Searching for a property in Lagos can be time consuming, and also requires a lot of financial commitment. For most people in the city, ‘house hunting’ is the second thing they dread most. The first being the Lagos “traffic”. Searching for a property of your choice can take up to days, weeks, or even months depending on how lucky you are.
The reason is not far fetched: Lagos is not among the five biggest states in Nigeria but it is the most populous with over 10 million people. There are a lot of people living in Lagos and more people coming in. The population is actually more than the houses available.
This doesn’t mean you can’t get an apartment when you search, it just might take longer than usual, whether you are looking for an apartment in Lagos or luxury apartments san francisco. The following are some of the factors to consider when searching for a property in Lagos because getting one is enough stress and you don’t want to repeat the process all again.
Budget
One of the factors to consider when searching for a property is your budget. Before you can decide to go for house hunting in Lagos, you should have a budget. Having a budget helps you plan on how much and how much not to spend.
It is a known fact that searching for a property in Lagos in can be financially draining, but not having a budget can land you in debts, especially if you are buying a property. The budget helps you plan ahead, so as not to go beyond what you can afford. The budget you have also helps you tailor your choice of location. You don’t want to walk the whole of Lekki with a budget for Surulere.
Location
The location of the property is also another factor to consider when searching for a property in Lagos. It is unwise to set out for house hunting in Lagos without having a location in mind. You obviously don’t want to go street by street and area by area for an apartment in Lagos. You will be fed up with a day or two doing such.
When you have a particular location in mind, you can now narrow down on your choices. This is why it is called ‘house hunting’; a hunter is always precise. The other thing about location is that it helps you to consider other factors like proximity to work, market and other places you like to visit. You want to know how close the area is to your workplace, is it close the market? This are questions you probably want to answer before deciding on a particular location.
Make sure the location is always favorable for business, tourist, and leisure activities. There are plenty of shopping malls, cinemas, restaurants, hotels, shopping centers, entertainment centers, schools, health facilities, parks, recreational areas, etc. You can find more info on their website.
Security
When looking for a property in Lagos, it can be exhausting and financially burdensome. When you finally get one, you are eager to make payments because of the stress you have been through. In the process, you forget to check how secured the property and the environment is. You won’t want to rent a house and at the end of the day, not being able to sleep at night because of gunshots or other cause of unrest.
This is why security is another important factor. It is important you carry out proper research on the area to know if it is a safe place or not. You can also ask people living in the area. You can visit the place during the day and at night, to compare for yourself. Another concern when it comes to security is during inspection. You should observe the windows and doors for any sign of burglary. It might be a targeted spot for thieves and the reason the previous occupant left.
Availability of Social Amenities
House hunting in Lagos can be a headache and a do-over is definitely something you want to avoid. The thing about repeating the process is not just about the stress, it also means you will be spending additional unplanned costs. It is therefore good you get it right and get it right at first attempt. It is important you consider the availability of social amenities as a factor when searching for a property in Lagos.
Does the area have the required social amenities like good roads, water, electricity, health care facilities etc. You don’t want to live in a place where you will have to park your car 4-5 streets away because there are no good roads leading to your house.
Pick The Right Structure
This is definitely one of the factors to consider when searching for a property in Lagos. It is not enough to have a location and budget in mind. You must have a particular idea of your dream house or property. So you definitely want to ensure the types of structure you want are available before setting out to a particular area. You can find out by asking friends or close relatives. You can also save yourself the stress and go online to search real estate platforms like PropertyPro.ng with lots of listed properties.
The above are some of the important factors to consider when searching for a property in Lagos. You might also need all the luck you can get. So, good luck in your search.