By Kingsley Adegboye

THE Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Haven Homes, a Lagos-based real estate development firm, Mr. Tayo Sonuga, has noted that his company which is ten years old in business by this year became truly the first commercial developer of real contemporary homes in Nigeria.

Model of a semi-detached home in Excellence Estate, Arepo, Ogun State

Sonuga who revealed that prior to this, real contemporary homes had remained the exclusive preserve of the rich and famous who could afford very expensive architects to do designs and employed expatriates to build their mansions, said “Haven Homes changed this concept by introducing the first truly contemporary architecture at the most affordable prices into the Nigerian market.

Original designs

The success of these designs was trailed by massive attempt by other developers to copy and implement various versions of the original designs by Haven Homes”.
Sonuga who spoke against the back ground of the resounding success his firm recorded in ten years of its establishment, explained that the firm kept improving on its home designs year-in year-out, despite the widespread alleged copying of the designs by other real estate developers.

According to him, in 2006, exactly 10 years ago, Haven Homes entered the Lagos property market with a bang with the delivery of their first housing units in Magodo GRA, Lagos where the then commissioner for Housing in Lagos State, Mr. Bamidele Onabokun lauded the developer of the residential estate for quality job during the commissioning of the flagship development in Magodo.

“In 2009, we were described as the most romantic homes in Lagos, in 2010, we got the elevated appellation of the best designed homes in Lagos by top real estate publications across the country. In 2014, we got the prestigious award for the Most Affordable Development of the year. The same was awarded to us again in 2015.

Now, in 2016, the more improved versions of these homes are currently being referred to as the most functional and readily affordable luxury homes in Lagos”, Sonuga stated.

On how the company has been able to maintain the constant delivering of quality, luxury and affordable homes to Nigerians, he said “The mission of the company was clear from the onset. We wanted to make a statement. We wanted to change the trend in real estate business in Nigeria. We knew it was possible to replicate the standards in Europe, America, Dubai and other developed parts of the world here in Nigeria.

“That is what we have been doing effectively and consistently in the most affordable way for about a decade now. It is our passion and it will surely continue to get better. The company’s vision of luxury homes delivery was put into reality through a unique partnership with award winning architecture firm ‘PLAYINARCHITECTURE’.

“With the partnership, we were able to develop never seen before luxury homes in Nigeria.

“The2016 model presents a unique variance from the sensational 2015 models and comes with further improvements that may be extremely difficult to copy. The 2016 models come with special elements. The 2016 home designs externally are curvier and wavier, which are adaptations of the homes to the movement of the sea”, Sonuga noted.