The changing face of Karen

Once known for its serenity and magnificent standalone houses, Karen in Nairobi is slowly opening up to multi-dwelling units and other modern types of houses. From the predominantly British-style town houses, it is is embracing modern villas, town houses and maisonettes.

One of the new developments in Karen is Bogani Villas, a $10 million (Sh900 million) housing development by China Wu Yi Kenya Company Ltd on Kasuku Close off Bogani Road.

The project, which consists of 10 five-bedroom all ensuite villas sitting on five acres  - each villa will cost $1 million (Sh90 million) - started in October last year and is expected to be ready for occupation in August this year.

According to Martin Muthengi, the marketing manager at Property Insight, the sales and marketing agents of the project, there are four other developers building residential villas on Bogani Road.

Bogani Villas is offering two design design layouts, but with the same outlook.
The villas come with a fireplace, bay windows which allow in much light during day time, servant quarters, one guest bedroom on the ground floor and four ensuite bedrooms on first floor with an attic on the second floor.

The first design has a first floor terrace opening onto the balcony and is suitable for breakfast; a master bedroom on the first floor will have modern fittings, including a Jacuzzi, and a private lounge opening to the balcony.

The nearby social amenities include Brookhouse School, Hillcrest School and Karen Hospital. Shopping centres include Karen Crossroads and Galleria Mall.

Another development is the Bogani Park, a premium residential development being put up by Kenya Power Pension Fund 2006 on Bogani Road. It consists of 45 four and five-bedroom luxury town houses set on half acre plots.

The development has been conceived as an ‘English Country Estate’ in its design, layout and aesthetic. There are three house types to meet a diverse market and provide a village characteristic to the project.

The main features include a clubhouse, swimming pool, sauna, steam rooms, gym, 24-hour manned gatehouse, secure perimeter walls, backup generators and an onsite borehole.

Another development is Tipuana Gardens, featuring five, Tudor-style country homes. They offer a serene and secure lifestyle within a gated community of 10 homes. Each house has five bedrooms on about 0.5 acres with landscaped gardens.

According to Kevin Maina, the director of Nairobi Link Properties Ltd, land prices in Karen have risen exponentially.
Maina says five years ago, half an acre of land was going for between Sh7 million and Sh10million, but today, the same size of land is going for between Sh30 million and Sh35 million.

According to Maina, house styles - either cottage or villas - are chosen depending on the developer’s preference and cost, although apartments are coming up on the lower side of Karen that neighbours Ongata Rongai, unlike upper Karen where they are not permitted.
Property firm Hass Consult and Stanlib Investment Managers recently reported that in the city’s high-end residential areas, land is currently cheapest in Karen and Lang'ata, at around Sh45 million an acre, followed by Runda at around Sh67 million.

Karen and Runda have stringent development restrictions and do not allow for high-density buildings and office blocks.