My Hood: Inside the new emerging estate where Nakuru's wealthy hide
Most of the houses in Greensteds estate sit in large acres of land and are built with a modern touch.
When listing estates where Nakuru’s elite live, you can’t go without mentioning Greensteds estate.
Situated 15 kilometres away from Nakuru CBD, the estate is loved by those seeking a quiet and semi-rural life.
Apart from being known for grand houses and a serene environment, it’s one of the estates in Nakuru that shares a name with a school.
A section of the road in Greensteds estate that has no tarmac.
While speaking to Mr Nick Mwashimba, a resident at Greensteds estate, I come to learn of the history behind the estate’s name.
He narrates, "The estate is actually known as Hills view estate. But over time, due to its close proximity to Greensteds International school, it began getting referred to as Greensteds estate."
Mr. Nick additionally lets me know that although the initial occupants of the estate were parents and staff of the school, there are also outsiders who have bought or are building in the estate.
Depending on the size of the house, rent in this estate ranges between Sh 28,000 to Sh 50,000 and upwards.
However, rental spaces here are a few with most Greensteds residents opting to live in their own houses.
While speaking on the drawbacks of living in the area, Joan Wangechi shares, "The biggest drawback is how far it is from town."
"It’s hard to live here if you don’t have a car”, she notes with a chuckle before adding, “You'll end up spending lots of time and money trying to get a mat."
Another resident, Johnson Kiarie notes that for some parts of Greenteds, residents need to depend on water from boreholes.
"Also, for someone who has just moved to the area, it’s very easy to feel confused as to why there are no kiosks," Johnson jokes.
Most of the roads in Greensteds estate require street lights as the paths are dark.
While speaking to yet another Greensteds resident, Evelyn Nyaoma, she shares that for her specific area, the biggest challenge faced is the lack of street lights on the very rough and murram road that needs tarmac.
"All in all, this is the place to live in or at least invest in. There's serenity, spacious houses, security and good amenities such as schools and hospitals. It’s also a very child friendly community," John Kiarie closes off.