Talpiot Mizrach (East Talpiot) was originally – and is still today – referred to as Armon Hanatziv which literally means “the Commissioner’s Palace,” named after the British High Commissioner's compound built in 1930 in this neighborhood. Officially established and annexed to Israel in 1973, Talpiot Mizrach is nestled in southeastern Jerusalem, within walking distance and to the east of Arnona and Baka, and to the south of the Old City (forty minutes walking from the Kotel).
The neighborhood, which is 2.5 miles from the city center, is built on two slopes facing one of the valleys leading to Nahal Dragot which flows east into the Dead Sea, and many of its homes offer beautiful views of the Judean Desert and the Dead Sea.
Tourists and residents alike enjoy Talpiot Mizrach’s famous Haas, Sherover and Goldman Promenades which overlook most of Jerusalem and offer spectacular panoramic views of the Old City, “new Jerusalem,” and Midbar Yehudah. The Peace Forest is another tourist attraction as are a number of archaeological sites, including a sophisticated ancient aqueduct that brought water to the Temple Mount from “Solomon’s Pools” near Bethlehem. In recent history, it was from this neighborhood that the Jerusalem Brigade set out to retake the Old City in the Six Day War.
Originally separated by orchards from Arnona (also known as Arnona Hatzeirah) to its west, since 2000 the fields have been sold off to developers, and there is now contiguous housing between Talpiot Mizrach and Arnona. Armon Hanatziv is bounded on the east by villages populated by working-class Arabs (the more extreme Arab communities are located in northern Jerusalem, closer to Ramallah).
With most of its original population settling in the neighborhood after the Six Day War, in recent years Talpiot Mizrach became an aging community which is only now being revitalized due to its strong location and low prices. Its population has grown to over 17,000 residents and is slated to expand to 20,000.
Many young families – including native Israelis, English speakers and French olim – have moved in. The neighborhood is mostly secular but the percentage of religious residents is now over 20% and rising. There are fifteen shuls in the community, including a Young Israel, and approximately 20% of the residents are native English speakers.
Talpiot Mizrach has local shops and is only ten minutes from the bustling Talpiot which is chock full of retail malls, stores and other commercial establishments. The community has bus lines which connect it to the rest of Jerusalem, and the light rail, which only recently began operations, has future plans to add a line to service this community.
We believe that Talpiot Mizrach presents a long-term financial opportunity as it is one of the last attractively priced neighborhoods in Jerusalem. Whereas 1,600,000 NIS (under $450,000) can buy you a 1-bedroom apartment in Rechavia, 1,600,000 NIS can get you a three to four bedroom unit in an older building or a 2-bedroom luxury apartment in one of the new developments in Talpiot Mizrach. While currently still in “development mode,” we expect that within five years Armon Hanatziv will be considered “mature” and its pricing will rise accordingly, as recently witnessed in neighboring Arnona. For buyers on a budget who want to purchase an apartment in Jerusalem, this community is an excellent option.
“My Israel Home” is a real estate agency focused on helping people from abroad buy and sell homes in Israel.