I saved for an apartment since college - Navio

Navio in his apartment.

What you need to know:

Daniel Kigozi Lubwama aka Navio is a hip hop artiste. Though many people think Navio has had it all, much of his achievements have been a result of personal efforts and financial discipline. He spoke to Edgar R. Batte about how he started saving to buy land and acquire an apartment when he was still in college

I go by Navio. Though the people I grew up with call me Daniel, Lubwama or Mr Kigozi. I do Luga flow rap in Uganda. I was born in Kenya but Uganda is my home country.

About his house

I have not yet built a house because I have always wanted to own an apartment so I focused most of my energy in that direction. However, I have a blueprint for my house.

I have already bought the land on Entebbe road in a place called Lubowa. The reason I chose this location is because I needed an area that was close enough to town to handle business.

I am planning to start building my house and I have three different architectural lay outs for the house. I have two Ugandan architects and one Swiss architect doing some blueprints for the house, so I am sure it will be to my specifications. I plan to start building in January next year.

I would like to construct a house in a villa style; with a rustic feel, a clean and manageable finish, that can withstand our dusty environment.

Buying the apartment and why

This apartment block that houses Navio’s home is located on Entebbe Road, Lubowa. He chose it because of its neighbourhood and proximity to the airport.

For the apartment, I made a cash payment of $220,000 (about Shs780m) and it is in one of the estates on Entebbe Road. It is a penthouse apartment. I chose it because it has an organised neighbourhood.

One of the motivations for buying the apartment was to get a place I could call home.

I had to choose between either pushing all I had earned into music or owning property. I chose to buy the apartment which sits on 35 feet of an acre.

The other reason that informed my decision to buy this penthouse was because it fits my lifestyle.
I am often in and out of the country and the fact that Lubowa is on Entebbe Road, it enables me to easily connect to the airport.

I like the surroundings because the exterior has a beautiful garden, a swimming pool and a nice view.

Rooms

I like this apartment because I needed an empty place that I could tailor to my needs. The apartment gave me this because it has nine rooms. There is a dining room, sitting room, kitchen, laundry room, three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a patio.

I normally have my two children around whenever they are not busy with school or sports. Their mother is an independent lady and she has her own place. I have managed to furnish it with modern furniture. I added everything from a 55-inch television set, mega bass system, and granite marble surfaces to beds.

I bought most of the items in the house in town, with help from my Navcorp team, which I must say has great taste. I could have spent about $15,000 (about 53.2m) on most of these. And I have some favourite places on the apartment. I like the roof because of its view. The roof is higher than other apartments in the complex. It allows for a lot of light and big windows.

Saving for the apartment

The pool side view of Navio’s apartment. Below is Navio looking out of his living room door. All Photos by Edgar R. Batte

I am happy with my achievement because I have been saving my whole life. I was one of the students in university that had a job out of school.

And at the same time, I was doing rap battles for money. I have been saving my whole life. I can say that I was more financially disciplined when I was younger.

It also has something to do with how we were brought up. We were always told to be careful with money. So, I now have the ability to live my life on any budget. I have managed my finances well, from spending about Shs100m in a month to Shs200,000 in the same period.

So with such a background, all the money I got would always go to good use. Even when it seems like a lot of expenditure has happened, I am always just trying to build more. I spend it all on my ventures. No extras.

As I grow older, my discipline sometimes gets more relaxed, but I am still careful with what I buy. I would not want to go to Ibiza and blow it all trying to keep up with these international artistes.

We do music and I enjoy it when I go back to a quiet home with good security. I also like the fact that it has close proximity to good schools and a million dollar location I can never be late for a flight driving from Lubowa.

advice

• While my apartment might have cost me a lot of money, I did not feel the pinch because I had been saving. So I advise people to plan early. And even if it is not early, plan anyway.
• Another tip is that surrounding and additions to the family should always be considered. Uganda is hot. The more stuffed your interior is, the hotter it is going to get. I like the concept of remaining cool with beautiful but limited furniture.
• Always get help from friends when buying furniture and all other requirements for your home. If they have good taste like the Navcorp team, they will help you choose good things for your house.
• You should never rush to either build or buy property. You need to give yourself time and think a lot about the good points to that property. In this case, you will need to consider things such as location, view, and proximity to places you frequent.