In the narrow alleys and winding streets, the old houses cluster together with their authentic Arab designs, like jewels scattered in stone. Behind those clinging walls are tales from times past, a community living on the breaths of nostalgia and spirituality. 

But those stories have slowly started to fade. The dream of a private place and a warm shelter that cradles dreams and protects the family is threatened with extinction. High rents are blowing dreams away and killing the ambitions of many Syrians, causing many residents to wonder about their fate and how long these soaring, expensive houses will continue to oppress them.

Rent values in Damascus have reached fantastical sums, especially in informal areas and slums that were once a safe haven for the poor and low income. What made matters worse is that real estate agents charge amounts equal to the monthly rent of the property itself in “commissions” or “fees”, in addition to a security deposit of half the rent value—all while the minimum rent for properties ranges between 400,000-500,000 Syrian Pounds, for moldy, damp rooms that get no sunlight.

In Al-Mazza 86, the rent for an “unfurnished” room that gets no sunlight reached about 500,000 Syrian Pounds, with a 500,000 commission for the real estate agent and a 250,000 Syrian Pound security deposit. That means the total amount the tenant has to pay is 1.25 million Syrian Pounds just to move into that room for the first time.

As for apartments, the rent for an empty apartment—on average one room and a living room—reached 1 million Syrian pounds, plus a 1 million commission, plus a 400,000 Syrian pound security deposit. So the total amount that needs to be paid is 2.4 million Syrian pounds. In contrast, a furnished apartment of the same size costs between 1.25-1.5 million Syrian pounds in rent, plus the same amount in commission, and half the rent amount as a security deposit. Notably, landlords who rent out furnished apartments stipulate that only females can rent.  

In Rukn al-Din, a furnished room costs 800,000 Syrian pounds. With commission fees added, the rent doubles, but the overall amount required to get the room is around 1.5 million Syrian pounds.

In Jermana, the minimum rent for a room with furnishings is around 600,000 Syrian pounds, and 300,000 if it’s multi-storied (5th floor for example) without furnishings.

In contrast, behind the Al-Mazza Highway, the rent for a semi-furnished two room apartment with a living room and amenities reached around 1 million Syrian pounds. An 800,000 Syrian pound apartment with just a living room means that rents in informal areas are approaching those in formal areas—noting that these are average prices, some may be much higher or lower depending on the proximity to the main street.  

According to economist Dr. Mohammed Al-Jalali, the reason for varying rental prices in Syria is due to the lack of organization and control over the real estate market in the country. In most countries, there are specialized companies for building rental housing in a scientific, economic way that regulates the market.  

Al-Jalali pointed out that a certain percentage of rental contracts are governed by other factors, like familial ties, or having old contracts that have not been renewed yet. Additionally, the rise in transportation costs between rural and urban areas has increased pressure on cities, raising real estate prices further.