Cheap is expensive & other shortcuts.

Since stepping into real estate, I've learned that selling land isn't just about titles and boundary lines; it's about human behavior. And one trait has stood out like a red beacon on a foggy hill: our obsession with bargains.

We Kenyans love a good deal. We chase discounts with a passion, sometimes blind to the fine print that comes with them. But some discounts aren’t blessings; they’re bait.

Recently, I sat with a client who had just received what sounded like a dream deal: a Kshs 17 million property at way below market price. They asked me to review their sale agreement. I froze, not out of ignorance, but caution.

“I'm not an advocate,” I told them. “Yes, I've read hundreds of sale agreements. I understand most clauses. But this isn't about understanding English; it's about protecting your future.”

Advocates go through years of training for a reason. Skipping that expertise to save a few thousand shillings? Risky. Almost reckless.

Then I read the agreement.

🛑 Red Flag #1: The property was still undergoing succession. There was mention of a confirmation of grant, but the buyer hadn’t verified it.

🛑 Red Flag #2: The land was just a portion of a larger parcel. No registered subdivision. No timeline for transfer or issuance of individual title deeds.

Worse still, the agreement leaned heavily toward the seller. A silent setup for complications.

When I expressed concern, the buyer brushed it off. “Others have bought from this seller. They’ve started construction. I’ll be fine.”

That response lit up something deeper in me. A flaw I see daily in our choices; not just in real estate, but life: mental shortcuts.

🧠 The Trap of Heuristics

We’re wired for efficiency. We:

• Judge quickly
• Avoid nuance
• Trust the familiar

It worked when survival meant escaping lions. But today, shortcuts often lead us into traps; especially when money, ownership, and legality are at play.

Conmen know this. They don’t sell property, they sell illusions. They weaponize our bias toward bargains. They wrap uncertainty in urgency and smile while we shake their hands.

And that’s how deals worth millions collapse under the weight of unchecked optimism.

💡 A Better Path Forward

• Always consult a licensed advocate.
• Verify succession documents and ensure titles exist and are clean.
• Never rely solely on what “other buyers” are doing.
• Be suspicious of deals that seem too good to be true; they usually are.

In real estate, the path of least resistance isn’t a shortcut, it’s a cliff.

Take care. Ask questions. And plant your money where the soil is truly firm.

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