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In anticipation of a potential widespread conflagration in Lebanon as a consequence of the conflict in Gaza, many Lebanese are considering fleeing dangerous areas, especially in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah’s hotbed of the southern suburbs of Beirut, toward areas considered safer.
According to several media sources, apartment rental prices have significantly increased, and in some cases, more than doubled, in various areas of Lebanon since the beginning of the conflict in Gaza, which has led to “more than 19,000 displaced persons in Lebanon,” according to the UN. Our colleague Nada Ayoud reported that real estate agents report that around a thousand apartments have been rented in certain regions over the past two weeks, with prices ranging from $600 to $1,500, mostly to financially well-off individuals. The coveted regions include Barouk in the Chouf, Achrafieh, Metn, Bhamdoun, and Jezzine.
Marwan Rizk, a real estate consultant at Rizk Ekhwan, acknowledges “a certain exaggeration in the reported numbers” but also notes a “normal increase of 20 to 30%” due to “a sharp rise in demand, alongside the fact that rentals are for a short duration” for those fleeing combat zones. He points out that in any country, when demand increases, prices go up. When rentals are for just one or two months, prices increase to cover higher operating costs, especially since some tenants leave without paying for electricity, which is then the responsibility of the landlord. Rizk emphasizes that property owners don’t raise rental rates to take advantage of people but to cover their expenses, including electricity costs.
As for the Chouf region, Rizk revealed that 85% of the vacant apartments there had been rented. This area is less exposed to danger because Hezbollah is not present there.
It’s worth mentioning that the former leader of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), Walid Joumblatt, who expressed concerns about the widening of the conflict, announced the launch of an emergency plan last Friday to accommodate displaced individuals, stating that “the villages of the Mountain will be open to everyone, whether they are Shiite, Sunni, or Christian.”
Joumana Eid, CEO of Lead International, operating in the United Arab Emirates, stated that she had been contacted by people considering fleeing dangerous areas for regions like Rabieh, Faraya, and Faqra. She mentioned that she couldn’t assist them, as her clientele primarily consists of diplomats and foreigners. Regarding the increase in prices, Eid mentioned that she had no relevant information and believed that the price hikes might be due to rentals occurring in regions, such as Rabieh, which was vacated by diplomats and foreign officials without new tenants to replace them. Several Arab and Western embassies have advised their citizens to leave Lebanon in anticipation of a potential general escalation.
However, the situation regarding this issue remains unclear at this stage, as the effects of the phenomenon are not apparent in all regions presumed to be safe. For example, Nicole Gemayel, the president of the municipal council of Bekfaya, stated that she had not noticed any rental problems. She mentioned, “In fact, we don’t have enough apartments for rent, and so far, we have no information about a rent increase.”
