After spending all week looking at places to rent, we’ve finally found a place to live!! It was like being on MTV Cribs, being whizzed around the Kingston suburban hinterland by 3 different estate agents in tinted window SUVs looking at all manner of lovely gaffs… Some which seemed ridiculously huge and we would have definitely got lost in. Sitting rooms bigger than our whole house in Dublin. Giant bathrooms with huge double sinks… The different agents were all lovely, and full of chat about Kingston and the different areas and what life is like here – one of them even took me to a hospital appointment while I was getting a blood test done!
I went to see about 20 places and H (my husband) came to see a short list of 6. We choose this one as there is lots of space for us and the baby, and for visitors!! There’s 4 bedrooms, and a lovely light upstairs TV room, with a big kind of open plan dining room and living room downstairs. There are two (weirdly seperate) enclosed patios at the back, with wrought iron gates that slide back, and while the garden is only tiny – it’s bigger than with any other house we saw, and I just can’t wait to get planting things and see how fast they grow in the Jamaican sunshine! I reckon you might be able to grow a tomato here in about 5 minutes – and unlike in Ireland – it will actually go RED! And from the size of the basil plants I’ve seen in the supermarkets (like spinach) that is going to be fun to grow too.
The complex's communal pool
one of the enclosed patios - with the agent showing me around!
The sitting room - being painted while I was there
Man oh man, that looks just fab!! Enjoy it!! Can’t wait to get there myself!! Keep the posts coming, with plenty of piccies!!
Hi, just found out about your blog! Excellent, a great read! I hope you are doing well. X
I am from argentina. I am about to take a Job in Jamaica. I am gratefull that someone is really writing about the expat life. When I read youre blog, I feel better about the decision me and my familia are taking. Could you please give me more information about house searching, we would love somewhere safe (in a complex) and near schools, groceries. What about hope road?
Thank you very much and congratulations on youre baby that I asume was born!
Sorry it took me so long to reply! Am now proud mummy to a 10 day old, who’s very happily sleeping – for the moment! Can’t quite believe what a whirlwind new motherhood is. Here’s some advice on house-hunting. Hope road is quite busy and very central – if you’re working in New Kingston would be a very quick commute. A little bit further out is Barbican, then come Norbrook and Cherry Gardens – all of which involve longer drives but have nicer gardens / more space etc. We used a few different real estate agents – but the most helpful was a nice lady called June Sturridge at http://www.remax-elite.com.jm/ – she comes highly recommended and was very helpful about good areas / security / shopping etc. We choose a place between Barbican and Norbook and the commute to New Kingston takes about 25-35 mins in rush hour – 12-15 mins outside of that! But good luck with your move – we are loving living here!
CONGRATULATIONS FOR YOUR BABY!!!!! GREAT NEWS!!!!!!
thanks for your help! sorry to keep bothering you, but i have another question….i would love to live near kingston but in front a nice beach…is that possible??? or do u know a place/town with beach 40/30mins from town???
also, do you know something about schools???? i would need to be near a kindergarden…
many thanks for your help!!!!
Hi, and thanks!! I don’t know much about living by the coast – seems to me the nice places to live unfortunately are behind Kingston in the foothills of the mountains. Fort Clarence is a lovely beach 40 mins drive away but would be a terrible commute and I’m not sure theres anywhere to live there. You could research an area called portmore by the coast but don’t think many expats will be out that way. Nursery schools I town that i know are good are El Centro and Step by Step, and schools are Hillel and American College. Hope this helps!!