- Affordable housing buyers face higher prices under the latest government review
- Two-bedroom units record the biggest increase across the revised housing rates
- Applicants who applied before October 1 will retain the earlier prices for their units
Buying a home under the Affordable Housing Programme just got costlier, with some units now going for Ksh600,000 above earlier rates.
Kenya’s housing department rolled out a fresh price list on Thursday, October 1, hitting buyers in both the affordable and market categories. Units in the affordable bracket carry a 20 per cent markup, while market homes get a lighter 10 per cent bump.
A two-bedroom affordable home takes the heaviest hit, climbing from Ksh3 million to Ksh3.6 million. Buyers eyeing a one-bedroom must now find Ksh2.4 million instead of Ksh2 million, a Ksh400,000 gap. Studios rise by Ksh300,000, moving from Ksh1.5 million to Ksh1.8 million.
Market homes see gentler adjustments. Two-bedroom units now sell at Ksh3.96 million, up from Ksh3.6 million. Three-bedroom units go from Ksh4.8 million to Ksh5.28 million. In shilling terms, that is an extra Ksh360,000 and Ksh480,000 respectively.
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Applicants who filed before October 1 keep the rate that applied on the day they submitted. Only people applying from that date onward face the higher figures, the department said.
Signs of the shift appeared on September 15, when the government advised home seekers to apply early and secure the old rates. Officials did not reveal the revised amounts at that point.
Eligibility still depends on monthly income. Kenyans earning up to Ksh19,999 qualify for social housing, while those making between Ksh20,000 and Ksh149,999 fall under the affordable bracket. Social housing prices were not mentioned in the announcement as reported. Before the review, a one-room unit sold at Ksh640,000, a two-room at Ksh960,000 and a three-room at Ksh1.28 million.
By Benedict Aoya
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