Can I buy property in Kenya without travelling home?

Yes. You can view by video, sign documents where your advocate directs or through a registered power of attorney, and pay by bank transfer into the account named in the sale agreement.

Can I pay for Kenyan property in US dollars?

Comex Homes accepts payment in US dollars or Kenya shillings by bank transfer into the account named in the sale agreement.

Who manages the apartment after I buy from abroad?

Comex Homes finds tenants, collects rent and manages the unit on behalf of owners, including owners living abroad.

What is stamp duty on property in Nairobi?

Stamp duty on a property transfer is 4% of the value within a municipality such as Nairobi and 2% outside municipalities. Confirm the current rate with your advocate.

How to Buy Property in Kenya from Abroad: A Step by Step Guide for the Diaspora

By Comex Homes, Nairobi. Updated 2026-11-03.

You can buy a Nairobi apartment or a plot near Nairobi without flying home. The safe way is to view by video, have your own Kenyan advocate check the title and agreement, pay only into the account named in the agreement, and use a registered power of attorney if someone must sign for you.

1. Decide what you want the property to do

If you want monthly income, studios and one bedrooms close to the CBD rent fastest. Comex Homes has sold out these in South B, Kilimani and Nairobi West, and is selling them now at Astana Residence in Ngara.

If you want land to build on later, a 50 by 100 plot on the Mombasa Road corridor, such as Lukenya Ridge, costs less today and gains as Nairobi grows south east.

2. View the property remotely

Ask for a live video viewing on WhatsApp, the brochure, floor plans and, where available, a 3D tour. Ask a relative or friend you trust to visit the site and the developer's finished projects in person.

3. Do due diligence through your own advocate

An official search on the title at the Ministry of Lands to confirm the owner and any charges
County building approval and NEMA licence for an apartment project
The draft sale agreement, payment schedule, completion date and what happens if the project is late
For land: the survey map, beacons and that the plot is not on a road or riparian reserve

4. Reserve and sign

You receive an offer letter, then a sale agreement. Your advocate reviews both. If you cannot sign in person, you can sign at a Kenyan embassy or notary abroad as your advocate directs, or give a trusted person a registered power of attorney.

5. Pay safely

Pay by bank transfer only into the account named in the sale agreement, never to an individual's personal account or mobile number. Keep every receipt. Comex Homes accepts payment in US dollars or Kenya shillings, and at Astana Residence offers a 25% deposit on signing with the balance in quarterly instalments during construction.

6. Costs to budget for

Stamp duty on transfer: 4% of the value for property within a municipality such as Nairobi, 2% elsewhere
Your advocate's legal fees, set under the Advocates Remuneration Order
Registration, search and valuation fees
Monthly service charge once the apartment is occupied

7. Get the title and rent it out

On completion your advocate registers the transfer. Apartments are usually held under a sectional title. Comex Homes then finds tenants, collects rent and manages the unit, so you get income without being in Kenya.

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Confirm the details for your purchase with a Kenyan advocate.