Moving back to Syria: housing, costs and what to check first

Since December 2024 an estimated 1.56 million people had returned to Syria as of late March 2026, alongside more than 1.9 million internally displaced people going back to their areas of origin. UNHCR has projected that around a million more refugees may return during 2026.

Those numbers are the context. They are not a recommendation. Whether returning makes sense is personal, and it depends heavily on something specific: what condition your housing is in, and whether you can prove it is yours.

Start with the registry, not the building

Before travelling, before making arrangements, establish whether the property is still registered to your family. This is a request that can be made remotely through a representative, and it changes the entire nature of the trip.

Three possibilities: it is intact and yours; it is still in a deceased relative’s name and needs a transfer; or another name appears. Each has a different route, set out in proving you own property when the documents are gone.

The physical condition question

Roughly one home in three in Syria sustained total or partial damage, and around 328,000 were destroyed outright. Entire neighbourhoods remain in ruins, including schools, hospitals and water systems.

But this is highly uneven. Central Damascus districts came through comparatively intact, while peripheral areas did not. A general statement about Syria tells you very little about your street — which is why a physical inspection, by someone you trust, matters more than any national figure.

Services

Electricity, clean water and healthcare remain patchy and vary by area. Ask specifically about hours of mains electricity, water supply, and what backup arrangements households in that area actually use. These are the details that determine daily life and they are rarely in any article, including this one — they have to be asked locally, close to the time.

Documents

A significant share of returnees lack civil documents — identity papers, birth and marriage registrations — and this obstructs everything downstream, including property transfers and inheritance. If documents were lost, begin reconstituting them early. They gate the property questions rather than following them.

Housing options if your property is not usable

• Renting first while you assess, rather than committing to a purchase from abroad.
• Buying, if you are confident about the area — see how to buy property in Syria.
• Repairing what you own, budgeting realistically for materials costs.

We would generally suggest renting for an initial period over buying immediately on return. It costs a few months’ rent and buys you information you cannot get any other way.

Our honest position

We sell property in Damascus, so treat our view accordingly. What we will say is that the buyers who do best are the ones who verified the registry entry, saw the property or had someone they trust see it, and budgeted for the full year rather than the purchase. The ones who struggle are those who committed money from abroad on the strength of photographs and a relative’s assurance.

Frequently asked questions

How many Syrians have returned?

An estimated 1.56 million had returned as of late March 2026 since December 2024, alongside more than 1.9 million internally displaced people returning to their areas of origin. UNHCR has projected around a million further returns during 2026.

Should I buy immediately on returning?

We would usually suggest renting for an initial period instead. It costs a few months’ rent and gives you information about the area, services and your own circumstances that is very difficult to obtain from abroad.

What should I check before travelling?

The land registry entry for your property, its physical condition, whether anyone is occupying it, and the state of your civil documents. All four can be established remotely through a trusted representative.