Factors to Consider When Buying Cheap Land for Sale in Kenya

How to Buy Land in Kenya and factors to consider in Nairobi

Buying land is a huge investment and almost everyone’s dream. It also comes with great returns as the years go by. Therefore, you must be careful when deciding where to buy land in Kenya.

In this article, I will share some rare factors to consider before buying land, especially for building.

Factors to Consider Before Buying Cheap Land for Sale in Kenya

1.    Properties Setbacks

Not all pieces of land are 100% perfect, so you need to look out for setbacks. Some setbacks can be fixed, while others can’t be fixed. For instance, you can’t fix a plot on a riparian land, that’s nature, and it’s beyond you. Additionally, some plots have boundary issues, which might limit your development plan. It is, therefore, critical that you identify all the setbacks before buying land. As for the ones that can be fixed, find the right people to advise you on how it can be done.

2. Natural Resources Rights

In Kenya, there are property rights, and they greatly affect the buying and selling of land. However, many investors are unaware of them, and as a result, they find themselves in big problems. Investors buying land from third parties are the most affected by natural resource rights issues because their sellers don’t tell them in fear that they may not buy the land. Here is a mention of some of the natural resource rights you should know.

•      Mineral Rights 

– Some portions of land in Kenya sit on minerals. Therefore if you buy such land and the minerals are identified by the Kenya Mineral Rights Board, you may be evicted, thus affecting your investment plans.

•      Water Rights 

In Kenya, no one owns the right to water, even if their land has a stream, river, pond, or creek. It is, therefore, important to consider this factor before buying a piece of land because its proximity to water may limit how you want to use the land. For instance, if you live near a river that gives the community drinking water, you may not be allowed to do livestock farming on your land due to the risk of water contamination from livestock waste. So, you may have to reconsider if you are looking for land for livestock farming.

•      Timber Rights 

Buying a piece of land in a forest is risky because you may not own the trees. The land could have been leased to a third party for the sale of timber, and therefore, you will not have the power to deny them access to your land whenever they want to harvest trees. Besides, the government restricts the sale of forest land, so you must be careful when buying this type of cheap land for sale in Kenya.

•      Access Rights  

Some pieces of land are enclosed; the only way to access them is by trespassing on someone else’s land. This is more serious if a government or private entity surrounds your land. You may be restricted from setting foot on it. Other issues related to access may be conservation on or near your piece of land.

3. The Neighborhood in the Future

The land ownership fever is one big mistake that land buyers make. By this, I mean they fall in love with one aspect of the land, ignore several others, and buy the land without asking questions.

It is important to ask yourself about future events that may take place within your neighborhood. For instance, when buying land to build a home near a railroad, ask yourself if your family will enjoy their sleep with trains passing by at night. The same case applies to buying land near an airport. On the other hand, if you buy land in a pastoral area, can you put up with nomads bringing their livestock near your home? You may not see these things at first, but it’s important to research before purchasing such cheap land for Sale in Kenya.

4. Zoning and Restrictions

Finally, land buyers need to know the restrictions on the land they intend to buy. Is the land in a coded place? Will you have to take your house designs and landscaping to the Architectural Control Committee for approval? Ensure you know all these before buying cheap land for sale in Kenya.

Buying land goes beyond aspects of location, amenities, and security. There is much more to consider, and we have outlined the most important but rarely discussed factors to consider before buying land.