The beauty of living in folly mansions in Nairobi's reclusive estates starts fading as old age hits.
That is the same story in some reclusive estates in Nairobi, such as Kitisuru, Red Hill, Spring Valley, Loresho and Nyari.
Elderly people and retirees with huge multi-storey mansions prefer downsizing to deal with mobility issues, lower maintenance, and even move closer to social amenities.
Most of the mansions occupied by rich but old tycoons in reclusive estates have six bedrooms, separate servants' quarters, huge living rooms, and dining rooms.
They also have family rooms upstairs designed for children to enjoy themselves when visitors occupy lower rooms.
However, with all the millions invested in the mansions, some tycoons prefer selling them off at throwaway prices or even market prices to move to small but cosy homes.
The trend is also common among retirees who build extensive bungalows in secluded rural areas such as Juja Farm, Laikipia, Isinya, and Nanyuki.
Why They Are Moving Out
Maintenance Costs
In 2022, Forbes, a global media outlet, listed expensive maintenance costs among the factors compelling aged individuals to swap or even sell their mansions.
Forbes indicated that mansions require regular maintenance, which sometimes becomes strenuous for aged people who are saving on bequeathing their children.
"Larger, older homes can be challenging and costly to maintain. They can use these equity gains and have a sizable nest egg for retirement, travel, or purchasing a smaller home that may have more desirable features or be in a more desirable location," Forbes indicated.
Others have tight travelling and holidaying schedules that make it difficult to monitor landscaping and other repairs.
Mobility Issues
Most mansions owned by old tycoons are multi-storey units. As old age dawns, so as health complications.
Some individuals realise that their houses do not support their mobility needs during retirement and old age. Moving up and down staircases becomes tiresome and even close to impossible.
This is usually attributed to some health complications, such as arthritis which reduce the range of movement.
Tycoons who have not listed their houses on the inheritance list prefer downsizing or moving out to smaller units.
Isolation and Loneliness
In October 2022, Superior Homes, a real estate company, indicated that some elderly couples were willing to sell their mansions in reclusive estates due to loneliness.
When most of them are in their 70s and 80s, their children and grandchildren move out, leaving them alone. With their houses located in less populated areas, they end up living in isolation and loneliness.
"You are coming from interacting with many people at work to a lonely life at home. Your children will have moved out and the only time they are around is during visits and family events. Loneliness and idleness will drive you to the grave fast," Superior Homes told a local publication in August 2022.
Access to Social Amenities
Some reclusive estates are located far from social amenities, including hospitals and gyms. Some prefer selling them off to move close to those amenities to keep up with regular appointments.
At that age, some even require regular exercise with their friends and reclusive estates have limited gym facilities as most homeowners fit the facilities in their houses.
"You will want to sell your six-bedroom house in Runda to move to a two-bedroom house in a less exclusive neighbourhood that allows you to interact with more people," the real estate firm added.
Easy to Commute
According to Knight Frank Wealth report 2022, the pandemic brought a lifestyle change in most parts of the country. Due to the pandemic, some elderly couples and individuals were forced to move to areas where they can easily access public service vehicles due to job losses and shut down of big companies.
With the ravaging effects of the pandemic, some people were compelled to sell their mansions in reclusive estates such as Karen and move to other satellite towns such as Syokimau, Athi River, Limuru, and Ruiru which are easily accessible even by taxis at affordable rates.
To avoid swapping a house considered as selling at a throwaway price, architects advise homeowners to get their finances to manage maintenance costs, monitor real estate market trends and consider cost vs value on home improvement.
However, homeowners who struggled to amass wealth and were surrounded by poverty prefer moving into their children's houses just to preserve their mansions which are considered prestigious.
