Real Estate Dubai real estate ‘hot’ but no bubble fears, say experts Dubai’s real estate market is running “a bit hot”, but it is not heading towards a bubble or another catastrophic crash, experts say. Residential sales prices in the emirate increased 20 percent in 2023, while city-wide rents grew 9 percent higher, according to the latest research from Cushman & Wakefield Core. Although Dubai remains more […] February 6, 2024
Construction Aldar unveils $1.4bn plan for new real estate assets Aldar Properties will invest AED5 billion ($1.36 billion) to develop a range of commercial, retail, hospitality and logistics assets within its prime real estate projects in Abu Dhabi. The assets, which will be part of the developer’s investment portfolio, will be delivered in a phased manner between 2025 and 2027, the Abu Dhabi-listed developer said […] February 6, 2024
Opinion Real Estate School’s in: UAE education is ripe for investment The listing of more education-based real estate investment trusts will diversify UAE capital markets February 5, 2024
Real Estate Rental platform Silkhaus plans new Saudi home Silkhaus, a property technology platform specialising in short-term rentals, plans to launch in Riyadh after more than doubling its revenues last year and completing a pre-series A financing round this month. The size of the round, with San Francisco-based Partners for Growth, was not disclosed. Silkhaus launched in Dubai in 2021 and entered Abu Dhabi […] February 5, 2024
Real Estate Millennial ‘co-living’ concept gains momentum in Gulf The appetite for “co-living”, a form of communal housing that offers private rooms and shared spaces, is on the rise in the GCC, and more investors are entering the sector. Co-living as a sub-segment of residential property has gained in popularity in markets such as the UK and the US, as developers seek to provide […] February 2, 2024
Construction Egyptian developer to build Iraq’s largest housing project Egypt’s Ora Developers Group will build the largest residential city in Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, which will feature 100,000 residential units. The contract was awarded by the Iraqi government. No details of the project cost were given. Ali Al-Wardi, a smart city project located 25 km southeast of Baghdad, will be built on an area of […] February 2, 2024
Analysis Banking and Finance Kuwait banks boosted by likely mortgage law reform Kuwait bank stocks are hitting highs as traders bet that a long-awaited liberation of the country’s mortgage laws will come into force and provide a windfall for lenders. Currently only the government-controlled Kuwait Credit Bank (KCB) provides financing to Kuwaiti citizens and companies for them to buy real estate, and commercial banks are not permitted […] February 2, 2024
Opinion Real Estate Landlords must keep up with changing retail markets or fail Saudi Arabia's mall owners need to be aware of the needs of developers and tenants January 31, 2024
Real Estate Ajman real estate deals surge 43% to $4.6bn in 2023 The number of real estate deals in Ajman increased 43 percent year on year to 11,474 last year, with a total value of AED16.9 billion ($4.6 billion), the annual report of the Ajman Department of Land and Real Estate Regulation reveals. The highest sale recorded was AED136 million in the Al Nakheel 2 neighbourhood, the […] January 31, 2024
Real Estate Tecom profit rises 49% on growing customer demand Tecom Group saw net profit for 2023 rise 49 percent year on year to AED1.1 billion ($299.48 million) on robust demand from new and existing customers across all its six business clusters. The company registered broad-based growth across the business, owing to the group’s ongoing efforts to enhance operations and reduce costs. Revenue reached a […] January 31, 2024
Construction Value of Saudi real estate deals fall 11% in 2023 The value of Saudi real estate transactions fell 11 percent during 2023 to about SAR193.45 billion ($51.59 billion), but the number of construction material licenses awarded in the kingdom rose 39 percent in the same period. Figures released by the Ministry of Justice this week showed transactions fell from SAR216.7 billion to SAR193.45 billion. The […] January 26, 2024
Real Estate Arada sets $2.7bn sales target on UAE market optimism UAE real estate developer Arada expects sales to hit AED10 billion ($2.72 billion) in 2024, a 42.5 percent increase from AED7.02 billion achieved last year. The higher sales will be driven by continued global interest in the UAE real estate sector. The developer sold 2,824 homes in 2023, a 25 percent gain year on year, […] January 26, 2024
Construction Abu Dhabi property service charges cut by 6% in 2023 Service and community charges for property owners in Abu Dhabi fell six percent in 2023, resulting in savings of AED39.7 million ($10.81 million) year on year. The total approved budgets for jointly owned property development projects reached AED 685 million by the end of Q4 2023, state-run Abu Dhabi Media Office reported, citing Abu Dhabi […] January 25, 2024
Video length: 06:59 EXCLUSIVE Real Estate UAE scraps minimum payment for property golden visa The UAE has removed the AED1 million ($272,294) minimum downpayment requirement to qualify for a golden visa through real estate investment, industry sources have told AGBI. Investors must acquire property valued at AED2 million or above to be eligible for the 10-year renewable residency scheme, introduced in 2019. Previously, for properties bought on mortgage or […] January 23, 2024
Real Estate Deyaar trebles profits to $120m in 2023 Deyaar Development, majority-owned by Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), recorded preliminary unaudited net profit of AED440.7 million ($119.98 million) in 2023, an annual increase of 206 percent. Total revenue in 2023 increased 56 percent year on year to AED1.25 billion as income from the sale of properties reached AED412 million, mainly due to higher construction progress in its […] January 23, 2024
Analysis Real Estate Dubai’s smaller homes more affordable than global rivals Dubai homes for sale today are about a quarter smaller than their equivalents four years ago, despite average prices growing by more than half, industry data shows. But experts claim this is a result of the rise in demand for smaller units, which are still substantially bigger and more affordable than those in rival global […] January 22, 2024
Real Estate Turkey home sales hit nine-year low on rising interest rates Sales of residential properties in Turkey fell to their lowest levels in nine years in 2023 due to rising interest rates and inflation. Home sales declined 17.5 percent year on year to 1.23 million in 2023, Daily Sabah newspaper reported, citing Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat). The central bank has raised its policy rate by 3,400 […] January 22, 2024
Construction Private credit lenders expect surge in ‘last mile’ finance Private credit firms are preparing for a surge in demand for “last mile” financing from construction companies across the Middle East. This form of financing plays a critical role in the delivery of projects that are on the brink of completion but have been hit by budget overruns or unforeseen costs. William Watson, a partner […] January 15, 2024
Real Estate Dubai launches housing projects worth $1.5bn A series of projects including 2,300 ready-to-move-in houses and 3,500 plots of land for housing being allocated among citizens of Dubai have been approved by the emirate’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The housing projects, part of the Dubai Social Agenda 33, are valued at AED 5.5 billion ($1.49 billion), the UAE state-run […] January 15, 2024
Real Estate Khalaf Al Habtoor escalates dispute with Lebanon Emirati businessman Khalaf Al Habtoor has escalated his feud with the Lebanese authorities by launching an investment treaty dispute against the country. The legal notice of the dispute alleges that Beirut’s treatment of his conglomerate, Al Habtoor Group, breaches the investment treaty between the UAE and Lebanon. Under the 1999 agreement, Lebanon committed to protect […] January 10, 2024
