Until now, they have been a common feature in many large houses and preference for many buyers and developers.
Not anymore it appears as they have turned into a delicate issue for both home buyers and sellers.
KBA's latest housing price index says the presence of DSQs did not impact of home buyers decisions in the second quarter of 2017.
Almost two years after Nairobi-based developer James Wandai completed and put up for sale his 10 units of three-bedroom bungalows with domestic servant quarters (DSQs) in Ngong, few takers have been forthcoming.
Mr Wandai in part blames the prevailing economic hardship that has hit a majority of Kenyans, but also to attributes a new phenomenon where homebuyers are shunning housing units with domestic servant quarters.
“It appears DSQs are no longer appealing to homebuyers as has been in the recent past,” says the 54-year-old real estate developer.
“Not long ago, DSQs were all the rage and this would make the tipping point for home buyers.”
Reduce cost
Servants’ quarters or DSQs as they are commonly known are those parts of a building, traditionally in a private house, which contain the domestic offices and staff accommodation.
Until now, they have been a common feature in many large houses and preference for many buyers and developers. Not anymore it appears as they have turned into a delicate issue for both home buyers and sellers.
“Potential home buyers are looking at maximising the space they are buying as much as possible so they would consider the space occupied by the DSQ being used for other purposes, for example, having it as an extra bedroom rather than having a worker there,” says David Muriithi, a research officer with the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA).
Domestic personnel include maids, cooks, waiters, valets, laundresses, gardeners, gatekeepers, stable-lads, chauffeurs, caretakers, babysitters, tutors, secretaries, to name just a few.
Mr Muriithi says given that homebuyers want to reduce the cost of their homes whereby a domestic worker arrives in the morning and leaves in the evening, a DSQ is no longer a key selling point for developers.
“Lifestyle is dictating this where middle class are looking at having a domestic worker who reports in the morning and leaves in the evening,” says Mr Muriithi.
Pool and gym
His views are cemented in the latest KBA housing price index, which says the presence of DSQs did not impact of home buyers decisions in the second quarter of 2017.
“The presence of domestic servant quarters (DSQ) seems to have been insignificant in determining the price implying that potential home owners are less inclined to make a decision to buy based on the availability of a DSQ either as an additional bedroom or as rentable accommodation,” says the report released in July.
Attributes such as presence of swimming pool and gymnasium also seem to have had an insignificant effect on the prices in quarter one of 2017.
“This can be attributed to the fact that these facilities are mainly associated with an additional service charge especially in gated areas and apartments which potential homes owners wish to forego,” said the study.
However, DSQs may be still attractive to young home buyers who want to keep nannies a few meters away from the main house.
“We value our privacy hence the reason we bought a home with a DSQ to keep the maid away from the main house whenever we are around,” says Nairobi-based doctor Josephine Oluoch.
The young doctor and her CEO husband have purchased a three bedroom bungalow with domestic servant quarters in Kileleshwa, Nairobi.
“The DSQ influenced our decision to buy this house. We cannot imagine having bought a house without a DSQ,” says Mrs Oluoch.
Some of the factors affecting the house price in the units sold in quarter one in 2017 are number of bedrooms, bathrooms, type of the house, number of floors, location of the house.
Others are master ensuite, borehole, a fire place, garden or backyard and separate dining.
According to KBA, house prices rose at a slower rate in the second quarter of this year compared to the preceding period due to economic slowdown and poor credit uptake.
The KBA housing price index shows house prices rose by 0.98 per cent compared to the 1.10 per cent rise in quarter one 2017.
