The Nestaura Standard
Verified in.
Guesswork out.
Every stay, rental and home for sale on Nestaura passes the same checks before it ever reaches you. Here's exactly how it works — whether you're hunting for a place, or listing one.
Good to know before you start
Nestaura isn't a booking engine — you don't pay us for your stay, your rent or your home. You use unlock tokens to open verified details, and every account starts with free unlocks. Then you deal with your host directly for the viewing, the contract, and the money.
Why it feels different
Three problems, actually solved
Kenyan house hunting is usually broken in the same three places. Nestaura is built around fixing exactly those.
Verified you can trust
Every host is checked before they can list — ownership or management proof for landlords, developers and BnB owners; a valid EARB certificate for agents and property managers. No badge, no public listing.
House hunting, simplified
Short stays, long-term rentals and homes for sale, all searchable in one place with real filters — instead of juggling five Facebook groups and as many agents.
Pricing you can see through
What's on the listing is what the host is asking — no inflated viewing fees, and no hidden agent markup stacked on after you've already committed.
For Seekers
From browsing to move-in
Searching is always free, and every account comes with free unlocks. You only pay once you've used them up.
Search, no strings attached No account needed
Browse verified short stays, long-term rentals and homes for sale across Kenya. Filter by location, property type, furnishing or number of rooms.
Open a listing you like
Everything that shows up has already passed Nestaura's verification check. Preview photos, video walkthroughs and floor plans, and see the general area on the map — all before paying anything.
Unlock the details Free unlocks included
Sign in or create a free account, then unlock the exact address, the host's direct contact, and the ability to chat or book a visit. A short stay costs 1 token to unlock and a rental costs 5 tokens. Every account gets 2 free short-stay unlocks and 1 free rental unlock at signup, renewed every 72 hours. Need more? Buy tokens by M-Pesa, Visa or Mastercard. Each unlock lasts 24 hours. Properties for sale are unlocked separately, as a single listing or with a 24-hour all-access pass.
Talk to the host directly
Once unlocked, you deal with the host one-on-one — message them on WhatsApp, arrange a viewing, and agree on the details between yourselves. Nestaura doesn't take a booking commission or sit in the middle of your payment.
Move in, move on
Sign the agreement or pay your deposit directly with your host. Your saved listings and unlock history stay in your account for next time.
For Hosts
Get verified, then get found
Landlords, developers, BnB owners and agents all go through the same trust check — the paperwork just differs slightly by type.
Tell us what you're listing
Sign up and choose your host type. Each path decides exactly what you'll need to upload next.
Landlord
Long-term rentals you own or manage.
Property Developer
New builds and developments for sale or rent.
BnB Owner
Short-stay and holiday listings.
Agent & Property Manager
Represents other owners' properties.
Submit your documents
Upload the ownership, management or EARB proof for your host type. Nothing goes public until this is checked.
Pay your verification fee KSh 1,700 / year
Individual hosts and registered businesses both pay KSh 1,700 a year — in step with EARB's own annual renewal cycle. This funds the checks that keep fake listings and impersonators off Nestaura.
Get your verified badge
Once your documents check out, a badge appears next to your name on your dashboard and your listings become visible to the public for the first time. Unverified hosts can build listings, but nothing goes live until verified.
List, get discovered, get paid
Add your properties with photos, pricing and an exact map pin. When a seeker unlocks your listing, you get their interest and contact directly — you handle the booking, rent or sale payment yourselves. Nestaura takes no commission.
Renew every year
Your badge and your listings' visibility are tied to your annual verification fee, just like an EARB renewal. Pay again from your dashboard to keep everything live.
No surprises
Every fee, in the open
These are the only amounts Nestaura ever charges. Tokens cost KSh 40 each, and every unlock lasts 24 hours. VAT of 16% is added at checkout on tokens and verification fees. Everything else — rent, deposits, sale price — goes straight to the host.
Questions
Frequently asked
Is Nestaura a booking platform?+
No. Payment for your stay, rent or purchase happens directly between you and the host. What you pay Nestaura is a few unlock tokens (after your free unlocks) to open verified contact and location details.
What does the verified badge actually mean?+
It means Nestaura has checked that host's documents — ownership or management proof for landlords, developers and BnB owners, or a valid EARB certificate for agents and property managers — before letting their listings go public.
How long does an unlock last?+
Every unlock lasts 24 hours. For short stays and rentals, that's 24 hours on the property you unlocked. For properties for sale, a single-listing unlock covers that property, and a 24-hour all-access pass covers every sale listing for the same 24 hours.
How do tokens and free unlocks work?+
Unlocking a short stay costs 1 token and unlocking a rental costs 5 tokens. When you sign up, you get 2 free short-stay unlocks and 1 free rental unlock, and these are renewed every 72 hours. Once you've used them, you can buy more tokens or wait for your next renewal.
Can I browse without paying anything?+
Yes. Searching, filtering and previewing photos, videos and floor plans is always free. Every account also comes with free unlocks, so you may not need to pay at all. Tokens are only needed once you've used them up.
Do I need an EARB certificate to list as an agent?+
Yes. Agents and property managers must hold a valid EARB (Estate Agents Registration Board) certificate to be verified — it's the one licence Nestaura checks for that host type.
Can I list before I'm verified?+
You can set up your listings while your documents are under review, but they won't appear publicly until your verification is approved.
Do I have to renew my host verification?+
Yes, every year — KSh 1,700 for both individual hosts and registered businesses, paid the same way as your first verification.
What payment methods are accepted?+
M-Pesa, Visa and Mastercard, processed securely through Paystack.
Still stuck?+
Chat with Jilly using the chat bubble on any Nestaura page, or reach us directly at [email protected] / +254 747 888 388.
Ready to stop guessing?
Create a free account to browse, or start your host verification today.