Cost Savings: 9 Surprising Truths About Downsizing Your Nairobi Upmarket Home in 2025
Every year dozens of Nairobi families decide to downsize from a Ksh 350M–Ksh 850M 5–8 bedroom mansion in Karen, Runda, Muthaiga, Kitisuru or Lavington to a Ksh 120M–Ksh 250M 3–4 bedroom townhouse or apartment in Westlands, Kileleshwa or Riverside — expecting huge cost savings. Some save millions. Many others end up spending the same (or […]
Probate Process: 8 Critical Steps to Sell an Inherited Nairobi Home Fast in 2025
The probate process in Kenya is the single biggest hurdle families face when trying to sell an inherited home in Nairobi’s upmarket suburbs. A Ksh 250M–Ksh 850M property in Karen, Lavington, Runda, Muthaiga, Kitisuru, Westlands or Gigiri can sit frozen for years while siblings fight, files gather dust at Milimani Law Courts, and the house […]
Tenants: 7 Proven Ways You Should Use To Sell Your Nairobi Rental Fast When They’ve Trashed the Place (Even Hoarders)
Your Ksh 120M–Ksh 450M rental in Westlands, Lavington, Kilimani, Kileleshwa, Riverside or Karen is generating great income — until you decide to sell and discover the tenants have turned it into a junkyard, hoarder’s den, or permanent party house. Professional photos? Impossible. Viewings? Embarrassing. Offers? Zero. Yet every single month in 2025, Realty Boris sells […]
Code Violations: 7 Proven Ways to Sell Your Nairobi Upmarket Home Fast (Even with County Notices)
Code violations from Nairobi County can feel like a death sentence when you’re trying to sell a Ksh 120M–Ksh 600M home in Runda, Kitisuru, Lavington, Karen, Westlands, Muthaiga or Gigiri. You receive that dreaded yellow or red notice: unapproved extension, missing occupancy certificate, change-of-user issues, illegal borehole, unpermitted swimming pool, boundary wall too high, or […]
401(k): 7 Smart Ways to Use Your Retirement Fund to Buy a Luxury Home in Nairobi Without Huge Penalties
Every month, Realty Boris receives calls from returning Kenyans in the US, UK, Canada and the Middle East who have $400k–$2M+ sitting in their 401(k), 403(b), or IRA and are eyeing a Ksh 180M–Ksh 650M dream home in Runda, Kitisuru, Muthaiga, Lavington, Karen, Gigiri or Rosslyn. The question is always the same: “Can I use […]
Credit Mistakes: 8 Deadly Ones Nairobi Upmarket Buyers Make When Choosing a Mortgage Lender
Credit mistakes made at the lender-selection stage can quietly cost you tens of millions in extra interest, hidden fees, or even a lost property in Nairobi’s fiercely competitive upmarket market. You’re pre-qualified, you have the deposit ready, and you’re eyeing that Ksh 285M ambassadorial home in Lavington or a Ksh 420M river-front estate in Kitisuru. […]
Credit Mistakes: 7 Deadly Ones That Kill Your Mortgage Even After Pre-Approval in Nairobi
You finally get that golden pre-approval letter from NCBA or Stanbic for Ksh 185M to buy your dream home in Lavington or Lower Kabete. Champagne pops. You start measuring curtains. Then — two weeks before closing — the bank calls: “We’re sorry, your final approval has been revoked.” This happens to more upmarket Nairobi buyers […]
Prioritizing Debt: 6 Critical Loans to Clear First for Faster Mortgage Approval in Nairobi
Prioritizing debt is the single most overlooked step when Nairobi’s upmarket buyers apply for a Ksh 100M–Ksh 500M+ mortgage. You can earn Ksh 8M net per month, have a spotless business track record, and still get rejected — or offered a fraction of what you need — simply because your CRB report shows the wrong […]
Is an Open House Worth the Effort? 7 Risks vs. Rewards in Nairobi’s Upmarket Market
An open house remains a staple in real estate marketing, especially in Nairobi’s competitive upmarket scene. Imagine throwing open the doors of your Kitisuru villa or Runda estate, inviting potential buyers to wander through sunlit rooms and lush gardens. It’s a classic move that promises excitement and leads. But in 2025, with digital tools dominating […]
5 Shocking Reasons NOT to Accept the Highest Offer on Your Nairobi Upmarket Property
The moment a highest offer lands for your Kitisuru mansion, Runda gated estate or Lavington ambassadorial home, excitement takes over. An extra 20–50 million shillings feels life-changing. Yet in Nairobi’s upmarket segment (Westlands, Lavington, Karen, Runda, Muthaiga, Gigiri, Kitisuru and Rosslyn), blindly accepting the highest offer is one of the fastest ways to lose months […]