If you were to search “Are cats better than dogs?” in Google, all you would get are sites listing the reasons why cats are better.

We are not the rational decision makers that we think we are. To avoid decision fatigue, your brain unconsciously looks for shortcuts in reasoning processes by trusting initial data.

I have been working as a valuer and estate agent in Kenya for more than 13 years and I have observed that people are afraid of making a wrong decision when it comes to real estate investments. These people shy away and end up losing big opportunities in the long run. We all want to own real estate either as a passive form of income, as an investment, or for self-actualization. Real estate investments...

You don't need to own land to become a landlord, let me show you how using a case study. DescriptionWorkingsPlot size50 x 100 or 0.045 ha or 450 sq metersType of houseBedsitters / studio apartmentsNo of levelsOne floorSize of each unit17 sq meters or 193 sq ftCirculation / open space30% of plot size (approximate) 450*0.3 =135 sq metersArea available to build450-135 = 315 sq metersNo. of units that can...

A government bond is a debt security issued by a government to support government spending and obligations. Investopedia.com In my understanding, a government bond is where the Government borrows money for infrastructure and recurrent expenses like paying salaries etc. They call it budgetary support. Imagine having to borrow money to consume and some of the money meant for infrastructure goes...

11 reasons to give you comfort as you invest in Unity Homes Over the past several years, I have written several articles concerning Unity Homes apartments, sold many apartments to happy investors and I can now confidently write this one. Click on the links at the end of the article to read the previous articles. Location: Tatu City is Strategically located - 15 mins away from Thika Superhighway...

You are buying a plot that you haven’t seen. I once drove all the way past Rumuruti towards Maralal to see a parcel of land that was on sale. The seller was a popular Sacco that had advertised that the plots were fronting the tarmac road that connects Rumuruti to Maralal. What we realized was that they were selling land that was like 2 km from that road but since they knew that their members are...

Have you heard of a project called Unity One? Unity One is an exclusive chic estate of contemporary one-bedroom apartments sitting on 11 acres at the heart of Tatu City, Kiambu. The cool balconies, glass railings and floor-to-ceiling double-leaf doors make most of the homes’ spectacular panoramic views to the park and the community’s expansive outdoor amenities which are close by. Each apartment...

In 2015, I lived and worked in Mombasa. I had rented an apartment that had a servant quarter (SQ). The estate was very beautifully done with landscaped gardens, a swimming pool clubhouse etc. We decided to furnish the SQ and let it out on Airbnb. This was the best investment decision that we made as a family that year. We would let out the SQ at $26 a night. The rent from the SQ would pay the rent for the...

The past Recently I met a 50 something-year-old lady who has been living in Ruiru since the year 2000. This is her story in brief. Let's call her Mary. Mary, then in her early 30s bought two 1/4 acre plots in Ruiru in the year 2000 for Kshs 60,000 each. The following year, she sold one plot for Kshs 80,000 making a 33% profit. She then managed to buy several more plots in the area. It was a coffee...

Recently a friend told me about some affordable plots in the greater Ruiru area, about 1km from Thika superhighway and near Ruiru Sports club. What caught my attention is the price of the plots at Kshs 800,000 per plot. These are about 9,000 plots in a gated estate that have been released into the market in the recent past. The estate has some "beach plots" I have also learned about more residential...

In part 1 of this series we talked about living your dream during retirement. We also said that you shouldn’t finance this dream using your pension. Click here to read the article. Let’s see how to finance this dream. A wise kikuyu man once said that when you have a need, you take hold of your own goat and either slaughter it or sell it. We are assuming that you are a rational investor in real...

I had a conversation with a furniture and interior designer about business growth. She has made some great furniture pieces for my house. Her business is called Tira studio and she has a showroom on Ngong road. Check out their website https://www.tirastudio.co.ke/ for their end of year clearance sale on timeless furniture. Tira Studio Business secret She told me of a business secret that she...

Option 1. Live your best life now Own a ¼ or ½ acre plot in a gated estate with internal tarmac roads, solar street lights, sewer lines, green fences, a recreational park with a small lake, over 2 million liters of water reserve, underground cabling of electricity, and internet. You will never have to worry about insecurity and you won’t pay taxes on building materials. Option 2. The good...