Pearl Marina: A prime addition to Uganda’s real estate industry
What you need to know:
Located on the shores of Lake Victoria, the estate offers an opulent lifestyle and breathtaking views.
Pearl Marina Estates, is a posh waterfront neighbourhood that provides opulent housing options. This private, gated estate offers great views of Lake Victoria, the biggest freshwater lake in Africa. Sylvia Alal, the sales and marketing manager at Pearl Marina Estates, says the property aims to provide quality and affordable housing for the ever-increasing population.
“As more young people join the labour market and become financially stable, the next step for many of them is to get a home of their own. That is why Pearl Marina offers a variety of residential alternatives, including townhouses, flats, and villas, all of which are intended to satisfy the various demands and tastes of consumers,” says Alal.
The housing estate offers residents a comfortable and satisfying lifestyle with a wide range of amenities, such as restaurants, retail shops, recreational centres and healthcare services.
Emerging Secondary Suburbs
Apart from its great views the estate is located in one of the up-and-coming suburbs. Simon Peter Kaweesa, an architect and director at Kaweesa International Consults says the past few years has seen the growth of secondary mid-income suburbs such as Buziga, Konge-Lukuli, Naalya, Najjera, Kira and Kulambiro.
“But notably there has been a great rise in interest in suburbs located on Entebbe Road, including Kigo, Bwebajja, and Garuga. These neighbourhoods are experiencing growth as buyers take advantage of the Entebbe Expressway, which has significantly improved access to the CBD,” Kaweesa says.
Innocent Nkuyahaga, the development manager at Pear Marina Estates observes that Ugandan real estate continues to attract foreign investors because they recognise the potential of the Ugandan market. The market shows potential for capital appreciation at various project stages, such as off-plan and investor resale.
Nkuyahaga says the housing estate has developed products that appeal to different categories of earning abilities.
“For instance, with $34,000 (approximately Shs129m) one can buy a one-bedroom apartment, which is the normal price on the market. Because we want Pearl Marina to be a go-to place regardless of the income status, we have put in place flexible payment plans,” she says.
Nkuyahaga notes that while their prices are similar to those of other developments, the housing estate boasts of more than 400 superior housing units.
“Our estate sits on 389 acres of prime land and we have unique products such as villas, townhouses and bungalows. Our villas go for between $330,000 and $350,000 (Shs1.2bn and Shs1.3bn). We also have five apartment blocks with 360 units. Located on the shores of Lake Victoria, this master-planned community offers a distinctive fusion of opulent lifestyle, breathtaking scenery, and contemporary conveniences,” she says.
A satellite city in the making
Kaweesa notes that Pearl Marina Estates is one of the emerging satellite cities in Uganda. These neighbourhoods have become popular because they often offer a more relaxed and spacious environment compared to the main city, with access to green spaces and recreational facilities. Satellite cities can help reduce congestion in major urban areas by providing alternative locations for people to live and work and also lowering cost of living.
They come with a comprehensive array of amenities, including recreational facilities, shopping centers, restaurants, and healthcare services, which the estate is planning to put in place. Nkuyahaga says although the property developer started with residential development, they are having discussions with other service providers such as schools, retail centres, hospitals, and other amenities to come on board.
Location
This is the most exciting project this close to the shores of Lake Victoria in Uganda. With all services provided. Easy payment schedule, these stunning project is in the perfect location only a short 20 minutes’ drive to the Entebbe International Airport and a 30 minutes’ drive to Kampala via the Entebbe-Kampala highway. The housing units are affordable and for those with budgetary constraints, there is a flexible payment plan.