UAE: Dubai Real Estate

The real estate sales market in Dubai has outperformed the rental market in the last year, sparking a squeeze in yields and prompting concerns that the fundamentals of the market are becoming skewed.

Faced with rising power consumption and a grid under pressure, Dubai is stepping up its efforts to improve energy efficiency, while boosting the role played by renewable resources in meeting demand. Long term, a broad range of initiatives, supported by a new regulatory framework announced last year, should help bring energy costs under control.

As property prices in Dubai continue their rise, the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has issued new mortgage regulations designed to limit speculation and help ensure the long-term stability of the investment environment. However, it appears some rules may affect only a small portion of potential buyers.

A surge of interest in new property developments in Dubai has almost inevitably prompted concerns with respect to the sustainability of the sector’s recovery, recalling the bubble in 2008. However, most old hands in the industry believe investors, regulators and developers have all learned some important lessons from the crash in the sector five years ago, and that the heightened activity signals a the continuance of a rebound that began around a year ago.

With greater emphasis being placed on quality rather than quantity, the real estate sector is witnessing increasing competition in the facilities management sphere, presenting opportunities to experienced companies looking to maintain both commercial and residential buildings.

Prices in Dubai’s residential property segment have posted solid growth over the past few months, and other areas of the sector are also showing signs that recent declines are beginning to reverse. However, due to excess supply in many segments, it will be some time before demand catches up with new development.