Ezekiel and Sharon live in a rambling house that is large and spreads out in many directions.
Their dream of owning a home started in 1997. That’s the year the couple who had been married for 15 years – decided they needed a decent roof over their heads.
“I wanted a house that could accommodate Sharon and I, our four children and a few rooms just in case relatives from the village came visiting,” says Ezekiel.
Ezekiel who was an Insurance agent at the time – pooled his little savings together with those of his wife Sharon – who at the time worked as a high school teacher in one of the National schools in Kenya.
The dream to finally own a house came to realization in January 2002 when they moved into their house – there home.
The house stood out like a sore thumb in the outskirts of Nairobi – somewhere away from the city madness, but again one that qualifies as a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood.
Since retired
It was – and still it is – a kind of house that matatu operators would use as a point of reference for collecting and dropping passengers.
“Unashuka pale karibu na kwa Ezekiel” – kind of thing.
According to Ezekiel – who has since retired – their savings was never going to be enough, and “that’s why we ran to one of the banks and took some loan to top up.”
Sharon too has retired – and together they spend most of their days at home in Nairobi – a home they share with beautiful trees, chirping birds and quietness.
“My children whenever they come visiting, refer to it (the house) as our beautiful KASARANI stadium. The space is too much… we don’t need all these rooms; all these bedrooms,” says Ezekiel as he took this writer around the house.
“Don’t worry, Sharon is preparing some porridge, we can take it once we are done with the tour,” Ezekiel says jokingly, obviously trying to warn this writers that it would take some muscles to complete the tour.
I no longer visit some rooms
The house is magnificent and imposing; almost medieval in nature. It is not the modern single-family homes.
“It has five bedrooms, a library which I no longer visit, a kitchen the size of a small pitch, living room, a spacious dining room and a resting area,” says Ezekiel – with rather very little pleasure.
“Young man. This should be a case study on how one should not waste their money building huge mansions that they won’t need when age sets in and your children are gone – married and aspiring to build their own mansions,” he says.
“I used to say that I was building for my children. I was wrong. These little chaps are building their own houses today. Not a single one of them wants to be seen to be living in their parents’ homes. That is the society we live in today. Your children will build their own homes, their own houses.”
“I would rather you give them the best education, the best training to be decent people, and then send them to the world to change.
“If you must build a house, build a small house. Save the rest of the money in shares, land or other forms of property.
Obsolete in five years
“House designs have changed – and will keep changing. A design you use today will be obsolete in the five years. No one will want to rent it, leave alone buy it.
Ezekiel and Sharon who are both in their 70s aren’t alone – there are many retirees who are stuck oversized homes— especially with the emergence of apartments and modern bungalows.
“I know many people around this area – and other areas like Ngong and Syokimau who have been forced to rent out huge mansions for a song.
“I cannot also just bring down the house and then proceed to sell the land because there are too many legal restrictions spelled out in the County By-laws.
“Imagine you cannot just pull down your house. You will be arrested,” he says.
Iron-sheet houses
“This is my advice to you. Do not build a very big house in this city. In fact, if you can, build an iron-sheet house… then you can sell the land later and make some god money. You can go back to the village and enjoy your retirement.
Mwanahabari.co.ke has established that most families in Nairobi are building less and less of the smallest category of homes. That most people work from home today – city homes have been tuned into little offices. This means that families are building offices at home, libraries a resting lounge – and much more. Parenting too has changed – with almost every child today being rewarded with their own personal rooms – each with their own bedrooms.