This archive report was first published on 16 September 2021.
House Hunting Apps Gain Popularity in Nairobi ¶
Searching for a house in Nairobi can be a daunting task, especially for those who are finally getting out of their parents' nest. It can turn out to be a nightmare - not only emotionally, but also financially draining.
One of the major challenges faced by house hunters is being conned by agents and caretakers who take them round in circles, passing them from one contact to another as they give them directions to the house.
However, with the rise of house hunting apps, things are changing. Tech companies like xPodd.com have designed apps to ease the searches, taking competition to real estate agents.
According to xPodd chief operating officer Nekoye Inzaule, the app connects tenants directly to landlords whose houses match the prospective tenant's specifications for a small fee.
"Our services are real time. There is nothing like the house was paid for yesterday, what you see on our platform is available," Ms Inzaule said.
Each online platform seeks to be as unique as possible. For example, xPodd reduces the noise in the internet for house or space hunting, giving tenants a chance to be as detailed as possible on what they want and where they want the space.
Other platforms in the market include jiji.co.ke, Jumia.co.ke, Keja hunt, Nyumbani, property24.co.ke, and buyrentkenya.com. There are also well-established property firms such as Optiven, Villa Care, Hass Consult, Azizi Realtors, Knight Frank Kenya, Dunhill Consulting, Fanaka Real Estate, and Lloyd Masika.
Unlike the traditional agent, xPodd advises clients not to pay when they make their order to ensure trust in the system.
"When you make the order, you do not pay. At that point when you are ready to post, you will be told how much you pay once your requirements are matched with the available property," Ms Inzaule said.
Sammy Mwirotsi, a software developer at rental property management system Nyumbani, says such platforms while being seen as competition by real estate agents have helped to streamline the sector.
"There are tenants who pay less than the required amount on mobile money then they edit the message before forwarding it (to the agent or landlord), so we corrected that issue by providing a real-time reconciliation tool," Mr Mwirotsi said.
He adds that the platform will expand its scope to list all houses in their system for free to ensure transparency as there are numerous fraudsters out to swindle house hunters.
