Decision to allow Gazans to own real estate met with optimism by sector

AMMAN — A recent decision by the Prime Ministry to grant Gazans the right to own real estate paints a brighter future for the real estate and housing sectors, various stakeholders agreed.

“We welcome all decisions that untangle the complexities of dealing in real estate for all nationalities, except that of Israel,” said President of the Jordan Housing Developers Association (JHDA) Zuhair Omari.

The real estate sector took several hits this year, one of which was the withdrawal of over JD400 million worth of investments. JHDA said that they hoped the decision would help revive business and compensate for the loss.

“Gazans have an abundance of investments in neighbouring countries, especially in the Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which they expressed an interest in bringing to Jordan in a meeting with us last year,” Omari added.

According to JHDA sources, Gazans have always owned real estate in Jordan, but under names of relatives, spouses or friends that could legally buy a house.

“These tricks usually end up in legal disputes. Sometimes, the person that the Gazan trusts turns out to be a fraud and claims the house for him or herself,” said Bashar Abumleiha, a real estate agent.

There are also instances in which the person trusted with the property dies without informing the family members that it does not, in fact, belong to them, but to the Gazan owner, “causing legal disputes that the Gazans often lose”, Abumleiha pointed out.

In regards to what the new decision could do to solve the problems, which arise out of Gazans registering their property under someone else’s name, Tamer Qudah, a housing developer, said that he “hopes it will finally spare Gazans the legal struggles and undo the unfairness that they were subject to in the past”.