Owning a home has been one of the ultimate dreams for millions of Kenyans. The off-plan housing model where buyers purchase a home before construction is complete has become an appealing avenue to this dream.
Off-plan projects promise affordability, staged payments, and attractive designs. However, behind the glossy brochures and enticing showroom models lies a dangerous legal and financial void that has led many unsuspecting buyers into financial ruin.
In recent years, Kenya has witnessed an alarming rise in cases of stalled or abandoned off-plan housing projects. Buyers, lured by glossy renderings and promises of prime locations, pay large deposits upfront, only to watch helplessly as projects stall indefinitely or worse, collapse altogether. Many never recover their hard-earned money.