Why invest in a Garden City apartment on Thika Road, Nairobi?

 

As the first integrated residential, retail, and office development in Kenya, Garden City brings the well-rounded lifestyle of ‘live, work, play’ all in one thoughtfully designed location. It offers the popular Garden City Mall with world-class retail, a Business Park with Grade-A office spaces, plenty of leisure options, and upcoming facilities including a hospital and a hotel.

These are all situated at the doorstep of cutting-edge Garden City residences that include 150 modern apartments and duplexes along with 56 elegant townhouses. The mixed-use offering of this project combined with its strategic location along Thika Road in the capital city of Nairobi makes it an excellent opportunity for real estate investments.

Garden City Mall

Garden City is located just 15 minutes away from the Central Business District and is quickly being established as the focal point of the rapidly growing Thika Road, Nairobi. Location and connectivity are crucial factors to consider when it comes to investments and Garden City scores high on both of those counts.

The Thika Super Highway, completed in 2012, attracted the development of a number of residential and commercial projects in the area. Meanwhile, Garden City is also conveniently located amongst up-and-coming industrial and commercial areas including Baba Ndogo, Thika, Ruiru and the Eastern Bypass. The Outer Ring Road facilitates a reduced travel time of around 20-40 minutes to and from JKIA International Airport.

The Garden City Business Park will drive further demand and occupancies for these apartments, attracting housing for medium to senior staff of the big corporates that occupy the offices. This demand is also boosted with the availability of great infrastructure in terms of water, electricity, and sewage as well as road connections.

The availability of great infrastructure, in turn, drives growth for all sectors at Garden City, including investment opportunities in real estate.

The main benefits that investors must consider are:

a. Higher demand resulting in increased property values.

b. Improved accessibility to previously inaccessible areas.

c. Lower cost of development and construction costs.

d. Greater odds of achieving high returns due to constant growth.

Tips for First-Time Home Buyers in Kenya

 Buying your first home in Kenya

So you're finally ready for that home you've always dreamed of having. You have your finances in order, you did your searching and after what felt like an eternity, you have finally zeroed in on a house that finally feels like home. But are you fully prepared to take the plunge and make that downpayment? Read on.

Buying a home is probably going to be the biggest purchase of your life. Our advice is to take your time. Double up on all your research and let that decision sink in naturally, after careful considerations on all fronts.

Here are some tips for first-time homebuyers in Kenya:

Trusting sellers in a hurry.

It is easy to put your trust in a seller who claims to have bills to settle and wants to sell off in a hurry. But this is often the biggest red flag to look out for. Sellers in a hurry could just as easily be trying to scam you into buying a house that doesn't have all of its paperwork in order. The result? You may be in for a long wait, while legal proceedings drag on. Or worse.

Relying on a home loan that defaults last minute.

Home loans are a very big deal. Just because you have a pre-approved home loan, doesn't guarantee a sanction. Imagine having everything in order and you're about to start paying for a home for which you already laid down a hefty deposit. And the next thing you know, you don't have a home loan to follow through and your deposit is now gone! Make sure you meet all your lender's requirements to be fully sure of having a home loan to rely on.

Not inspecting enough before buying.

Homes are living, breathing things. Some age well, most don't. If the house you just bought presents unexpected horrors, you could be in for a costly repair. Look for critical problems like leaking water lines, crumbling driveways, cracks in the walls and roofs, termites, rotting wood and sunken flooring. Trust your instincts when you find anything off with a house and don't be hesitant to inspect further if required. Remember - this is the biggest purchase of your life. Take your time and consult experts wherever required.

Not agreeing on what you're actually paying for.

When you buy a pre-used home, don't be shy to discuss what exactly do you get to keep. Some sellers leave most furnishings behind while others may take everything with them, even light bulbs! Little things like curtain rods, toilet seats, fans, taps, pipes, hoses etc are just as important as the bigger picture and can easily add up to an unseen expense if the previous home-owner decides to take everything with them. When agreeing on a price you are about to pay, list down exactly what you are paying for, including these overlooked items. You don't want to move into a home with missing water taps on the first day!

Neglecting the monthly cost of maintaining a pre-used home.

Buying a house may be a very big deal, but it is only the beginning. Homes require upkeep and monthly maintenance expenses. Before hurrying into a house that seems like a very good deal, take some time to find out what it would take to maintain it on a month-on-month basis. Having to service a home loan along with heavy monthly expenses can be a very difficult situation.

There's a saying in the home-buying business. If someone else doesn't want it anymore, make sure it has everything you need before you start wanting it. Buying a new affordable home is often a wiser choice than buying a used home that looks like a great deal. If you're on the market for a house that you can afford in Kenya, look no further than MiVida Garden City Apartment on Thika Road in Nairobi. These homes are designed to address the shortage of middle-income housing that families can afford.

MiVida promises innovative design, modern engineering, trusted construction, on-time delivery and an impeccable record, and is created through a joint venture between Actis, a leading growth markets investor who has been active in the region for over 70 years and Shapoorji Pallonji Real Estate (SPRE), the real estate arm of one of India’s largest conglomerates.

A Tour of the Garden City Mall in Nairobi

 

Image Source - magicalkenya.com

With over 100 shops, state-of-the-art cinemas, restaurants, cafés, bars, salons, banks, supermarkets and more, Garden City Mall has it all! 

Shaping up to be one of the hottest shopping and lifestyle destinations in Nairobi, this one-for-all address caters to all tastes and promises a day-well-spent for any family outing, an evening with friends, colleagues or even a solo excursion. Just factor in a few extra hours into your day, as you'll surely be lost in a mesmerizing maze of everything you didn't know you needed.

It is conveniently located just a short drive from Braeburn school Windsor Golf and Country Club, and just 18 minutes from CBD. And with over 1200 parking slots, there's room for everyone to arrive in style! 

Let's begin with shopping. Garden City has enough for mom, dad and child to go gaga over. With labels like Giordano, Accessorize with Style, Avilas House of Fashion, MAC, Zopo Men's Fashion, Lego Play, Toyworld, no one goes empty-handed. In fact, you'll surely return for more, so we hope you've made space back at home!

After all that shopping, rest your feet and pamper your senses with some of the best eats in town. There's Artcaffe coffee & bakery, BIG Square, Galito's, Java House, KFC, Koreana BBQ and more. Be it a casual work meeting, a dinner date, a last minute family jaunt or an elaborate celebration, you've come to the right place for a variety of culinary delights.

Garden City isn't just an outing, it is an experience. There's 9D cinema and Century Cinemax to help you unwind with that sudden urge to sit back with a flick. Then there are utilities like Absa Bank, Airtel, Equity Bank, Samsung and OPPO stores and Hudson Furnishings to take care of those often-forgotten but oh-so-important home-related matters to tend to. And before you head out, don't forget to raid Thirsty Lion for something to quench your thirst after a great day.

Garden City Mall is in the immediate vicinity of MiVida Apartments and offers 3 bedroom apartments in Nairobi from KES 6.9m. Mi Vida Garden City is an opportunity to invest in its strategic location and expanding offerings. These apartments are a quick walk or drive away from multiple corporate locations like EABL, PZ Cussons East Africa Ltd, Chandaria Industries, and ICIPE, with a number of businesses slated to open soon. With international schools such as Crawford School and USIU nearby, MiVida is poised to become a destination for sought-after homes in Thika Road - just an impromptu whim away from Garden City Mall.