Dubai’s success in handling the Covid-19 pandemic and its proactive policy measures to jump-start the economy have driven demand for property, pushing capital values for prime homes higher in the emirate.
Residential capital values grew 4.2 per cent in the first half of 2021 on availability of good quality stock, affordable prices and strong transaction activity, according to a report by global property consultancy Savills.
“The return of international travel is likely to provide an increased supply of buyers for prime properties,” said Swapnil Pillai, associate director of research at Savills Middle East.
“The economic recovery and growth, led by [an] increasing vaccination rate in the UAE, is expected to further support buyer confidence and boost demand. Though a degree of pandemic-related uncertainty remains, the prime residential sector is likely to remain strong through the rest of the year.”
Despite the ongoing uncertainty caused by the pandemic, 30 property markets in the Savills global index held up well as capital values grew on average by 3.9 per cent over the six-month period, the fastest growth rate since December 2016, according to the consultancy.
Dubai, the commercial and travel centre of the Middle East, was ranked 11th in terms of capital appreciation, with Shanghai topping the charts, followed by another Chinese city, Hangzhou. The US cities of Los Angeles and Miami occupied third and fourth spots, respectively.
Moscow, Seoul and Lisbon were also included in the top-10 global markets that have registered considerable capital appreciation in the first half, according to the report.
“With offices closed and the work-from-home concept in full bloom, the resulting increased need for space helped to push up capital values in locations including Dubai, Cape Town, Moscow and Lisbon,” Savills said.
“Alongside that, transaction volumes are going up in comparison with the first half of 2020 when a lot of cities where in complete lockdown.”
The UAE property market – which softened due to a three-year oil price slump that began in 2014, oversupply concerns and the pandemic – is bouncing back strongly.
People upgrading to larger homes with outdoor amenities have driven demand amid a rise in remote working and learning.
Economic support measures and government initiatives – such as residency permits for retirees and remote workers and the expansion of the 10-year golden visa programme – have also helped to improve investor sentiment.
Dubai’s prime residential market recorded a 43.8 per cent surge in sales volume in the second quarter of 2021, compared with the previous quarter, according to Luxhabitat Sotheby’s International Realty report, which cited Dubai Land Department data.
Total sales during the period included 4,681 apartments and 818 villas valued at Dh16.7 billion ($4.54bn).
Overall property prices in Dubai rose 15 per cent in July alone, with average price in the emirate climbing to Dh941 per square foot ($256), from Dh818 per square foot in the same period last year, Property Monitor said.
Prices rose 1.9 per cent month-on-month in July and have climbed 11.8 per cent this year, mirroring the global trend as the world recovers from the pandemic-driven slowdown, according to its monthly market report.
Playing records of the top 10 in 2017
How many games the top 10 have undertaken in the 2017 ATP season
1. Rafael Nadal 58 (49-9)
2. Andy Murray 35 (25-10)
3. Roger Federer 38 (35-3)
4. Stan Wawrinka 37 (26-11)
5. Novak Djokovic 40 (32-8)
6. Alexander Zverev 60 (46-14)
7. Marin Cilic 43 (29-14)
8. Dominic Thiem 60 (41-19)
9. Grigor Dimitrov 48 (34-14)
10. Kei Nishikori 43 (30-13)
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
The biog
Favourite book: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Favourite holiday destination: Spain
Favourite film: Bohemian Rhapsody
Favourite place to visit in the UAE: The beach or Satwa
Children: Stepdaughter Tyler 27, daughter Quito 22 and son Dali 19
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist
The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Milkman by Anna Burns
Ordinary People by Diana Evans
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
Circe by Madeline Miller
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'Peninsula'
Stars: Gang Dong-won, Lee Jung-hyun, Lee Ra
Director: Yeon Sang-ho
Rating: 2/5
Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.6-litre turbo
Transmission: six-speed automatic
Power: 165hp
Torque: 240Nm
Price: From Dh89,000 (Enjoy), Dh99,900 (Innovation)
On sale: Now
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Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
