Frame Structure of Ocean Heights Completed

DAMAC Properties, the provider of luxury lifestyle and the pillar behind several other projects, announced the completion of the concrete frame of the tallest tower in Dubai Marina along with its development at Ocean Heights standing high at 84 floors.

Ocean Heights is the flagship of DAMAC and is expected to become one of the most iconic buildings of the area. With its twisted architecture, it already is being visible above all others in the surrounding area.

The Chairman of the main contractors Arabtec, Mr. Sajwani said, “This is a significant day for DAMAC Properties - the structural completion of our flagship building is a source of great pride and an occasion that we are glad we have been able to mark with the support of RERA, Arabtec and so many of the staff who have worked on site for the past three years. To think that this magnificent building has been constructed in a little less than two and a half years is a testament to their efforts and I pay tribute to their hard work and accomplishments. This has been a turbulent 12 months for everyone involved in real estate and it is therefore all the more impressive that everyone involved has remained so focused and dedicated to the task at hand. We are delighted to be literally ending this year on a high by finishing our tallest building.”

He added, “As a contractor we are always proud to be associated with quality projects and it is pleasing to be here to commemorate this milestone event for DAMAC Properties as we finish the main construction of Ocean Heights,' he said."A large part of our philosophy at Arabtec is to work hard with developers to build a relationship and to work together as one team on challenging projects like this. In the light of some of the recent negative news and speculation, I believe it is even more important that we recognize the efforts and achievements of everyone involved in the construction of Ocean Heights and celebrate how significant they are. Once completed in 2010 Ocean Heights will eventually offer 680 apartments ranging from one to three bedrooms. In addition the building will feature DAMAC Properties' Signature Series penthouse range - ultimate luxury apartments with the latest in hi-tech gadgetry and luxurious home comforts.”

Significant Progress on Tamani Hotel Business Bay

Dubai Properties newly appointed CEO, Mr. Abdul Wahab Halabi visited the progress of Tamani Hotel at Parklane tower. The impressive iconic development in Business Bay by KM properties has reached the 17^th to 18^th level core walls.

Business Bay, after its full development will become the same as Manhattan or Ginza, the business center of New York or Tokyo. The first phase of Dubai’s incredible revolution into a international hub began with the scouring of the Creek in the 1970s. It is expected that the new extension of the Creek will strengthen the entry of Dubai into the international business cities’ league. Added to its splendor, Tamani Hotel will contribute a lot for the cause.

While inspecting the construction of Tamani, Mr. Abdul Wahab Al Halabi was quite impressed both with the progress of the tower and with the commitment of KM Properties in fulfilling its role in the development of Dubai’s Business Bay. Mr. Abdul Wahab Al Halibi was also keyed up by the status of the project and conveyed his enthusiasm to the team of KM Properties.

The five - star deluxe hotel, Tamani Hotel at Parklane Tower comprises of thirty three storeys. The modern hotel includes commercial offices as well with leisure facilities which offer splendid views of Shiekh Zyed Road’s beautiful and impressive skyline and the new creek area of Ras Al Khor. The world renowned designer Carlos Ott has successfully designed Tamani Hotel and the major construction contractor of the project is Al Rostamani Pegel. The official interior designer who has been appointed by KM Properties is LW Design Group.

According to Mr. Sanjeet Joher, the Group Chief Operating Officer of KM Properties, “We at KM Properties are proud to announce that the project is progressing well. We are moving ahead despite the current economic climate and we are very much ready to create the developments that will form an integral part of Dubai's future Business District which is the Business Bay."

Dubai Villa Prices Gush by 20% on Return of Growing Demand

A gush of 20% in the price was experienced by the villas in Victory Heights Dubai Sports City in the Q3 of this year. The prices had fallen by 50% in the Q1 of the year due to the global economic recession.

It was observed that the main reason of the push in the prices was the growing demand for family homes in Dubai. The trend is expected to persist if recent prophecies of a villa shortage in 2010 works.

Yasser Abdulrahman Al Raee, the General Manager at Victory Heights said, “The fall in the price of villas seems to have bottomed out, and we are starting to see prices rise again. Since July prices for villas in Victory Heights have risen by about 20 percent, and we expect to see prices stay around the same figure to the end of the year."

He added,"Despite the recession families still are looking to find spacious homes, with quality finishing, in developments that have a community spirit - and that's what we offer at Victory Heights. Families are moving here from other developments in Dubai because they get like being away from the bustle of the city, and just a stone's throw from the all the sporting facilities of Dubai Sports City."
The potential shortage of villas on offer in Dubai in the next few years was highlighted by Landmark Properties CEO, Charles Neil, in an interview with Emirates Business on 29 November.

According to Charles Neil, CEO of Landmark Properties, “the number of units coming online in 2010 will jump to 50,000 - of which 20 percent will be villas, and the rest apartments. In 2011 the number of new villas will drop to five percent, and to three percent in 2012.”

Authentic Spanish Andalusian, Mediterranean and classic European style are the three styles in which villas at Victory Heights are designed. Many of these enjoy the views of the Els’ Club course. The developer promises to foster a strong community spirit by holding regular community events like BBQs.

Rent Decline Extends in Dubai

The rental scenario is taking an extended break in Dubai with the unchanged commercial and residential rents.

According to a survey, people are postponing the move until the holidays and consequently the moving to other flats has slowed down. The enquiries related to tenancy are mainly focusing on the areas which are less congested and where the best possible prices can be obtained.

The landlords have continued to be flexible as well as negotiations of rental rates and payment terms due to the uninspiring property market. The average annual rental rates have become constant since September.

The survey found , “In November, a studio at the  Dubai Marina Marina Promenade, Emaar Six Towers, Downturn Burj Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, Sheikh Zayed Road and World Trade Center areas, ranged from Dh50,000 to Dh60,000. Rents for one-bedroom units were static at Dh85,000 to Dh120,000. A two-bedroom flat was priced at Dh120,000 to Dh160,000, while a three-bedroom unit was at Dh160,000 to Dh210,000.”

“In the mid-tier neighbourhoods of Bur Dubai, Al Barsha, the Greens, Jumeirah Beach Residence and Dubai Marina, a studio in November ranged from  Dh35,000 to Dh50,000, a one-bedroom flat ranged from Dh55,000 to Dh75,000, a two-bedroom flat at Dh70,000 to Dh100,000, and three-bedroom units from Dh90,000 to Dh120,000.”

“Average annual rents continued to be cheaper in International City, Discovery Gardens , Deira, Jumeirah Lakes Towers and some parts of Dubai Marina. A studio in these areas was priced at Dh26,000 to Dh40,000, and a one-bedroom unit at Dh38,000 to Dh65,000. A two-bedroom flat ranged from Dh60,000 to Dh85,000, while a three-bedroom unit went for Dh90,000 to Dh110,000.”

“However, at  Jumeirah Lake Towers, new supply brought down rents, with the lower end of the range cheaper by Dh5 at Dh55 per square foot. The higher end of the range in Bur Dubai, Tecom, Downtown Jebel Ali and Festival City, remained at Dh170 per square foot per annum. In Deira, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai Sports City, office rents still ranged from Dh50 to Dh100 per square foot per annum in November.”

Recovery of Off-plan Ventures Unlikely for Two Years.

The developers in Dubai need to think over quality and winning back investors smashed confidence in order to recover the off-plan real estate Dubai market which is unlikely to pick up before 2011 even after this move. The investors who have been deferred by the cancellations or delays also need to be won by the developers with tying pricing strategies.

Sana Kapadia who is the Vice President of Equity Research at EFG-Hermes said, “Investors have been holding back payments because construction is not starting and developers can’t move forward because investors are not paying, that is the reality of the current situation. The recovery of the off-plan market in the United Arab Emirates will happen only from early 2011.”

However some also think that it might take longer. According to Chet Riley, Vice President of Real Estate Equities Research at Nomura International believes it will be early 2012.

‘The over supply of residential units in the property market needs to be absorbed in the next two to three years. It is unlikely that the off-plan recovery will happen before 2012,’ he said.

The new investors need to be won by the developers with far more than mere promises as their confidence is being highly smashed.

According to experts, the tie-ups with mortgage companies and banks may help to ensure optimum funding in place and finally avoid the present ferocious state. They also emphasize on working more strongly with regulatory authorities to ensure the interests of the investors and to build their confidence once again.

“Aspects such as construction-linked payment plan will help to alleviate the financial burden of holding real estate if the project is delayed beyond the proposed completion date,” said Jones.

Kapadia also revealed that the blame for fuelling the assumption and spinning that led to the downfall of the off plan market goes to the developers themselves.

“Developers must avoid the trap of speculative payment plans that is 2 to 5% initial deposit versus the bulk at completion.” He said.

Finally Blossom the Prices in Springs and Meadows

The secondary market prices of the real estates in Springs and Meadows have gushed in the range of 11-33 percent and 16-19 percent respectively since the beginning this year

Head of Sales in Asteco, Vineet Kumar told, “In Springs, two-bedroom villas currently sell for Dh1.5 million onwards, up 36 per cent from Dh1.1m at the beginning of this year. Three-bedroom villas start from Dh2.8m from Dh2.6m in January.”

He also added, “In the Meadows, current prices for four-bedroom villas start from Dh3.8m, up 18.75 per cent from around Dh3.2m at the beginning of the year. Five-bedroom villas, meanwhile, are around Dh4.4m now, up 16.5 per cent from Dh3.8m on January prices."

He further said that the market was stagnant in the Q1 and started rising from Q2 and Q3 of the year: "Prices in the Springs and the Meadows have seen a quarter-on-quarter steep fluctuation owing to market conditions. It would seem that prices are trying to find stability in these developments and their current levels are trying to catch up with the third to fourth quarter prices of last year,"

Mohanad Alwadiya, the Director of Harbor Real Estate said: "Prices appear to have stabilized in the Springs and the Meadows largely due to the increase in demand. The residential market is currently being driven by a flight to affordable assets. The mid- to low-income earners, who were previously excluded from the market due to high prices, are now taking advantage of the new levels of affordability. Projects such as the Springs and the Meadows are in demand, with buyers taking advantage of prices which are anywhere between 35 per cent and 50 per cent lower than the peaks of 2008."

"Also, as an Emaar project, banks have been more inclined to lend on it. The Meadows and Springs are both older and more established communities, so when some projects were put on hold, buyers turned to these developments to move into as their homes."

Dubai Villa Stock Welcomes the New Handovers

According to Dubai Properties Group, the leader in Dubai real estate market, the handover of entities in The Villa and Al Waha Villas is expected to take place in December.

Al Waha is a fully sold-out development with 260 villas out of which 50 are three bedrooms and 50 are four bedrooms. One can choose from the rooftop view or the garden level preference if looking for two bedroom location.

Apartments for lease at 558 Community
Of the 558 Community, 134 are of the four-bedroom type, 102 are three-bedroom and 180 are two-bedroom entities.. There are also 48 two-bedroom and 96 three-bedroom apartments to accommodate 558 residences. All villas are spacious and have an upstairs sitting room to boot.

The 558 Community also houses a block of three-storey apartments in its centre and features a large pool. These residences are being leased for Dubai Properties by Salwan Property Management and are not for sale. “We will offer our services to third parties in Al Waha and are managing phases 1 and 2 of The Villa project,” says Saeed Bushalat, CEO of Salwan Property Management. One- and two-year rental contracts are on offer, which come with the provision that there will be no value increases for the first two years.

Mirdif versus 558 community
Dubai Properties’ Shorooq community which includes 668 villas in Phase One, has 353 units ready for tenants to move into. According to Salwan, the rents for a two-bedroom villa here would amount to Dh170,000 compared with the 558 Community’s rates of Dh130,000 a year before summer.

However, after summer DPG stated that introductory promotional packages would be offered during the initial stage of leasing. This makes perfect sense as the market price for many areas in Dubai find themselves in a state of fluctuation this year.

“Mirdif and 558 Community are two totally different projects,” explains Saeed Bushalat of Salwan Property Management. “The unit sizes are bigger in Mirdif. Our rents correspond to the going market prices in the area. It is close to the centre of town and the shopping centers. The 558 Community has not got that yet.”

DPG also started handover of over 2,000 residential and commercial units at its Executive Towers in Business Bay in September. “Handover should be complete by the year-end. We have sold most units in the towers, but kept retail, hotel and some of the apartments to be leased by Salwan,” commented Khalid Al Malik, DPG Group’s CEO.

Palm Jumeirah Crosses 70% Construction

According to Nakheel, the developer behind Palm Jumeirah, 70% of its construction has been finished. A senior official said that the master plan is also being visited.

Marwan Al Qamzi, Group Managing Director of Nakheel Development Projects told, "We have finished construction on nearly 70 per cent of Palm Jumeirah. On our part, we sold a couple of fronds on the project but they still have not been built. It is part of the plan to keep them until we come up with some unique designs compared to what you have seen so far. You cannot freeze the master planning. You have to update it as you go. You have to update to meet market demands and customers requirements.”

The Kingdom of Sheba and Ottoman Palace are the inclusions of this waterfront project. Ottoman Palace is almost complete according to Qamzi. He added, “Both will finish by early April to June next year. The Kempinski Hotel is 85 per cent complete.” Work of Marina Residence started in March 2007 after Shimizu Corporation was awarded the contract in 2006 to construct superstructures, basement, architectural works, landscaping of the project and interior finishing.

Regarding rampant payment issues in the market, Qamzi said the developer was addressing the situation. "We are in discussions with all contractors about delays in payment since there are areas where we need to sit and discuss," he said. The Marina Residences did not benefit from the fall in prices of building materials. "With the change in prices, we have negotiated prices on projects that were led at the peak and at the beginning of the phases. However, this was not possible with the contractor at the finishing stages on the Marina project," said Qamzi.

"This is the last one under construction for the time being from our end," he said.
The final touches on the West side of the project are still going on. "Meanwhile, the East side near the Anchor Marina, which comprises a green area with a clubhouse, will be finished in two months," said Qamzi.The Anchor Marina is expected to berth more than 700 vessels, according to an earlier statement from the company. "The residents of Palm Jumeirah will be accorded priority in berthing," said Qamzi.

The developer confidently remarked that Palm Jumeirah project will witness the island emerging as one of the pioneers in resorts in the coming five to six years.

Gazumping- A New Way to Force Up Prices

The premium Dubai properties are pushing up sale price after the settlement of the final figure with the buyer. The practice popularly known as “Gazumping” has given way to the price rise of around 15% as reported by real estate agents.

The term was first heard of in UK in 1980s and early 1990 when property prices were jaunty. Gazuming often results in the loss of money, spent on pre-approved mortgages, for the original buyer .It involves a seller withdrawing of an agreed sale after accepting a second higher offer.

"In the last month, we have seen sellers of high-quality units failing to honor their commitments.Eight or nine of our high-value deals have gone sour. In most of the cases the owners randomly increased prices by eight to 15 per cent,” told Parvees Gafur, Executive Vice-President of Sales.

"There have been cases in the past few months where the seller has increased the price by 10 to 15 per cent. But none of our deals have gone bad since we had other listings in the particular area", added Vineet Kumar, Asteco's Head of Sales in Dubai.

Saeed Mirsaeedi, Investment Manager at Sherwoods Independent Property Consultants, said: "We have seen instances where the seller has increased the sale price after listing at a certain price. They have also been removing their listing in order to wait for the market to recover rather than sell at a lower price."

Gafur said, “ There was a shortage of high-quality finished units and as a result sellers were listing their properties with a more than one agent. In most of the cases property owners do not give a written commitment to sell a unit at a particular price.”

"A seller gives a verbal commitment of the price at which he is ready to sell. We then take about three to four days to find a buyer. During this period the seller goes to other agents who may say they can obtain a higher price, and so when we contact him with a buyer, he rejects the offer," said Gafur.

Revision of Rent Laws by Emir

The Rent Law in Middle East has been revised leading to the rise in complexity of eviction of the tenant from a rented property.

According to the new Rent Law No.(20) of 2009,issued by The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa ,the revision does not give right of raising the rentals to the landlord. In addition to this, a landlord cannot ask his tenant to vacate the property unless the property is needed for his/her personal use or the use of any of his legal dependants. Moreover, the landlord in this case, should also give the notice to his tenant at least six months prior to the requirement.

The revisions were implemented after reviewing the draft law proposed by the Cabinet, considering the views of the Advisory Council and assessing the Constitution and related laws.

Tenant’s Perspective
•    The new law averts any increase or alteration made in tenancy contract for first two years.
•     Landlord must provide the property in sound quality.
•    Article 16 of this law puts the responsibility of property maintenance on landlord. But very next article states that landlord shall not make any change which will affect the tenant benefit in any way.
•    Tenants should be sure that only the contracts which are in written form and registered with RERA will be valid.

Landlord's Perspective:

•    Landlords will be constrained to decide rent at the time of contract for two years. Keeping this in mind they can decide a reasonable rent, as per the future economic changes
•    The landlords are free to receive rent value on agreed dates.
•    Any changes to property cannot be made by the tenants without landlord's consent
•    Tenants need to pay the entire taxes due to the Government.

Any complaint from a tenant will not be received by the Rent Dispute Settlement Committee (RDSC) set up by Law No. 4 of 2008, unless the tenant confirms a rent contract registered at RDSC office. However, tenants who seek a proof of landlord-tenant relationship for leases which were signed before February 15, 2008 can approach RDSC without contract.

Salwan will now Manage Executive Tower at Business Bay

Comprehensive property management services will be provided to the Executive Towers development at Business Bay. Dubai Properties has appointed Salwan for that matter as it will now be responsible for managing this 12 tower self contained Dubai real estate development for an area of 8.7 million sq ft. Executive Tower comprises of 10 residential towers, a Business Bay hotel and a freehold office tower. Dubai Properties has also mandated Salwan to extend the leasehold options for Executive Tower units. An amount of AED 15.38 per sq ft will be levied as service charge for maintaining the landscaped areas, indoor car parks and various infrastructure works within the development.

CEO of Salwan, Saeed Bushalat said: “As one of the leading property management companies, we are pleased to extend our offerings to Executive Towers. Our value added services are designed to exceed client expectations while ensuring the long term plans and sustainability of the development. We look forward to a fruitful relationship with the property owners and retailers at the development.” As the portfolio for properties around Dubai is growing Salwan currently owns and manages approximately 18,000 commercial as well as residential units at different Dubai locations.

An official spokesperson for Dubai Properties said: “In our committed endeavor to provide competitive services for offering a niche lifestyle experience, we have appointed Salwan Property Management to manage the Executive Towers that is quickly moving towards its handover phase. We believe Salwan has the expertise, the capabilities and the resources to provide premium services to the Executive Towers community and ensure the sustainable maintenance of the development.”

For Dubai properties, Executive Towers is the first project in Business Bay and following the successful release of Jumeirah Beach Residence a second major freehold project is to be handed over.

Steady Shift Shown by Dubai Properties

A Dubai based property consultant, Sherwoods Independent Property Consultants, has announced that Dubai real estate market has entered a new phase which is showing the signboard of recovery. It has been announced that a steady shift has been seen in Dubai property prices thereby, prices are moving towards a more reasonable level. Moreover, in starting of the 4^th quarter of the year 2009, more concrete growth signs in terms of real estate investments and property prices are expected to be seen. It has been predicted that the coming year 2010, will be a year for stabilization and a specific new direction for the real estate sector.

Sherwoods credited the most important players of the industry for quickly adjusting to the changes in the market environment. The MD, Sherwoods Independent Property Consultants, Iseeb Rehman said: “I would say that the prices have been corrected to reasonable levels, which has created more value offerings to buyers and investors. The positive signs we are seeing should result in more tangible proof of growth around the 4^th quarter of 2009, during which property prices will further stabilize and we can also expect a marked increase in property investment.”

In 2010, Dubai will get transformed into a stable market as far as property investments are concerned. The available property prices today, are the best for long term investments and the investor is expected to make good profits out of it. At this point in time, investors those who want to invest in property sector for short term are not advisable to do so. Sherwoods acknowledged the remarkable performance of the property sector in a situation of global economic downturn and Dubai’s decision to enhance the infrastructure in the emirate.

After Emaar and Dubai Properties Merger New Entity to have Dh194bn

Emaar properties have a proposed merger with three Dubai Holding entities and it has been said that now the combined assets are Dh194 billion. Moreover, with their merger a new entity has been created. Emaar Chairman Mohamed Alabbar said to Dubai Financial Market: “The new entity will have Dh13.4 billion of debt obligations, around seven per cent of total assets valued at Dh194bn.”

Dubai properties, Sama Dubai and Tatweer, all three entities of Dubai Holding have a solid land bank, thereby, contributing positively to the consolidation. At the end of the year 2008, the 3 real estate developers excluding Emaar properties has a total asset of Dh126 billion, moreover, an external debt of Dh3.4 billion. This complete are just 2.7 percent of the total assets of the 3 companies. As per 31^st March 2009, the total book value of assets of the largest listed Arab developer was at Dh68bn. The total debt obligation comes out to be 15 percent of total assets that is Dh10bn. Sama Dubai, Dubai properties and Tatweer are the three entities of Dubai Holding which are valued at Dh126bn as of December 2008. Moreover, they have external debt obligations as well which are around Dh3.4bn.

Although, four of them will join their assets, however, they will also share a debt of Dh13.4 billion. Out of these 4 Emaar properties is the only Dubai real estate developer that is being listed on DFM which at the end of March had the total assets worth Dh68 billion and the debt obligation of Dh10 billion.