Former residents flocking back

Housing prices surge in Tuz Khurmatu as services, security improve

2024-08-29 | 15:44

TUZ KHURMATU — Housing prices in Tuz Khurmatu, a district in Salah Al-Din province, have surged recently, driven by improvements in public services and heightened security, according to local officials.

In past years, many residents sold their homes and moved away, causing property prices to drop. Now, with many of these residents returning, the market is rebounding, and prices are on the rise.

Mara’i Rashid Bayati, head of Tuz Khurmatu Municipality, told 964media, “Residents were selling their homes at low prices due to a lack of services, but now, with service levels exceeding 80% in all sectors, property prices have increased three to four times.”

Bayati highlighted the paving of roads as a significant factor in the price surge, improving transportation and access to services. Ongoing development projects are further enhancing the area’s infrastructure, contributing to the rise in property values.

Security improvements have also played a critical role. “Crime rates have dropped significantly in recent years,” Bayati said, noting that the district’s Kurdish, Shia Turkmen, and Arab communities are now working together to maintain the city’s safety. “With mutual understanding, everyone is serving the city,” he added.

However, threats from remnants of the Islamic State persist. In early July, ISIS fighters killed a father and son who were fishing at Zarga Lake in Tuz Khurmatu. The victims were residents of the Askari neighborhood and relied on the lake for their livelihood.

Tuz Khurmatu, located between the districts of Kifri and Daquq, is now under the administration of Salah Al-Din province. The district’s diverse population includes Kurds, Shia Turkmens, and Arabs, and the area is home to both Sunni and Shia Muslims, as well as followers of the Kakayi faith.

The rise in property prices in Tuz Khurmatu mirrors trends in other parts of Iraq. In April, real estate prices in Baghdad’s Nawwab Al-Dubbat neighborhood more than doubled due to the construction of a new residential complex, with plots now selling for up to 100 million dinars ($76,300).