Real Estate News
The latest real estate news for the Kenyan market.
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139 articles in Real Estate News · page 2 of 12
How U.S. UN Funding Cuts Could Affect Nairobi’s Real Estate
As one of the UN’s largest contributors, the move is expected to leave a significant funding gap. For some time now, Nairobi has been quietly positioned as a growing strategic hub within the UN system. In real estate, expectation often carries as much weight as reality. In real estate, expectation often leads the way, but reality always has the final say. In a recent turn of events, the United States announced it would pull funding from several major United Nations bodies, saying the organisations no longer align with its national interests. As one of the UN’s largest contributors, the move is expected to leave a significant funding gap, one that could affect programmes, operations, and long-term planning across various regions, including Kenya. On the surface, this look
Same House, Bigger Budget: Why Building in Kenya Is Getting More Expensive
Recent data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) indicates that building a home has become significantly more expensive over the past ten months. A standard bungalow that cost KSh 48,750 per square metre previously has risen by 11% to KSh 54,730 per square metre , while high-end properties have also seen costs jump by 16% . Clearly, no segment of the market has been spared. Table of Contents What’s Driving the Increase? Implications for Developers, Buyers, and Homeowners Developers: Buyers: Homeowners:
BuyRentKenya Acquired By African PropTech Leader RushBox In Strategic Expansion
Nairobi, Kenya — 28 November 2025 BuyRentKenya, the country’s leading online property marketplace, has been acquired by Rushbox Ltd, a company with deep experience in operating digital real estate platforms across emerging markets. The acquisition supports Rushbox’s strategy to grow its footprint across Sub-Saharan Africa and comes at a time when ROAM is streamlining its portfolio to focus on its core verticals in jobs and general classifieds. The transition ensures continuity for buyers, sellers, and real estate partners who rely on BuyRentKenya’s trusted platform. All current services and partnerships will continue uninterrupted, and the company remains committed to delivering the dependable, high-quality experience its users expect. As BuyRentKenya enters this new chapter, it remains focused on strengthening the value it
How Fresh Billions for Affordable Housing Could Reshape Kenya’s Property Market
Kenya is set to receive a significant financial injection aimed at giving the affordable housing agenda real momentum. About 547,000 adults, a mere 2% of the population, have signed up on Boma Yangu . Out of these, only 52,000 have managed to save consistently. If this money is used the way it’s meant to be, Kenyans could start seeing real changes in the way mortgages work. Kenya’s housing deficit is an open truth we walk past every day. The numbers often paint a flattering picture, a 61% homeownership rate, but that headline leans heavily on rural inheritance, not urban opportunity. In the towns and cities where the cost of living bites hardest, only about 21.3% of residents own the roofs above their heads. The rest belong to a restless renting class, drifting between rising rents and shrinking options.
Real Estate Powers Kenya’s Most Competitive Counties
Kenya’s booming real estate and construction sectors have emerged as major engines of growth in the country’s most competitive counties, underscoring how property development and infrastructure expansion continue to reshape regional economies. A new County Competitiveness Index (CCI) 2024 by the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry ranks Nairobi, Kiambu, Nyeri, Murang’a, and Nakuru among the country’s most competitive counties — with real estate and related industries playing a central role in their rise. The report shows that Nairobi, which scored the highest with a competitiveness index of 77 percent, remains Kenya’s real estate powerhouse. The capital’s property market, buoyed by a growing middle class, rising demand for commercial spaces, and an expanding transport network, continues to attract both domestic and foreign investors. The city also
Luxore Apartments: A Triple Threat in the Best Way
Imagine owning a property in an area that gives you triple accessibility . We can call it a triple threat, in the best way! Located along Chady Road, just behind Gateway Mall off Mombasa Road, Luxore Apartments puts you right at the centre of convenience. You’ll be close to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the SGR Nairobi Terminus, and the Nairobi Expressway, making travel, work, or weekend getaways simpler and quicker. Table of Contents More Than Just Living — Lifestyle and Opportunity Everything You Need, Just Steps Away Amenities That Make Daily Life Better Experience Luxore fo
Aleph Hospitality, Hilton to Open Kenya’s First Tapestry Collection Hotel
Aleph Hospitality has signed a management deal with AVA Hotel Limited to operate Kenya’s first Tapestry Collection by Hilton property, marking a major milestone in the global hotel chain’s expansion into the local lifestyle segment. The new hotel, to be known as AVA Hotel Nairobi, Tapestry Collection by Hilton , will be located in the upmarket Lavington area, minutes from the city centre. The 91-room facility will feature multiple restaurants and lounges, a rooftop area, swimming pool, fitness centre, meeting rooms, and a business hub, catering to both business and leisure travellers. The agreement strengthens Aleph Hospitality’s position as one of the fastest-growing independent hotel management companies in the Middle East and Africa, and signals its deepening investment in East Africa’s tourism and hospitality sector.
Integrate Home Security Early, Developers Told
Real estate developers, architects, and homeowners in Kenya are being urged to factor in home security at the design stage. With security remaining a top concern for homebuyers and tenants alike, integrating these systems early in the design phase is increasingly being viewed as a key selling point. Homeowners don’t have to choose between style and security — both can exist in harmony through thoughtful planning and smart technology. Real estate developers, architects, and homeowners in Kenya are being urged to factor in home security at the design stage rather than treating it as an add-on after construction. The call was made during an art and home security exhibition themed “The Future of Home Security Solutions”, hosted in partnership with Elements Luxury Living. The event showcased how safety,
Wage Pressures Add Heat to Construction Costs as Steel, Sand Prices Surge
Construction workers are earning slightly more, but their gains are being outpaced by the rising cost of materials and fuel, new data by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows. The Construction Input Price Index (CIPI), which tracks changes in the cost of materials, labour, equipment and transport , rose to 121.27 points in the third quarter of 2025, up from 119.75 in the previous quarter. This represents a 1.27 per cent quarterly increase and a 0.74 per cent rise year-on-year. The labour index increased to 112.45 from 111.94, reflecting higher pay for casual labourers (+1.07%) and watchmen (+3.90%). Wages for plumbers and electricians (-1.49%) and machine operators (-0.68%), however, edged lower. “The quarterly rise reflects continued volatility in input prices, particularly for petroleum-linked and imported materials,” KNBS Director-General Macdonald Obudho sai
BBS Mall Developer Announces KSh 65 Billion Mega Project in Tatu City
Mr. Abdiweli Hassan (OGW, EBS), the developer behind Business Bay Square (BBS Mall), has unveiled plans for a KSh 65 billion mixed-use development in Tatu City Special Economic Zone (SEZ) – a move that cements Tatu City’s reputation as one of Kenya’s fastest-growing investment hubs. READ ALSO : Analyzing BBS Mall’s Impact on Eastleigh’s Property Market Table of Contents The Mega Development Plan Who Is Behind It? Why Tatu City? A New Phase of Growth Opportunity for Investors A Vision for the Future <
Contractor or Fundi? Who You Hire Can Make or Break Your Project
If you’re about to start building, you’ve probably hit that tough question, who do you trust with your project? A professional contractor or a local fundi you’ve heard good things about? Of course, everyone wants to make the most of their budget. And honestly, getting someone cheaper who you believe will deliver sounds like a good deal. A contractor will definitely charge more than a fundi, but don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t mean fundis are bad at their job. Not at all. Some of them are really good at what they do, especially when it comes to the actual building work. The truth is, each one has their place. The fundi is the doer; the one who gets his hands dirty and brings your walls to life. The contractor, on the other hand, is the planner — the one who sees the bigger picture, coordinates everyone, and makes sure what’s built today still stands strong ten years f
KPDA Conference 2025: Reset, Reform, Rise in Kenya’s Real Estate Sector
The theme of this conference was “Reset, Reform, Rise: Creating the Real Estate Sector We Want . Developers and policymakers alike stressed the need to streamline approval processes, improve inter-agency coordination, and enforce planning standards prepared by qualified professionals. Panelists discussed the persistent challenges women face in accessing capital, networks, and leadership roles. As the conference came to a close, one message stood tall: Kenya’s real estate sector is ready to evolve, but evolution will demand discipline, collaboration, and consistency . About two weeks ago, different players in the real estate industry gathered at a hotel in Westlands with an aim to discuss and dissect issues related to sustainable design, decentralised infrastructure management, and the institutionalisat