You haven’t truly suffered if you have not tried renting a house in Lagos.
Here are the five phases you’ll most likely pass through before you finally rent a house in Lagos:
- The “Decision-making” Phase:
This is the phase where everything still feels easy.
You decide the kind of apartment you want, the area you want to stay, and the budget you’re willing to work with. In your head, everything makes perfect sense with the belief that you’ll get the perfect place in 3 weeks Max.
- The “Humbling” Phase
This is where it gets interesting and Lagos real estate starts correcting you small small.
In this phase, you’ve started making enquiries and suddenly you realise the budget you proudly created in your head has no connection to the actual Lagos housing market.
This phase comes with a lot of: “Ahhann?” “Wow.” “Really??” “For this price?”, “Are you serious?”
- The “Depressive Tour” Phase
This is where it gets frustrating.
In this phase, you get to see the houses in real time. With unending inspections and many “no” to agents/landlords, this is the phase where you question your life choices and you realise that the definition of a decent house to you, is not the same to Lagos landlords and agents.
Too many tours, but none of them matches your taste or budget.
- The “Burnt Out” Phase
In this phase, you’re already on the verge of giving up. You’ve decided to take a break from house hunting and breathe a little because the Lagos house hunt is beginning to affect your peace of mind.
- The “Acceptance” Phase
You’re back from the break after a rigorous mental gymnastics and nothing shocks you anymore.
This is the phase where you finally understand Lagos. You know you may not get everything you want, but at least you now know the difference between expectations and reality.
What phase are currently you in? We’d like to hear from you in the comment section.
