Investments

How Saving Ksh. 200 weekly made me a land owner

Words Username Properties

ared Obara is a bodaboda rider who plies his trade around Westlands in Nairobi. Through his hustle, he is able to fend for his family and save atleast Ksh 200 per week in a Chama with his mates. J

Back in 2017, he saw Username Properties advertising lands but he wasn’t keen on buy land. He could not imagine cumulatively; his weekly savings would en

able him to buy a piece of land around Nairobi and its environment because it is very expensive.

To his surprise, the prices of the advertised land were way beyond his imagination. “The plots were selling for Ksh 349,000, to me this was a too good to be true deal in Nairobi. I mean, who sells land in Ngong for Ksh 300,000? If the advert had mentioned over 1 Million that would be okay because that’s how prices of property around Nairobi sells anyway,” he narrates. and I decided to test my curiosity, having learnt that the Company had an office in Westlands, I decided to give them an impromptu visit in between my schedules. When I got to the office maybe the front office executive thought I was there to do a delivery because indeed I was on my full protective gear. Little did she know I had come to verify about Ngong plots selling at an affordable price to me.”

He booked a site visit and informed his fellow Chama members about the deal. A number of them were hesitant but a bunch agreed a went the site visit to view the plots. They were in a gated, in

a great location that one would wish to construct a residential home and settle. They selected their preferred plots and went back to consolidate their savings and they were able to book the plots and completed the six months repayment model. “I also received my title deed at no extra cost. Username Investments has come to the level of a low-income earner and made land ownership possible. This is a dream come true for a boda boda operator,” he shares excitedly, adding that, “Having invested as Chama in real estate, below are few things that I learnt;

1.Make use of your Chama If I decided to invest alone without the help of the Chama, it would not have been achievable. Saving in a Chama has enabled me own property with the savings. 2. Focus on one achievable goal and do not be over ambitious As an individual, do not combine so many activities that will take your resources and make you unable to achieve at least one. I decided to focus on purchasing land.

3. Do not be distracted by few Chama’s members who won’t cooperate It will not be possible to have all Chama members agree to an idea, however good the idea might be. What you can do it implement an idea that you have tested and majority of the members agree with.

4. Contact a genuine Company, you have worked so hard for your money just to lose it anyhow

Real estate investment requires you to invest with a legit Company so that your investment is secure. You can visit their physical offices and go for site visits so that you view the property you would to invest in.

To many Ksh 200 cannot make a home ownership dream a reality but to Jared Obara and his group this amount has made him own a property in Ngong, one of the most potential areas in Nairobi due to proximity to CBD and new infrastructure being built (Dualing of Ngong road, SGR, and the new Tarmac from Ngong – Kimuka to Maimahiu).