The real estate market offers great properties and deals that are easily welcomed by the population. From residential to commercial purposes, certain properties would make most of the population jump at the opportunity to both rent and buy them. However, some questions need to be answered. Naturally, the occupants or clients have some curiosities that would ease their minds and push the deal through without any doubts.
While some of the questions asked are personally involved, some are generally asked by the majority of the population. People who have undergone the buying or leasing process may find it a little easier the next time since there are several similar activities in each deal made. First-time buyers may find the activity borderline stressful and time-consuming.
The best place to start is to find a house that suits your needs well. This is easy since some websites and companies are dedicated to finding homes for people, for instance, Hauzisha. With that out of the way and a perfect home in sight, then what now? What kinds of questions do you ask?
Here is a list of the questions that you should ask;
1. What is the security situation?
While the question may seem like the most redundant of the bunch, it is one of the most important questions to ask the homeowner or agent. This question aims to ease the clients so that they don’t have to be alert for any kind of danger. It also answers some other underlying questions like the theft rates. For instance, do clients with some type of vehicle have to keep a closer eye on their automobiles to prevent theft? Or is it safe to sundry clothes in the open?
The agents or homeowners should be able to respond by providing verification on the level of security like the presence of a perimeter wall, guard dogs, security personnel, CCTV or any other form of information like the availability of a police station within the location.
No matter how good a house may look and feel, there is no point in putting yourself at risk of encountering any kind of life-threatening situation.
2. What is the type and size of the house?
The type and size of the house is an important fact to consider due to other underlying factors like the number of occupants and level of privacy. Bungalows, Mansions and Maisonettes are more spacious to accommodate a larger number of occupants while also maximizing the level of privacy. Penthouses and Duplexes have large floor spaces but have medium levels of privacy while most flats and apartments have adequate space and lower levels of privacy.
Agents and homeowners can easily reveal the type and the size of the house, for example, the house is a Bungalow on a 50 by 100 plot with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, parking space for two vehicles and a garden.
3. What are the costs and payment plans?
The most recognizable Kenyan way is to prioritize the cost of the property and other factors and issues will be considered later. There is importance in considering the cost of the property since it has to fit your budget. The cost of maintenance and bills should also be considered while selecting the proper home. The value of houses varies with the location, type of property and available amenities.
The homeowners or agents should reveal the cost of the property along with the cost of the bills and maintenance costs. There are also some occasions when the clients may receive some form of discount on the properties.
4. What are the available amenities?
The property should have some sort of amenities like electricity and water. This is a factor since most households and businesses rely on them to run. The homeowners and agents should reveal the available amenities and the interruptions encountered if any.
5. What is the location of the property?
The precise location of the houses is another factor to consider since the property should be able to serve a certain purpose. For commercial purposes, the property should be within close proximity to a town to maximize the number of customers visiting, while residential properties should be in estates. The property should be in a location that is convenient to you, for instance, in close proximity to the place of work. Additionally, the location of the property directly affects the price of the property.
While most people have some idea of the general location to reside or set up a business, the expected answers should be clear and precise in describing the location. For example, Makongeni area near Thika Medical Sciences.
The location can be easily handled by a service like Hauzisha, which helps you search for a home.
6. How accessible is the property?
The property should be accessible, especially to commercial properties that expect regular customers. Properties should be well situated in areas that are not affected by any condition like water flow during the rainy seasons. The roads should be convenient for the mode of transportation that the client prefers. Furthermore, there should be some form of short-distance travel like bodabodas or tuk-tuks.
Homeowners and agents should be able to explain the level of accessibility. Either the property is accessible by a tarmac road or marram road off the main highway and has two bodaboda stations along the road.
7. What kind of Neighbourhood is around the property?
The neighbourhood is an area that you have to pass through preferably on a daily basis. For commercial businesses, it is a requirement to know the layout of the neighbourhood so as to improve the business and also maintain a good store image. Additionally, residential properties should be in an estate to prevent instances of inconvenience, like living near a bar or club is not ideal due to noise nuisances.
Agents should describe the type of neighbourhood that surrounds the property and state the types of inconveniences that stand out.
8. What are the prevailing weather conditions of the location?
Some areas have harsh conditions that directly affect specific individuals like temperatures on both extreme ends. This information should be easily accessible from the agents and homeowners.
Conclusion
Questions are meant to reveal the challenges that may be encountered since most properties face some form of inconvenience. While some of the problems may be solved while others may be endured, it is important to ask as many questions as possible.
