Kenyans are increasingly opting for detached houses over apartments, according to the latest Hass Property Index, which shows a significant rise in demand for standalone homes across select Nairobi suburbs and satellite towns.
The report highlights that Runda, Ridgeways, Loresho, Lavington, Karen, and Muthaiga have experienced a notable surge in detached house prices, alongside Athi River, Ruiru, Tigoni, Juja, and Kiserian. In Runda, for example, house prices jumped 4% in just 12 weeks, marking a 15.3% annual increase. Similarly, Athi River saw prices rise 4.3% in the third quarter, translating to 4.9% growth over the year.
A detached house refers to a standalone residential building surrounded by its own land, unlike semi-detached or terraced houses that share walls with neighboring homes.
Despite rising purchase prices, rental prices for detached houses fell by 1.6% in the third quarter compared to Q2 and 1.3% year-on-year. The decline is attributed to expatriate departures following the reduction of large aid inflows into Kenya. However, unlike previous downturns, strong local demand sustained sales prices even as rentals weakened.
Semi-detached houses followed closely, posting a 2.9% annual price increase and 0.7% quarterly growth.
In contrast, apartments recorded the lowest demand, with prices rising only 1.5% annually. Notably, Lang’ata apartments stood out with a 4.4% quarterly increase, while Upper Hill and Westlands saw declines of 2.6% quarterly and 13.2% annually, respectively.
Interestingly, rental prices for apartments rose in areas like Parklands and Riverside, with Parklands rents up 12.5% year-on-year, driven by newer, more modern units.
The report concludes that while the housing surge that began in late 2023 is cooling in most regions, growth continues in Athi River, Ruiru, and Tigoni, indicating a shift toward better-value properties beyond the city’s core.
