Real Estate in Kenya: How Tilisi are Ensuring Business Continuity During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Kenya – Two months ago, the Kenyan government announced an official curfew starting 27th March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of the virus has touched almost every sector of the economy including real estate. Tilisi, like many companies all over the world, finds itself in a unique situation having to quickly adapt and learn to navigate uncharted territory.

Tilisi immediately adopted several best practices and strategies to help overcome the various challenges that have arisen. Administration and daily operations for nearly all departments moved online with the majority of staff working from home. Other precautionary measures include temperature checks, constant sanitization, wearing masks and PPE, altered seating positions when working from office, washing points, signage for hygiene, working in smaller groups, practising social distancing and team talks on health and safety. “We’re grateful to our contractors for really doing their best. It’s a joint effort along with our consultants all pushing forward,” remarks Ranee Nanji, co-CEO of Tilisi.

Today, Tilisi is able to stay fully operational and on track for constructing and completing its critical Phase II of the infrastructure as well as Tilisi Views, the residential villas. “We have not slowed down at all,” says Kavit Shah, also co-CEO of Tilisi. “We have found that people have more time to visit our project and make their decisions. Luckily, our orders of materials are pre-planned and made in advance so construction will not be held up. Our sales team is also aggressively pushing and pursuing their targets, and prospective buyers seem to be impressed by our progress despite COVID-19’s effects,” he adds.

April saw a record month for the sale of units in Tilisi Views with the addition of a new product; the sale of serviced half acre plots. Individuals can custom design and build their own home within the development controls and guidelines already set. Many prospective customers have commended Tilisi’s handling of site visits. The cleanliness and regular sanitisation of the office as well as strict regulations on wearing of PPE lends to the customer experience. It has instilled a feeling of safety and comfort allowing for business to continue without reservation. ‘We haven’t made any redundancies and we’ve managed to work through this time without affecting our staff’s welfare. We’re confident once this is over, there will be demand for our land and our houses. We believe in our product. We are confident that there is a real need for what we’re offering as it’s a unique project,” Ranee adds.

Key partners in Tilisi are also on schedule for the next phase in their plans. Africa Logistics Properties (ALP) who are building Grade A warehouses are aiming to see their first tenants move in later this year. Residential developer Maisha Housing Ltd is on course for breaking ground on their upcoming affordable apartments this August with the view that vital initial progress on construction can be made this year.

The driving force behind Tilisi is its vision to create a city with a lasting legacy that will serve Kenyans for generations to come. During the pandemic, this has become even more meaningful and relevant.

About Tilisi: Tilisi is a 400-acre mixed-use urban development, distinctly zoned into residential, commercial and logistics precincts. Set just 30 km from Nairobi’s CBD off, at the intersection of Limuru Road and Nakuru-Nairobi A104 Highway, the development offers strategic access and infrastructure. The development is owned and managed by a consortium of long-standing and experienced Nairobi-based developers.

For more information, please visit: tilisi.co.ke.

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