Business Extra: Property Finder chief on UAE boom and $34m plot of sand


Kelsey Warner
  • English
  • Arabic

The property market in the UAE is witnessing an unprecedented boom, supported by an increase in demand from international buyers.

This is according to Michael Lahyani, founder and chief executive of Dubai portal Property Finder, who joins host Kelsey Warner on the Business Extra podcast this week.

They talk about the state of the property market and the significance of one historic deal: the sale of the most expensive plot ever sold in the UAE, a patch of sand half the size of a football pitch on Jumeirah Bay Island that sold last month for $34 million.

Also discussed: how the property market has matured over Mr Lahyani's nearly 20-year career here, why the UAE's Golden Visa has changed the game and if Property Finder will go public any time soon.

In this episode:

Most expensive land plot deal (0m 30s)

Overview of the property market in the UAE (2m 27s)

More residents buying houses than before and the impact of the Golden Visa (8m 04s)

How did Property Finder handle the pandemic and whether they consider going public? (18m 20s)

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESupy%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2021%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDani%20El-Zein%2C%20Yazeed%20bin%20Busayyis%2C%20Ibrahim%20Bou%20Ncoula%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFood%20and%20beverage%2C%20tech%2C%20hospitality%20software%2C%20Saas%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20size%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBootstrapped%20for%20six%20months%3B%20pre-seed%20round%20of%20%241.5%20million%3B%20seed%20round%20of%20%248%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBeco%20Capital%2C%20Cotu%20Ventures%2C%20Valia%20Ventures%20and%20Global%20Ventures%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)

Updated: May 03, 2023, 8:22 AM`
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