When looking for a house there is no doubt that you need to move to a place which fits your criteria( Well….. at least most of them). This will make you feel comfortable and “at home”.
Location is everything and Sam Walton was famous for this criteria. His success of building Walmart was mainly due to Location. He sometimes used to wait for years to get the right place.
Then why not you.
So.. What are some of the criteria that we should be looking at?
Car – ability
The location should be in easy reach with your car( Considering the traffic in Nairobi.. of course) for all your needs. This includes, schools, shopping, restaurants, hospitals and social places , like clubs or community centre.
You also don’t want to get out of your house and immediately get into traffic. You need to be a bit “inside” so that when you get out of your house you meet traffic after a little while.
Access to public transport is a bonus.
Child – friendly or Not??
If you have young children, you may want to move to a compound with like aged children. If your children have grown, you may want to move to a quieter compound with fewer children. Also you need to look at available nearby schools or if your children are already at school, you may want to get nearer.
Safety
There are many areas that have beautiful homes, but are not safe areas. You need to avoid this. Also deciding whether to live in a gated community or apartment is worth considering as opposed to stand alone houses. Safety is one of the most important criteria to consider.
Status
Some of us would never live in a “lower class are” even if the property is suited to us. Living in our class area is most sought after. Especially if your friends and colleagues are in such an area.
There may be other criteria which you are concerned about and need to take into consideration. You need to list your criteria and your budget. Give this to your real estate agent and them give you a list of possibles. Thereafter you can go and see them and make your final decision. Don’t forget to bargain!
