Compounds in Nairobi

What are you interested in, an apartment, or a house on its own?

Kenyans are also very security conscious and in all the wealthier areas, properties are located within walled compounds, or very dense hedges and mostly solid metal gates.  Electric gates are not that common - people employ some one to open and close them. Electric fencing is not uncommon.  There isn't a lot of variation on the style of compound perimeter.   Compound sizes can vary 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2 acre are common sizes.

Properties themselves have metal bars at the windows and quite often a metal grille outside the front door.   

The ethos here is that people should be unable to see into your compound from the outside. 

There are also gated communities becoming more common, as well as streets where the residents have put manned barriers.

If you have an apartment, there is often a security guard service as part of the service charge.  If you get a house, then you will often be responsible for your own security, either by hiring your own watchman, or hiring a security service.  I would warn you that security services are quite a bit more expensive here than in South Africa. 

Unfortunately burglaries can often be inside jobs.  So, for example we have an electric gate, electric fencing running found inside a thick hedge, a silent panic alarm, but don't employ a watchman.

Karen is a good area, but a little distance outside the city.

The best idea is for you to visit and view a few properties.