Mystery surrounds a recent upsurge in the number of properties being offered for sale on Roehampton Drive in upper St Andrew.
Over the past month, a number of properties in the upscale neighbourhood have been placed on the market, but last week, the homeowners who were contacted by our news team, refused to say why they have decided to sell the properties.
Two weeks ago, four houses, all with backyards close to the Cassia Park Gully, had for sale signs put up. One week later, 31 Roehampton Drive was also put on the market, with an asking price of $19.5 million. The overseas-based owner of the two-family property at 53 Roehampton Drive is asking between $19 and $20 million for the four-bedroom two-family house.
One long-time resident of the community noted the growing squatter settlement nearby leading to the Whitehall area and suggested that crime could be a factor.
But the Constant Spring police told our news team that they had no reports of increased criminal activity in the community.
“We, too, have seen the for sale signs, but I can tell you it’s not because of any increase in criminal activities. In fact, we have no reports of increased criminal activities there,” an officer at the Constant Spring Police Station told The Sunday Gleaner.
One house owner, who has also put his property on the market, confirmed the police’s view that crime was not a factor in his decision to sell.
CRIME NOT AN ISSUE
“It’s not an issue, really. I have never had any problems with criminality and I have lived here nearly all my life,” said the property owner, who asked not to be named.
He said tenants now occupy several of the houses as the owners have migrated and the once-active Neighbourhood Watch is no longer active.
Another resident of the area told our news team that a number of the property owners are advanced in age, with grown children living overseas.
“Look what is happening in Jamaica today. When your children live overseas and hear of the daily reports of violent crimes in Jamaica, they want their parents to be where they are. It doesn’t mean they could not become victims of crime overseas, but I bet you it would be investigated,” said the resident.
He said while crime is not a factor in the area, “children did not feel comfortable knowing their parents are in Jamaica and could become victims of crime. So it’s a case where children are saying to their parents, ‘Come!'”
I noticed the same trend in upscale communities all over the island, and some of the homes are very reasonably priced.
Drove pass there few weeks ago and said to my husband a wah mek all a dem house here so up fi sale so!…
The people dem see de need to go live somewhere else.
Can’t blame them one bit, no place on earth is immune to crime and violence but the numbers in Jamaica speaks volume and the police seems overwhelmed. People have little to no faith and “justice” seems an illusion at this point.
There’s no crime yet, but with a squatter settlement starting up nearby it is likely to happen. Also, the squatter settlement is going to GREATLY decrease their property value so they’re trying to sell before their houses are worth nothing
Dirty little secret: A lot of these homeowners cannot afford to maintain these homes after retiring (fix income or no income). Poor savings over the years and no significant income, owners are finding it difficult to survive. Higher utility cost and maintenance cost are forcing a lot of these owners to sell. A lot of these homeowners are forced to live with their children overseas because it is cheaper to have the parents live with them than send money to Jamaica to subsidize their living cost. Most of their kids will never return to Jamaica to live, so it make sense to sell.
If you go into some of these once upscale neighborhoods, you cannot believe the condition of these homes. A lot of these homes are now converted to multi-family units, with lots of renters and no one wants to purchase homes in these area with so many renters.
Is truth you talking, di gospel truth. Pensions caan keep up wid inflation and cost of living. Food and utilities are high, add health problems to the equation and it becomes too much.
I hear my parents lamenting too seh dem do all dis and none of us interested. My landlord is Jamaican and him trying to sell off his properties because none of his children are interested as well, and him in him 70s, plus it causing him more stress after he worked so hard with the intention of leaving them to his children, him have to run round working again fi look sale fi dem. Nuh di curse of migration?
yh if the squatter settlement is growing the houses are going to depreciate so i’d sell out too
Hope the squatter settlements grows large enough til mi can afford one a dem houses lol