How buying works | Kareithi Properties

1. Find the property

Search by area and price on this site. Everything we know is on the page: size, title status, how far from the tarmac, whether water and power are on site. If something is not there, ask and we will tell you.

2. Ask your questions on WhatsApp

Leave your name and number on any property and WhatsApp opens with that property already in the message. Kareithi answers himself. Ask anything, including what is wrong with the plot.

3. Come and see it, KSh 1,500

Any day of the week. We walk the boundary with you, show you the beacons, and let you talk to the neighbours. If you are outside Kenya, we do the same thing on a live video call at a time that works for you.

4. Do your own land search

We give you the parcel number. You, or your advocate, apply for an official search at the lands registry. It costs about KSh 500 and takes a few days. It tells you who owns the land and whether anything is sitting on it. Here is how to do one.

5. Agreement, then payment

A written sale agreement through an advocate: the parcel number, the price, the dates, and what happens if either side pulls out. You pay into the advocate's client account, in stages. Never to a personal number.

6. Transfer and your title deed

Land Control Board consent where the land is agricultural, stamp duty, then registration. Four to twelve weeks is normal. At the end the title is in your name, and we hand it over to you properly.

What this will cost you on top of the price

Budget for these from the start. They surprise people otherwise.

Stamp duty: 4% of value in urban areas, 2% rural. Paid by you.
Advocate's fees: on the statutory scale, plus disbursements.
Official search: about KSh 500.
Land Control Board consent: where the land is agricultural.
Site visit: KSh 1,500.

Capital gains tax is the seller's, not yours.

Questions people ask

How much is a site visit?

KSh 1,500 per visit, and we go any day of the week. It covers getting you there and back and the time on site. Call or WhatsApp 0718 075307 to arrange a day.

Do I have to do a land search myself?

We would prefer that you do. It costs about KSh 500 at the lands registry and it is the one check nobody should skip. We will give you the parcel number without you having to ask for it.

Who do I pay, and when?

You pay through an advocate, against a signed sale agreement, after your search comes back clean. Never to a personal M-Pesa number, a till, or anybody's private account, including ours.

What extra costs should I budget for?

Stamp duty is 4% of the value in urban areas and 2% in rural areas, paid by the buyer. Then advocate's fees, the search fee, and Land Control Board consent where the land is agricultural.

How long does the whole thing take?

From agreement to title in your name is commonly four to twelve weeks, depending on the registry and whether Land Control Board consent is needed. We will give you an honest estimate for your specific parcel.

One number, and only one.

Kareithi Properties uses 0718 075307. We will never ask you to send money to a personal M-Pesa number, a paybill, a till, or anybody's private account. If someone uses our name from a different number, call us and check first.

Ready when you are

Tell Kareithi the area and your budget. He will tell you what is there, honestly.

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