Commercialization of Residential Areas and its Impact on the Real Estate Industry

One may ask, “Is it rapid urbanization, economic growth or people’s earnest desire to create wealth that has led to the commercialization of residential areas in recent times”?

Residential areas which were once seen to be a place of tranquility has now been encroached by entrepreneurs who set up small and medium scale businesses such as super markets, drinking spots, boutiques, salons and the recent sports and leisure bars(superbet, mybet, soccerbet and all the bets one could think of) .

 Entrepreneurs are not the only ones to blame, but also residents. They tend to offer portions of their lands and even houses to be used for such commercial purposes, while others build and create stores right in front of their homes and put up a sign like ‘to let’ , in order to  attract businessmen.

Infrastructural development within some of these residential areas has also contributed towards commercialization. Most of these residential areas have good access routes into some major parts of Accra; thus encouraging most vehicle users to ply such routes. As as a result of such activities entrepreneurs have sort to capitalize on this opportunity.

Areas like East Legon, North Kaneshie, Dansoman, Airport Residential Area, Osu, just to mention a few, which were once seen as peaceful and serene places, have had entrepreneurs invading them with lots of businesses springing up along the roads and in the neighborhood much to the dismay of residents. These actions go a long way to affect residents living in such areas

Although some may see this in a positive light as job creation for the people in the neighborhood or easy access to some basic amenities such as big super markets or shopping malls making groceries shopping very convenient, nevertheless we should also consider the other effects such as pollution, security and invasion of privacy.

Rapid commercialization brings along with all its benefits pollution in various. Most of these businesses, such as, drinking sports, some saloons, sports and leisure bars play loud music in order to attract their customers and keep the business going with little or no consideration about people living around.

Not just the noise but most of these business create lots of waste and do not dispose of them in a proper way, empty plastic bottles and other waste materials find their way into gutters, the streets and people’s’ homes causing gutters to choke which eventually might lead to floods

Due to the nature of some of these business activities, security becomes a challenge in such residential areas. Different people are attracted to such neighborhoods everyday and night thus exposing them to threats of armed robbery and other social vices. In recent times there have been lots of such incidents and attacks in such areas.

Residents also tend to face problems with some business owners when it comes to invasion of space and privacy. Most often will you see residents struggling for parking space, a shop owner or an attendant will tell a resident not to park in front of their shop simply because he or she might block their place of business which leaves residents stranded, and this contribute to traffic in some residential areas.

Commercialization of residential areas has become a trending issue and has forced many residents to move out and reside elsewhere as long as they can have their peace of mind. Those who can cope with such activities still stay and suffer in silence, with congestion pollution security threat amongst other negative implications

It is about time government intervened and brought a clear cut between commercial areas and residential areas before it gets out of hand, and even as such there is a need to regulate the activities of these already existing businesses in residential areas in other for residents to at least feel safe and enjoy the peace and quiet they used to have.