MEQASA meets Kass Towers: A fascinating insight into one of Ghana’s most iconic real estate edifices in Accra

In recent times the concept of Real Estate has become prevalent in Ghana. Kass Towers is an iconic beautiful Airport City luxury apartment and penthouses with panoramic views of the Airport area.

Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kadir Yadiga in an exclusive walk-through with the CEO of real estate marketplace meQasa, Mr. Kelvin Nyame, shares in-depth information about his venturing into Real Estate, his love for Ghana as a country, and his vision for Kass Towers.

How long have you been in real estate?

I have been in real estate for 11 years. 11 years ago, I came to Ghana to start a textiles business, Key textiles. We have a factory that is still operating in Ghana today. The plan was to set up a textile business but when we came, we realized the potential the real estate industry in Ghana held. We did some research and confirmed our insights and then set up our real estate company, Kass + F development to build a 9-storey luxury development at Roman Ridge, Turquaz, which is sold out

How long have you lived in Ghana?

I was going back and forth because my family was in Turkey but finally moved here permanently with my family 5 years ago.

What attracted you to the Ghanaian real estate market? (Ghana)

First, I will talk about what attracted me to Ghana, before deciding to invest in Ghana, we did a lot of research on different countries in Africa and we found that Ghanaians were well educated, the country is very peaceful, the people are very welcoming and helpful.

Once we got here, we realized that Ghanaians were earning more and we're looking for opportunities to invest and multiply their earnings, they also wanted comfortable places to live, as they saw abroad, luxurious and smart homes, with amenities they could enjoy, seeing that opportunity, we decided to take the opportunity to bring together Turkish and Ghanaian professionals to deliver what Ghanaians wanted.

Is real estate profitable in these times?

Very much so, especially for Ghana. Ghana is developing rapidly and attracting a lot of foreign investments as well, this is very good for the real estate market because everyone who comes in here needs a place to stay and so the demand for residential property increases. This also helps increase the value of properties in Ghana which is all very profitable to the investor.

How is your business adjusting to the effects of COVID-19?

In the early days of COVID-19, understandably, things slowed down, which I believe was important, our safety is important. People were more sensitive and wanted to know what was going to happen in the future. We understood that and made sure we understood what our potential clients and existing clients were feeling at the time and adjust our systems to suit what was going on.

COVID-19 also highlighted how important the home is to everyone, having to stay home and work from home more, people realized how investing in a comfortable home with all the necessary amenities to thrive in the world as it is today, is very important.

What type of property is in high demand in Ghana now?

Luxury apartments are in high demand now, apartments like Kass Towers, in a very good location, have amenities to live a good and enjoyable lifestyle, are secure, and build to the highest standards internationally.

What is the most luxurious property in your portfolio?

The most luxurious property for us will always be the current one because for us there is no option but to continuously add on to the luxury of what we developed before, so now I will say its KASS TOWERS, we have our panoramic elevators which will be a first in Ghana, you see the beautiful airport city, from your elevator. The design is very striking, the glass features will be lighted, and the arc of the building really makes it stand out.

What are some improvements you've witnessed so far in the Ghanaian real estate industry?

A lot of improvement, very good improvements, when I came to Ghana, 11 years ago, you could hardly see any cranes up, now when I go to the top level of the building, I see so many cranes, this means positive development is taking place. Also because of the good taste of Ghanaian buyers, the developments are continuously increasing in quality, which is very good.

For anyone interested in investing in real estate in Ghana, what's the easiest entry point?

I will say as a first-time investor the easiest entry point is to buy a property from a trusted developer like ourselves (KASS), you don’t have to put up the building yourself. It’s a good way to get in being assured of the quality and delivery without having to put too much of your time in.

What has been your experience finding building materials to build in Ghana?

When we first started, we had to get almost all our building materials from outside Ghana and we looked forward to a time where we could get these locally, which would help build the economy even more. I can say comparing 10 years ago to today we see those changes and now we can source some materials from here, which is very good, and we know it will continue to get better.

What has been your experience finding the talents you need to work within Ghana?

Ghanaians are well educated and good to work with, there are some challenges, as I believe there are anywhere in the world but for us, it’s gotten better over the years to find good talent to work with and we are happy and proud to say we are 60% Ghanaian staffed.

How easy is it to do business in Ghana?

Again, as in any country, there have been some challenges doing business, but if you ask me, I will choose Ghana all over again. Ghana’s democracy, political stability, hospitable and educated people, and business environment, in general, makes it a country I would recommend for business investments.

What's your favorite place in Ghana?

(Laughs) Bosphorous, Bosphorous restaurant in Labone, I am biased because it’s my restaurant, but it’s a good place to sit and enjoy good food and company. I invite you to come and visit. My other favorite place is Akosombo, the Volta River, I like the calm, the beauty, and nature there.

How difficult has it been, Getting Kass Towers Off the Ground?

(Laughs) we have had some challenges, but you know when you have a vision and it’s a good vision, you just keep going and you don’t let challenges stop you because you know your work will speak for itself.

You seem to have the best of the best working on this, what has your experience been in terms of work personnel?

It has been a good experience, from the very beginning we wanted to bring together the best of Turkish and Ghanaian professionals and I can say that this is one of the best collaborations in the world for quality real estate.

I can imagine, such an iconic edifice will have some unique features that will excite real estate enthusiasts as well as investors, can you share a few?

I can confidently say, Kass Towers will have the best money can buy, in terms of luxury and comfort. Our Smart homes feature in every apartment is a particular highlight. We also have an infinity pool, a miniature golf course, an underground car wash bay with 3 feet underground parking. Lest I forget, the panoramic elevators will be one of a kind, never used before in Ghana.

I hear you’re quite the philanthropist… tell me more about this? What drives you to do what you do?

I don’t like to talk about this, but because you asked, I will answer shortly. Doing business in Ghana and earning profit here, we believe we must support Ghanaians, think of Ghana as our home country and do good things for Ghana and Ghanaians and so that’s what we are doing.

So where is your sales office located? Where can people come to meet you?

Kass Towers is located on Senchi Street, Airport Residential, next to Association International School. I would like everyone to follow us on social media, our handles are @kass.towers, leave us a message and we will respond as soon as possible. We can also be reached via our website www.kasstowers.com . I implore all real estate enthusiasts to reach out to us. They will truly understand why we say Kass Towers is Accra’s most rewarding Investment.