Why Nairobians are leaving Kileleshwa - Report

Cytonn Real Estate has released a report listing Nairobi Estates that are raking up profits for investors and those that are being shunned.

The report released on Tuesday, April 13, listed Kileleshwa among the least preferred investment estates due to its exorbitant land prices.

The estate saw its asking price drop from Ksh312.4 million to Ksh301.1 million representing a 3.6% deviation.

"Kileleshwa registered a 3.6% price correction attributed to reduced demands as investors continue to explore more affordable land options with an acre averaging at Kshs 301.1 million compared to the market average of Kshs 134.1 million per acre," the report read in part.

Road leading to Kileleshwa neighbourhood in Nairobi


This comes even as other high-density residential regions such as Kasarani and Embakasi saw their annualised capital appreciation increased.

Kasarani recorded the highest annualized appreciation of 5.2% raising land's asking prices from Ksh64.1 million to Ksh68.1 million.

Its attractiveness was supported by developers showing interest in the area to accommodate the growing middle-income population and availability of infrastructure with the area being served by Thika Road.

Embakasi, on the other hand, saw an improvement in its land asking price from Ksh68.7 million to Ksh71.0 million representing a 3.3% appreciation

As of January 2021, residents of low-rise houses in Kileleshwa had started leaving the posh neighbourhood in search of privacy arguing that an influx in high-rise apartments meant neighbours could see whatever bungalow and maisonette owners were up to.

“Houses in Kileleshwa were initially cool, not as tall and the place was not crowded. But now, even people living in these blocks of apartments can hardly be trusted to be upright residents,” stated one of the residents.

The Cytonn Report also indicated that Kitisuru recorded the highest appreciation of 8.2% in the low rise housing sector. Asking price of land in the neighbourhood rose from Ksh77.4 million to Ksh83.7 million.

Runda came in second in the sector after land price spiked to Ksh74.8 million followed by Ridgeways (Ksh 69.0 million), Karen (Ksh 59.0 million) and Spring Valley (Ksh162 million).
For Satellite town, Thika led the pack with 10.5% appreciation pegging its asking price at Ksh11.2 million followed by Ruiru, Ongata Rongai, Syokimau-Mlolongo, Athi River and Ruai.

An aerial view of mansions in Lower Kabete and Kitisuru
 
Top