Category: Tips Advice

Ardhisasa is an online platform that allows Citizens, other stakeholders and interested parties to interact with land information held and processes undertaken by Government.

Ardhisasa is an online platform that allows Citizens, other stakeholders and interested parties to interact with land information held and processes undertaken by Government. At the click of a button, users will now be able to search and carry out various land transactions, drastically reducing human interactions, delays and other inconveniences previously experienced at manual land registries.

Land registration is the official recording of legally recognized interests in land and is usually part of a cadastral system. Legally, this is different from deeds registration, where the documents filed in the registry are the evidence of title, and registration of title, in which the register itself serves as the primary evidence.

Cadastral is a map showing the extent, value, and ownership of land, especially for taxation. Speaking about the conversation of land and the important of cadastral map for the process, the cabinet secretary for land and physical planning, Farida Karoney stated that the process starts with preparation of cadastral maps and the conversion list indicating new and old numbers for parcels within a registration unit, and their corresponding acreage. Cadastral maps are very detailed, indicating size, ownership and ownership changes, providing a continuous record.

To access any land services in Kenya from the Ministry of Lands, Ardhisasa is the right platform. Unlike the old days when things were done manually, you can access the services anywhere and instantly. Simply register an account, then log in to the platform to request the service you need. Therefore, when you get into Ardhisasa platform, there are six services tabs which you can easily access depending on the services one may want. Below is the summary for those services.

Under land registration: Registration of a certificate of either titles or leases, replacement of titles, a search of the property and various charges and transfer of property.

Land Administration. Subdivision of land, extension or renewal of the lease, change of user, lease preparation, and subdivision of property.

Physical planning. Approval of part development plans, plan preparation and certificate of compliance.

Survey and mapping. Search for sectional property, application of new grants, amalgamation (merging) of property and also an application for re-survey.

How to Apply for Transfer of Interest in Land on Ardhisasa

Valuation: asset valuation, government leasing, government purchase, estate administration and arbitration.

Adjudication and settlement. Users can access formal judgment on a disputed case as well as settlement agreements.

National Land Commission. Users can access land allocation services.

For this particular articles we are going to look at land registration and services related to land registration that you will likely want when interacting with Ardhisasa. These services are greatly being informed by the Land Registration Act which gives provision on Certificate of title and Certificate of lease, production of certificates, procedure for claiming indemnity, transitional provisions on rights, liabilities and remedies of parties over land among others.

Under land registration tab:

Like most government service-oriented digital platforms, the NLMS system commonly known as Ardhisasa is self-service. This is to eliminate the presence of third parties, thus reducing the risk of fraud, reduce the risk of missing files which has been a problem in the land sector for ages. Therefore, as in other tabs, below are the services which you can easily get under land registration tab

1)     Application for issuance of cautions and restrictions and registration of executors

A Caution is a notice in the form of a register to the effect that no action of a specified nature in relation to the land in respect of which the notice has been entered may be taken without first informing the person who gave the notice. A Caution is registered in order to protect the interests of a party claiming to have a proprietary interest in a property.

Documents to apply caution

v  Caution application form (3 original)

v  Letter from area chief (copy)

v  PIN certificate (copy)

v  Identity card

v  Passport (original)

2)     Leases short term and long term

A lease is a contract outlining the terms under which one party agrees to rent an asset—in this case, property—owned by another party. It guarantees the lessee, also known as the tenant, use of the property and guarantees the lessor—the property owner or landlord—regular payments for a specified period in exchange. A short-term lease generally refers to a lease that is either month-to-month, for three months or anything up to six months, while a long-term lease is anything longer than six months.

Registration of title deeds and leases

The process of transferring a title deed is as follows:

v  the purchaser obtains a land rent clearance certificate

v  The seller then needs to apply, pay and obtain a rates clearance certificate from the county office in which the land is located. The certificate cost around Ksh 10,000.

v  Apply for a search on the title deed which takes not more than 3 working days at a cost of Kshs 500.

v  The seller then needs to apply for and obtain the consent to transfer from the National land commission. The document costs about Kshs 1,000 and takes not more than 2 weeks.

v  Valuation of the land by government valuer to ascertain the amount to be paid as stamp duty.

v  Paying the stamp duty, the amount indicated on the valuation report is then to be paid to the commissioner for Domestic taxes (KRA) and the payment receipt presented as proof.

v  The final step of the transfer is to lodge stamped transfer documents for registration at the local land office. This process takes no more than 2 weeks. and title deed is a document that proves ownership and legal right over a piece of land.

3)     Replacement of title deeds

Following the closure of the old registers, the Registrar is obliged to give announcement to Kenyans on the replacement of the titles. The Order provides a specific form (Form LRA 97) to be used by land owners applying for the replacement of their old title documents. The completed application form will need to be accompanied by the person’s original title document, KRA pin, applicant photograph, a certified copy of their national identity card or passport, or similar details of directors, in the case of companies.

1)     Report and obtain a police abstract from the nearest police station.

2)     Apply for a search of the lost title deed

3)     Place a caveat protecting your property from illegal transactions

4)     Filing of a statutory declaration

5)     Publishing of your name in the Kenya Gazette

6)     Confirmation of whether the title deed replacement procedure was dully followed

7)     Green Card and White Card entries. A green card is issued when the land is freehold. A white card issued when the land is leasehold.

 
4)     Land searches and transfer of title

Land search is an application made to find out the ownership details of a property, and other interests that have been registered on that property.

Process of doing land search on Ardhisasa.

v  Log into your account using your ID number and your password.

v  On the left hand side click on services.

v  Under land registration option, click search.

v  Click on new application.

v  Under search details enter the parcel number and click add parcel. Ensure to use the correct title number or parcel number.

v  Enter the purpose for search.

v  Select scope of search which is either particulars of the subsisting entries in the register or particulars noted on the property section / proprietorship section / power of attorney register / registered documents register. Click next to proceed.

v  Confirm details and submit.

The cost.

Kenya online search is a paid feature, which costs Ksh 500 per search. The money is payable through M-PESA, ATM card, or credit card. The payment platform is fully integrated into the Ardhisasa platform, with all the instructions on how to pay provided.

Conclusion.

While in the past, land registration has been more hectic and confusing leaving holes where the cartels are taking money from the citizens, the ministry of land is in the process of moving land sector into digital system with an aim of making work easy for its service provision. The process will now be easier since you will be able to do most of the steps online.  This means that there will be a new process that will be fast and easy. We premier will still bring you the latest development in the land sector. We will be able to assist you for any services you may require.

Conveyancing is the legal transfer of a property from one owner to another. The process involves a conveyancing solicitor or licensed conveyancer who acts on behalf of the buyer to ensure their client receives the title deeds to the property and the land it sits on. The scope of this is that it covers various procedures for certain land transaction. Ardhisasa is a national land information management system. The platform which is set by ministry of land to enable Kenyans to access credible, reliable and efficient land-based services

The process of reforms in land sector through National land information system commonly known as Ardhisasa covers wide areas. This ranges from mode of transaction, mode of payment and the period of services. It was anticipated that these changes would touch the law aspect. This will obviously be a process because the changes will greatly help to minimize the hustle of looking for documents at the registry. For instance, unlike other titles with green card (a document that holds the original records of all transactions relating to a piece of land), GLA title is very hard to get due to missing documents.

Explained: How Ardhisasa will curb fraud on land transactions

Initial land statutes

Originally there were various statutes to which you would have titles registered, they include the R. TA, G.L.A, LTA, Sectional Properties, Registration of Documents Act and Land (Group Representative) Act. However, to bring efficiency and transparency Government proposed the land reforms in an attempt of unifying these statutes under one law or act.

 On 31st December 2020, the Lands and Physical Planning Ministry (Ministry) announced that all title deeds issued under the Indian Transfer of Property Act, the Registered Land Act (RLA), the Registration of Titles Act (RTA), the Land Titles Act (LTA), and the Government Lands Act (GLA) shall be cancelled and replaced with new ones under the Land Registration Act, 2012 (Act). It is in this continuity where the Ardhisasa platform will generate new titles under land registration act.

Differences in titles deeds under different laws

Title deeds bear the title of the law that they are issued under, just below the coat of arms. Title deeds issued before 2012 bore the title of the now-repealed Registered Land Act, but titles issued after 2012 bear the titles of both the repealed and the new law.

Rational for digitization.

Land registration has over years been governed by different legal provisions, a situation that made the process susceptible to fraud. In the conversion, the ministry said the ownership, size, and any interests registered against an old title will not be affected. The land registration process will be centralized under one regime in line with the Constitution. Registry Index Maps (RIMs) will replace deed plans as registration instruments said Land Cs, Farida Karoney.

Must Read: How the process of digitization works though ardhisasa at Ardhi House

Change of parcel numbers

Land Registration Act 2012 needs georeferencing of land parcels to produce cadastral plans and maps to eliminate overlap of the land parcels. Migrating of titles will see the parcel of land given new parcel numbers. For instance, in the Nairobi the area where this digitization has been done, the parcel of land identified as L.R. No. 209/7229 is now Parcel Number 1 in Nairobi/Block1 while L.R. No. 4393/12 in Nairobi/Block2 is now Parcel Number 1 in Nairobi/Block2.

While many Kenyans has raised concerns on the trust and confidence in applying for new titles, the Ardhisasa system is a platform that will restore public confidence. That is why digitization is a priority. The best way to assure the landowners is to put in place a system that is not only accessible to them but is also kept away from fraudsters said Farida Karoney when she was asked about the new titles.

Process involves in changing of titles

According to the ministry of land Cs, the process of replacing old titles starts with preparation of cadastral maps and the conversion list indicating new and old numbers for parcels within a registration unit, and their corresponding acreage. Cadastral maps are very detailed, indicating size, ownership and ownership changes, providing a continuous record.

•        After the maps are drawn, they will be published with a conversion list.

•          After this stage, landowners will have a chance to lodge complaints for consideration of the ministry.
•          Old registers will then be closed and all transactions will be under the new register.
•         Kenyans would then get a chance to apply for replacement of title documents from the old registers free of charge.

Conveyancing of properties held by the institution

A key challenge involves the process entailed in conveyancing and conversion of titles held by banks as collateral or in court pending determination of cases. The ministry has however given a guideline by informing the landowners whose titles are held by banks as collateral will have to talk to their banks so the financial institutions can facilitate their application for the title replacement. Some of the titles are held by hospitals and courts and shall only be replaced on the application by a proprietor, who will have to liaise with the third party to facilitate the replacement process.

You may have missed: How Ardhisasa affects conveyancing of land in Nairobi

What happens to existing title deeds?

Under the old land law, title deeds were issued under any one of the following statutes, which have now been repealed:

The Registered Land Act (RLA);

The Registration of Titles Act (RTA);

The Land Titles Act (LTA); and

The Government Lands Act (GLA)

Title deeds issued under the RLA and RTA continue to be valid notwithstanding the new laws. These are the most common title deeds in Kenya. In due course, the registrar will issue new title deeds in the new prescribed form.

Titles to be examined and registered afresh: with this digitization process, title deeds issued under the GLA and LTA will have to be examined and registered afresh under the new laws. There are no specific timelines prescribed for the examination and fresh registration, save that this has to be done ‘as soon as conveniently possible’ – as provided in the new laws. This does not mean that GLA and LTA title deeds invalid. However, they will only be recognized under the new laws after their examination and fresh registration.

Don’t Miss: Online Land Search in Kenya through Ardhisasa

Conclusion

The task of enacting new land laws is Kenya in alignment with the land reforms which has seen land sector go digital. This process cannot be easy not least because land has always been an emotive subject in Kenya, eliciting views from persons across the economic divide. Our law makers have spent a lot of time trying to balance the views of Kenyans but even with this, there are many areas to be polished as we continue with this long journey towards true land reforms.

Illiteracy is proving to be difficult as most dealers in land are completely confused on how to use the system. Therefore, here at premier we shall be giving you step by step guidelines in regards to these changes which are crucial in our normal operations but are disregarded by many.

Having your own website is very important in real estate business. If you are not having a real estate website for your company, you are missing a large pool of potential customers active on the internet. Below are the reasons why website is important for your real estate business and why you need it for

1.       Builds credibility

With the affluence of online scams, online customers have become weary about who they buy from. They will need to be persuaded before they feel comfortable enough to take a chance on your business. A website is a statement of legitimacy and a way of instilling confidence in your business. Without a website you’ll limit your ability to reach new clients and persuade them to do business with you. Your website’s credibility can directly impact your rankings, too. Google wants to deliver trustworthy websites to its users. See ways your website should build credibility for Your real estate investing business

2.       It’s a marketing tool

Your website is the best marketing tool. . It serves as a virtual equivalent of a physical business for the 3 billion internet users. A good website declares to the world that an organization exists, what value it offers, and how to do business. When someone is looking for the properties you sell or a business they consult Google, Bing, Yahoo, or whichever search engine it might be. In the results, your web pages are returned but this depends with how closer you are to the top of SERPs (search engine results pages). The closer you are, the more likely it is that people will visit your website and from there make your sales. Websites helps to drive relevant traffic to the site and visitors are people who are likely to purchase your properties. Learn 10 effective ways to use website as a marketing tool and convert your visitors to new customers and build a loyal following.

3.       It educates your clients

Your website is a source of education for your clients. So much information is gained by users browsing a website. Before making any decisions, customers do a research. For example if a person wants to invest on commercial properties they will do a research first There are so many things going on in the commercial property investment at any one time that you can and should let the people know. You can also maintain regular updates for your clients on the many different market indicators. What users see and read shapes the perception of the company or brand in the user’s decision-making.  So, having the best content on your website is important so that your website acts as your main marketing tool. The content should also aim at bringing the customers up to speed if you want them to understand.

4.       Helps in Creating online presence

Your online presence is very important because it’s what allows people to find you, interact with you, and get to know, like, and trust you. Building an online presence is more than just creating a platform that consumers can visit. It’s more about creating brand awareness and gaining followers, leads, customers and educates people through content. Besides social media, one of the first places people will go to find out more about your company is your website. Every aspect of your brand’s online presence radiates out from your website. A website is the virtual address of every business and the face value of your business on the internet. Having a website for your business is the fundamental requirement of today’s corporate world. Not just a website but a great website. A great website is one that is user-friendly, aesthetically pleasing, and well-suited to driving conversions. Such website will grab the attention of the users that are funneled into it.

5.       It helps in  brand building

Websites helps in promoting brand. It reflects your brand identity, builds your brand reputation, increases exposure and awareness.  If you aim to reinforce your market position you need to strengthen your band image helps to showcase your business and your products

The following are some website elements that can be used as a branding tool:

        I.            Logo -Logo design is directly related to your brand identity. It makes you stand out from competitors and creates necessary associations with your brand.

      II.            Impressive about us page- People usually browse the About Us page to get to know more about the organization. You should therefore come up with a creative about us page that stands out on its own. On this page tell who you are, what’s important for you, how you work, and show that you strive to match clients preferences and interests

    III.            Color -the use of proper color can build brand identity and evoke strong emotion. The color used for your website determines how you are perceived by consumers. If you want to build excitement or interest when people see your brand, find out which colors can do that. For instance Apple has used white to convey cleanliness, technology, and innovation and Coke’s use of red in their website to stay consistent with their existing brand.

    IV.            Web design- The overall design and layout speak to how your users interact with your website.  Good web design can get you customers, and enable you to keep them at the same time. Keep the design modern.

      V.            Web content- The write-up has to capture the users attention or imagination, otherwise, they will not stay on the website for long. Define your audience, be different, optimize and promote your content, and repeat your message.

6.       Targets the millennial

A well-designed website must be appealing to the new generations whom it is targeting. Millennial are definitely part of your target market. They are beginning to make up a bigger population of home buyers and this trend is bound to continue. They are the first online searchers. A well build and well customized website, one that is appealing to them , draws their attention. They take a lot of time on content consumption especially on visual content and it’s from this that they are able to make a decision to purchase your property. See 7 takeaways for driving millennial to your website.

7.       Making a powerful impression

Your website represents who you are and what you offer. When people first lay eyes on your website, they’ll subconsciously make a host of judgments about your company’s reliability, credibility, trustworthiness, professionalism, business practices and overall quality. A website that is visually appealing and easy to navigate. Creates a positive impression to users. This is how a good real estate should should look like

        I.            It should have all the necessary contact information and clearly state what products and services you offer.

      II.            Great content – You could work on creating a blog that will actually be a resource to homeowners, instead of aggressively selling

    III.            Easy to navigate-Make it easy for visitors to find their way from the homepage to any other page with the information they seek.

    IV.            High quality photos- Take photos that have high-resolution to captures user’s attention  ad that establish the type of properties you specialize in.

      V.            Use maps  Helps customers get a glimpse of all the available properties in a given area fast, or get a quick snapshot of what kind of area a particular property is located.

    VI.            Testimonials- To build social proof. It puts clients at ease and make you look more credible.

  VII.            Search feature- You need to incorporate search engine optimization. Learn SEO step by step by step guide that will help a website or piece of content rank higher on Google.

Summary

As an agent who is looking for more clients or a better marketing strategy, putting up your own website is the next step that you should do. If you want your website to be easily discoverable in search engines then you should optimize your website with effective Real Estate SEO.

It may seem a bit unclear when it comes to the role and responsibilities of a real agent. It may be unclear with wide speculations on whether they sell or they buy or across a wide range of products in real estate investments in Kenya. The wide range of real estate investments has different purposes including; residential purposes, commercial purposes, industrial purposes as well as undeveloped parcels of land. Real estate agents are individuals that are licensed as well as authorized to buy, sell or lease on behalf of their clients. They transact on behalf of their clients and act as brokers in the real estate industry in Kenya. Also, they perform a wide range of duties depending on their areas of specialization one may be specialized in lands, the other one on houses and so on. Their common term in Kenya is brokers”. Some of their responsibilities and roles revolve around the following:

Listing- this would be termed as the main role and responsibility of real estate agents in Kenya. They identify property that their owners want to sell, help the owners decide their terms and conditions on the property and list them for sale on various platforms. Identification also comes about through referrals from pervious owners. This listing includes advertising the property on sale.

Inspection and locating property listed- once a buyer has shown their potential to buy certain property, the real estate agent in Kenya makes the necessary arrangements for the them to inspect as well as show them the location of the property. They are the ones who know the exact location, say in Nairobi that the house is located or where exactly in Kiambu is the piece of land located. They also are responsible to help you inspect the property you are purchasing and giving you advice on the same. They need to have gathered all the necessary information that pertains to that particular property as they are the mediators of the property or rather, they talk on behalf of the client.

Market trend and analysis –real estate agents in Kenya are also responsible for analyzing the market trends. They need to have information on the market prices whether it favors the buyers that is the buyer’s market, the seller’s market or a neutral market. They advise the sellers on the suitable amount to sell their properties based on the market information collected. They advise accordingly and in terms of location as well as their recent sales. If the real estate agent represents that buyer, they help the buyers when it comes to their bargaining rights and agreements. Since they know the market trends, they help them decide the appropriate amount to place on a property deal, negotiate on behalf of the buyers ad well as help ease the terms and conditions of assigned to a certain property.

 Valuer- real estate agents in Kenya help in valuation of properties. They help determine the value of the property at its existing conditions and if anything was changed, the value addition or reduction associated.

Negotiations- real estate agents in Kenya are responsible for facilitating negotiations between a seller and a buyer. Buying property or land is more of a process than transactions. Real estate agents should therefore help both the seller and the buyer depending on who they stand for. For buyers real estate agent, it is crucial to understand property counter offers before offering their own offers.

Bottom Line

Any real estate agent must create trustworthiness in every role and responsibility they have. It is required of them to make sure that they take their responsibilities carefully and mindful to their clients. If you need to connect to genuine real estate agents in Kenya and around Nairobi you can reach to us through the comment section and we will link you up.

Just like any other industry communication with clients is a basic activity. Whether they are clients that you have reached a closure with or are just prospects clients that you need to convert into potential leads, in whichever case, communication with them is essential. It doesn’t matter if it is during the start of the business or end of business. It is necessary to understand how communication can help you increase your sales as well as maintaining relationships between clients.

Here are some tips on how to effectively communicate with your clients for efficient outcomes.

Communicating through professional numbers.

In Nairobi and in many other parts of the country, a professional number calling to communicate something is almost taken seriously. Personal numbers may feel like hidden agendas though still, it depends how you communicate and articulate yourself to the client. In real estate, calling a potential client or one that has recently purchased with you through a professional dashboard number may boost your potential in sale. It is mostly seen as a very official number when communicating with clients. Mostly these are the numbers that you may find when you google the same company. Matters relating to land and property are seen as sensitive as they involve huge capitals. Therefore, personal numbers maybe inappropriate communicating such matters to the clients. Also, the phone calls should be articulated in the most humblest form. Remember the saying that says the client is always right, make the client feel that comfortable.

Expert Tips on How to Land Your First Real Estate Client

Emailing your clients through professional emails

Busy clients are easy in remembering through emails. Emailing them through professional emails makes it easier to remember. For example, if one was interested in connecting with the rights agents and emailed property254 for assistance on the same, sending a professional email through the property254 email, the client later will just need to remember the company they were dealing with and search the name, this will display all the communication between the company and the client. Again, the customer will feel comfortable as the communication is between a company and the client and this gives some level of security and certainty.

Texting clients professionally

A simple text message can either build you up or destroy everything up. In real estate investments it is necessary to have your texts lined up in a way that is professional. If you have a company , in Kenya it is easier to link up your company in such a way that when you text the client what appears is the name of your company. When your company name pops up as a message in your client’s phone. As it is said, it is easy to remember what appears bold in your eyes.

Best Tips to Get Real Estate Clients

Be friendly

While addressing real estate clients, you need to keep it professional and with a friendly tone. Try to check out all the needs of a client and know how to help them solve their needs by offering them a kind gesture of solutions to their needs. Make sure you ask them enough questions, in a friendly open discussion while keeping it professional. Do not feel like you are the superior one when it comes to business but rather treat these clients with kindness. Mae sure you always reach a closure with your clients and if promising to call them back, reach out to clients in the said timing. Always keep it on time and if you are to remind them something, do it at the appropriate time with respect to the client.

Know your product

While communicating with your real estate clients, make sure that you are familiar with the product you are selling to them be it-land or house or any other type of property. The reason attached to this is that you will be able to explain to the client details of the said product without them thinking that you are guess working about it. For example, there are many times clients have asked about the real agent attached to certain property. With such confusion, it would make clients scared of business that they would have rather taken through. When you have the knowledge on your product, great communication skills, it would convert many potential leads into sales.

Finally, it is necessary to have effective communication skills to as to reap maximum profitability through a sale. As much as words count, the body language certainly counts too.

A home or a domicile is a space used as a permanent or semi permanent resident for an individual, group, or family. It is a fully or semi-sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it. It is one of the places one can live, laugh and learn in a conducive environment.

A home is somewhere one is loved, respected, and cared for and when looked from outside, it is just a house. Therefore, we need to be careful and have concerns about how to advance or refurnish a house before listing it for sale. So that we can make an improvement on the house and as well add value to the investment.

A home purchase is therefore rather in a residential area, quiet, far from the turbulences of the heart of the cities. It is also most often, the acquisition of principal residence but in some cases especially in areas with a high choice of a house as real estate investment opportunity in Kenya.

Here are some areas around the home that should be checked and well renovated to increase the price of the home before listing a house for sale.

                 1.Decluttering and cleaning.

                 2.Painting.

                 3.Upgrade the Lighting.

                  4.Bathrooms.

                   5.Kitchen.

                   6.Walls and Ceilings.

                   7. Floorings, Replace the carpets.

                   8. Make Your Ground Neat and Elegant.

   Decluttering and Cleaning.

This is a process of tossing out tchockls from your living room or any other area in the house to remove messes and to create a space. It involves getting rid of unnecessary things such as clothes, crowdings in a closet to make a room or areas in the house tidy. when this is done, the buyers will be much convinced and impressed with the organization in the house and all over the room and this will make you make a profit when selling the house.

Sometimes the clutter masks the underlying problems with your home. Less clutter opens up the space and opens your perspectives as well. One should use cluttering as a chance to fix any problem around the house as it might deter buyers.

  It Inspires the Buyer’s Imagination.

One of the most important things to consider when listing your home for sale is to spur people’s imagination. And clutter can only deter them. Before selling your home you want to sell them the idea of their future home so you want it neutral enough but on a brick of greatness. clutter can hinder all that if not considered.

Decluttering also increases your home value.

The main goal of any home improvement is to increase the home value. This can be done by a simple act of decluttering. Homes that have plenty of clutter seem like they have not been maintained. Homes can be cleaned and look perfect in regard. On the other hand, homes without clutter seem like they have been maintained and people are willing to pay good prices for a well-maintained home.

It also improves the smell of the home and brings good air circulation which buyers consider. Potential buyers can imagine themselves living in a home with stale air and a smell is the first thing client will notice when entering your home. it is also easier to stage your home when it is cluttered. stagging a home is one of the ways you can increase its price.

                 Painting.

This is another attractive way of enhancing the appearance of the home for the clients. Painting is a way of showing the buyers how neat and impressive the exterior parts and interior parts of the house look. Painting of the house should be done while considering colors to be used in each section of the house. Brighter colors should be considered attractive to the eyes of the buyers hence increasing the price and quality of the house.

Painting can yield at least a return of 2 – 1 on investment. For example, you spent $3000 on the house and that will be increased by$6000 in the sales price and that sells quicker and every time. Painting the home interiors increases the home curb appeal and this makes one return a percentage on their initial investment.

Since you want a buyer to like and buy your home by the minute they pull on the curb, painting both the interior and exterior of your home can be a great boost to your home’s curb appeal and value. It also gives a great signal to the buyer that your home is in good repair and that they won’t have to invest money right away on upkeep. this will also help remove the dirt on walls, dust, and even mildew and also brighten up the place a couple of hundred dollars.

                         Upgrade the Lighting.

Lighting in the whole home brings a very attractive look, it cheers the rooms and even creates a lively appearance on the rooms and that will impress the buyers. Checkup the lighting in your rooms more so on both the living and dining rooms, unscrew them and fix brilliant replacements in their place. If your other rooms have aged light bulbs, consider swapping them with new ones that have proper voltage for the kind of fixtures in the room. This is one of the best ways to make a home energy efficient which is desired by many buyers nowadays.

You may also consider adding more lamps and fixtures such as under cabinets lighting, desk lamps, bedside lamps accent lighting, and tread lighting. Consider that showing often happens at different times of the day so that you can consider natural lightings.

Examine your curtains and blinds to ensure they are not affecting what natural lights cold have in the room. Being a key curb appeal, exterior lightings also matters. Make it well by adding path lights to create a welcoming impression. Also note that dark furnishing, floorings and walls, and ceilings are known to interfere with room lights. To be on the safer side, you can work with an experienced interior designer who will help and consider that.

                 Bathrooms.

Consider the bathrooms in the home for you to attract the buyers more so their safe side because some people use the slippery tiles on the bathroom that may cause sliding when showering and that won’t attract our buyers. Check the lightings around as that is to be considered too.

Buyers also love the bathrooms that bring luxury and they will want to envision themselves enjoying this in their new home. It is also good to consider simple and perfect renovation just for a home sale. It is not a wise investment to do a full, costly renovation just for a home sale. It simply doesn’t translate into a profit.

                    Kitchen

It is true that the kitchen is the heart of every home which is why the buyers always prioritize the look of the kitchen and the impression that it brings. it is also one of the best ways to sell your home. Refresh your cabinets by checking on their paintings, also be mindful of the color scheme around the kitchen stick with good colors to appeal to most buyers.

Swap in new fixtures over the island and kitchen sinks checks the lightings in the kitchen area, and fix where necessary. You can invest in a good quality dishwasher if they still look good consider maintaining them to check the cost. Give the kitchen a serious deep clean, bright and shiny. There are lots of gloss surfaces in the kitchen and to see them dull, scratched, scuffed, or chipped is a turn-off to the buyers. A sparkling clean oven is also non-negotiable. If you want to drop dollars off your home you need to sell it if you have taken top-dollar care of it.

                          Walls and Ceilings.

 Buyers are always worried about what might be hidden behind our walls .so walls should be painted and you have to consider the right paint for all areas around the home. Ceilings should be worked on in case there are damages caused by rains. The Ceilings should as well considered because they bring an impact on the lighting in the rooms in our homes.

It is a sheetrock celling the paper on the back of the sheetrock can be a food source for mold. That should be removed and replaced with new drywall. Then drywall tape should be applied and the ceiling should be skim coated with joint compound, to blend the drywall into the existing ceiling. If the ceiling is plaster the repair will be easier because plaster doesn’t have food for mold.

Regardless of what ceiling is made off, finish the job with a fresh coat of paints across the entire ceiling.

                            Floorings and Replacement of Carpets.

When selling a home one feature that buyers will focus their attention on, is on the floor. in fact, flooring can make a break from the sale of the home if not checked on. Furniture, floorings becomes even more important as it is the first thing you see on entering the house. Flooring brings a good impact on real estate sales.

Any improvement should either improve the home value and help the house sell faster. Hardwood floors just add another level of quality to a home. Check the carpet for cleanliness has to observe by our buyers and one has to take note of that. A high percentage of buyers have been seen to prefer the hardwood floors so I would consider that as well more so in the main living areas.

The hardwood floors are preferred because it is considered strong, lasting and attractive to the buyers who we want to impress. if it is well done and in good shape, the buyers will fall for it. A home value can also be downgraded quite a bit if the flooring sticks out like a sore thumb. When the carpets are dirty and smelly, pet odors and stains can be a huge turn-off and may even turn some buyers away. The new buyer will be impressed with the new look and value of the home and that will make u good dollars from your home.

                                   Summary.

   In summary real estate has been the most improved and developed business in Kenya. When one is planning to his or her home for sale u have to countercheck the whole home from the interiors to the exterior. Simple renovation should be considered in the home where necessary for the impression of our buyers. Therefore all rooms should be well checked and corrected because one outdated room can stand out to hurt a sale. Before you do any last-minute work, set a budget and make sure you finish what you started. With that, a good investment will have been made from the home.

Whether it’s the purchase of land or purchase of a house, good real estate agent will help you on various aspects from setting the right price, negotiating, conducting any searches needed, transferring title and can help you save time and money. Purchase or sale of real estate property will have a big impact on your life and finances and finding the right real estate agent to guide you through the is very important.

Without knowledge of a good real estate agent, finding a good one can be as easy as finding a needle in a haystack. We have summarized tips below for you to guide you in the process of selecting a good real estate agent

1.      Seek referrals from family and friends.

2.      Review the agents experience.

3.      Assess the agents core values.

4.      Review potential conflict of interest.

5.      Check for chemistry.

Seek referrals from family and friends.

To reduce the risk of getting a raw deal when buying or selling property, seek referrals from family and friends. Family and friends who have purchased properties before or made property sales can point you to a good real estate agent. Getting referrals saves you time that you would have spent researching. This helps to ensure you stand a high chance of also getting a positive working experience with the agent. You should particularly seek agents who went above and beyond in service of their clients. While technology has helped with listing sites being easily available, getting a trusted real estate agent needs a human interaction. Thus, getting a referral from someone you already trust helps.

If you do not have any family or friends to provide you with referrals, we have in our website provided you with agent ratings. This helps you assess the agent performance from other clients.

Review the agents experience

Top real estate agents have un pararelled understanding of the market both on a macro and micro level. A good real estate agent should answer any specific questions and if not, should know someone who can. The agent should understand new developments that have come up, price ranges, other agents and information about the neighborhood you are interested in.  The agent should offer you information about a neighborhood like schools and other social developments. When getting the answers from the agent, do a little research and compare the answers you get.

While newer agents may be talented and with a greater drive, experience gained from knowledge about the transaction processes is invaluable. Most challenges during purchase take place on the process and a good agent should know the process of transferring property. An experienced agent usually has a larger network meaning they seek information about property for sale from a wider network.

Review the other listings they have and any past sales that you can verify. If they have data on previous sales, then it makes them a credible real estate agent. We have in our website provided you with a way to check the existing and previous sales to make this easier for you.

Nowadays, the build of real estate transactions starts online. The internet has brought numerous opportunities and your agent should exploit this to get you a good price for your listed property or find a reasonably priced property for you to buy. Most agents nowadays have a website or Facebook page which they can use to market or look for property. Check the agents interactions with other people on social media for an assessment of how tech savvy they are.

 Assess the agents core values

As the current industry has been infiltrated by unscrupulous agents, it’s important to assess the values that the agent has so that they are playing within the rules that are laid down for real estate transactions. First impressions matter. When you meet or talk with the agent for the first time, look at how they dress, their passion for the work and the level of honesty.  Consider in your research if the agent is consistent in explaining why a property is listed for sale, the seller or buyer flexibility on price and the way they are explaining the process.

Beware of any agent who hurries you to make payment on the property or who is not upfront with property details. They could be hiding something.

Review conflicts of interest

Your real estate agent needs to provide you with options that meet your specifications and budget. If they are consistently not doing this, they may be looking out for themselves of the other seller/purchaser.   While you may have provided an agent with a tight budget to work within, the agent needs to be patient with you and any circumstances you may be facing. It’s always good to follow your gut feeling.  If you find the agent is pushing you towards different parameters of price and neighborhoods than you originally agreed on, it may be time to reconsider. If you feel the real estate agent you are currently using is not the right person, they probably are not.

A good agent needs to communicate well with you. They should keep you updated on properties available that have come up for sale, or customer enquiries on your listed properties.

Many realtors get in the bad habit of cultivating radio silence, and essentially cutting clients out of the loop as they go about making important marketing decisions on their own. A good agent should ensure you have all the details you need at your fingertips, advise and involve you in every step. Be wary of agents that act as both the seller and buys agent. These agents at time coach both sides and the transactions may not be as efficient as could be.

Ensure you have chemistry with the agent

You will be spending a lot of time and having numerous conversation with your agent. For the process to be easy, the relationship with the agent needs to be right that is pegged on having a good connection.  While having local knowledge and having the experience is a great plus, the chosen real estate agent should guide you through the process in a manner that allows you maximum decision making through out the process.  Getting a real estate agent is like dating. If you don’t feel the chemistry on a personal level, the earlier you end it the better before it leads to a bad marriage.

A good agent should listen and understand your needs from the kind of property you want to purchase or sell, your budget and the timelines you are working on.

When speaking with an agent, gauge the conversation and see if you clicking. As you are investing a substantial milestone, ensure that the agent has your best interests at heart. Check if your agent works part or full time. This will help you gauge how committed they will be to selling your property or seeking purchase alternatives for you. Full time agents are usually flexible on the time they can take you to view a property or to take potential purchasers to view your property. If you feel the timing and flexibility does not meet your needs, then getting another agent is a good idea.

Conclusion:

Getting the right real estate agent makes a big difference during a real estate transaction. We hope the above guide helps you get an agent that really supports you and helps you to make a great, well-informed selection. If you are unable to find a good fit, do not hesitate to let us know and we shall link you up. Also, let us know in the comments below anything we missed.

Any real estate agent’s dream is to generate quality local leads and sales. They want to meet with eligible clients and increase their sales but how will they go about it? In today’s era majority of people who want to purchase a real estate property go online to do so. The best thing about Real estate SEO never rests, it ensures possible leads 24 hours a day, seven days a week, without the need to pay ads or make phone calls.

What is Real Estate SEO?

Real estate SEO (Search Engine Optimization) refers to website development content and strategies that make your content and website easily accessible online. These tactics turns your website into a legitimate and reliable real estate website, giving you more customer traffic and better search engines rankings.

Why does Real Estate need SEO?

As more and more real estate agents invest in SEO, online visibility is critical to the success of their businesses as it;

·        Increase traffic and revenue

Strong SEO strategy that includes high-quality content not only increase your traffic, but it also attracts more relevant audiences and a higher chance of being a customer when you publish relevant content and keywords. Using the right conversion rate, the traffic can be converted into new revenue.

·        Boost brand awareness

Additionally, high quality SEO content establishes your company as a source of information, which helps your viewers trust you. When someone reads your content and finds value in it, you interact well with your product, which raises product awareness. Improved brand awareness raises conversion rates even further.

Below are tips to improve your real estate websites that will lead to sales

1.   Start with SEO Audit

SEO audit helps determine which pages work best and where you can improve. Although research takes time, it serves as a tracker of your progress and gives you with the data you need to develop a roadmap.

If you have no organic traffic to your site or you don’t generate leads or covert clients, there must be a reason for this. Don’t worry about it, SEO audit can help you.

Important areas to focus on are:

•     Site Layout: XML Sitemap, robots.txt, redirect.
•     Page Layout: Topics, meta descriptions, title tags, alt tags, URLs.
•     Content: Structure, keywords, visual features, duplicates, redirects, and canonical tags.
•    Links: internal and external links
•    Usability: Accessibility, mobile friendliness.

2.   Optimize for Search

With the results of your audit, make a plan for each problem. An orderly approach is best, to make sure you do not ignore anything. After fixing the problem, find other ways to improve the overall optimization.

Focus on the following:

•  Research and analysis of keywords
•  SEO friendly URLs
•  Improving meta titles and definitions
• Image setting
• The placement of the appropriate external and internal link
• Broken links
• Improving site speed
• Content development

3.   Make Sure Your Website Is Accessible

Accessibility is part of a design process that focuses on user information, making websites accessible to as many people (using any device) as possible. It is important to remember that not only beginners or inexperienced internet users benefit from accessible construction, but also people with a variety of visual, navigation, hearing, and intelligence skills. Read how and why accessibility matters for SEO.

4.   Optimize your website for Mobile Devices

Most people use mobile phones when they need to buy or sell a property online. Here are the key things to look at when optimizing your real estate website for mobile devices.

·        Responsive design

·        Page speed

·        Homepage

·        Site navigation

·        Site search

·        Usability

Responsive design automatically adapts the site to the screen of any device that is important to use. Page speed is important because if your visitors have to wait a long time, they can return to search results and find your site easy to use.  Keep it as simple as possible. If the user has to navigate through to reach the goal, they are less likely to reach the end. The Mobile-Friendly Test Tool helps you determine if your website is good and provides a list of issues that need attention.

5.   Add your website on google my business and relevant business directories

Google My Business assists businesses in getting more exposure by showcasing relevant businesses based on certain searches. Customers may easily access information about your online business on Google, such as hours and contact information. Register your website on google my business Update your listing with your;

• Company address
• URL of your website
• Contact information, including your phone number
• Photos, real estate listings, clients, etc.
• Real estate categories for instance, commercial, residential, for sale/rent.

This can help you rank higher in Google local search, giving you a better chance of competing with your competitors such as Premier Agent. Also do research on best online business directories in Kenya and list your business there.

6.   Build engagement through social media and blogs

Use the best social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Pinterest. They will not only help in ranking your search engine but also help in digital marketing strategy. Without social media, real estate agents will struggle to gain presence online.

Social media helps to;

•  Build Brand Awareness
• Generate Leads
•  Nurture Leads Connect Social Posts to Opportunities
• Measure Marketing Efforts
• Build Brand Authenticity
• Grow Your Audience
• Build a community

Whenever you share social content, add location-based hashtags and descriptions with most targeted keywords, also publish your useful content on your blogs.

Also read: Social media tips for real estate agents to elevate your marketing strategy.

7.   Use a structured schema markup

Schema Markup helps search engines in comprehending and displaying the content of your webpage in search results, which is advantageous to your real estate SEO. Your home listing page, for example, includes information such as price, location, and property size. The schema markup makes it easy for bots to interpret the content on your page and present it in search results. Adding schema markup to your real estate website improves search visibility and increases click-through rate (CTR).

Bottom Line

There are still opportunities in this competitive real estate industry. You just need to learn them. With the help of these SEO tips, you can manage your local search. If you are new in SEO, we are here to help you. Visit our website https://www.premieragent.co.ke/ or contact us 0726982982.

Taxes can be complex. But rental income taxes do not need to be. Here, we break down what rental income is and how to make payment.

First, rental income is in two forms:

        I.            Income from a residential premise (Residential Rental Income Tax)

      II.            Income from a commercial premise (Commercial Rental Income Tax)

Tax on residential rental income is payable either monthly or annually depending on the amount payable. More on this later. Income from a commercial property is assessed annually and is payable at a rate of 30% for companies and a graduated scale for individuals. If you have income from both commercial and residential premises, you may opt to treat these sources of income separately or simply opt for making unified returns.

1.   (Monthly)Residential Rental Income Tax

The Tax is payable if you receive rental income from residential property which is more than Kshs. 24,000 per month but does not exceed Ksh. 15,000,000 during any year of income. For the rent received, you pay to KRA a flat rate of 10%.

For a partnership, each partner is responsible for reporting their share of the gross rental income received subject to the Ksh 24,000 per month or 15M annual limit.

No expenses, like repairs, cleaning, electricity for common areas, repainting or so is allowed for deduction from the gross rent.

The returns for this are done on Itax on a monthly on or before the 20th of the following month. For example, rent received in February is declared and paid on or before 20th March.

If in any month you do not receive any rental income, you still need to file a return, but a NIL return.

Residential rental income is final tax therefore, you do not need to declare the same in your annual income tax returns.

The above Residential Rental Income Tax does not apply to non-residents and landlords who wish to make annual returns.

What is the penalty for late filing and late payment of Monthly Residential Rental Income Tax in Kenya?

Late filing of Monthly Residential Rental Income Tax returns attracts a penalty of:

·         2,000 or 5% of the tax due whichever is higher for individuals

·         20,000 or 5% of the tax due whichever is higher for corporates

Late payment of Monthly Residential Rental Income Tax returns in Kenya attracts a penalty of.

·         5% of the tax due and 

·         late payment interest of 1% per month on the unpaid tax until the tax is paid in full.

 Residential Rental Income Tax for non-residents in Kenya

Rental income received by a non resident is chargeable to tax at a rate of 30% of the gross rent received. Additionally, non-residents are not entitled to deduct any expense to arrive at a taxable income. The Tax is collected under the Withholding Tax (WHT) mechanism of the tenant.

Where within a building you have both commercial and residential rental income;

·         if the gross annual  rental income is above Kshs. 288,000 or less than Kshs. 15 million, all rental income is combined in the annual Income Tax return.

·         Where the gross annual rental income is from the commercial tenants and or combined (residential & commercial) and is more than Kshs. 15 million, this part of the income is accounted for as the commercial rental income and taxed at either individual graduated scale or corporate rate of 30%. Remember withholding Tax on the Rental Income will also apply.

 Withholding Tax On Rental Income

A tenant or an agent, appointed in writing by the Commissioner, is required to withhold 10% WHT on all rental made to a resident landlord for the use or occupation of immovable property. As a landlord you offset your final tax liability by any amount already  and submitted to KRA by your tenants.

  2.      Annual rental income tax returns

This is filed by landlords with rental income below Kshs. 24,000 per month or above Kshs. 15 million per year and is reported together with income from other sources annually before June 30.

·         Rent is charged on actual amount received

·         Expense incurred to generate rent is allowed under section 15 of the Income Tax Act.

·         Tax is calculated under individual graduated scale or corporate rate of 30%

·         In addition, rent on non-residential buildings (Commercial) is taxable under the VAT Act(No. 35 of 2013) – Laws of Kenya.

Processing and remitting taxes charged on rental income is not only tiresome, time consuming but it also complex. In case you need aby help, call us on 0726982982.

With property prices soaring, buying land, house or building commercial buildings on your own can be nearly impossible. Not only do you need to have deep pockets, you also need the time and energy to manage the entire process from beginning to end.

If you assess most of the top companies, nearly all of them were formed when several people teaming up with to do bigger and better deals. But such partnerships are never easy. Commitment to work together is never something to be taken lightly. The team that you surround yourself with could easily make or break the potential of success and be either the best or worst decision you will ever make.

Here are some of the biggest pros and cons of a partnering up to help ensure the one you get into will be as powerful as possible:

Advantages of a real estate partnership

Shared Responsibilities: Partners always bring something extra to the table, such as capital, connections, project experience, or professional expertise such as legal or financing. Partnering with someone who has more experience can help you minimize your mistakes and money losses.

Extra Benefits: If you are the more experienced investor in the partnership, you could contribute your expertise and time in exchange for a portion of the proceeds. For example, real estate agents make great partners because they can access real estate deals before they are public. Real estate agents also have access to networks that include homeowners, sellers and other investors, which can be helpful when you are looking for good investments and possible partners.

Less Engagement: Whether you are a part-time investor or doing it full time, you’re probably busy. A real estate partnership can be the perfect investment vehicle if you are looking for a passive investment.

Access to a network: Personalities of each partner can combine to a greater level of credibility in meetings with lenders, prospective tenants, and additional investors.

Cons of a real estate partnership

Sharing profits: Profits of the investment such as monthly income, profits from the sale, and tax benefits must be shared among the partners, limiting the potential profits for any one investor. When starting, outline very clearly how the money is going to be divided.

Personality conflicts. These can occur due to different investment and management styles, or partnership agreements that don’t clearly define who is responsible for doing what, where, and when

Disagreements: Poorly written partnership agreements can also result in a good investment going bad if responsibilities aren’t clearly agreed on. Strains in a real estate partnership can also occur if one partner feels they are doing a disproportionate share of the work without getting an equal share of the returns

Risk of capital call: The need for partners to contribute additional funds can occur if a project isn’t performing to expectations, or if one member wants to exit early and demands to be bought out by the other partners

Lack of liquidity: By investing in a real estate partnership it typically means your money is locked up in a long-term investment. This means that you may not be able to sell the property when you want to. This can be problematic if you need the money or want to reinvest it somewhere else.

No guarantee: While many people believe investing in real estate is safer than the stock market there is no guarantee you will earn a profit or even get your money back from your initial investment. Like the stock market, real estate markets fluctuate, and renovation costs can go over budget, which could impact your financial returns.

Final Thoughts

Forming a real estate partnership and buying property together can be a great way to scale up your own portfolio and take your real estate business to the next level. If a partnership is going to help you get your income and investment goals to the next level, go for it.

Surround yourself with the people you aspire to become and you will find partnership opportunities everywhere. Just don’t pursue every deal you see. Do your own due diligence depending on the amount of money involved.