Overview
Diaspora remittances into Kenya run at roughly USD 2 billion a year (Central Bank of Kenya), and a growing share of that flow is looking for a home in premium residential rather than a savings account. We built DEMAR for that buyer: the Kenyan or East-African professional in London, Toronto, Doha or Dubai who wants to build wealth at home without the anxiety of buying off-plan from 3,000 miles away.
The mechanics — PIN, KRA, leasehold tenure, escrow, repatriation — are not difficult, but they are different from what someone buying in London or Toronto is used to. This guide answers the questions buyers actually ask in our first call.
Tenure: leasehold for non-citizens
Non-citizens hold land in Kenya on a 99-year leasehold with renewal rights. This is the standard premium tenure available; it is not a downgrade from freehold for an apartment in a vertical scheme. The renewal application is an administrative filing at year 99, not a commercial negotiation. The leasehold title is registered in the Land Registry under the buyer’s name.
PIN registration
Every buyer needs a Personal Identification Number (PIN) issued by the Kenya Revenue Authority. Diaspora applicants without a Kenyan ID can register with their passport. Our SPV counsel — Otieno & Patel Advocates LLP — handles the application as part of the reservation pack; the PIN typically issues within two weeks.
Currency and repatriation
Buyer payments may be made in USD, KES, GBP or EUR. Sale proceeds at exit are repatriable in any of those currencies through the Central Bank of Kenya. There is no exchange-control restriction on the principal amount of an investment-grade residential transaction conducted through a licensed law-firm-trustee channel.
Post-handover: rental + management
Westgate Living Management — DEMAR’s named property manager under a 10-year SLA — runs the day-to-day for owners who are not in Nairobi. Monthly rental statements, annual service-charge reconciliation, end-of-tenancy inventories, dilapidation deductions, KRA tenancy-tax filings: all in a single owner statement, in the currency of the owner’s choice.
Why The Dagaz fits the diaspora brief
Escrow protection is designed for the buyer who cannot fly in monthly. The construction log is published monthly with photographs and milestone certificates. The reservation pack includes everything the buyer needs to underwrite the deposit from abroad — without a second-hand summary written by a sales agent.