Nouakchott Housing Market: Renting Feels Like Dating Someone Who Always Forgets Your Birthday

someone told me to buy a house here because ‘property spikes when the fishing season ends.’ i laughed until i choked on my plastic-wrapped mango juice. nouakchott doesn’t play by the rules-it plays by the wind. and right now, the wind smells like dust, diesel, and a faint hope that maybe, just maybe, your rent won’t get raised after the imam’s sermon next friday.

i’ve been in this city for 14 months. i moved in thinking i’d be some digital nomad poet getting by on mint tea and wifi. turns out, the wifi cuts out when the generator dies-which is 3x a week-and the ‘poet’ part got replaced by me haggling with a man named hakim over whether 18,000 ouguiya is ‘reasonable’ for a room with a window that doesn’t face the neighbor’s goat.

here’s what the data says (and what locals whisper when the iqa’a is off):

rental avg in belle-vue: 22,000-30,000 ouguiya/month (that’s $58-$80, but inflation’s got the mood of a scorpion in a sandstorm)

buying a small house in mrabtine? minimum 15 million ouguiya ($42k). if you’ve got that kind of cash, congrats. you’re either the son of a banker, or you’re about to learn what ‘ghost housing’ means (yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like).

and don’t even get me started on security deposits. one landlord asked me for three months upfront ‘because last guy skipped town before the rains.’ the rains haven’t even come yet. it’s always hot here. always.

i talked to a guy named yaya who’s been renting the same 12m² plasterbox since 2008. ‘i have no water heater,’ he said, ‘but i have dignity.’ then he handed me a cup of coffee that tasted like history and regret.

> ‘buying? you want to be stuck here for 20 years? the sandy wind eats your doors. the electricity contracts with your dreams. and if you get a tattoo? good luck when the cops say it’s ‘immoral.’’ - yaya, 71, retired ice cream vendor, 3rd floor, no elevator

> ‘my cousin owns a house in reddigan. three rooms, no AC, seven kids. she charges $120/month. nobody complains because the landlord fixes the roof when it rains. you don’t find that in dubai.’ - animated text from r/nouakchott subreddit

weather? it’s 41°C. the air is thick like soup someone forgot on the stove for five days. the only thing cooler than the temperature is the idea of signing a lease longer than three months.

the july heat makes everything feel temporary. even the palm trees look like they’re trying to escape. neighboring towns? dacar’s 400km east. you can hop on a bus and be there by morning, but you won’t find better housing deals. tataouine? nah, that’s in tunisia. too messy. no one’s flying to morocco from here unless they’re running from something.

Trips here will give you the bare bones of ‘things to do’. most of them are churches that don’t exist anymore, and markets where vendors sell sunscreen and USB cables next to each other.

and if you’re thinking about mortgage rates? go ahead. check the central bank site. then cry silently into your ice pack.

a friend who worked at the u.s. embassy said, ‘we don’t buy property here. we lease. always.’

so here’s my real advice:

- if you’re here less than 18 months? rent. and take a towel with you. the showers are desert-grade.
- if you’re here 2+ years? arrest the urge. buy a boat. move to the coast. literally.
- if you want stability? date the landlord. not the house.

yelp has 14 reviews. 13 are ‘amenities missing’ and 1 is ‘at least i’m not in Mauritania’s cousin-in-law’s basement.’

i saw a sign today: ‘casa de pago en especie.’ you trade lamb for rent. that’s the housing market here. it’s barter, chaos, and survival in equal parts.

i still haven’t bought anything. but i sleep better knowing my rent’s paid in advance and i’m not a ghost yet.



tags: Nouakchott, lifestyle, honest-review, human-vibe, travel, blog

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