Migori town wakes up to modern housing trends

A hotel in Migori. The town is growing rapidly. [PHOTO: FILE / STANDARD]

MIGORI: Developers in Migori town are capitalising on the high demand for modern houses, which has mainly been contributed to by the advent of the county government.

Apartment blocks targeting county employees are springing up in the town and its environs.

According to Tom Muniko, a landlord and private developer in the county, many residents now want good houses that will guarantee them and their families security.

Many of them buy land and put up bungalows and flats where they live with their families and tenants.

‘’Many landlords and developers are now building flats and bungalows that earn them a lot of money every month. The tenants are mainly county employees looking for good housing units that meet their living standards,” he said.

The trend has seen many houses that were built more than 10 years ago demolished and the owners putting up new flats that, according to them, are more secure and easy to manage in terms of security, water and sanitation. These problems have plagued the county for a long time.

The houses, according to Muniko, have secure gates and boast modern interiors that suits the needs of the tenants. “The houses have a sitting room, bedroom, water, dining room and water closets unlike before. The old houses only had a living area, kitchen and bedroom,” he added.

Rents have also increased: a one-bedroom house that used to go for Sh3,500 per month is now Sh5,000, a two-bedroom is now Sh8,000 up from Sh5000, whereas a three-bedroom house now goes for Sh10,000 up from Sh8,000 previously.

 FURNISHED

Some of these flats are well-furnished by the landlords who are keen on making a break from the previous years when tenants used to move in with their own furniture and cutlery.

Today, some tenants only require to carry their clothing to settle into the flats.

Ahmed Jamal, a homeowner and a businessman in the town, says the trend has seen many residents who are employed by the county and non-governmental organisations buy land and build their own houses on the outskirts of the town in areas like Ngege, Karamu, Kadika and Kakrao, making land prices skyrocket.

Previously, a 50x100ft piece of land used to go for Sh250,000. Today, you will spend at least Sh350,000 on such a parcel.

An acre now goes for Sh1.2 million, up from between Sh600,000 and Sh800,000 about two years ago.

To keep up with the new trend, some developers import building materials like tiles.

“The availability of flats in the town and its environs has seen the value of the land rise sharply,” says Jamal.