House hunting in Kenya is one of the biggest headaches for citizens. Obvious things Kenyans consider when looking for their dream homes include; the rent, distance from town, availability of water, adequate security and sufficient number of rooms.
However, Kenyans have also revealed other less-known but very important things that immediately prevent them from occupying specific homes in Kenya. Some of the major turnoffs include;
Lack of enough Natural lighting
Some houses may have everything a potential tenant needs, but lack of enough natural light in the rooms is enough to discourage them from moving in.
People want bright rooms with enough sunshine coming in, not dark rooms during daytime. Some rooms are too dark during sunny days that people have to turn on the light just to see clearly.
Rooms are usually dark because of tiny windows, windows directly facing taller buildings or tinted windows.
One combined Toilet and bathroom/ No partition
In some houses, the one and only bathroom is combined with a toilet. This means if someone is bathing, you have to wait to use the toilet and vice versa.
Another major turnoff is when the shower is too close to the toilet or there are no visible partitions between the toilet and bathroom.
No closet
Closets are important as they enable you to keep your clothes, shoes and bags in an orderly manner and prevent the room from looking cluttered.
Lack of closets means you have to keep your stuff under the bed, hang others on walls or buy bags where you can store them.
Some want their houses with closets and those that lack are immediately disqualified from list of potential homes.
Gate security
People want to live in secure environments. If the gate to the houses is not being manned by a security guard or strangers can just easily pass through, then it discourages some from moving in.
An apartment with 100 other houses
Some Kenyans prefer apartments with few houses. A flat with hundreds of houses comes with its own problems such as noise pollution among others.
Flats in Kenya
Shared Water taps and hanging lines
Most people prefer self-contained houses where they don’t have to use the same tap with hundreds of other tenants. Others are also against sharing the same hanging lines with their neighbours and would rather avoid it if possible.
Poor roads leading to the houses
The road leading to the house from the stage or main-road should be good and within reasonable distance. If the road is full of mud or impassable, it may send potential tenants running in the other direction.
Lack of a good view
Some flats directly face other tall buildings which are too close to even allow sunlight in. Others may be near dumpsites or unattractive surroundings and this discourages potential tenants from choosing it.
Dirty stairs and mould on walls or ceiling
The stairs in apartments should be clean at all times. Some apartment owners hire caretakers to clean them daily while in others it’s up to the tenants to do it. Moulds on walls of houses also signify dirtiness.
Uneven levelling of walls and floors
You may not think this is even a possibility until you start hunting for a house. You find the door cannot even properly close because the measurements were done wrong.
Poor network
We are living in the digital era and internet connection is a must for everyone. If the area where the house is situated has poor network, this can discourage everyone from moving to that area.
Close proximity to noisy institutions (Pubs, Churches)
Although most people want to be near social amenities, they don’t want to be too close in order avoid noise pollution coming from them. Pubs and churches are generally convergence zones for the local community and are bound to be noisy.
To avoid the loud noises, people will choose houses which are a reasonable distance away; far enough to avoid the noise but a walking distance if they need the services.
Clothes hanged on balconies
Some people prefer hanging lines that are not on balconies. Clothes hanged on balconies can affect the general outlook of flats and apartments.
Fashion9 years ago