex.

A 50% deposit of the total cost of the house to is be paid upon reservation and the balance is

payable 30 days prior to arrival.

Yes, a cook can be arranged at a cost of 2,000 Kes or 20$ per day. This may also be subject to

availability.

Yes, there are various supermarkets and several grocery stores. We can arrange to have your first

few meals worth of groceries delivered to your house prior to your arrival. We shall send you a list of

items which can be found in the supermarket. We kindly ask that you return the list at least 4 days

prior to your arrival in order to gives time to arrange the shopping. We shall provide you with a

receipt, which is to be reimbursed upon arrival. Supermarkets and other grocery stores are easily

reachable with taxi, tuk tuk or boda boda.

Yes, seafood can be delivered to the house by local fishermen according to availability.

The are two Marine parks, in Watamu and Malindi and most of the coastline is a Marine Protected

area. There is no fishing of any kind in the Marine Park and dogs are allowed but owners must be in

control of them and have a leash. It is not necessary to have a ticket to swim in the park but wearing

goggles/masks in the park is seen as snorkelling and tickets are required. Day tickets can be

purchased at the KWS offices.

The Kenyan coast offers a wide and diverse range of fishing from the common inshore game fish

such as King Mackerel, Barracuda, Rainbow Runner, Bonito and several species of Trevally, to the

offshore game fish such as Yellowfin Tuna, Amberjack, Wahoo and Dorado.

The Yellowfin Tuna are found further offshore with the best catches being made on the North Kenya

Banks, with the peak season running from August to end of October, where good sizes of Tuna can

be found, with it not being uncommon to catch fish up to 100kgs. Whereas the topography of

mountains and banks closer to shore bring game fish in numbers.

Kenya generally has all year round offshore fishing with a short off-season in May/June. Our main

billfish season runs from October to mid to late March, however Sailfish and Black Marlin often can

be found closer to shore in July, August and September. If you are after Blue or Striped Marlin, its better to fish between January and the middle of March; it is advised to book early for these months

as some boats find themselves booked up a year in advance. Availability also greatly depends on the

conditions of the ocean.

Safaris are good all year round, whether in the dry or wet season but the best time to go on safari is

between July and October, during the dry season. This is a cooler time of the year and you are more

likely to see animals, who are searching for water sources. During these months, you can also catch

the iconic Masai Mara migration.

While in marine parks it is allowed to visit the underwater world, be it snorkelling, diving or even

with glass-bottom boats or small submarines, marine reserves are not accessible to humans at all, unless it is for scientific reasons.

The cooks abilities and experience varies from house to house. We suggest that you interact with the house cook to decide upon a daily menu.

Yes, there is an array of activities, which can be organised such as kitesurfing, paddle boarding,

diving, snorkelling and deep-sea fishing. We can put you in touch with the organisers of all activities in order for you to have the best experience.

Yes, we can put you in touch with companies that organise Safaris and other excursions in order for

you to have the best experience.

It is approximately 20 km away consider at 30 minutes’ drive.

A little more than 120 km through a very nice scenery, on a good tarmac road, it will take you

between two to two and half hours.

Yes, we do. You can book a taxi or transfer service during the reservation process, or get in touch

with us later on. This service comes at an extra cost and is always subject to availability. Payment is to be made directly to the driver.

It depends on the country you are from, but probably yes. The good news is that you can register

online and apply online, easy and quick. Payment must also be done online. If you happen to arrive

at the immigration desk without a Visa or thinking that it can be done upon arrival, you will be

denied access into the country. Simply head to http://evisa.go.ke/evisa.html.

Note: always use this official government website, avoid third party entities charging you abnormal

amount of money.

Clearly, you should firstly check with your doctor, who knows your health situation, or the medical

advice released from your country of origin. We are not doctor ourselves, but we know by direct

experience after many years in Kenya that a prophylaxis against malaria for a holiday in Malindi or Watamu is very rarely needed.

Yes, of course there are. However, our properties are very clean hence, mosquitos do not reproduce

as quickly as other places with stagnant waters. The ocean breeze and the wind further reduce their presence. All our properties are fitted with mosquito nets whether on the windows, beds, or even both.

It is always a good idea to have mosquito repellent with you. You can purchase it from local supermarkets or pharmacies.

Malindi is comprised with two large hospitals, Star Hospital & Tawfiq Hospital as well as a clinic

named Royal Saint Peter’s Health Clinic. There are plenty of pharmacies and the Red Cross operates

in the area. In case of bigger emergencies, one can also go to Mombasa.

During the rainy season (roughly May and June), it is very common to have heavy rains, and a slightly

colder weather, any other month is just perfect.

Too many to list them all! Here are a few: Watamu Turtle Watch, the Snake Farm, the Old Gede

Ruins, the Mida Creek, EcoWorld Watamu, the community owned Crab Shack in Watamu, Marafa

Depression, Arabuko Sokoke Forrest, Malindi and Watamu Marine Parks, Sardegna Due and last but

not least, Tsavo East National Park.

Diving, snorkelling, kite surfing, SUP & canoeing inside the Mida Creek, sailing on a Dhow Cruise, Yoga, or simply enjoying a relaxing massage.

The official currency of Kenya is the Kenya Shilling (KES) but Euros and US Dollars are widely and

commonly accepted. There are banks and a couple of Money Exchange where you can change your

money. Always pay attention to the exchange rate of the day. It is to be noted that US Dollars below

the year 2000 are not accepted.

Yes, all the most important credit cards are accepted, but this clearly depends on the financial

institution you bank with.

Yes, ensure to check for commissions or additional fees for ATM withdrawal with your bank before

leaving home.

Not always, more often you will not. A shop can decide to include its commission on the sale price,

or to add it on top. Remember to verify that before concluding any purchase.

The standard socket is the UK type, and the voltage is 230V.

Yes, it will, but we suggest to pay attention to roaming costs, you had better get a local SIM card.

Your phone will probably not work while on Safari but several lodges or tented camps have some

Wi-Fi.

There are many stores where you can get a SIM card; you only need your passport in order to be

able to get one. The SIM itself only costs 100-200 KES (1-2 USD), then you can add voice traffic or

data traffic. Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom are the three carriers active in Kenya.

Widely, and the speed is good but do not expect fibre optic speeds! Social media, YouTube and light streaming can be enjoyed. Most of our properties have Wi-Fi included and free of charge.

Yes, they are. Crime in touristic areas is not common; Kenya also has a Tourist Police Unit, which patrols areas with the highest concentration of tourists. The so called “beach operators” too are not a threat, maybe they tend to be a little bit too “pushy” (they live on selling) but that’s all.

There are taxis available, day and night, and you can book them in advance. A nice option for short

routes is represented by a Tuk-Tuk (a three-wheeled motor vehicle) or, by Boda Boda (a motorcycle with a driver).

A tip is always appreciated, and Kenya is not different in this sense, but tipping is not mandatory (like it is in USA, for example), you can leave a tip if you are particularly satisfied with the service.

Although tap water is treated with chlorine from the local water company, we firmly suggest that

you use it only for brushing your teeth.