Opinion

Hear our experts’ take on the latest developments and trending topics

26 April 2024

Private Equity and Real Estate in the Gulf: Three reasons to be positive

Introduction: Why private equity matters Worldwide, private equity funds closed deals worth $124 billion in just the fourth quarter of 2023. Fully a quarter of all merger and acquisition deals last year involved private equity.[1] As concerns over inflationary headwinds, rising interest rates and general macro uncertainty diminish, markets such as the Gulf have become increasingly attractive. The prospect of […]
15 January 2024

A new era for real estate dawns in Oman

The context for Oman’s real estate boom Real estate as an engine for economic growth The importance of the real estate sector in any nation’s economic and social development is no secret. For years, construction has been celebrated as a pivotal economic driver, and in recent decades we have seen developed economies evolve from industrial and service-oriented development to what […]
24 October 2023

Valuing luxury real estate in the Gulf

Understanding luxury Luxury is a concept as old as philosophy itself. It has stirred debate for centuries. From the musings of Plato to modern economic thinkers like Werner Sombart and Thorstein Veblen, interpretations of the concept of luxury may differ, but they all seem to agree that luxury is an important aspect of society. Sombart championed luxury’s central role in […]
9 October 2023

Dubai’s Hospitality Sector in a Post-Pandemic World

A swift recovery and return to sustainable growth   What’s behind the remarkable post-pandemic performance of Dubai’s hospitality industry? Despite the curveballs thrown by COVID-19 and recent global conflicts that disrupted travel worldwide, Dubai is defying the odds and emerging as the superstar of the tourism world. In the first half of this year, a staggering 8.5 million globetrotters chose […]
22 June 2023

Does sustainability pay? How is the Gulf integrating global best practice?

Perspectives on sustainability Architects, planners and regulators alike all favour sustainable buildings, each with good reason: to design, shape and order new developments that will benefit the planet and improve the environment. The upcoming COP28 Conference in Dubai,[1] and the prioritisation of carbon emission reductions through the circular economy as an integral part of 2023 as the Year of Sustainability,[2] […]
18 January 2023

How effective is real estate as an inflation hedge? A perspective from the Gulf

GCC Inflation: perception and reality At the beginning of 2023, the consensus perspective is that the global economy is far from out of the inflationary woods yet. After a global average of 8.8% last year, opinions now diverge as to the curve of the downward trajectory this year, from the IMF’s global estimate in October 2022 of 6.5%1, to a […]
22 March 2022

Bahrain F1: The long term economic and real estate benefits

Bahrain was first to build a track and host a Formula One (F1) race in the region, but there was competition. The UAE, Egypt and Lebanon were all potential alternative candidates, but in 2002 the FIA came calling and Bahrain beat their internal competition, as a result of a firm commitment to deliver a race by 2004. It was of […]
11 November 2021

Lessons from the past, pointers to the future. What impact do Expos have on real estate markets?

The first modern fair was held in Paris just after the French Revolution in 1798, on the site where the Eiffel Tower now stands. By 1928 Expos had gained both codification and their own organisation. Subsequent Expos have been well-recognised landmarks of human achievement, for example, the New York World Fair of 1939 showcasing US technological innovation and the Shanghai […]
5 September 2021

Formula One and real estate — a winning team?

There are several potential multiplier effects of hosting a Formula One race on real estate. The most obvious one is the effect F1 races and similar events bring on hotel, serviced apartments and short-term let occupancy rates, and therefore valuations. Some have referred to the way in which any F1 event is a platform for local hotels and conference facilities […]
16 May 2021

How useful are International Valuation Standards (IVS) for Gulf real estate markets?

The International Valuation Standards (IVS) are now the basis for valuation standards in well over a hundred countries worldwide, including every major real estate market. The Gulf has been no exception in moving decisively towards the adoption of international valuation standards. But why is IVS important and how does it benefit real estate markets? Find out more in our latest […]
11 April 2021

How do real estate markets recover from crises?

We should no longer ask how real estate markets recover from political or macroeconomic crises. Rather, we should ask how the dynamics of real estate markets themselves operate to create, manage and transfer wealth, frequently at a national or even regional level. Read more from our chief economist in his latest article.
23 March 2021

Rent-to-own: Best practices and the way forward

Worldwide there is evidence that if properly managed, rent-to-own can be a successful way to improve market liquidity, encourage home ownership and contribute to affordable housing in particular, which is the main real estate challenge facing governments in the Gulf. Read more in our latest opinion article.

Stay up to date

SIGN UP

Menu
Quick Links
Follow us