Apartments for Sale in Nairobi: Areas, Titles and Costs

What steps does buying an apartment in Nairobi involve?

The order matters, because money should move last. This is a general outline, not legal advice, and each purchase needs a Kenyan advocate.

1. See the unit and ask for the title details, the seller's identity and, if an agent is involved, proof that the agent acts for the owner.
2. Run an official land search on Ardhisasa, Kenya's online land registry, to confirm the registered owner and any charge or caveat.
3. Agree the price and sign a sale agreement drafted by an advocate, with a deposit paid in a traceable way.
4. Pay stamp duty and lodge the transfer for registration.
5. Collect the registered title in your name and keep the receipts.

Do not pay a large deposit to an agent or to an individual before the search is done.

How do I check an apartment title on Ardhisasa?

A Huduma Global guide describes the search: register on the Ardhisasa site with a national ID and KRA PIN, choose the land search option, enter the title number exactly as written on the title, upload a copy of the title and ID, pay the fee, and download the Land Search Certificate. It says results usually take 24 hours to 3 working days, and that the fee is KES 500. Other sources have quoted a different fee, so confirm the amount when you search. Our guide to Ardhisasa land search covers it in more depth.

The certificate should show the registered owner, size, tenure and any charge or caveat. The same guide says a caveat is a legal restriction from someone claiming an interest, and that you should not proceed while one is registered. A charge means the property secures a loan, and the lender must agree to a sale. The guide also says the platform then covered Nairobi County, and that other counties use the eCitizen portal. Check whether your county is now on Ardhisasa.

What is a sectional title, and does it matter for an apartment?

In a block of flats, each apartment can have its own registered title for the unit, plus a share of the common parts such as stairs, lifts and the compound. Kenya has a Sectional Properties Act, 2020 for this. Ask your advocate to confirm that the unit has its own title, and not only a share certificate or an allotment letter from the developer. We have not reviewed the Act's text for this guide, so take advice on how it applies to your unit.

Wherever you buy, weigh the management of the building, parking, service charges, rental demand and how easily the flat can be resold. Ask for the last two years of service charge accounts before you buy.

How much is stamp duty on a Nairobi apartment?

EY reports that the Office of the Principal Secretary for Lands directed on 5 April 2024 that stamp duty on land transfers in gazetted towns and municipalities is charged at 4%, in line with the Stamp Duty Act. Nairobi is an urban area, so 4% is the rate to expect. We have not confirmed how the duty is valued for a specific flat, so ask your advocate whether it is charged on the price or on a government valuation, whichever is higher.

Where are Nairobi apartments concentrated?

Wikipedia describes Westlands as a significant apartment and off-plan residential market, with high-rise and mixed-use construction along Waiyaki Way, Chiromo Lane, Woodvale Grove and Mpaka Road. It says Kileleshwa has seen a surge of high-rise flats since zoning changes in the early 2000s, and that Kilimani has seen high-rise residential development, with Yaya Centre as a landmark. See our estate pages on Westlands, Kilimani and the furnished apartments page. Smaller units are covered in studio and 1 bedroom apartments.

Off-plan buying carries extra risk. Kenyans.co.ke describes buyers who pay instalments for homes not yet built, and developers who fail to deliver. Never pay instalments to a personal account, and have an advocate check the developer's title to the land first.

Can a foreigner or a Ugandan buy an apartment in Nairobi?

Rules on non-citizens holding land in Kenya are different from Uganda's, and they affect how an apartment may be held. Read our Kenya land ownership guide first, then take advice from a Kenyan advocate before paying a deposit. For comparison, Land & Property's Uganda apartment listings had a median asking price of UGX 1.3 billion in November 2026 (Land & Property listings, Nov 2026). We have no Nairobi apartments for sale listed yet. Rent first? See rent to own in Nairobi and the Nairobi rental guide.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

• Rent to Own Houses in Nairobi: How It Works
• Houses and Apartments for Rent in Nairobi by Estate
• Kenya Land Ownership Guide for Ugandan Investors
• Ardhisasa Land Search in Kenya: How It Works
• Apartments for Rent in Westlands, Nairobi
• Apartments for Rent in Kilimani, Nairobi