The Spleet Digest

If you’ve ever tried to find a decent apartment in Lagos, then you’re probably familiar with the stress and overwhelming frustration associated with the process. It’s not just the high pricing that frustrates would-be renters. There are also a myriad of other challenges that make it so much more difficult to rent in Lagos than elsewhere. 

In this blog, we take a look at some of the reasons why house hunting in Lagos is so stressful and what you can do to minimize this stress when looking for an apartment. 

🏠 High Demand, Low Supply of Decent Apartments

One of the major reasons why house hunting is so challenging in Lagos is because of the continuous increase in demand for limited available decent apartments. 

With Lagos being the commercial nerve center of Nigeria, it stands to reason that the population of the state is always on the rise. In 2016, the National Population Commission estimated that over 21 million people live in Lagos, however, according to the Lagos State Government, the number is around 17.5 million. 

Given this high population and Lagos being the smallest state in terms of land area, it stands to reason that land is not only scarce, but also highly expensive and this affects construction of new houses across Lagos. 

🏚️ Low Quality Infrastructure

From poorly built and hurriedly finished apartments to unavailability of basic amenities like water supply, drainage systems and inaccessible roads, a considerable number of available apartments in Lagos are of subpar quality. This results in tenants having to settle for the best of bad options or extend their search indefinitely. 

🚦Security and Traffic Concerns

Another common issue with house hunting in Lagos is security and traffic. No matter how nice and cool an area is, security and traffic frequency are important factors renters consider when renting an apartment in Lagos. 

Imagine finding your dream apartment but you can’t proceed with renting the apartment because the area is not secure or the traffic situation is unbearable, especially during peak and work hours.

Considering the high population and small land area in Lagos, traffic is a recurrent issue and this influences renting decisions for lots of people, especially people who need to get to work early. 

😰 Agent Wahala

If you’ve rented an apartment in Lagos, you’ve probably had to deal with agents. House hunting agents are common and popular in Lagos because they are at the intersection of the relationship between renters and landlords. However, they can be quite difficult to work with. 

From charging exorbitant viewing and inspection fees to leading tenants on wild goose chases for apartments that do not suit their needs, agents make the renting process extremely difficult. They’re often considered a necessary evil because of their connection to landlords, however, for many people, agents are the main problem. 

🧰 How to minimize the stress of house hunting

It will be unrealistic to suggest that the stress of finding a new home can be absolutely eliminated, however, that stress can be minimised. Here are a few tips to keep in mind to help minimize stress when house hunting. 

• Create a priority list before beginning your search. By creating an order of priority, you can identify features of your ideal apartment that can be foregone. For example, if you don’t need to be physically in an office, you can choose a location in a less expensive neighbourhood. 
• Leverage tech-enabled platforms. Technology has changed many things. Recently, it has been transforming the real estate industry. The property tech space is growing rapidly. More companies are rising to solve the house hunting problem from different angles. Companies like Spleet Africa now provide renters flexible rent payment solutions, more seamless renting processes, and opportunities for vetted apartment sharing. 
• Work with recommendations. If you’d rather continue using the traditional methods when it comes to renting, then working with recommendations may help more. Asking your friends and loved ones about safe areas to live in or trustworthy agents to work with can help you find better living conditions. 

🎬 ConclusionHouse hunting can be a stressful experience, especially if you’re trying to do it via traditional means. But it is not impossible to find a home that ticks the major boxes in your list. Currently looking for a new home? Check for an apartment that checks your boxes on Spleet.