How To Start and run a profitable house hunting service business in Kenya

🏠 WHAT A HOUSE HUNTING SERVICE IS

A house hunting service helps clients find rental homes, apartments, or land to buy, based on their preferences, budget, and location — without them having to do the searching and visiting themselves.

As a  “house hunter”,  you act as a property scout / agent, connecting landlords, agents, and buyers or tenants.

🏠 DOES HOUSE HUNTING SERVICES IN KENYA PROFITABLE ?

There maybe different motivations for starting any business but at least we can agree that generating revenue and subsequently profits is a bottom line and common denominator of every plan. So before even going further maybe you want to confirm if house hunting services in Kenya can generate you good revenue – my answer to that is a definite Yes!

House hunting services in Kenya can be profitable, especially in urban areas like Nairobi, Mombasa,Kisumu, Eldoret  and Nakuru where rental demand is high and people lack time to search for houses themselves. With minimal startup costs (mostly transport, phone, and marketing), you can earn steady commissions — typically 50% of one month’s rent per deal — plus extra income from consultation and virtual search fees. Success mainly depends on building trust, strong local networks,  consistent online visibility and how you are managing your business in terms of balancing expenses and revenue to optimize profits.

I simplified my research on how to venture into this business especially as a young Kenyan looking for an additional income stream, whether you want to go full in or as part time. Walk with me in this step by step guide on how to launch (and succeed at it) your house hunting hustle in Kenya.

🌱 STEP 1: UNDERSTAND THE MARKET

1. Research Your Target Area

Start with one or two towns to execute your pilot run(e.g., Nairobi, Nakuru, Mombasa, Kisumu). Going one by one helps you mitigate the risk of spreading too thin. During this research to learn the following

• Average rent prices by estate
• Common property types ( are they bedsitters, 1 BR 2BR, maisonettes)
• Popular house listing platforms commonly being used  (is it BuyRentKenya, Jiji, Facebook groups)
• Demand gaps (e.g., affordable 1BRs near industrial areas or  student hostels near Kenyatta University along Thika )

2. Identify Your Niche

Choose a niche that you are comfortable with , remember specialization beats generalizations by far and wide. You have among other options:

• Rental units(most common starting point)
• Student housing
• Corporate relocation (expats, NGO staff)
• Diaspora clients (people abroad seeking property management or purchase help)

Case Example:

Bonn in Kisii noticed young professionals moving from Nairobi but struggling to find clean, affordable 1BRs near town. He launched  “Kisii HouseFinders,” focusing only on executive 1BR and 2BR rentals in and around Kisii.

🪪 STEP 2: REGISTER YOUR BUSINESS

To operate professionally and legally, register with:

1. eCitizen – for a business name (KSh 950–1,000)
2. County Government – get a Single Business Permit
3. You can optionally register as a real estate agency with the Estate Agents Registration Board (EARB) if you plan to handle sales and commissions long-term.

Survival tip: Start as a sole proprietorship and upgrade later to a limited company once your business grows. It helps you learn the intricacies of the business and its challenges at a smaller “controlled ” experiment

📱 STEP 3: BUILD YOUR BRAND IDENTITY & PRESENCE

For house hunting in Kenya, more so for the younger generation, the first step is usually an online search across search engines and social media, which then gives them the first leads to start following. So you would rather meet your potential clients at their comfort, which is pretty much having a sophisticated digital strategy that will spark robust engagements and generate worthwhile leads.

1. Choose a Catchy Brand Name

Choose a catchy brand name (Example: HomeScout Kenya, HouseMate, MyDigs Kenya. ) Develop brand identity elements like logo iteration,colour schemes, fonts, icons and some digital marketing material like artworks (posters) , photos and videos in preparation for going live across social channels.

2. Set Up Online Presence

• Instagram, Facebook Page, TikTok : post listings, video tours
• WhatsApp Business :Create and update catalog and automated replies
• Simple Website : (You can use Wix, Wordpress to create one or pay a developer to get one done for you if you have a budget) showcase listings , inquiries on and contact form
• Google My Business : appear on maps for local searches like “house hunting services in Thika” . It  helps boost your local SEO by Far
• Work on SEO : Do a keyword research on  relevant house hunting keywords against their such volumes and then develop blog articles (hosted on your website). This search engine optimization will help you drive traffic to your site and organically increase the quality and quantity of the potential customers you are sending on your site. Blogging also positions you as an expert in that very field, and you will command domain authority and the trust that’s necessary in closing deals.

3. How to Go About Branding

Since you’re starting out, I would advise you to keep your budgets lean and use tools like Canva to design your logo, digital flyers, and business cards while Cupcut will help you edit videos.

With more money and your business growing, you can hire a professional graphics designer and video editor to turbo boost your branding game.

👥 STEP 4: BUILD NETWORKS OF PROPERTY SOURCES ie THE SUPPLY

The success of your house hunting hustle will hugely depend on the size of the database of units , the accuracy of the information and timeliness (relevance). So it’s paramount to build the social capital that

• Landlords: Visit estates, introduce yourself, offer to help find tenants quickly.
• Caretakers & Janitors: They often know vacant units before anyone else.
• Other Agents: Partner with trustworthy ones for shared commissions.
• Developers: Offer to showcase new apartments.

Case Example:

Brian in Nairobi built relationships with caretakers in Kilimani and Kileleshwa. They tipped him about vacancies before they went public, giving him an edge with high-end clients.

💼 STEP 5: DESIGN YOUR SERVICE PACKAGES

Examples of your charges canvas

🔍 STEP 6: CLIENT PROCESS FLOW

Here’s how to structure your client workflow:

1. Inquiry: Client fills out a form (could be google form or one on your website and the details are location, budget, type)
2. Consultation: You discuss needs via WhatsApp, Regular Call or in person
3. Search & Shortlist: Find 3–5 suitable listings
4. Viewings: Schedule physical or virtual tours
5. Selection & Negotiation: Help client secure the house
6. Payment & Documentation: Collect your service fee
7. Follow-up: Confirm client satisfaction

Case Example:

A Nairobi client working in Qatar sent Faith a KSh 10,000 deposit for a virtual house hunt. Faith recorded 4 apartments in Syokimau, helped choose one, and coordinated the lease signing remotely.

💰 STEP 7: REVENUE STREAMS

Revenue is the backbone of any business. These are the tried ,tested and adopted income streams for a house hunting business.

• Commission (standard 50% of 1-month rent)
• Consultation fees (for serious clients only)
• Advertising listings (for landlords)
• Property verification or inspection fees
• Referral bonuses (from agents or moving companies)

🧩 STEP 8: LEGAL & ETHICAL BEST PRACTICES

• Always verify property ownership documents.
• Sign a simple service agreement with clients.
• Don’t accept large deposits — rent should be paid to the landlord directly.
• Keep digital records of communication and payments.
• Respect privacy and honesty in listings (no fake photos).

⚙️ STEP 9: OPERATIONS & TOOLS

Recommended Tools:

• Google Sheets  : manage listings
• A Property Management Software  : Can help you get real time updates on which units are vacant or those that the tenants have issued vacation notices, further strengthening the depth and accuracy of your listings database
• WhatsApp Catalog  :  showcase houses
• Canva marketing materials
• CapCut / InShot :  video tours
• M-Pesa Till / Paybill : receive payments professionally

🚀 STEP 10: GROWTH & SCALING

Once you’re established:

• Hire part-time scouts in different estates.
• Partner with moving or cleaning companies.
• Build a small CRM (client relationship system).
• Launch a YouTube channel for property tours.
• Expand to sales or Short Stay ( Airbnb style ) management.

🧭 BONUS: CHALLENGES & HOW TO OVERCOME THEM

CONCLUSION

House hunting , just like any other service based business can be hectic initially but with consistency and best industry practice, you are likely to establish a business that you will definitely be proud of. If you have been thinking of starting this hustle, the best time to start it was probably 5 years ago, the second best time is now . In case you need your hand held, my team and I at Royways Real Estate will be more than glad to give you a customized guideline and access to resources to help you flourish.