Amman, May 17 (Petra) – A significant uptick in apartment sales, particularly for larger units, underscores the success of the government’s strategic incentives designed to invigorate Jordan’s real estate and housing sector, according to Ahmad Omoush, Director General of the Department of Lands and Survey (DLS).

The key measure involves a 50% reduction in registration fees for residential apartments exceeding 150 square meters.

Al-Amoush, in a statement to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), revealed that sales of apartments larger than 150 square meters surged by 12% year-on-year during the first third of 2025, reaching 4,875 units.

He noted that the total real estate transaction volume reached approximately JOD 6.7 billion in 2024, with expectations for further growth in the current fiscal year.

The DLS Director-General highlighted a particularly strong performance in April 2025, which saw a 30% year-on-year increase in sales of apartments exceeding 150 square meters, totaling 1,318 units compared to 1,011 units in April 2024.

Smaller apartments also saw robust growth; units under 120 square meters experienced a 37% sales increase to 888 units in April 2025 from 648 units in the corresponding month of 2024.

Apartments sized between 120 and 150 square meters recorded a 17% sales rise in April, with 730 units sold compared to 625 units in April 2024.

“We are advancing the rollout of a new tranche of over 22 e-services as part of the DLS’s comprehensive digital transformation strategy,” Al-Amoush stated. “Our objective is to achieve full automation of all departmental services before the close of 2025.”

He emphasized that this digital shift has already led to a 70% reduction in in-person visits to the DLS, particularly for the issuance of title deeds (locally known as Qushan) and land parcel plans, marking a “qualitative leap in transaction processing efficiency.”

The current stimulus builds on a decision made by the Council of Ministers in November 2024 to grant a 50% exemption on registration fees for apartments larger than 150 square meters.

This complements a prior directive providing a 100% registration fee waiver for first-time buyers of apartments under 150 square meters. Additionally, first-time apartment buyers benefit from a 50% exemption on property tax (Musqqafat fees) for three years, a measure aimed at alleviating the financial burden on citizens securing housing loans.

Majed Ghosheh, Chairman of the Jordan Housing Developers Association (JHDA), lauded the exemption policies as a “positive and crucial step in supporting citizens, especially young first-time homebuyers, by facilitating their acquisition of suitable housing.”

He added that these decisions “are instrumental in energizing the property market, bolstering transaction velocity, and incentivizing investment in this vital economic sector.”

Ghosheh further commented, “These governmental initiatives provide significant leverage to the housing sector, compelling real estate development firms to embark on new residential projects.

This, in turn, stimulates job creation and propels economic activity. Such measures also contribute to narrowing the supply-demand gap within the real estate market and fostering social stability by assisting families in securing appropriate accommodation.”

He concluded that the government’s sustained implementation of such fiscal incentives “reflects a profound commitment to mitigating financial pressures on citizens and bolstering diverse economic sectors, including the real estate domain, which stands as a cornerstone of the national economy.”

Market data indicates that the total real estate trading volume in the Kingdom by the end of April 2025 reached JOD 2.047 billion, a 4% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Trading volume for April 2025 alone stood at approximately JOD 555 million. Furthermore, revenue generated, largely from DLS fees, during the first third of the current year saw an 11% year-on-year rise, amounting to roughly JOD 84.5 million.

//Petra// AA
17/05/2025 17:30:24