Buying property is one of the biggest financial commitments that we will make in our lives.
But getting on to the property ladder can be difficult for some — saving for a deposit while also meeting other expenses can take years, more so these days as property prices quickly rise and mortgages become more expensive due to central banks raising interest rates to rein in inflation.
Others may feel uncomfortable making a financial commitment to buy a property and prefer to live their lives free of the burden of a mortgage.
However, many financial experts advise that investing in property is important to diversify your portfolio, particularly in today's bear market.
One option in the UAE involves fractional property investing. Think of it like crowdsourcing — a certain number of people invest X amount of money and collectively buy a property together. The property is then rented out and investors earn a return based on the rental yield.
But what is fractional property investing, how much do you need to begin and are the returns worth it?
Host Felicity Glover is joined by Siddiq Farid, co-founder of real estate investment platform SmartCrowd, who discusses the pros and cons of fractional property investing.
Hosted by Felicity Glover
Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Thomas Smith
Listen to last month’s episode on why you should 'HODL' your crypto right now:
Australia tour of Pakistan
March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi
March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi
March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore
March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi
March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi
April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi
April 5: T20I, Rawalpindi
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
Company profile
Date started: December 24, 2018
Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer
Based: Dubai Media City
Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)
Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech
Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year
Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed
Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.
Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.
The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.
One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.
That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.
Read more from Aya Iskandarani