Experience and Expertise: Look for an agent with a solid track record and extensive experience in the local real estate market. They should have a deep understanding of the neighborhood, property values, and market trends.

Reputation and References: Research the agent’s reputation by reading reviews and testimonials from past clients. You can also ask for references and reach out to them to gather more information about their experience working with the agent.

Specialization: Consider whether the agent specializes in the type of property you are interested in. Some agents focus on residential properties, while others specialize in commercial real estate or luxury homes. Choosing an agent with expertise in your specific needs can greatly benefit you.

Communication and Availability: Effective communication is essential in real estate transactions. Ensure that the agent is responsive, attentive, and keeps you informed throughout the process. They should be available to answer your questions and address any concerns promptly.

Marketing Strategy: If you are selling a property, inquire about the agent’s marketing plan. A good agent should have a strong online presence, utilize professional photography, and employ various marketing channels to maximize exposure for your property.

Choosing the right real estate agent is crucial when buying or selling a property. Here are some key factors to consider in order to make an informed decision

Flipping houses can be a lucrative venture if approached with the right strategies and careful planning.

1 Thorough Market Research

Before diving into a house flipping project, conduct thorough market research. Identify neighborhoods with high potential for appreciation and demand.

2 Set a Realistic Budget

Creating a comprehensive budget is crucial for a successful house flip. Account for all expenses, including purchase price, renovation costs, holding costs.

3 Identify Value-Adding Opportunities

Look for properties that have the potential for value appreciation through renovations and upgrades. Focus on cosmetic improvements such as kitchen and bathroom renovations, flooring.

4 Time Management

Time is of the essence in house flipping. Develop a detailed project timeline and stick to it. Delays can eat into your profits and increase holding costs.

5 Marketing and Staging

Effective marketing and staging can significantly impact the speed of sale and final sale price. Invest in professional photography, create appealing property listings, and leverage online platforms and social media to reach potential buyers.

1. NOT HIRING A DESGINER FROM THE START

                                                                            Hiring your designer before your renovation starts is the best way to ensure your renovations stays in budget and beautiful. Creating a meaningful space that fulfills the needs of the home and optimizes your  space.

•  UNDER ESTIMATING COST

If the cost of the renovation is underestimated, the budget may not be sufficient to cover all the expenses, leading to a budget overrun .this can result in the renovation being delayed or postponed until additional funds can be secured.

• SKIMPING THE QUALITY

If low quality materials are used ,  the renovation may not last as long , resulting in the need for repairs or replacements sooner than expected.cutting corners on quality can also result in poor workmanship, which can be apparent in things like un even flooring , crooked walls or shoddy finishes.

                                                                                 4 NOT ASKING FOR REFERENCES

Poor workmanship or delays can result in additional cost to fix or complete the renovation.this can add significantly to the overrall cost of the project.it can also help ensure the contractor is experienced ,reliable, and capable of completing the renovation to a high standard.

5  WORKING ON TOO MANY ROOMS AT ONCE

Renovating multiple rooms at once can be overwhelming and difficult to manage .there may be too many tasks happening at once, leading to confusion and mistakes.

By avoiding these common mistakes you can ensure that your home renovation project runs smoothly and results in a beautiful ,functional and valuable space.

Identify your style

As the fashion icon Rachael Zoe say, ‘style is a way of saying who you are without having to speak’ ,okay well we are not selling clothes here but as sure as it gets, this statement also applies to your personal style at home. Before even thinking of designing your home, find out what makes you tick, what you like, how you like it. It’s imperative to find a designer who can easily marry your ideas and theirs as well.

Know where to find them

Well you can’t really compare notes with just the idea of a person. So the next step is looking for all the interior designers you can lay your hands on. There must be a million out there so of course you have to narrow down to the ones who seem to have the same taste as you.

Take a look at some portfolios

Before you settle on one designer take a look at his previous work, this gives you deeper insight about their style and also gives you confidence that they know what they are doing, we don’t want ending up with a house looking like a Halloween themed party.

Meet

Have a face to face meeting. As much as their portfolio looks good in paper also meeting them personally gives you a clear picture of who they are professionally and how well they can listen. You need someone who is easy to communicate and get along with for a smooth design process. In matters style, monologue is not pleasant at all!

Terms and condition

Once you settle on a designer set some ground rules, timelines and agree on pricing. If you are both comfortable with everything then voila! Start decorating! Having contract protects both of your interest and assures you of delivery.

Before you buy a house, one of the things you should do is to have it checked out by a professional home inspector. home inspection provides an opportunity for a buyer to identify any major issues with a home before purchasing.

1. STRUCTURE

This includes; foundation, walls, roof and flouring .this requires a walk around the home

Looking for cracks in the slabs or in the brick.

                                                                                             2 EXTERIOR

This involves ; siding, windows ,door and decks. its the outer structure that gives the house its ability to withstand extreme conditions like heavy wind, rain and storm.

                                                                                             3  PLUMBING

It’s a combination of , water supply, drainage system, toilets and water heaters. this will reduce your repair cost. leaks or clogs can cause expensive damage to your home incase of mold , wood damage or foundation repairs.

                                                                                             4  ELECTRICAL

This is service panel, wiring ,outlets and switches. This prevents future mishaps due to issues with your electrical system including malfunctions and fires.

                                                                                             5 HEATING AND COOLING

It includes furnace, air conditioning and ventilation. it helps maintain good indoor air quality through adequate ventilation with filtration and provide thermal comfort.               

  A  home inspection is  a process that ensures the safety of buyers .it helps to avoid lawsuits, accidents and health problems that could affect your home.

Property management is a critical aspect of a property performing to its full potential. Poorly managed properties end up costing the owner of a property significantly in a variety of different ways. A few of these include lost income, additional expenses, physical deterioration, additional exposure to lawsuits, and loss of goodwill from tenants. A few tips for Property management.

 1  POSITIVE ATTITUDE

Considering what you’ll be dealing with on a daily basis, you need to maintain a positive,

can-do attitude at all times you’ll also need to stay calm when the market isn’t going the way

 you want it to. 

                                                                               2  LONG TERM STRATEGY AND GOAL

                                                                               Having a goal will help know what to be done in a particular situation. A strategy will aslo help you to focus on what is important.

                                                                                3 BE DECISIVE

                                                                                       Some people  make decisions on gut feel others make them intuitively and still others do a combination of both.you should always make your decision and stand right by it.

                                                                                       4 ENGAGE YOUR RESIDENTS

Get to know your resident personally. Take the time to engage the people living in the properties you manage. You might be surprised what you will get from this.

                                                                                         5 CONDUCT INSPECTION

Ideally , inspection should be logged and completely every three months . its also a good idea to to hire a profesional inspector to do the inspection for better results.

This will help you conduct your business without any complains and avoid problems in the near future

Negotiating for property is serious business, but your chances of getting the best possible deal increase significantly when you arm yourself with sound knowledge and tactics.

• DO YOUR RESEARCH

Before entering into negotiations , gather as much information as possible about the property,

The market conditions , and the comparable sales in the areas.

• MAKE A STRONG OPENING

Always Start with a low but reasonable offer in order to leave room for

 negotiation

• KNOW YOUR BOTTOM LINE.

Decide on the highest price you are willing to pay for the property and stick to it.always stick firm

With that decision.

• BE FLEXIBLE

Be open to compromise and be willing to make concessions in

Order to reach a goal.

• BE CONFIDENT, BUT NOT AGGRESSIVE

Confidence can be a powerful tool in negotiation but it is Important to maintain a professional 

and respectful tone.

• GATHER YOUR FINANCIAL INFORMATION.

You will need  to provide documentation of your  income, assets, and debts. This includes tax returns, bank statement and credit cards statement.

• SHOP AROUND FOR LENDERS

Look for lenders that offer competitive mortgages rates and terms. You can compare rates from multiple lenders top find the best deal.

• SUBMIT A MORTGAGE APPLICATION.

                        Once you have found a lender you want to work with, you need to complete a mortgage application, this includes filling out  a form with your personal and financial information with supporting documentation.

• GET A PRE- APPROVAL LETTER.

                            If the lender  approves your application , you will receive a  pre- approval  letter . this letter will include the amount of money you have been approved to borrow and the terms of the mortgage.

• USE THE PRE – APPROVAL  LETTER  TO MAKE AN OFFER ON A HOME

                                                When you find a home you want to buy , you can use the letter to show the seller that you are a serious buyer.this can help you stand out in a competitive market  and makes it more likely that your offer will be accepted.

                      As buyer you are entittled to ask any question to your agent regarding the house that you have intrest in. this will help know whether to buy the house or if it fits your requirement for you to buy that house. Here are a few questions for you to guide you.

• HOW IS THE NEIGHBOURHOOOD

                                                                      This is mainly knowing who sorrounds you in the enviroment you choose to live in, are there schools, hospitals, mall. This will make your enviroment more condusive.

• DO YOU HAVE PAYMENTS PLANS

                                                                        As a buyer the real estate agent that you choose might have payment plans that can help your buget and help you use your resources wisely.

• HOW IS THE SECURITY

                                                                  Security is a key factor to consider when  buying  a house , many buyer will ask about security for them to know whether the place they choose is secure for them and their families.

• WHAT THE RISK OF NATURAL DISASTER

                                          This important because of  disasters such as earthquakes , floods ,fire. This allows you to prepare yourself incase such things happen

• HOW LONG HAS THE HOUSE BEEN ON SALE

                                                                   The longer the house sits on the market, the more the seller is motivated to make the sale. This will help you as a buyer to know the right question to ask in order to get full information on what you want to buy.

Here are some of the things you can consider:

If you plan on moving with little ones, this is definitely something you need to consider. Especially with the way Nairobi traffic can get at a moment’s notice. 

Luckily, real estate developers such as Rama Homes have taken all these factors and more into consideration. 

One of the prominent residential developments by Rama Homes is situated in Syokimau. It has been strategically constructed here because of all the aforementioned factors. 

Gateway Park is a collection of family 3 bedroom apartments behind Gateway Mall. These beautiful 3 bedroom apartments are priced at KSh 9,000,000.

It is 5 minutes away from Mombasa road, with easy access to the Jomo Kenyatta Airport and CBD thanks to the
expressway. 

It goes without saying with such easy accessibility–Gateway Park is in proximity to a number of reputable schools such as the Aga Khan Academy. 

Gateway Park offers an amazingly competitive rental rate compared to other 3 bedroom apartments in the area. 

For as low as KSh 65,000 you could own an apartment with a little over 1,400 square feet. 

You’re probably wondering if that includes service charge.
 

Yes, it does! 

Rama Homes Limited offers the option for rent to own at the Gateway Park development. Granted the initial deposit will be higher (60%) but you will be able to immediately occupy the apartment.

You are getting more value for your money with Rama Homes. This is especially true if you opt into the 4 to 6 payment plans. It gives you the option to buy in at a lower entry point (10-30% deposit) and gives you the chance to have property that will appreciate over time.

Many of the clients who had purchased an apartment at the initial stages of Gateway Park’s construction have had up to an 18% increase in value of the property in a little over 2 years.

If you wish to take a tour of Gateway Park, feel free to get in touch with the property consultants at Rama Homes by dialing 0709 658 000.

You can also visit their offices located along Mpaka road in Westlands.

These are amazingly affordable apartments that give you a higher standard of living.