* How did the neighborhoods of Al-Shafa, Al-Suwaidi, Manfouha, and Al-Maseef come into being?
* Al-Shafa... It began with people who came from Al-Hawta and Al-Hariq, and now it’s home to 30% wealthy residents and 50% from the underprivileged!
* Al-Shafa residents want to stay in the neighborhood because of its educational, medical, and recreational services.
* The new Dirab Road has brought new life to Al-Shafa and is expected to drive up real estate prices!
* Al-Suwaidi.. It was once an agricultural area that was converted to residential use, and most residents came from Al-Washm, Sudair, and Al-Quway’iyah
* Al-Suwaidi residents cling to their customs and traditions, and newcomers to the neighborhood have caused them concern!
* Manfouha.. It emerged due to the need for urban expansion in Riyadh in the past, and was initially settled by people from Najd
* The majority of the current residents are Africans, Arab expatriates, and Muslims
* Manfouha is now a destination for the poor, as its rents are affordable for them
* The neighborhood is no longer suitable for families to live in, and residents complain of frequent thefts, vagrancy, and abandoned buildings!
* Al-Maseef… an urban extension whose residents are a diverse mix of the wealthy and the middle class
* Residents do not want to leave the neighborhood due to its available services and prime location, but they complain about thefts!
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“Amlak” decided to take an unconventional tour of several neighborhoods in Riyadh to learn about the historical reasons behind their emergence… How did they begin, and who were the first residents who formed the core of these neighborhoods… From which regions did they come? What have these neighborhoods become? What are the predominant characteristics of their residents today? What are their problems? And do they prefer to stay or are they looking to leave?!! What is the current real estate landscape in the neighborhood, and what does the future hold? We posed these and many other questions to real estate agents in these neighborhoods and engaged in discussions with them… Here is what emerged from those conversations…
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Al-Shafa Neighborhood… Origins in Al-Hawtah and Al-Hariq
We began our tour in the Al-Shafa neighborhood in southwestern Riyadh and headed to meet Mr. Saleh Al-Salloum (Al-Salloum Real Estate Office) to ask him about the neighborhood’s origins… Was it a government grant, an old area, or an urban expansion? He replied that Al-Shafa neighborhood originated with several merchants who came from Al-Hawtah and Al-Hariq, including Sheikh Saleh Al-Jadou“ and Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Fawaz and his brother. Sheikh Saloum Al-Saloum, and a group of investors who purchased the entire Al-Shafa neighborhood, covering an area of approximately 10 km².
Regarding the origins of the majority of this neighborhood’s residents, he said: Since most of the investors in Al-Shafa were from Al-Hawtah, Al-Hariq, and Al-Kharj, they were the first to develop the neighborhood; they began building and settling there. As for the Al-Marwah neighborhood (the ”university graduates“), it was established through a series of grants for university graduates at the time, led by Dr. Abdullah Al-Mutlaq and his brother Mutlaq, along with most of the Al-Mutlaq family, and people from Al-Aflaj and Al-Hawtah began to settle there alongside their relatives.
30% wealthy and 50% from the underprivileged class
We asked which social class made up the majority of this neighborhood’s residents. Al-Saloum replied that it consisted of the underprivileged, who accounted for approximately 50% of the neighborhood’s total population, while the remainder was distributed as follows: 20% from the middle class, 30% among the wealthy—some of whom are extremely wealthy. When asked why people from this region or social class tend to settle in this neighborhood, Al-Salloum said: ”It was because they wanted to live near their families and relatives.“
Does the large number of children in Al-Shifa neighborhood affect real estate demand and prices? And why? He replied that the presence of children does not affect demand; however, supply remains scarce and prices are inflated, as urban expansion has stalled and there is no development. We asked Al-Salloum whether the proliferation of high-end villas and mansions in the neighborhood has had a positive impact on real estate prices there. His answer was, ”Yes,“ and he explained that residents are always looking for new areas where the quality of neighbors is often better.
We then reached an important point, asking whether Al-Saloum believed that the residents of Al-Shafa—both homeowners and renters—wished to continue living there. And why? He replied that the residents of Al-Shafa wish to continue living in their neighborhood because all services—including schools, markets, and parks—are available, He also added that the new Dirab Road has had a positive impact on the area, and he predicted that the Dirab Road and its new tunnels will improve traffic flow, leading to a rise in prices to around 50%. Finally, we asked him about his view of the current state of the Al-Shafa neighborhood, and he said: Traffic congestion has worsened, the influx of people from the villages has increased, and demand for housing in the neighborhood has risen due to the availability of recreational, medical, and educational services.
Al-Suwaidi Neighborhood… It Was Once an Agricultural Area
We then headed to the Al-Suwaidi neighborhood south of Riyadh and met with Mr. Abdulrahman Al-Aqil ………………. We asked him about the neighborhood’s origins: Was it a government grant, an old area, or an urban expansion? He replied that Al-Suwaidi Neighborhood began as an agricultural area that was converted into a residential one; it was sold as residential lots more than 35 years ago and was subsequently incorporated into the urban expansion.
Regarding the areas from which the majority of this neighborhood’s residents originate, he said: ”Most are from Al-Washm and Sudair, and some are from Al-Quway’iyah and its surrounding areas.” as well as residents from various other areas. We asked him about the socioeconomic class that makes up the majority of this neighborhood’s residents, and Al-Aqil replied that it consists of the middle class. As for the reasons why people from this region or socioeconomic class have settled in this neighborhood, he said: “Because they want to live near their families and relatives, due to the availability of services, and because of the reasonable prices. In addition, the residents of Al-Suwaidi neighborhood are known for preserving their customs and traditions, and a large percentage of them are religious, which has made it an attractive place to live.”
Villas and mansions elevate the neighborhood’s status
As for whether the large number of children in Al-Suwaidi affects demand and prices? And why? He answered “yes,” explaining that most residents of the neighborhood are devout and enroll their children in Quran memorization classes. We asked him whether the proliferation of high-end villas and mansions in the neighborhood has had a positive impact on real estate prices there. Al-Aqeel’s answer was, “Yes,” and he explained that residents feel the availability of these high-end residential properties lends the neighborhood a sense of sophistication in both its architecture and its residents, and that it is only natural for attention to be paid to providing high-end services and amenities there.
We asked Al-Aqil whether he believed that the residents of Al-Suwaidi neighborhood—both owners and tenants—wished to continue living there. And why? He replied that a large percentage of residents would like to move out but are unable to do so because their relatives live there, as most residents of this neighborhood live next to their relatives and continue to do so. Regarding his observations on the future of Al-Suwaidi neighborhood, he said: The neighborhood’s residents remain committed to their customs and traditions and continue to observe their prayers, even though a significant number of them have left the neighborhood, However, he noted that some outsiders have begun to cause concern among the residents, with the spread of theft and the problem of reckless driving—phenomena that, unfortunately, many neighborhoods are now suffering from!
Manfouha Neighborhood… It All Began with the Najdis
We continued our tour in the south and went to the Manfouha neighborhood, where we met Mr. Raed Al-Baridi………………. We asked him about the neighborhood’s origins, and he replied that Manfouha is an old area that developed as a neighborhood as a result of Riyadh’s urban expansion in the past, when growth was haphazard and most neighborhoods were informal. Regarding the region from which the majority of this neighborhood’s residents originated, he said: Most of the current residents of Manfouha are families of Africans who have overstayed their visas, as well as Egyptian, Pakistani, and Yemeni expatriates and workers, all of whom belong to the poor class. In the past, however—that is, more than 40 years ago—its residents were from Najd, and they belonged to the wealthy and middle classes.
Regarding the reasons for the concentration of residents from this socioeconomic class in the Manfouha neighborhood, Al-Baridi said: Manfouha was previously an area of expansion for the city of Riyadh, much like the northern district is today; however, it has now become a destination for the poor, as rents there are affordable for their low incomes. As for whether the large number of children in the Manfouha neighborhood affects demand and prices—and why? He replied: “Currently, these factors no longer play a role in the neighborhood’s dynamics. The neighborhood is old and no longer suitable for many families seeking more developed and upscale neighborhoods.” We asked whether the proliferation of villas in the neighborhood has had a positive impact on real estate prices there. Al-Baridi replied, “Yes,” explaining that these villas raise the neighborhood’s prestige and give the impression that the residents belong to a wealthy and upscale class.
Theft, casual labor, and abandoned buildings!
We asked whether Al-Aqil believed that the residents of Al-Suwaidi neighborhood—both owners and tenants—wished to continue living there, and why. He replied that foreigners wish to continue living in the Manfouha neighborhood because it suits their means, whereas most Saudis have moved out of this neighborhood, since it has come to be inhabited by migrant workers and the poor, and is no longer suitable for middle-class families to live in, As for his observations on the future of the Manfouha neighborhood, Al-Aqeel said: The neighborhood is now suffering from frequent thefts, a large number of migrant workers, and a proliferation of abandoned and informal structures.
Al-Maseef Neighborhood… An Urban Extension
From the south, we headed north to the Al-Maseef neighborhood to see an urban landscape quite different from what we had seen in the south—especially in Manfouha, that old, poor, and crowded neighborhood. There, we met Mr. Abdullah Al-Khamshi ………………. We asked him about the neighborhood’s origins, and he replied that it emerged as a result of Riyadh’s urban expansion. Regarding the area from which most of the neighborhood’s residents came, he said: “The residents of Al-Maseef are diverse; most of them used to live in older, less developed neighborhoods, so they moved to this relatively modern neighborhood in search of a higher standard of living and a more refined lifestyle.”
We asked Al-Khamshi about the background of the majority of Al-Maseef’s residents. He replied: “A large proportion of the middle class resides in this neighborhood, and there is also a significant proportion of residents who belong to the wealthy class.” As for whether the large number of children in Al-Maseef affects demand and prices—and why—he answered: “Yes, it has a negative impact, due to the lack of comfort and tranquility, as there are frequent gatherings at the door and on the street.”
Al-Maseef residents are determined to stay there
As for whether the prevalence of high-end villas and mansions in the Al-Maseef neighborhood has had a positive impact on real estate prices there, Al-Khamshi replied: “Yes, it has a positive impact, because many of the neighborhood’s residents are wealthy, and they hold prestigious government positions that allow them to easily meet their needs within the neighborhood. Additionally, these properties lend an air of sophistication to the neighborhood. When asked whether he believes the residents of this neighborhood wish to stay or move away, our interviewee replied: “They prefer to stay in this neighborhood, where, as we’ve already noted, all the necessary services are available, along with a prime location and a high-quality resident population. They feel comfortable here, whether they’re renters or homeowners.”
Our conversation with Al-Khamshi concludes with a question about his observations regarding the future of Al-Maseef neighborhood. He replied: “I note that construction on the neighborhood’s land is complete—there are no vacant lots left—though the internal streets are very narrow, and the number of cars has increased. The neighborhood is now among the most congested in Riyadh. In addition, security within the neighborhood has begun to decline, and incidents of theft have become more frequent.
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