With a little thought and time, the Dubai property market still offers investors a great opportunity to make a profit. With a little understanding of how the market works, it possible to achieve a lot in a rather short period of time. With increased regulation reducing the ease at which developers can bring new projects to market, any new projects tend to generate a lot of interest, as most property is now on the secondary property market, and changing hands at largely increased prices.  Whilst this makes profits generated at the start property boom hard to match, if you are willing to purchase a wide range of property in a number of locations, you can overcome this to some degree by diversifying your earnings. Sounds simple enough, and it is! Dubai offers a wide range of property, and apartments in particular can be found almost anywhere in Dubai.There is an impressive range of apartments from which a property investor can choose to invest in. Freehold apartments present an appealing option in Dubai, as they are in general easier to obtain, and cater to all circumstances. Some offer space and living standards comparable to villas, where as other developments like International City offer apartments for those on a budget. Overall, apartment developments can be seen to be as less hassle for property buyers, and present a wide range of options with a large amount of facilities. Chances are you can find an apartment that meets your requirements, and do so in your preferred location, something not always possible with villas, which tend to be located within limited areas. So if you want a waterfront apartment, consider the Marina, for a central location look at Downtown Burj Dubai, and for a central location and waterfront living, Business Bay!Villas on the other hand tend to be hard to obtain, and come at much higher prices, but do tend to offer a better investment than apartments as a result. To truly build a solid property portfolio you will need to include some of Dubai’s ever popular villa developments. Many villas have already seen large profits made on them, so look to newer developments which have yet to experience such prices increases. These lower premium villas are harder to secure, but are worth the extra effort. Whilst somewhat limited in terms of location, villas do tend to come in all sizes and styles, and can stretch to a wide range of budgets. Town homes at Jumeriah Village are a good option for those looking towards a smaller investment, whilst those with a large budget are well and truly spoilt for choice, with Arabian Ranches, Emirates Hills, Al Kaheel and The Plantation just some of the options on offer.With Dubai only set to increase in popularity, the returns and rental potential on property here certainly looks to make Dubai a great investment. Maximizing this is as simple as spreading out your investments between apartment and villas in differing areas of the Emirate to achieve a property portfolio you can be proud of!

 Perhaps the ultimate seal of approval for the Dubai property market has been bestowed with the building of the Trump International Hotel and Tower on the Palm Jumeirah. Yes, Donald Trump aka The Donald, the world famous property developer clearly fancied getting in on the act here in Dubai. And who can blame him. Is there a hotter property market around at the moment? The Trump International Hotel and Tower is indeed a very impressive building. It is a 48 storey tower, set at the base of the island, and looks to be the new landmark of the Palm.So what of you aspiring Donald Trumps out there, should you consider the Dubai real estate market? The answer is a resounded yes! The Dubai freehold property market is a great place to start out if you seek to build yourself a good property portfolio. Many investors have taken advantage of the property market here to kick start their finances. It’s common for people here to have made good money by investing in key developments and selling on at a profit, and then reinvesting in more property. And in many cases, when buying off plan developments, you need only to have paid 10% of the property price before you are able to resell!  By starting small, and working their way up the property ladder each time, investors are quickly able to cash in.And you are not just limited to investing in others property developments! For the more adventurous of you amongst us, you always have the option of buying freehold land available around the Emirate. Should you have the necessary capital, you have the option to build your own development! Clearly not a good option of everyone, but for the ambitious property investor, it does have a lot of potential. Many of Dubai’s smaller developers start out this way, buying land in a larger development and then building their own subprojects.Cleary therefore there is a lot of potential here, but how can one maximize ones chances of success? Keeping up with all the new property laws and any changes in the existing laws is vital. The market here is still relatively new, and therefore new regulations are often introduced. We of course do our utmost to keep you up to date and provide details of any changes on our forum. So in Dubai you have all the right ingredients here to form a successful property investment business. Becoming the next Donald Trump however is up to you!

 Property agents have always had a role to play when it comes to selling your home, especially in the Dubai freehold property market. And whilst they normally they do a good job, and get your home sold with minimal fuss for the owner, their efforts come at a cost. There is commission that has to be paid out, after all no one works for free, but the real sting is usually in the “extra fees” that often has to be paid for. Advertising costs are a good example of what I am referring to here. However nowadays how necessary is it to pay out for such expenses?It’s worth contemplating with the traditional agent customer relationship if you really get value for money. Many people would feel that this generally isn’t the case, especially when you consider the alternatives. Investors and property buyers alike are always looking at ways to minimize the expenses involved in selling property. And now with the internet really coming to the forefront as a way to sell real estate, it is debatable if the traditional selling methods for property still have a place. All you need is a professional well run property portal, and you can have your real estate advertised to a huge potential audience. And this is where is we aim to help out.The internet allows your home to be viewed by interested buyers all around the globe. And the best part? For this level of advertising, it won’t cost you a thing!  Buy signing up for free you are able to utilize our expert knowledge in the Dubai property market, whilst displaying your home to a wide range of potential customers. Why pay out all the extra fees when you can now receive comprehensive service and advice for nothing! And in most cases, we have investors ready and waiting to purchase properties, so your home could be sold almost in record to time.And the catch? There isn’t one! Our website is simple and easy to navigate, whilst offering a wide range of other services, including guides on life in Dubai, buying and selling property here along with travel, mortgages and relocation packages. We really have tried to make this a one stop shop for all your property needs.

There are a lot of thing that are great about Dubai. The weather for the majority of the year, the great mixture of people, the lifestyle, the beaches, and the real estate on offer. However one thing you won’t see making this list anytime soon is the price of renting accommodation. Needless to say renting here for a prolonged period of time is going to cost a crazy about of money. Whilst rents keep on rising, salaries are staying the same. You don’t need a math degree to figure out that fact that this situation is going to leave your wallet a lot lighter come the end of each month. Polls in local newspapers have shown that most people are spending around half their income or more on rent! It therefore just doesn’t make economic sense to continue to pay out these sort of sums for a home that you don’t even own.

Ok, so what’s the solution?  Well the best option would of course be to buy your own property. You may think you don’t have the funds to buy somewhere in Dubai? That the mortgages here don’t have a proper legal structure behind them, and are very limited? Well a few years ago that would probably have been a fair summary. Not now however. The booming property market has resulted in more that just increasing real estate prices!  Whilst initially limited to just Tamweel and Amlak, mortgages are now offered by a wide range of financers. With the market opened up to more competition, the benefits are being felt by buyers of freehold property in the Emirate. With a choice from National Bank of Dubai, HSBC, Rak Bank, and Barclays to name just a few, you can rest assured of a lot lower rates that would have previously been expected.

It’s a strange situation when by purchasing your Dubai property where you can actually save money, but that is sometimes the reality here. It is actually possible in some situations to secure a mortgage where the repayments will be less than your rent payments! So you can continue to pay out every month and have nothing to show for it, or if you choose, pay out a similar amount and own a property at the end of it. Not a hard decision really is it!

What ever your situation is, whether you are looking to secure a mortgage to buy, or want to rent or sell, we can help you out.

In many regards, the Dubai property market is similar to other international real estate markets. Prices fluctuate, some areas gain in popularity, some fall out of favor, and hot new property developments come along.  Yet it also has a number of interesting properties you need to be aware of in order to buy here. The market here is still very young, with new property springing up everywhere, with prices so far having constantly been on the rise. Add in that demand here can also be quite seasonal and overall it paints an intriguing picture. However the main difference here is that foreigners are limited in the areas they can buy. In reality this doesn’t make much of a distinction, as all the new developments being built tend to be open to foreign ownership.The Dubai property market is booming in a big way, and you certainly won’t be the only investor looking to obtain a good price on property, so what can you do to help yourself out? Whilst finding a bargain is not as easy as it was a few years back, if you know where to look, there are still developments and properties where profits can be made. Dubai does of course have a number of world famous resorts. This can work both for and against such developments. Cleary property on the Palm Jumeirah and at the Burj Dubai is not going to come cheap. With prices already high, this does limit the growth potential of property here, but it’s also fair to argue given the global popularity of such destinations, that long term at least, investing here could be a good idea.However at the very other end of the scale is the property that doesn’t have such a large reputation. Whilst you are clearly going to have to part with large sums of money to buy in Arabian Ranches, The Palm projects and Dubailand, there are still numerous properties that offer equally high quality homes, but due to a lack of advertising penetration have not gained the same level of popularity, and as a result have remained good value. Festival City is a perfect example of this. Despite offering a good range of property, it has failed to generate the hype of similar quality developments, and therefore prices remain very competitive. The same can be said for some of the buildings at Jumeirah Lake towers, and even a few select towers at Business Bay.So by knowing which areas are yet to fully realize their potential, you can maximize the returns on your investments. Whilst clearly this is not an exact science, with a little bit of time and care you can be sure of finding somewhere that will offer you a stable long term investment.

It may have come to your attention as you cast your eye over the Dubai property scene, that there is a rather large shortage of villas available in Dubai at the present time. Especially affordable freehold villas! So what gives? Well the more profitable nature of building apartments for developers is one thing, and a strong focus on high end luxury villas in the few developments that do offer villas is the other. The results? Well it’s certainly a good time to own a mid range villa, or any villa in Dubai, for that matter! Here it is certainly a case of advantage sellers! It’s not unknown for villa owners to have knocks at their doors from people asking if the villa happens to be for sale.

Dubai is well known for its luxury Emaar, Nakheel villas etc such as Emirates Hills, Arabian Ranches and the under construction Villa Project all offer some beautiful freehold real estate that certainly appeals to Dubai’s high rollers. However the majority of people in Dubai don’t have millions to invest in a home, and are therefore left with rather few options. The luxury villas market just isn’t affordable to most middle class families, with developers focusing their attention on attracting the wealthy buyer. The result of which is that there is a large gap in the market. More villas are being currently being built in Dubailand, with Al Kaheel, Victory Heights, and The Villa project just a few of the new developments here, but these are again all high end luxury villas, and therefore wont alter the situation much. If you are looking for a beautiful villa in unique surroundings then you are in luck, but for those of you looking for something a little better value, it’s not of much help. For owners of Emirates Hills, The Meadows and other completed luxury villas thinking of selling, now is the time. With all these new villas under construction, it won’t be long until the luxury market faces a little more price competition.

But what of those looking for an affordable free hold villa? Is all hope lost? Well there are still some positives! Nakheel’s Jumeirah Village project will add a rather substantial 6000 villas to the market place upon full completion, and there is always The Springs to consider. So there are freehold villas out there that are affordable. In terms of the overall market place though, sellers are in a very strong position, and those with a lower value home really will not face much difficulty to sell, should they decide to put it on the market. With such competition, sellers can rest assured of obtaining a very good price for their home. So if you are thinking about selling up, then what are you waiting for? There has never been a better time!

Dubai properties with pools

Several freehold projects in Dubai feature private swimming pools such as all villas on the Palm Jumeirah, Emirates Hills and Jumeirah Islands. The problem with these homes is that not everyone can afford them, actually, very few people can. Properties here start from several million dirhams, which is just not a feasible option for the average resident or property buyer. This makes the build your own pool concept even better.

Dubai properties with optional pools

While you do not have to have a pool with your Dubai property, especially since you already have shared facilities with your home, there are even properties where you can choose to have a pool. The Meadows, Arabian Ranches and Al Kaheel are key Dubai freehold properties that come with a private swimming pool option, and they are considerably cheaper than the previously mentioned freehold developments.

It is your Dubai property!

Don’t be put off adding your own pool if you don’t have the option when you buy. Wherever you live, if you have bought the house then any added features, within reason, are yours to add. Since adding a pool is not as expensive as you would think, and they are available in all shapes and sizes, even for the smallest of gardens, you too can have a pool right outside!

The magic question on most buyers minds villa or an apartment? For some it’s a clear cut decision due to their requirements, but is that really the case? For those of you who are undecided, and perhaps even those that already are, allow me to run through some of the benefits of buying an apartment in Dubai.

Apartments still remain popular with investors, with many developers such as Damac and ETA Star choosing to side step villa projects and instead to specialize in just apartments.

Consequently there is a large variety of apartments available from which to pick, the results of which is that developers have to offer a high quality of apartment as standard in order to compete with all the other developers and apartments complexes on the market. Anything else simply won’t do. Even a development like International City, which aims to cater for the lower end of the market, still offers a wide range of facilities to residents.

If you want an apartment, then you really will be spoilt for choice! The Marina offers a huge array of different apartment buildings, with 23 Marina, Ocean Heights and Princess Tower to name just a few. Then there is the Downtown Burj Dubai project offering both high and low rise apartments, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Uptown Mirdiff, Business Bay and numerous apartments on The Palm Jumeirah. The beauty of all these developments is that you can pick and choose to live anywhere in Dubai, and option that you don’t necessarily have with villas, which are often only located in limited areas.

The only negative to having such a wide range of apartments on the market is that in order to offer a similar level of investment to villas, you will need to choose carefully. With so few villas on the market, they do in general offer a better investment that apartments, but does this mean you should stay clear of purchasing apartments? No of course not! You just need to pay a little attention to where you are buying, its location and any near by attractions, and all should be fine.

Many people rule out buying an apartment as they feel apartments place a limit on living options. Some many want extra space for their families, or they may wish for a garden area. Well the good news is that there are apartments out there that can offer almost all the benefits of villas and do so at cheaper prices! The limited availability of villas has not gone unnoticed with apartment developers, and some apartments are designed especially with this in mind. There are larger Duplex and Penthouse apartments, terraced and loft apartments, and even garden apartments. So you really can enjoy a whole range of benefits with apartments and Dubai property. All you need to do now is pick which one!        

The Dubai property market moves very quickly, with changes taking place in a matter of months. The situation regarding buying, selling and renting property in Dubai can therefore alter before you able to take advantage of the situation. This combined with seasonal factors means its better to get in sooner rather than later. Below are 10 reasons why it would have paid to have started your property search this summer.

1. Summer has to be the best time to look for your perfect property. During the summer, the scorching heat leads many to take holidays, whilst those moving to Dubai tend to do so after the hottest weather has passed. And now summer is over!  People are flooding into the city, and the opportunity to take advantage of this calm period to look for your property has been lost.

2. Prices have only increased in the past few months. Had you bought a few months ago you could have saved your self some money on your property purchase.

3. However prices can only go on rising so long. From the looks of things, prices are starting to level off; meaning from an investment point of view, valuable time for properties to appreciate has been lost.

4. With summer over, many people are looking for homes all at the same time, the result of which is that competition is increased, and you have to move that much quicker to secure your dream home.

5. For of those you not totally familiar with all the Dubai freehold property market has to offer here, Cityscape would have been the perfect opportunity to increase your knowledge of all the property for sale here. However Cityscape is now over for another year, as are the opportunities that come with it.

6. Another advantage of the summer lull is that properties on the market attract less attention. Therefore if someone wishes to sell their property quickly at this time, you can secure a good deal. Such opportunities are much less likely to occur now.

7. With delays still popping up for a lot of developments, those who decided to buy during the summer in projects that have since been delayed have been able to secure rented accommodation already.  So not only was a wider choice of rented accommodation available to them, they will have been able to get a better price than those only looking for rented accommodation now.

8. The increased numbers of people looking to buy or rent a home has the obvious knock on effect of leaving a lot of real estate brokers very busy. Whilst we will always endeavor to provide you with only the highest standards of service, during summer you would have had that little bit of extra time to draw upon our expertise.

9. The longer you wait to buy a home, the more uncertainly and stress increase. Buying a new home is one of the most stressful things a person has to do in life. The sooner you get everything sorted, the sooner you can relax!

10. No more special offers. During the summer months developers will often introduce special discounts or introduce offers to make buying that little bit more appealing. Something they don’t feel inclined to offer when they have plenty of buyers, such as now!

Almost a rite of passage for those involved in and interested in property, Cityscape has continued to grow with every year that it is held. This international property show continues to draw in the crowds, and attract an ever increasing number of exhibitors with property from around the world. Already having been held for seven years, Cityscape has developed quite a following here with property investors, and with the Dubai real estate market still booming, this year it attracted over 1000 exhibitors and an impressive 50,000 regional investors. And this popularity doesn’t look to set to slow anytime in the future. No sooner had this year’s event on the 18th of October finished, had the dates for next year already been announced!

Of course the main focus of Cityscape is on the huge range of property now available to investors and buyers in Dubai. Everyone who is anyone in the Dubai property market is at Cityscape. From the largest developers like Nakheel, Emaar and Dubai holdings who continue to battle it out for the largest and most elaborate stalls, to the smaller developers, all attend the event. Local and international investors were all treated to a look at all the Dubai property market has to offer, with few investors seemly being put off by the inflated prices on some of the more popular developments. And it was also hard to escape the increased number of projects in the other Emirates that were attracting a good deal of attention. Ras Al Khaimah, Abu Dhabi and Umm Al Quwain all now offer a good range of property, with Umm Al Quwain being of particularly good value when compared to Dubai. Tameer is developing Al Salam City here, which looks to be one of the more popular non Dubai based developments.

And with this being an international exhibition, what were the hottest new property areas? Well Morocco, The Philippines and Egypt and even India are showing good growth, with the likes of Damac and Emaar building projects in such areas. Following the lead from Dubai, these markets are starting to mirror Dubai at the start of the property boom here, so make interesting propositions to investors, and are certainly worth keeping an eye on, especially with renowned developers building involved. Given time, these areas will gain wider international acceptance and become key places to purchase property.

So looking back over the event, it’s safe to say that this years Cityscape International Property Show was a resounding success, with next year promising to bring even more property and investors from around the globe to Dubai. What the property market will be like in Dubai in a years time is difficult to say, but you can be sure Cityscape will be back bigger and better.