1. Can you tell us about your background and experience in the real estate industry?

My name is Ruth Mbula and I am the CEO and founder of Rubrina Properties which is a real estate company based in Nairobi Kenya serving buyers with the best investment opportunities in real estate industry.

Rubrina properties was formed with an aim of bridging the gap in the market whereby many people would like to invest but they don’t know where to go, who to trust and how the process works as there have so many conmen in the same industry.  

Many unsuspecting buyers have been conned before in the name of buying off plan projects from untrustworthy developers who never completed the projects as they had promised. Also, other people have been conned through pyramid schemes and Ponzi schemes in the name of investing.

So we saw the need of coming up with a company that showcases authentic properties to investors and also guide them in acquiring properties.

We have been this industry for 5 years now and our company is global as we have help hundreds and hundreds of investors to acquire properties across the world. That means our clientele are based both in kenya and in the diaspora.

Our experience in the industry has been amazing as our satisfaction is seeing investors getting good investments that yield good returns.

We have also grown as a company as now we have been able to provide employment to many people who work with us in the office and also in the ongoing sites that we are selling.

1. What areas of Kenya do you specialize in, and why?

We specialize in Nairobi County which includes the upper market that has Kilimani, Kileleshwa and Lavington. Our other major area is Mombasa road, Syokimau, Sabaki, Athi River and Kitengela.

The reason for this is that we understand this market best and we are aware of all the developments happening in this neighborhood, what they are ideal for, return on investment and expected completion dates.

You also realize that our office is at nextgen mall 1^st floor suite 48 which is in the same neighborhood.

 In addition, our listings range from the high end to even affordable housing so we accommodate each and every investor.

2. How has the real estate market in Kenya been affected by COVID-19 pandemic?

When Covid 19 hit the world in 2020, the real estate industry was really affected because many people lost their jobs and the ones who still had some income could not commit to investing as it was difficult to predict the future and also how long it would take before the pandemic could contained or eradicated. Also, there were delays in terms of construction since the world wasn’t operating in the normal ways.

 However, things have changed since 2021 and immediately after the previous general election which happened in august 2022, the demand for housing has gone up for the purchases of houses and rentals as well.

3. What do you think sets your real estate agency apart from others in the industry?

Rubrina Properties is a company focusing on delivering homes to investors and is run by professionals. We do a background check for all the properties that we are selling so they are authentic properties.

Our porte is excellent customer service as we are guided by the following pillars:

• Trust
• Integrity
• Attention to details
• Deliverables
• Business

4. How do you stay up-to-date on changes and developments in the real estate industry in Kenya?

Our style is very unique as we ensure that we showcase best of the best in the market. We are so keen on attention to details which include the finishes and amenities in the projects. For instance, most of our projects have all the amenities that make a community complete for staying. This is swimming pool, fully equipped gym, kids playing areas, backup generator, borehole, intercom and biometrics for security purposes.

 We have also partnered with banks to provide financing to our clients at good interest rates and long repayment period for up to 25 years.

 The other thing is that we have flexible payment plans whereby our clients are able pay for the properties slowly up to 24 months during construction period and they finish by the time the houses are ready for occupancy.

 Lastly and not least, we ensure that the properties that we are selling are accessible and near all social amenities like shopping malls, schools, churches, hospitals etc.

5. Can you walk us through your process for helping clients buy or sell a property?

Once a client engages us with interest of purchasing a property, we take them through all our listings and streamline down to the most ideal for them. This is determined by the clients need on location and whether the property is for living or for investment.

From there we schedule for a site visit with the client or their representative in order to see the houses and also choose a unit.

That is followed with preparation of an offer letter which has the projects name, vendors details, purchasers details, property being purchased, unit number and title number.

Once a purchaser has executed the offer letter by signing and placing a deposit, then they are furnished with sale agreement which comes from the vendor’s lawyers. The sale agreement is a legally binding document which protects both the vendor and the purchaser.

 After the execution of the sale agreement, full payment of the purchase price and the other closing costs (stamp duty & legal fees), the purchaser gets a title or lease title as the ownership document.

 In addition, we go an extra mile to introduce our clients to an advocate who can represent them in the purchase process and the similar way we introduce them to a financier (banks) for financing purposes.

6. What are some of the most common challenges you face when working with clients, and how do you overcome them?

 Sometimes clients looking for investments would imagine that real estate agents are expensive and sell the properties at a higher cost than the developer which is not true. We have partnered with developers to sell their properties at the same price that they are selling to even walking clients. So the prices for the house are the same to all buyers.

We advise clients that it is important to walk with a real estate agent when purchasing a home or investment as we understand the market better, we are honest, and we will tell you advantages and shortcomings of every area and show you variety as well.

A real estate agent adds a lot of value to the purchaser when looking for a home or an investment.

7. How important is marketing when it comes to selling a property, and what marketing strategies do you use?

It is very important to market your property as many people would like to invest in real estate but they don’t know where to go and who to trust.

So for us we are very visible online and we have a physical office at the Nextgen mall 1^st floor suite 48 along Mombasa road Nairobi, Kenya.

           We also have a very vibrant YouTube channel (Rubrina Properties)

           Whereby we post videos of our properties so that our clients can watch          

           and relate with the houses even when they are in the diaspora.

           The other thing is a website, reviews and presence in all our social media

           Handles.

           I would also like to mention that a referral from a happy client is very

           important and it increases confidence to the new purchaser and also  

           credibility goes up

8. What advice do you have for first-time homebuyers in Kenya?

I would like to advise first-time buyers to work with credible real estate agents like us and also ensure that they do proper due diligence before purchasing a unit. This is to ensure that they get legit property that has ownership documents in place.

9. What do you think the future of the real estate market in Kenya looks like, and how are you preparing for it?

The demand for housing is increasing as more people are moving from the rural areas to urban areas to look for greener pastures and so they need decent houses to live in. in addition, we are have people based in the diaspora who are planning to relocate back home. Bearing in consideration that only 10% of people living in Nairobi that own homes and the rest are renting so more houses need to be developed.

Rubrina properties is eyeing into starting developing houses in the near future since we have interacted with buyers and we understand well what they need.

Rubrina Properties

Website : www.rubrinaproperties.co.ke

Email : info@rubrinaproperties.co.ke

Tel : +254720927238

Address : Nextgen mall 1^st floor suite 48 along Mombasa road, Nairobi Kenya