Apartment Shopping

March 29, 2008 at 12:03 am · Filed under Amman, Roba

We have been spending these gorgeous weekends apartment shopping. We usually just park our car somewhere and then walk for a couple of hours, enjoying the weather while looking around. Our destination today was the 3rd-5th Circle district. We started at the 5th Circle, which was full of high-rise, crowded housing projects that reminded me of Cairo and Damascus. We walked down to the Fourth Circle, and the area in between was very nice, but also crowded. Unfortunately, we did not see a single sign for a house on sale, so we crossed over to the Third Circle area (the Jordan Hospital side), and ohhhh, my God.

I fall in love with that area every time. The problem is, the deal with these old neighborhoods is that they are usually not advertised in the newspapers or in real estate agencies. But I REALLY want a house there. We are looking for something small (around 110-150 sq m), rennovated/new, and that is under 80 thousand JDs to buy. In a calm area where I can read outside without being bothered.

Everyone keeps laughing at me and telling me that I’m dreaming. Which perhaps I am… but I hope I’m not.

So I’m wondering if anyone has heard/seen of any apartments in the 3rd/4th/5th Circle district that would fit what we’re looking for. A number… Precise directions… anyone selling? I’d really appreciate some help.

Thanks!




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  • http://moeys.net Moey

    Good luck finding one :) I’m sure you will.

  • http://www.iamleet.com m7md

    in the 5th circle area, there are great apartment and buildings being built , behind the Egyptian embassy and in front of the Palestinian one , but i think they are pretty much expensive, because each apartment is like 500m !! , but i think you will find sth smaller (:

  • paul benet

    I’ve had this problem before! I suggest you contact a nice Jordan guy named raven hawk tour guide! His email is Jordan_tour_guide@yahoo.com
    He used to do this and he’s the one who helped me during my stay in Amman
    Cheers

  • ba

    Hi , I was looking in the same area , the problem that this area is becoming commercial now , the new buildings are not residential I found one that is 110 m but for 86 ( 10% for the government ) try to see the area near Jordan street ( behind Dahey al rasheed ) its nice and affordable or go near aswaq al salam its very very nice I mean it just take a drive honak

  • http://www.thescatterload.com Hamzeh N.

    110-150 sq.ft. under 80k means between at most JD727 per sq.ft.

    In that area, I don’t think you’ll find something like that. This area is more expensive I think than say Deir Ghbaar where there are plenty more available apartments waiting to be grabbed, yet the prices being asked for in Deir Ghbaar are still higher than what you have in mind (as high as JD800 per sq.ft.).

    I understand where you’re coming from. I said the same exact thing to my friends about wanting to live somewhere near the 3-5 circles. In particular, I love the area between the 3rd and 4th circles and to the south. But like you probably already noticed, these areas are fully developed and occupied, and in the rare case that you find something for sale or rent, you can rest assured it will cost a lot more than what a young couple can afford.

    Also keep in mind that not many projects include small sized apartments like the ones you’re looking for.

    Good luck hunting.

  • Roger

    I really want to live in JABAL AMMAN!! 1st-2nd-3rd circle!!

    Did you check the area behind Le Royal? It’s amazing!

  • khalid jarrar

    i suggest that you check the area at the 1st circle, the old area, part of it is really, really cool. its very old and the walls are 7ajar and like 50cm in width, its seriosuly neat, and you can have a beautiful view over the…little garden of 2amanit 3amman? billeel its absolutly beautiful. that’s if you dont mind the old part.

    for a modern part,believe it or not, sport city neighbor, the very highest part of it is modern and has many big fancy houses and apartments, is nice, and most importantly, it has what i believe is the most beautiful view of a amman, it’s very, very quite, and even better, you actually have a very good chance to find something below 80 000 there too. go behind the mukhtar mall, khalli il mall 3ala yasarik i6la3i up and up and up…and check all the area illy 3ala yameenik when you are up 3al akheer, its the one with the nice view.

    wish you the best of luck with your search:)

  • http://www.tololy.com Tololy

    My sister had a really hard time finding an affordable place to buy, and it was not anywhere near the 1,2,3,4,5 circles areas but in the vicinity of Share3 el Ordon. It’s ridiculous how expensive housing is in this country! I really wonder how people are going to manage to get married and start families in the light of current conditions.

    I wish I could help, but I don’t know of any places for sale in the areas you mentioned. You could get Al Waseet, it usually has helpful ads you could use. Good luck!

  • Marianne

    In Copenhagen 110-150 sg m would NOT be af small apartment.

    Interesting with that kind of differens between countries.

  • http://madnice.wordpress.com Sarah

    Following up from what Marianne says, my apartment in the UK is precisely 6 1/2m x 6 1/2m.

    42.25m/sq!! Tiny. Yet it has four separate rooms (it’s not a “studio”) and a hallway. It’s a one-bedroomed, 2-person residence. Other apartments designed for single people are roughly 2/3 of the size, tinier still! If it were for sale, it’d go for around £60k / 85,000 JD, at a bare minimum. If it was in London, it’d sell for up to 4 times that amount (much, much more if in an exclusive area).

    I could only DREAM of 100 sqm at 80,000 JD, and I wish you the best of luck!

    If you find one, I’m moving to Jordan to buy one ;)

    Best of luck.

  • Omario

    i bought an apartment in da7yet el rasheed..148m2, for 60,000, very quite area..very nice design..if you’re interested, drop me an email..

  • http://www.iamleet.com m7md

    for 80,000 jds .. come buy my house, 186 m^2 ! :P
    Umm .. Roba, take a 500 meter apartment in the 5th circle area, divide it into 3 small apartments, sell me one, and .. seems Sara is interested in the second, and you take the third !

  • alaa

    no use asking internet junkies. i suggest you go to a real estate agent , ut i also guess you already went

  • Heba

    Roba,

    My sister bought an apartment over looking Jordan Hospital, from the other side of the valley, near Amman West hotel. it is 140sqm and it ti cost her 100,000JDs!
    This area is really expensive.
    Our apartment is 220 sqm in Shmesani between Safeway and Takhassossi hospital and it cost us 100,000 JDS 2 years ago!

  • المشكلجي

    والله أن بنصحك أشتري خيمه وركبيهابين الدوار الثالث والرابع وهيك بتحلي المشكله،طيب ما أحناعايشين في دور الصفيح في مخيم البقعه والله يعينا علي هيك حياه ،شوا نحكي أحنا أالي أكلنابرد وصقيع

  • Kay Kay

    I advice you too look in “Amlak” newspaper each friday, they offer alot of suggestions for each taste.
    The area you are looking in for an appartment is rather expensive and the buildings appartments’ sizes varies between 300 – 500 sq m.
    Our appartement costed my parents 150,000 JOD in Swifieh 3 years ago and it’s 360 sq. m.
    People asked my parents to sell the appartment for half a million JOD at the end of 2007

  • http://wayoubi.wordpress.com Wasim

    What I can say is “Allah Ykon Fe 3oon El Shabab”, how is a 500 or even 700 JDs per month employee can afford at least a 100K JDs in Amman,

    Basic calculations:
    100K/700 is almost 12 years and you are not supposed to have Falafel sandwich as you are paying the whole salary and this is just in case you are paying cash money, if you are taking a loan, the 100K becomes 200K which I don’t want to calculate.

    Listen.. try to rent an apartment unless you are standing on a solid ground. by the way I will inform you in case I heard about something like what you have mentioned.

  • Ahmad

    I do not understand why do you like to live in Amman. Kids and family should be raised in good environment away from pollution and noise. You could buy or build a decent house in the countryside and the cost will be below 60K JD. Living in rural area is not bad option but it has got more advantages for a young family to face this increase of house prices.
    If part of construction procjects move out of amman i think that will make other areas more attarctive for living.

  • Haneen

    Dear, I’ve posted u two wall posts yesterday,but I couldnt help it not to resend u after reading the comments,first of all never rent in Amman,u’d pay for an apartment and never owns it,second,the prices of Rod Iron are very high,u can never build a house for less than 15o thousand Jds,u need stone,finishing work,consultant fees,contractors,electricals,water etc etc etc,u can buy a land,but keep it as an investment..there are lots of houses that the contractors are selling in less money than they wanted to because of a sudden need for cash..u can only find by looking ur self,i work in that field,i know what happen..

    Good Luck.

    P.S flats in sport city are bigger and more expensive than this…there are too many financial and governmental nods emerging in that area made the prices double than what it was three or two years ago

  • KeKo

    LoooooooooooooooL at toz! anyway
    Damn it, everyone wants to live in Jabal Amman, good luck with your hunt, even if it is not common, hard searching always yeilds results, so keep at it. and btw if you find anything old in that area feel free to take some pictures and share them. would love to buy one of those 100 year old houses there, ideally run down so I can afford it, and renovate it :)

  • HEBA

    Roba,

    I asked my sister and there are still vacant apartments in their building located between CENTRO restaurant an Amman West Hotel, it’s about 140SQm and costs 100,000 if you want email me and I will give you her number if you are interested.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/alialhasani Ali

    Roba,

    I have been living in jabal amman area most of my life and it’s just beautiful there , You should search more in the 3rd circle area , I Think you will find some houses , i remember seeing a sign today about a apartment , Don’t recall which area exactly.

    anyways search more and you will find I’m pretty sure , Goodluck.

  • Sami

    check out the “AKRAM AFANEH” new building behind ri2asit il-wuzara. i was told it is nice with a good view.

    good luck