Yobo seeks more opportunities for aspiring homeowners

Ex-Nigerian international (footballer), Joseph Yobo, says to reduce the country’s housing deficit and make housing available, special attention should be given to first-time home buyers.

He said this would give more people the opportunity to key into housing initiatives by both the government and the private sector.

Yobo, who is Lifecard Investment Limited’s ambassador, spoke at the inauguration of the company’s Perfect Residence Estate in the Lakowe area of Lagos.

He said, “It is always good to give the opportunity to first-home buyers. I started very young; but today, I know the number of properties that I own.

“Everybody can own an apartment and become a landlord. It is not always good to remain a tenant. If there is an opportunity to buy into a property, I think that is one of the safest investments anyone can undertake.”

The Managing Director, Lifecard International Investment Limited, Grace Ibhakhomu, said collaboration among stakeholders could help solve the country’s housing problem.

Ibhakhomu said it had become necessary for stakeholders including mortgage banks to put resources and energy together to make housing available to off-takers.

According to her, young people should also begin to consider co-ownership of homes.

“Young people can come together and own an apartment or even own a plot of land and when it appreciates in the nearest future, they can as well come together and sell it,” she added.

Ibhakhomu described Perfection Residence Estate as a community of people who owned real estate investment with a Certificate of Occupancy and government-approved layout.

She said, “We are different from others because what we have decided to do with Perfect Residence Estate is to give everyone the opportunity to own a real estate investment right here in Nigeria. Because of the documentation of this estate, I call it a goldmine.

“We discovered that young people are interested in investing but they are not given the opportunities because most of all the titled document estates are really expensive.  There is something called land banking; if you talk about land banking, it is buying land to sell in the future.

“Most people buying properties today are actually going to sell them. We have a lot of lands and everyone is entitled to at least a piece of Lagos.”

She said the firm was giving an opportunity to everyone to invest, adding that a project known as Spring apartment would be coming up within the estate to offer blocks of one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and studio apartments with a monthly rental model.

source: PUNCH