Turning Distant Land into a Dream Home: Joseph’s story

When we make big decisions in life, we often ask family and friends for advice. But sometimes, listening too much to others can stop us from moving forward. This is what happened to me, and it led me to a surprising and wonderful change in my life.

Back in 2011, I was celebrating my 28th birthday. I had no kids, no wife, and not many serious things to worry about – just my car and friends to have fun with. We spent a lot of money that night on food and drinks, and it made me think about my future.

As I realized I was getting closer to turning 30, I felt a bit scared of the third floor, I asked myself what I wanted,  what I would remain with if I lost my good job etc, I started thinking about what I wanted in life and what I could afford. Having a car got me thinking about owning a place of my own. I talked about it with friends, and we looked at apartments for sale, but they were too expensive.  Apartments, wouldn’t give me the privacy I want of walking around my home in my boxers on a cool weekend.

Then, I began searching for land. The places closer to the city were pricier, but they were also more developed. My real estate agent showed me a place called Kitagobwa,  Kiteezi – Buwambo Road which seemed really far away from everything. The road was bad, and the area didn't look great. But I decided to learn more.

The land there was bigger than the other places we had seen, and it cost much less – 60% less, to be exact. I had to ask myself some important questions: Far from whom? Far from where?  Far from what? Who decided it was far? Those questions changed my perspective.

I contacted my agent again to know more details of Kitagobwa land, by that time, the owner had two plots for sale, each measuring 50x100. I negotiated with the seller and got both for 22.5 million. To buy the land, I had to give up my plan of upgrading my car. Instead, I used the money for the land's down payment.

In 2016, a friend joined me and bought land nearby. In just six years, the land's value had gone up a lot. Today, my once "far" land is worth much more and my home is wonderful. We have plenty of space, a big garden where my wife grows bananas and vegetables, and our kids have lots of room to play.

Even though the road to my office is not great, it only takes me about 40 minutes to get there. And when they fix the road, it will be even faster.

If you're thinking about living here, there are a few plots of land left, but they cost 40 million now. Back in 2011, some people  that thought this place was too far and not developed  can not afford it.

So, my advice is: don't be afraid of what seems far away. Sometimes, those far places can become the best parts of your life. Buy that place in the village and bring the city to the village, Joseph, the proud Landlord.

Joseph's journey closely mirrors the sentiments of real estate professionals in the field. According to Mr. Joachim Sekajja, Director of JS Properties, many prospective buyers are drawn to expensive, already developed areas, often overlooking the fact that even current residents once invested in less developed, more remote places before witnessing growth.

Mr. Sekajja's advice aligns remarkably with Joseph's experience: rather than burdening oneself with hefty loans and overwhelming bills, the smart approach is to purchase reasonably priced land and gradually develop it. This wisdom echoes the timeless saying, "Rome wasn't built in one day."

If you're in search of land, look no further than www.bakla.ug, where a spectrum of options awaits, ranging from 5 million to 100 million Ugandan Shillings. The choice is entirely yours, tailored to the size of your wallet.