Alternative Housing Lagos Nigeria - Free Alternative Homes Guide

alternative housing lagos nigeria africa

Alternative housing guide Lagos Nigeria - Residential apartments are expensive in Lagos Nigeria. So, if you're new to Lagos and don't have a big budget, then you should consider looking for alternative homes . . . residential opportunities different from what you originally planned.

Alternative housing is available everywhere. And you can find what suits you most with a little bit of creativity.

Obviously, the big question is, "what alternative homes can I take advantage of if I'm on a really tight budget?"

I will present a few below.

Read through the information below and choose what's best for you or adapt as necessary.

Alternative Homes - The Options

By definition, alternative housing refers to accommodation types that provide some sort of shelter to the individual or his family when they are unable to secure regular accommodation.

The following types of accommodation qualify to be called alternative homes.

1. A wooden house built with new or used wood on an undeveloped plot of land

2. A house built with zinc sheets on an undeveloped plot of land

3. An uncompleted (and abandoned) building taken over by homeless people

4. Security house of an undeveloped plot of land

5. Shared rent with a friend or colleague at work

6. Cheap rent in a local community far from town

We all love to live in beautiful apartments.

However, many people who came to Lagos Nigeria with big dreams have had to pocket their pride and struggle to survive doing menial jobs because they soon found out that Lagos was not a bed of roses.

If you have been hard hit and desperately need a place to stay, then the options above is worth considering.

The Alternative Accommodation Options - A Second Look

Let's take a closer look at the alternative homes options listed above.

The list of alternative housing above can be broken into three categories:

1. Uncompleted buildings

2. Undeveloped bare land

3. Completed building that has become an abandoned property and

4. Apartment sharing

Categories 1 & 2 involves taking advantage of the many undeveloped and uncompleted plots of land and buildings around the suburbs of Lagos Nigeria.

The good news is this . . . there are many uncompleted buildings and undeveloped plots even in well-established neighbourhoods like Magodo, New Oko Oba, Ogba, Egbeda, Ipaja etc

Wherever you look, if you're looking for an uninhabited building that is almost completed, you will find a place to hang out for awhile.

Wait. Why would anyone want to hang out or live in an uncompleted building?

Simple answer . . . lack of money.

You may not understand this if you have never been flat broke.

There is nothing as disastrous as being without cash!

So, if you're broke and there's nowhere else to go for shelter, uncompleted buildings become suitable alternative homes.

Another good alternative housing option is completed buildings that have been abandoned for one reason or another.

Completed buildings may sometimes be abandoned because . . .

the owner feels the building is too far from his workplace

flooding is an issue in the neighbourhood

criminals are terrorizing the residents of the area

. . . or for other reasons known only to the owner.

Whatever the reason the property owner has decided to abandon his building bought or built with his hard-earned money, it pays the guy who is homeless and who desperately needs a place to live.

Here's one challenge though.

Abandoned buildings that are completed tend to be locked. So, unless you decide to break in (want that on your conscience?), you may not be able to enter and use the building as temporary accommodation.

Another thing to remember is this: Property owners get really mad when they visit their property and find that some stranger has taken it over.

My advice?

Do you best to locate the owner of an abandoned property and offer to take good care of the property in exchange for an opportunity to live in the BQ or even the gate house.

Most home owners are likely to be favourably disposed toward having someone take care of their property without charge. If your request is granted, you may just discover that you're no longer a homeless person anymore.

Starting from this lowly state, and by making yourself a good member of the community, you can grow your income generating potential to such a point when you will not need the alternative housing sooner than later.

Apartment sharing is a great alternative homes strategy when you know someone who is open to sharing his apartment with others. When you find such people and they agree to share their apartments with you for free or for a share of the rent, respect them.

It's so easy to take friends and relatives for granted. But make sure you don't bite the hands that fed you. Otherwise, you may be out on the streets again . . . homeless.

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