Live

and let live

The Nairobi Edition

Who the banks will underwrite before 2028

Ten stories on mortgages, remittances, and the paperwork that actually moves a title.

Stories

Unlocking the informal sector: what the 2025–2028 inclusion strategy changes for Kenyan mortgages

Kenya’s financial inclusion strategy is a bank KPI, not a rate cut. The paperwork still starts with a documented income.

By Yvonne Mwangi

Bypassing the 16.5% squeeze: how buyers reach single-digit mortgages in Nairobi

Commercial bank quotes are not the only book. The spread over 20 years is the story.

By Yvonne Mwangi

The 4.15% GDP pillar: how diaspora remittances still anchor Kenya’s housing market

When offshore transfers dip, Nairobi’s off-plan pipeline stalls. The yield is collected rent, not advertised rent.

By Zainab Hassan

The remittance squeeze: a 6% dip and Nairobi’s property pipeline

A 5.9% drop in offshore transfers is already showing up in commuter-hub listings.

By Zainab Hassan

SACCOs vs banks: financing a first home in Nairobi

Tier-1 SACCOs are quoting fixed books while commercial mortgages sit near 16.59%.

By Amara Okafor

The solo renter premium: 1-bedroom yields in Kilimani

Median rents near KES 197,319 and 92% occupancy — if the title is clean.

By Amara Okafor

Q1 2026 Nairobi market analysis: where diaspora capital found yield

A $115,000 Kilimani apartment at 78% occupancy is the cash-on-cash number, not a mood.

By Yvonne Mwangi

Sifting through the glut: vetting Nairobi’s expanding apartment inventory

The KES 8 million entry price is not the all-in number. Developer audits come first.

By Yvonne Mwangi