Opinion

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

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?

Expos signal to the world Expos have long been the subject of attention from economists and real estate analysts alike. The first modern fair was held in Paris just after the French Revolution in 1798, on the site where the Eiffel Tower now stands, whilst the 1851 Great Exhibition brought diversity to London for the first time. By 1928 Expos […]
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.
11 October 2020

Retire in the UAE – 2020 Update

How does the UAE, and Dubai particularly, compare to countries such as Australia and Portugal for the purpose of retirement? Find out in this 2020 update on retiring in the UAE.
20 September 2020

Time to Deliver: Geography, home delivery and value

Working from home and increased home deliveries are set to alter developers’ future choices of project locations. Read more in our latest opinion article.
3 June 2020

Yields and Recovery: Four major questions

What determines yields? Real estate yields are usually defined as net income receivable over transaction price paid. Both terms are subject to varying definitions, whilst yields themselves apply to initial investments on exit or over a given lifetime. A standard yield model uses three independent variables: the risk-free rate, the expected rent, and the risk premium[1], all of which assume […]
6 May 2020

Property Price Indexes for the UAE

Why build a price index? Real estate market participants want to know what is happening to key market indicators. Amongst these indicators, prices are the most important. Construction, investment, sales and portfolio forecasts and decisions all rest on which way prices have moved, and by how much. The recent history of a real estate market’s performance is a collection of […]

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