Riat Hill Villas brings Swedish elegance to Kisumu

Riat Hill Villas, a development inspired by contemporary Swedish design, is well underway at Riat Hills in Kisumu, just 3km from the Kisumu International Airport.

The Sh1.3bn gated community– which was launched in September 2014 – comprises 30 Swedish style villas set on 8.5 acres of land overlooking Lake Victoria.

Fred Andersson, the founder of Stockholm-based Coromandele Investment Ltd., is the man behind the stunning development that brings a new air of Swedish elegance to the lakeside city.

The luxury villas come in two options; Villa Gothernburg and Villa Stockholm priced at Sh38.5m and Sh48.5m respectively. The villas will each occupy a quarter acre plot.

Each unit will comprise 4-bedrooms all ensuite, walk-in in closet, expansive roof terrace with external Jacuzzi, two-room staff quarter and free flowing open plan among the common areas.

There will also be a club house with a swimming pool.

“The villa will be big and of top quality with large space and expansive terrace. The small villa is 4,600 sq ft while the largest will be 7,000 sq ft,” Mr Andersson said adding that 10 units have been sold off-plan.

The villas, which were designed by Fred Andersson & Pepela Mecca the architect of TMS Group Ltd., will be developed by Coromandele Design, a local subsidiary of the developing company.

Construction of the initial 10 villas is due for completion within a year.

“The beauty of Kisumu and especially the first rim of the Riat Hills inspired me to create a new concept of living for Kisumu. This concept in based on contemporary Swedish design that contains stunning features, practical solutions in all aspects and closeness to nature,” said Mr Andersson.

The owners of the Riat Hill Villas will have former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as neighbour. Mr Odinga is building a 74-room mansion with several conference rooms, offices, 10 bedrooms, multiple kitchens and expansive garden on Riat Hills.

“I don’t know the profile of the buyers, but anyone can buy… [including] Kenyans in the diaspora who want to buy and rent out villas, or to use them while on holiday,” said Mr Andersson.

In the recent past, the Riat Hills area has attracted a huge number of wealthy individuals from western Kenya and developers from Nairobi seeking to tap into the booming Kisumu real estate market.

An acre of land in the area is now selling at between Sh3.5m and Sh4.5m from less than Sh1.5m in 2004. The same size of land was selling for Sh2.5m in 2011.

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