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Bubble bust..... myth or reality?
mashugli
#1 Posted : Saturday, November 02, 2013 4:26:22 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 11/16/2007
Posts: 16
Hi all, i came across this write up in the dailies today and it caught my eye.Quite an interesting read. However, a number of people here have stated previously that they don't see this happening any time soon. Are we being ignorant or will this come to pass? Given the current circumstances and all other factors remaining constant e.g oil in Turkana/natural resources, double digit pursuit, devolution, security etc Only time will tell...

http://www.nation.co.ke/...4/-/107huuc/-/index.html
How much would u be worth if you lost all your money?
Lolest!
#2 Posted : Saturday, November 02, 2013 4:54:39 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 3/18/2011
Posts: 12,069
Location: Kianjokoma
I saw this and as a proponent of the bubble burst-wont-happen side, I'm rethinking my stand. Kwanza now we are buying Oltepesi...ok. Wapi @architect
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bird_man
#3 Posted : Sunday, November 03, 2013 8:48:34 AM
Rank: Veteran

Joined: 11/2/2006
Posts: 1,206
Location: Nairobi
The writer to me has not shown why the bubble will burst.Si guys are still buying the "overpriced" houses?This is likely to happen as long as we dont have good roads/rail networks.
Formally employed people often live their employers' dream & forget about their own.
sparkly
#4 Posted : Sunday, November 03, 2013 9:19:05 AM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 9/23/2009
Posts: 8,083
Location: Enk are Nyirobi
[quote=mashugli]Hi all, i came across this write up in the dailies today and it caught my eye.Quite an interesting read. However, a number of people here have stated previously that they don't see this happening any time soon. Are we being ignorant or will this come to pass? Given the current circumstances and all other factors remaining constant e.g oil in Turkana/natural resources, double digit pursuit, devolution, security etc Only time will tell...

http://www.nation.co.ke/.../-/107huuc/-/index.html[/quote]

The article is written by a lawyer. If it was done by an economist, i would take it more seriously.
Life is short. Live passionately.
Horton
#5 Posted : Sunday, November 03, 2013 10:12:37 AM
Rank: Veteran

Joined: 8/30/2007
Posts: 1,558
Location: Nairobi
Poorly written article.

1. House prices in the West are "cheap"
that's none sense. He is comparing Commuter areas in London eg Sussex to prices in Westlands, which is more or less, CBD. If we were to compare potatoes to potatoes, then in London, Knighstbridge specifically, a 2Br flat is £1.95M compared to Westlands where a 4br flat is 20-25M with all facilities. In South Africa, Joberg specifically, a 4 Br flat in Sandton, is about 10m rand. If he wants compare commuter areas, he should compare Sussex to Ruiru where a nice 3Br house,is in £300k mark and ruiru is at Kes 6m.

2. What led to the downfall of the housing markets in the west a few years ago was mortgage defaults. In the west, the mortgages given were for upto 20% more than the value of houses ie 120% mortgages. In kenya, we have a big shortage of houses in urban areas and a fraction of 1% in mortgages. The rest are cash buyers.

3. As a comedian once said, " Kenya is in Puberty while the west is on menopause" I believe he might have been referring to the economy. The west are mature economies whereas ours are still growing.

4. If your house is 1M and in a year, it's 1.15M is that really "exponential growth" or is that just keeping up with the high frontier inflation? In dollar terms, the increase in property prices isn't as large as he makes it out to be on a longer spectrum.

5. Buy-to-let in Kenya is very consistently holding 5% on current values. Whereas in The west, these metrics hold for a measly 3% net. Pointing to overvaluation on those parts of the world. There are obviously exceptions especially on the foreclosure properties but there luck is more involved than anything else
jamplu
#6 Posted : Sunday, November 03, 2013 11:42:05 AM
Rank: Veteran

Joined: 3/25/2010
Posts: 939
Location: Nai
The article has ideas that seems to be picked randomly from different sources doesn't clearly tell us what will lead to the bubble burst. This guy is not telling us about the indicators that shows we are headed to a burst.

But bubble or no bubble property prices are ridiculous in Kenya they must correct at some point. Am yet to really understand the factors we are currently using to value land and houses may be @A4architect anaeza saidia. Take for instance Syokimau and Kitengela soon they will be beyond middle class yet when it rains most leave their cars and walk better still there is no drainage and sewerage services what are we selling??
wanyee
#7 Posted : Sunday, November 03, 2013 12:43:51 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 7/17/2011
Posts: 627
Location: Mbui-Nzau, Kikumbulyu
a Safaricom IPO scenario type of a situation ..over capitalized over subscribed ..there has been a gradual build up to this..which eventually means diminished returns ..it may be even cheaper to rent rather than own a house...basically its a warning to cash out before the house of cards collapses ..because it is not about IF ..but when..
mv_ufanisi
#8 Posted : Sunday, November 03, 2013 2:56:39 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 1/15/2010
Posts: 625
Horton wrote:
Poorly written article.

1. House prices in the West are "cheap"
that's none sense. He is comparing Commuter areas in London eg Sussex to prices in Westlands, which is more or less, CBD. If we were to compare potatoes to potatoes, then in London, Knighstbridge specifically, a 2Br flat is £1.95M compared to Westlands where a 4br flat is 20-25M with all facilities. In South Africa, Joberg specifically, a 2 Br flat in Sandton, is about 10m rand. If he wants compare commuter areas, he should compare Sussex to Ruiru where a nice 3Br house,is in £300k mark and ruiru is at Kes 6m.

2. What led to the downfall of the housing markets in the west a few years ago was mortgage defaults. In the west, the mortgages given were for upto 20% more than the value of houses ie 120% mortgages. In kenya, we have a big shortage of houses in urban areas and a fraction of 1% in mortgages. The rest are cash buyers.

3. As a comedian once said, " Kenya is in Puberty while the west is on menopause" I believe he might have been referring to the economy. The west are mature economies whereas ours are still growing.

4. If your house is 1M and in a year, it's 1.15M is that really "exponential growth" or is that just keeping up with the high frontier inflation? In dollar terms, the increase in property prices isn't as large as he makes it out to be on a longer spectrum.

5. Buy-to-let in Kenya is very consistently holding 5% on current values. Whereas in The west, these metrics hold for a measly 3% net. Pointing to overvaluation on those parts of the world. There are obviously exceptions especially on the foreclosure properties but there luck is more involved than anything else


I know for a fact that a two bed apartment in sandton is not ten million rand but more like one million to two million rand. Check www.privateproperty.co.za to see how much much more value you get from buying in SA than Kenya.

The real estate in Kenya being over priced is primarily a function of a dysfunctional govt and poor planning. The govt would have built roads,wAter and sanitation facilities in target areas and then invited citizens to buy land lots within them. Given that this is Kenya this won't happen.

If the bubble bursts it won't be because of lack of credit but because of a glut (excess supply) and perhaps the inability of renters to afford overpriced rents and of property owners being unable to realize their investment value through renting or selling housing units.

The more concerning problem to me is slummification. A large part of the city will be living in slums because the govt can't get its act together and we have already seen this in places like Umoja and the like. The slum evils of violence and such are perhaps the stuff we should be getting more worried about as they thrive under slum like conditions. The govt needs to urgently take on this problem by pending up new areas where people an afford to live in dignity by building infra and inviting residents to buy and develop their homes. Otherwise we are building the seeds for a very unequal society. Lagos has already gone down this route.



murchr
#9 Posted : Sunday, November 03, 2013 4:13:39 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 2/26/2012
Posts: 15,980
Horton wrote:
Poorly written article.

1. House prices in the West are "cheap"
that's none sense. He is comparing Commuter areas in London eg Sussex to prices in Westlands, which is more or less, CBD. If we were to compare potatoes to potatoes, then in London, Knighstbridge specifically, a 2Br flat is £1.95M compared to Westlands where a 4br flat is 20-25M with all facilities. In South Africa, Joberg specifically, a 2 Br flat in Sandton, is about 10m rand. If he wants compare commuter areas, he should compare Sussex to Ruiru where a nice 3Br house,is in £300k mark and ruiru is at Kes 6m.

2. What led to the downfall of the housing markets in the west a few years ago was mortgage defaults. In the west, the mortgages given were for upto 20% more than the value of houses ie 120% mortgages. In kenya, we have a big shortage of houses in urban areas and a fraction of 1% in mortgages. The rest are cash buyers.

3. As a comedian once said, " Kenya is in Puberty while the west is on menopause" I believe he might have been referring to the economy. The west are mature economies whereas ours are still growing.

4. If your house is 1M and in a year, it's 1.15M is that really "exponential growth" or is that just keeping up with the high frontier inflation? In dollar terms, the increase in property prices isn't as large as he makes it out to be on a longer spectrum.

5. Buy-to-let in Kenya is very consistently holding 5% on current values. Whereas in The west, these metrics hold for a measly 3% net. Pointing to overvaluation on those parts of the world. There are obviously exceptions especially on the foreclosure properties but there luck is more involved than anything else



My thoughts exactly, i even don know where in the US a house is $150K....Oklahoma? Or some really run down neighborhood. I think it would be fair to compare Nrb to Newyork.

His views seem to have been picked here on Wazua.

Another thing if locals cant afford the houses will that be the same for REITS? People will be renters, smart investors will group buy
"There are only two emotions in the market, hope & fear. The problem is you hope when you should fear & fear when you should hope: - Jesse Livermore
.
Horton
#10 Posted : Sunday, November 03, 2013 4:59:16 PM
Rank: Veteran

Joined: 8/30/2007
Posts: 1,558
Location: Nairobi
@ Mv_ufanisi. I apologize, I meant 4br flat is sandton http://m.property24.com/.../Listing/P24-100972380. The link is for 14.5m rand which equates to kes 123M. Compare that to Westlands 20-30m. So where is the comparison there?????

Yes the govt has short comings but we need to stop blaming the govt for everything. Remember what JFK said "ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."

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