To say that Luxury Living in Kenya is for the chosen few would be a huge understatement. According to a 2017 Cytonn Residential Report, the typical price of a typical apartment in Nairobi and its metropolitan areas is Kes 106,840.8 per SQM.
The luxury market’s average price per square meter is approximately 84.3% higher than the standard house at Kes 193,261.3 on average. This is mainly due to the provision of more amenities, higher-quality designs, and finishing which result in higher costs of construction.
However, we’ll tell you a secret. Living in a space that screams luxury, a place that oozes ‘elegance’ can be easy to achieve without breaking your budget.
First, you must understand which features and amenities define Luxury apartments because a lot of standard apartments nowadays have a few upscale features. While many different features can be included in a luxury apartment, the ones that you should be on the looking out for are:
- A gated community
- Upgraded maximum security, including CCTV camera
- Concierge on-site 24/7
- A private health and fitness centre
- A large pool and comfortable Jacuzzi
- Game rooms
- Rooftops with outdoor seating and a BBQ area
- Billiard Room
- Swimming Pools
Living in a luxury apartment is most likely worth it as long as you factor in all the costs involved. Contrary to popular belief, it’s indeed very possible to save a lot when living in a luxury apartment in comparison to living in a standard apartment most especially when you consider any ‘extra’ costs that you mostly overlook. For example, If you live in a standard apartment, a gym membership could cost you anywhere from Kes 48,000-Kes 60,000 every year.
At this point, we haven’t even factored in costs incurred on recreational activities such as swimming, gaming, and sauna. Furthermore, most luxury apartments come fitted with a gym, a swimming pool, a spa that residents can use, which would get rid of these costs.
There are so many invigorating perks of living in a luxury apartment. For one, you’ll have access to a top-tier state-of-the-art living space, which should be equipped with numerous modern features as well as a unique interior design. Unlike standard apartments, luxury apartments have plinth areas approximately 35.5% higher as they provide additional rooms such as large balconies, laundry rooms, walk-in closets, pantries, etc.
Many of the said luxury apartments are also situated in remarkable locations that provide tenants with sensational views. In Nairobi for instance, most of these kinds of apartments are rooted in the leafy suburbs of Kileleshwa, Lavington, Westlands, Thindigua, Kilimani, Hurlingham which gives you the convenience of proximity to top tier social amenities including hospitals and schools.
The cherry on the top advantage of a luxury apartment in comparison to a standard one is that it provides ample amounts of safety and security. The majority of luxury apartment complexes are gated with 24/7 armed Security and provision of CCTV cameras, which provides tenants with the kind of security that’s usually only mostly available at such establishments.
One of the main problems of living in a standard apartment complex in Nairobi is that maintenance is typically irregular if not non-existent. On the flip side, proprietors of luxury apartment complexes are usually more willing to provide support and maintenance whenever tenants require it.
If you’ve been thinking about buying a home as an investment but are unsure about breaking the bank at the moment, luxury apartments may just be the ideal solution. Luxury apartments will give you a living situation similar to what you would get from a luxury home.
Finally, consider your long-term financial goals. If you’re thinking about retiring early and want to make sure that you have more than enough money saved or equity for retirement, luxury apartments may just be your best bet in terms of investment.
At the end of the day real estate is King and you need to be buying now!