Let's Paint Armenia's Apartment Buildings!

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Here we see typical Armenian apartment buildings, sometimes known as tower blocks. These were built with panels of concrete - in the name of efficiency and cost-cutting - in a Soviet attempt to house all of its workers. Many of them look beautiful on the inside, with Euro-style remodels and the latest in furniture and electronic gadgets, unique reflections of the families who live in them. But from the outside, they look old, dirty, uninspired, depressing, and generally bad.

Russia had the same problem, until they began experimenting with color. The result? THIS!


(Click to enlarge)

This is what Armenians need: COLOR! Expression, happiness, art, sillyness, change, brightness! Imagine how the skyline will look if instead of shades of gray we have color. Children all across can create the artworks and adults render them onto the buildings. Flags, landscapes, abstracts, even portraits will adorn decades-old buildings. Our cities will become vibrant and everyone would follow our lead. It would be a rebirth: It would be revolutionary!

Who am I kidding? That would never happen.

Sources: Flickr and LiveJournal (many more pictures here)

300,000 Buildings Lack Property Deeds

Yes, you read that correctly.

A survey by a Non Governmental Organization concerned with citizens’ rights says as many as 300,000 buildings and structures in Armenia lack property deeds.

"The homes of the greater part of people who have appealed to us are not yet included in development zones, but people are concerned as they see many residents of the Kentron community (in the center of Yerevan) became homeless," says attorney Samvel Mkrtchyan, chairman of the NGO.

Mkrtchyan says there’s no guarantee of getting appropriate compensation for homes in development districts, but a property deed assures getting more than not having one.

This is why you shouldn't buy anything real estate in Armenia - at least not until all of these important issues are resolved.

Source: ArmeniaNow

Real Estate Prices Rise in Yerevan

Real estate prices have been booming in Yerevan and most elsewhere. I feel that this can't continue forever and there may be a resulting crash, as a lot of the inflation is artificial, anyway.

The 2006 average market value of a square meter of an apartments in Yerevan has increased by 29% to AMD 196,700/$540. The average price per square meter in the central areas of Yerevan stood at AMD377,600/$1,035.

The most growth was reported in Nubarashen, where an increase of 50.5% was seen.

Does anyone know what accounts for Nubarashen's growth?

Source: Yerevan.ru (translated)

Forced Evictions Continue in Yerevan

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The family of nine persons were forced out of their eight-room property after refusing to accept a $23,000 compensation offered by municipal authorities. Citing "public needs," the authorities have decided to give it to the owner of an adjacent building housing a night club and a department store.

The evicted residents say the proposed compensation is worth a fraction of the market value of their home and insufficient even for buying a tiny apartment on the city outskirts. The authorities counter that the sum is modest partly because some parts of the house were constructed illegally.

This is what is keeping out foreign investment - or at least my foreign investment. Would I ever buy a small apartment or other real estate there knowing that it could be taken away from me illegally? Never.

Source: ArmeniaLiberty