Building a house in Lagos from London: the startup that wants owners to see every block laid
Proptiva Africa gives property owners abroad a team on the ground in Lagos, Abuja and Accra, and a portal where every update is photographed and time-stamped.
Lagos — For Africans living abroad, owning property at home has usually meant trusting someone else's word. Is the wall up? Was the cement bought? Is the tenant paying? The answers come by phone, from several people, and do not always agree.
Proptiva Africa, a property company working in Lagos, Abuja and Accra, is trying to replace that with something an owner can check.
A team on the ground
The company describes itself as a concierge for diaspora property owners. "Whether you're buying land, building a home, furnishing an apartment, installing security, or managing tenants, Proptiva Africa gives diaspora property owners a trusted team on the ground," it says.
Its services fall into six groups:
- Buy: inspections and verification before a purchase.
- Build: construction supervision, with progress shown in photos and video.
- Secure: CCTV, alarms and smart locks.
- Design: interiors and furnishing.
- Manage: tenant screening, rent collection support and property management.
- Maintain: repairs and upkeep.
The portal
The difference from a traditional agent is the record. Each client gets an online workspace that holds requests, updates, invoices and documents in one place. The company says updates are "photo-verified" and "timestamped from the site". Invoices and quotes are paid through Paystack.
It is also available as an app for iPhone and Android.
One client, an owner abroad with a home improvement project in Nigeria, is quoted on the company's site: "For the first time, I could see what was happening without chasing five different people."
Who it is for
Proptiva is aimed at owners in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Europe. Work is quoted after a consultation and is not sold as fixed packages.
More information: proptivaafrica.com.
