Hello ....my blog has really come of age (for my mind)....it
used to be www.makizee-thoughtsaloud.blogspot.com, a mouthful right? That would
make it so difficult to find in a sea of blogs in here, so I changed it to
www.makizee.blogspot.com....that should be easier, don't you all think, well to
the business of the day
The dream of the average person living in Lagos is to one
day own a house in Lagos but there is Lagos and there is "Lagos", for
example there are parts of Lagos i would not even consider owning property at, the
wahala is not even worth it abeg so as a realtor and real estate enthusiast, I
carried out a serious research (indeed) and i came up with a list of the 10
most desirable locations to own a house, provided money wasn't a constraint,
taking into considerations that there are gated communities (estates)
everywhere in Lagos where it would seem like you are balling in Monaco even but
I’ll try not to include these estates like NICON Town, Carlton gate, you get my
point.
.....so here is my list based on parameters like traffic
patterns, general security situation, nearness to CBD's, Airport and the likes
10. Yaba/Akoka and environs: Yaba area of Lagos
is a mix of commercial & residential properties and it is easily accessible
from most part of the state, some really nice estates are also springing up
around there plus it hosts quite a number of institutions, there are lot of
bars, clubs and hotels for those that like a bit of living pleasure, and
e-centre is always a good place to hangout at.
9. Surulere and Environs: Yezzir, good old
surulere…..well it may not be revered as it was decades ago but surulere is
still a nice place to work and live, not forgetting the numerous malls
springing up, the redeveloped Adeniran Ogunsanya mall comes to mind
8. Apapa GRA and environs: i know when you
hear of apapa, what readily comes to mind are container laden trailers and
terrible traffic caused by the trucks entering and exiting the ports nearby but
apapa still commands one of the highest prices on properties, both commercial
and residential, a lot of "old money" resides there and foreigners
too, in fact Apapa in the past used to be known for its expatriates status,
surely it isn't what it used to be but Apapa "head still dey there"
7. Ajah/Lekki 2 and environs: Ajah has
really come a long in terms of development and its proximity to the business
hotbed of VI and Lagos Island has had a positive effect on its development plus
the addition of posh estates around the place is also a good thing but there
are dots of shanties also, not to mention the never ending traffic…..”gosh, if
only I could afford Lekki Phase 1”, you might find yourself thinking as you
drive home on a stressful Monday evening.
6. Oniru Estate/
Lekki 1: Very few places in the continent of Africa has attracted as much
real estate development as these axis
(of the rich) but a major downside for me is that this place like many nice
places in Lagos is overpriced, the prices of properties are artificial, I just
hope the bubble does not burst soon, that would be bad market for me.
5. Victoria island : VI
has become the preferred location for big business to site their corporate headquarters
displacing Lagos Island from this position, everybody want to have an office
here, which some residents depending on who you talk to may find it pleasing or
really as a nuisance, while some landlord are happy, smiling to the bank by
leasing out their house to companies, others may not be fond of their next door
neighbor who might just be a bank, anyhow VI is still a good place to live and
own a property at.
4.Magodo GRA/ Omole
Estates: if you are looking for a serene place to live where there is very
little traffic except when a neighbor is having a party and very much
residential with less commercial activity, the Magodo GRA Phase 2 (shangisha)
is your best bet, located just on the other side of Alausa secretariat..With
the nearby Omole Estate 1& 2, MKO Abiola Gardens, these places have come to
define a visitor’s first impression of Lagos as they enter through the Lagos
Ibadan Expressway
3.Ikeja GRA and
Environs : Ikeja GRA is beautiful, it is by far the most popular GRA in the
city and its location plus nearness to
the Ikeja CBD and other nice areas like Maryland, Opebi Allen, ilupeju and the
busiest Airport in the country MMIA, not forgetting the seat of power , Alausa
makes ikeja GRA a prime location to build that dream home.
2. Ikoyi : From being the colonial quarters of
yore to the present day, ikoyi has always worn the tag of where the nouve riche
live, after so many of its original swampy lands have been sandfilled and
developed into prime lands more than doubling its size, ikoyi continues to
attract the elites that want exclusivity. Estates like Northern Foreshore and
Parkview are some of the gated estates in ikoyi…..if you are looking to get a
slice of ikoyi, you have to pay the price (literally).
1.Banana Island:
First of all (go down low, couldn’t resist…ha ha ha ), I am not a fan of banana
island for the simple fact that it is the most grossly overpriced piece of real
estate in the world, I could get a 6bedroom mansion in Beverly Hills for
example for what it would cost me to get a 1200sq/metres of land in banana
island. FACT. But it is what it is after all, this artificial sand filled island
Ssection of ikoyi (surprised !) is the ultimate when it comes to where the
average Mike (pun very much intended) would want to build his palatial palace,
no matter how tacky and ridiculous it may appear to the general population,
underground cable and drainage are some of the perks banana island has to offer.
PS: if you disagree with my list as expected, write your or
give an opinion and I would love to compare and contrast.
