Seeking to buy property; here is what is to look out for

Herbert Kwizera bought a 100ft x 100ft piece of land in Bukerere village, Goma Division in Mukono Municipality in 2012.
At the time, he had built a three bed room house in Namuwongo, a Kampala suburb. His house was that any beginning youth would wish to own.

Since he is a youth pastor, he usually hosted many visitors. Therefore, space became a constraint and besides, there was no parking for his visitors.
The solution to this problem was buying a bigger piece of land and yet he did not have enough money to buy one in upscale Kampala.
He opted for a plot off the city. Some of his friends discouraged him from buying land in a place they described as remote. He ignored them and bought the land at Shs7m.
Even when he encouraged friends to buy land which was seemingly cheaper, they refused saying it was too remote.
“Indeed it was a bushy place. I almost failed to trace my land. However, I believed this place would at one time develop,” Kwizera says.

Four years down the road, the once remote place is fast evolving into one of the major residential areas in Mukono town. Many houses have been erected while others are under construction.
Bukerere is not the only fast developing residential area in the outskirts of Kampala.
Others include; Mbalala, Gayaza, Nakifuma, Katende, Bukerere, Mpambire, Bujjuko, and Kitende on Entebbe Road, according to land dealers.

Why these places

Alex Turyahabwe, a marketing officer at Jomayi Property Consultants, says affordability is one of the reasons why people are yearning to acquire plots in these areas compared to Kampala suburbs.
“In such places, one can buy a 50x100ft plot at Shs3m which is impossible in Kampala. Besides such places are not yet as crowded as most parts of Kampala city,” Turyahabwe says.
Abdul Kalibala, a client relations manager at Millennium Property Consultants adds that buyers are interested in buying plots around main roads that promise future development. Some have families and want fairy bigger places where children can have some playing space.
“The majority of the places in Kampala are characterised by slums and poor housing facilities. As a result, many people have started looking for places with streamlined housing system,” he says.

He adds that many people no longer want entangled housing structures in the slums of Bwaise, Namuwongo, Nabutiti and Katongole in Bukasa-Muyenga.
Kalibala’s argument tallies with that of Hajji Ashraf who sold his house in Kawempe and bought a 30 decimal piece of land in Nakifuma where is currently living.
He says he sold the house because it was in a squeezed space and was surrounded by many houses in bad shape.
“There was no parking space and a place for my children to play from. At first, it was challenging on my side as as there was no proper road to reach my home but that is now history,” he stresses.

Francis Kateregga, a broker at Buloba trading centre adds that people are buying plots and houses the Bujjuko and Buloba because they want places that would enable them engage in other activities such as poultry.
“Nowadays ,everyone wants to have an extra income generating activity such as poultry or piggery which is almost impossible in squeezed spaces of Kampala,” Kateregga explains.

Buying a house
Property dealers say a complete, a fully finished three-bedroomed house in Buloba, Bukerere, Nakifuma and Katende costs between Shs20m to Shs50m.
However, prices for plots of land range from Shs3m to Shs15m.
The variance in price depends on negotiation power, location of the plot or house and texture applied to it.
“A house or a plot located on the main road is relatively more expensive compared to that located several metres off the main road.
The material and design that was used to build the house also determine the price,” Kateregga stresses.

Other factors

In addition to verifying purchase receipts, land titles, agreements; Kateregga, Turyahabwe and Kalibala list the other important factors that one should consider when buying a plot of land as: water source, cost of construction material such as the bricks and sand as well as the route leading to your plot.
“If you buy a plot that is far away from the water source, it becomes costly during construction. Plots without a clear route harden the construction work as the builders have to carry the material in sacks or wheel barrow,” Kateregga explains.

Dos and don'ts of buying property
Swamadu Kabagambe, the director Hearts Travel and Property Dealers, says there are several reasons why people sell their property. These include financial woes, health related challenges, change of residence and the need to buy new items.
As a result, one must make inquiries to establish the cause for selling. This can be done by speaking to sellers’ close friends and neighbours.

“Making inquiries helps you avoid a fraudulent purchase especially when you have been informed about the property by brokers since some of them are dishonest,” Kabagambe says.
He adds that one must be aware of brokers who promise too much and those who prefer to deal extensively in cash rather than cheques as they often work with shoddy developers.
Another category to watch out for are online dealers as they could disappear. If you must deal with them, he advises that you should learn about their family, friends and neighbours because there is nothing better than a personal recommendation.

When buying a finished house, Kalibala adds cautions that you must cross-check with different utility companies such as National Water and Sewage Cooperation, Umeme among others to establish the real owner. Also, some could leave for you big unpaid bills.
“Estate business is still virgin in Uganda and there is need to build more and more houses to bridge the gap of house deficiency in Uganda. This has attracted many unscrupulous people in the business,” Kalibala reasons.
The 2013 housing census revealed that Uganda has more than 500,000 housing deficit as Kampala and Wakiso topped the list of district.

Buying, sell agreements
Kalibala advises that before agreeing on the price, you should first carry out market research about the prices on the market.
In case you paying in instalments, make sure you include a clause in the agreement that binds the buyer to pay even when the property gets damaged. Also, state how much has been paid and the balance.
“Whether you are a land or home property dealer, your business must be registered because one may take advantage and obstinately refuse to clear the balance. It would be difficult to sue someone when you do not have documents that recognise you as a property dealer.
Kalibala says an agreement must be witnessed by at least two people as well as the seller and area chairperson. These can be the buyer’s lawyer, workmate or relatives.

Upcountry hotspots
Others can be found in Arua, Mbale, Mbarara, Masaka and Soroti among other towns.
For instance, in Arua town residential hot spots include Ediofe and Onduparaka where a plot of land costs Shs10- Shs15m.
In Awindidri along Packwach-Kampala Road. Those in the municipality are equally expensive as a 50 x 100 plot costs between Shs8m and Shs12m.

In Mbarara Municipality, the evolving residential area is place opposite Mayanja Memorial Hospital adjacent to Coca-Cola factory where a plot costs about Shs12m to Shs18m.
In Mbale, residential areas include Malukhu and Half-London where a plot costs Shs20m-Shs30m while in Nkoma, a 50X100 ft plot of land goes for Shs15-Shs20m.
In Masaka, according to Prossy Nabadda, a land dealer, the hot spots include New Kumbu, Soweto and Kizungu areas where a plot goes for Shs30m and ordinary folk have built in Kyabakuza, Nyendo and Kimaanya where a plot goes for Shs5m-Shs10m.
In Soroti, plot there goes for Shs10m-Shs15m in areas of Kamuswahili. Still in the municipality, a plot costs Shs8m-Shs10m.

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