The Dilemma Of Building Or Buying A House

The dilemma of whether to build or buy a house is something that goes through the mind of every first time homeowner looking to get their dream home. Either of the two, there are pros and cons and the choice also depends on the a couple of the things.

Lamudi Kenya Managing Director Dan Karua said: “Always weigh in the advantages and the disadvantages of either buying or building your dream home. Think of the long-term plan and the investment opportunities in terms of returns.”

Buying a house

One of the advantages of buying a house is if you are taking a mortgage or any sort of financing, you can shop around for a house and move in 90 days, considering the process and the duration in Kenya. Buying an existing house is very convenient and most of them are located near your children’s schools or your place of work. The other advantage is the cost could be lower depending on the location and the finishing used in the house. For some houses the appliances and the fixtures are included in the cost. Most of the houses are within a community so it makes it easier to maintain your home through shared costs with the neighbours.

The disadvantage of buying a house is, it may not be exactly what you were looking for in terms of your dream home and you will have to settle for less. The other disadvantage is, most existing homes have some renovations and you will have to take care of it. You will have to do some maintenance especially if the house is not new.

Building a house

Many developers in the country have come up with predefined floor plans that make building your dream home much easier. The project could take six months to one year depending on the developer you have contracted. The obvious advantage of building your home is that, you get to choose the materials to be uses, the finishing, the appliances, fixtures, amenities and how the lawn should be shaped. You can also choose the colors that you want to be used in the different rooms, basically you can customize your home to show your personality.

The disadvantage of building your home is the project could take longer than expected and exceed the cost expectations. This could be caused by the weather, lack of funds in the process of the building the house and daily inspections.

There is not a right choice for everyone. The decision depends on your job security, long-term plans in the area and your financial situation before deciding on whether to build or to buy your dream home.