Population Growth Shows Slack: Better Chance at UAE Properties for Investors

The statistics first: 

Compared to last January, this year is seeing population growth slashed by a half.

Compared to the number of visas issued last year (93,957) this year has witnessed a cut in numbers (88,423 issued this year). 

Logical inference: 

Less people are coming into Dubai to work, stay, etc., while more people are leaving the Emirate for home countries, greener pastures, etc. 

Is it time to get alarmed? Not really. 

At least not where Dubai real estate and investment matters. There are some great UAE properties for sale out there and if you have wizened up to the real estate situation, then you just might get lucky. 

SkyDome Properties for instance, has access to several Dubai and Abu Dhabi properties currently selling at discounted packages. The projects in Dubai Land, Business Bay, Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach are some of the UAE residential properties on sale. 

Our Dubai property investment company suggests homeowners and investors alike think hard about purchasing property during the current economic scenario. Given Dubai’s penchant for rebuilding and reinventing itself, you could never know when the tide turns and changes property investment in Dubai for the better. 

As a homeowner/investor, would you consider buying/investing in a Dubai apartment for sale now or later when you are more certain of the market? Send in your comments and suggestions to SkyDome Properties.

Photo Credit: Tom@HK 

Transportation Updates for Dubai & Abu Dhabi Properties Holders

The state of traffic in Dubai is undoubtedly one of the primary concerns voiced by those intending to buy properties in Abu Dhabi and Dubai for the first time or settle in a locality different from their current one. In this regard, the RTA (Roads and Transport Authority) is working very hard to ease the situation. 

Recently, nineteen double-decker buses were introduced on the Dubai roads and the number is expected to increase to seventy before the year is out. In comparison to privately owned cars and taxicabs, modes of transport like buses are definitely the better option for those who commute regularly. 

If you plan to purchase any investment property in Dubai, bus routes that offer convenient transport could be one of the factors to take into consideration for fixing on the locality you would like to live in. 

The ‘Pink’ bus is another heavily anticipated travel option in Dubai. Meant for female commuters, this effort to ease travelling comfortably for women is viewed as something of a sequel to the earlier launch of the Pink taxi. 

Similarly, for those evaluating UAE properties for sale in Abu Dhabi it would be good to know about the fifteen percent drop in fatalities and injuries due to road accidents in the city. Compared to Dubai, the UAE capital is much less crowded and also presents a good number of Abu Dhabi properties for sale. 

Make a studied decision of the locality you would like to settle down in before you go ahead with your decision to buy properties in Dubai. The time you take is well worth the decision you make.

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UAE Properties Developers Finally Making the Going Easier on Buyers

For those contemplating a Dubai property investment the times are fair indeed, but spare a thought for what the property developers and construction houses are facing and it is a sobering trip to reality. Regardless, Deyaar one of Dubai’s primary real estate developers has found a balance. 

In a first of its kind move in the Dubai real estate investment business, a property developer has curtailed development and eliminated projects after selling the units. A dual-benefit approach, Deyaar is offering its customers the option to switch the UAE properties they have already purchased with alternatives that suit their requirements. 

Of course, those buying properties in Dubai (for Deyaar projects) will have to choose from the options that are remaining after their project development slash. The crux of the matter is Deyaar has paved the way for other developers to follow suit and salvage something out of the losses that seem not so far away. 

What about those who have purchased UAE residential properties from Deyaar and cannot find a better alternative? 

SkyDome Properties advises these parties to make a studied choice of the rest of the UAE properties for sale market and then decide. Select Deyaar projects are even being offered at specially reduced rates to make things easier on the buyer. In such a light, is it wise to forgo all the financial benefits? 

If you cannot make up your mind, hire a consultant for property investment in Dubai. Look carefully at all the pros and cons he will be in a state to highlight and then go ahead with your decision to buy property in Dubai. 

Photo Credit: The Wandering Angel 

Does Your Dubai Apartment for Sale Have Good Nursery Space?

With Mothercare having made its long-awaited debut in Dubai with the largest international store at Dubai Mall, the city-state seems more serious about tiny tots. 

Can you say the same about the myriad UAE residential properties cropping up in the real estate listings though? 

For expatriates and couples coming to settle down in Dubai, this could be a special concern given how much they are used to apartments and villas with a dedicated nursery space for little ones. Even families looking for a good neighborhood to live in would want to buy property in Dubai that includes this element. 

So where do you begin looking? 

You could begin with UAE properties for sale along Dubai Waterfront. The residential floors at the Ferretti Tower hold some great views and neighborhood facilities that are child-friendly. 

Queue Point Liwan and The Light Commercial Tower in Dubai Land are two other lovely UAE residential properties you could enquire about with your real estate consultant. 

At SkyDome Properties, we can help you out with Dubai property investment options that include interior elements like nurseries, studies and libraries for children. It may be difficult finding UAE properties for sale that fit this description, but it is certainly not impossible. 

If you are serious about investment property in Dubai adjusted to create a space for young children and have the budget to see the purchase through, we suggest hiring property consultants to help you in your search. SkyDome Properties could even find properties that are in close proximity to schools and recreational amenities. 

Photo Credit:  jessicafm 

Before you Buy Property in Dubai Check the Market Status

Apartments, villas and suites constructed by some of the most prominent property development houses in the UAE are listed in the SkyDome Properties directory- Nakheel, Damac, Eternal Star, Emmar and Rak to name a few. 

These houses and UAE commercial properties speak of quality construction and engineering and can prove to have high returns in the future largely due to the location in which they are constructed. However, as an investor there is one vital factor you need to observe before making an investment. 

Consider the Dubai real estate investment market for the past decade. It will help you decide how to allocate your funds and determine the best time to buy property in Abu Dhabi or elsewhere in the Emirates. 

Veteran real estate investors may be positive about the Dubai property investment market, but it would be fool hardy to risk money without understanding the dynamics dictating such a situation. You might as well rent UAE properties (the rents have cooled down lately). 

Dubai real estate investment professionals are already predicting a shaky year for property investment in Dubai and from the look of things, Abu Dhabi properties could suffer as well. 

So before you get excited about the low price of many UAE properties, take time to get a professional opinion and make your decision accordingly. SkyDome Properties can help you out with market analysis, mortgage options and property selection besides helping with a host of different issues first-time homeowners face. 

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Dressing Up Your Dubai Real Estate Investment To Make A Statement

Okay, so you have invested in the Abu Dhabi properties or house of your choice and paid an insane amount of money to acquire it. But do you continue with a lower budget interior decoration plan or lavish your resources on the best? 

Yes, a tough to decision to make, this one. But SkyDome Properties can help you figure out a safe balance between these two equally vital needs. 

Our Dubai real estate investment company can point you towards decorators and furnishers who understand home aesthetics and can work out a design plan for your home affordably. Alternatively, certain development companies send out their own decorators to help buyers. Let us know if you have a need for either of these options. 

One tip that can work out rather well for your dream of a warm and cozy home needs to be thought out before you sign the dotted line. A Dubai apartment for sale or even a villa that has abundant natural light streaming into the house during daytime is a DIY designer’s delight. Check out our listings or get in touch with our UAE properties experts to scan out similar options. 

We understand that not everyone is lucky to have their Dubai property investment located in sylvan surroundings, given the shortage of affordable housing in such areas. If you are buying property in Abu Dhabi or Dubai on a tight budget, then use the abundance of sales and discounts on furniture and home ware that are coming up (DSF is a good time). 

A bit of innovation and lot more research can be the best helpers to convert your house into a home. Let us at SkyDome Properties know how we can help you best.

Image Credit: Foxgirl

Improved Road Transport For UAE Commercial Properties Holders

Looking at the fortuitous start the Road Transport Association has had this year, no one can accuse the government body of negligence. In a bid to increase environmental awareness and road safety, the RTA introduced the first awards for sustainable transport. 

As the categories for judging included managing and streamlining mobility, transport safety and environment conservation, it is safe to say that the traffic situation in Dubai is improving. For employers owning commercial property in Dubai and having their employees travel some distance to come to work, this is good news. 

The peak-hour traffic slugging along Sheikh Zayed Road is tiresome to say the least and therefore most workers prefer to rent houses that are closer to their workplaces. An improved and organized traffic system, the Dubai Metro and a significant increase in the bus fleet numbers make for a formidable combination, one that could very well help out with housing problems. 

The Dubai Police officers patrolling the road are proposed to see an increase from the present number of 100 to 1000 as well, making implementing traffic laws and regulations easier and stricter. This will also benefit the black point system simultaneously. 

Start scanning the various UAE commercial properties for office or factory space that can be purchased at a practical amount. No matter what area in Dubai offices are based in, organizations will have a less tardy workforce- one that also does not need to spend precious time waiting for the car in front of them to move.

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When Real Estate & Shopping Collide In Dubai

The oncoming weeks are going to feel rather tumultuous for those in the higher echelons of the economic ranks. As the DTMC gears up to collect dollars, dinars and pounds from an eager-to-spend public during the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), the construction lords are doing all they can to accommodate the wary buyer. 

Many U.A.E. commercial properties sellers view 2009 as a year of transition, with Dubai as well as Abu Dhabi properties lowering prices towards the end of the year, only to reach a stalemate before rising once more. This behavior is expected to last until 2011, giving those interested in buying properties in Dubai a fantastic opportunity to allocate funds for their real estate investment. 

The Emirate is not overly worried about the financial state of the city-state, as tourism being one of the mainstays of the economy, can always be depended upon for a bailout. Tax-free shopping combined with a cluster of every brand worth having in your home makes for a heady attraction to the hordes of tourists travelling to Dubai in search retail nirvana. 

Try scanning out the Dubai property investment market for deals that are better then what they were a few years ago. U.A.E. residential properties in the Rem Raam Phase in Dubai Land, villas in the Emirates Hills community for instance hold a lot of promise for property investment in Dubai. 

Get hold of a U.A.E. properties consultant to help you out with price negotiation and neighborhood selection. Now is the best time to take advantage of the low U.A.E. properties for sale market. Investing wisely in commercial property in Dubai as well as in residential properties is a smart step to take.

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Dubai Relaxation Tip - Buy Properties In Dubai Near A Park

Pollution is not as much of a problem in Dubai as it is in most Asian countries, but the authorities are nonetheless making a colossal effort towards reducing it. 

To negate the forty-four tonne average per person emission (annually), many state-owned UAE properties companies are initiating environmentally friendly measures. Dubai Properties, for instance recently announced what is perhaps the grandest ecological project to be implemented by the Emirate, the Mohammed bin Rashid Gardens. 

The thirty seven billion pound garden complex will include financial, commercial and educational facilities coexisting with canals, ponds and parks that encourage and attract birds. Spread over an area of 20,250 acres, the complex sounds like a wonderful place for Dubai real estate investment. 

Late last year the Dubai Municipality’s Director of Planning promised plans of more then 70 parks and recreation spaces. While the work is slow, you can expect quite a lot near your favorite residential complex, easing up your decision to buy property in Dubai. 

If you are planning on buying properties in Dubai spaced near the eastern part of the city, you have Mushrif Park close by to take your tiny tot to. Lush lawns punctuated by fun sculptures of dinosaurs and colorful foliage make this a delightful place to settle near. 

With smoking banned in public spaces, UAE residential properties situated close to parks and other recreational areas are finding a greater impetus among families and non-smokers. So when planning to buy properties in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, make sure you engage a real estate consultant that is familiar with such localities.

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Expat Update: Buy Property in Dubai With Better Financial Means

With nationals comprising only 20 percent of its population, Dubai is as cosmopolitan a city as it could possibly get. The expatriates and tourists that make up the rest of the numbers include nationals from every part of the world. 

Hence, the Dubai government can in no way ignore this section of the populace, one that contributes so much to the treasury of the Emirate. Among and besides the myriad aids forwarded towards the expat population where Dubai property investment is concerned, is help with the rental structure and procedures. 

Similarly, the part-time work scheme currently in its planning stages with the Dubai Executive Council seems shaped to provide the foreign residents with more such help. A one-year experiment, this plan is currently gauging the requirements of the Dubai nationals. 

For those individuals unable to work full-time for any reason whatsoever, this scheme will prove very useful. It will also allow full-time workers to continue work as part-time workers if they so wish. The main idea is to maximize the potential of every worker and encourages productivity. 

The best part about working as an expat in Dubai is the array of options available for living. From entertainment options like Ski Dubai (the world’s only largest indoor ski resort) and innumerable cinema halls, to world-class cuisine and education, expatriates often marvel at the urbanity of life in Dubai. 

As an expat, if you are interested in renting or buying property in Dubai, then make a safe decision and hire the services of professional realty consultants. Adjusting to a new country can be difficult and the language barriers can pose a sizeable problem as well. 

Contact SkyDome Properties for the most advantageous help and advice with living and buying properties in Dubai.

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U.A.E. Commercial Properties Update: The Queen Has Set The Flag Aflutter

The Queen has arrived, and the U.A.E. national flag has replaced the British Union Jack- just in time for U.A.E. National Day!

Luxury ocean liner the Queen Elizabeth 2 is undoubtedly a celebrity in old-world shipping circles. Dubai, in keeping with its penchant for flamboyance simply had to acquire the Grande Dame for its shores. What resulted was a deal between Istithma and Cunard, with £50 million filling the latter’s coffers and the liner gracing Dubai’s seas.

Once the luxury liner is renovated and deemed ready for business, investors in commercial property in Dubai can expect their registers to ring with joy. After all, eleven luxury boutiques including a Harrods branch made up the shopping arcade of the QE2 during its 39-year- long career.

Given Dubai’s love for shopping, it won’t be hard to imagine the shopping arcade of the freshly renovated ship, which will then be known as a 7-star hotel. Manfred Ursprunger, the CEO for QE2 Enterprises- a project completely dedicated to the refurbishment of the ship said, “We think that the ship still has another 50 years to go.”

The developers have their sights on retail, residence, entertainment and hotel development and hope to make the QE2 a destination for tourists and residents alike. Its address is going to be at the Palm Jumeirah island.

Do you think U.A.E. commercial properties on board the QE2 will be great for your business? SkyDome Properties can help you out in this area as well as with U.A.E. residential properties on the new QE2.

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Missing Trends - More Americans Buying Properties In Dubai

All eyes are on America right now, what with Barack Obama’s election as the new US president. From the policies he is professing to implement, America seems poised to be known as the land of opportunities once again.

A lot of Emiratis however, are skeptical. Dr. Geoff Pound of Experiencing the Emirates found himself the recipient of correspondences from several Americans who thought of changing tack and heading to the U.A.E. - to combat unemployment in their home country. Such behavior remains true to population trends all over the world. 

It is just a matter of time until the American expat population rises to meet the European and Asian numbers, which are significant to say the least.

The Dubai property investment sector is prepared though. From high-rises and Dubai apartments for sale to U.A.E. residential properties in suburban areas, the choice is varied for Americans.

Of course, for most foreign nationals, the gulf weather might prove to be a deterrent as it is dryer and more arid compared to American climate. The infrastructure and facilities provided by the government however, take care of this concern.

Any Abu Dhabi properties or apartments and villas come fully equipped with the amenities required to maintain a lifestyle that makes the best of the weather. Even bus stops, public transports and public areas are air-conditioned. Dubai, thanks to its high foreigner population (1.2 million) has no choice but to arrange for such provisions.

So if you are an American thinking of purchasing or even interested in an investment property in Dubai, all you have to do is get in touch with a reliable real estate firm to make your choice.

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Real Estate Investment In Dubai For Expatriates

In 2006, statistics revealed a surge in Dubai's population from 1.130 million to 1.422 million. This feat took barely a year to achieve- notwithstanding the number of tourists who visited the country.

In 2007, there was a total population of 4.48 million people noted in Dubai with expatriates numbering a whopping 3.62 million.

The numbers speak volumes for the expatriate population currently residing in Dubai. Engaged in everything from construction to banking and menial labor, the expatriate community in Dubai is a growing one and very lately, thriving as well.

The lure of high salaries and world-class amenities are perhaps some of the major attractions for this section leading them to purchase U.A.E. residential properties as well as commercial property in Dubai.

SkyDome Properties has noticed a demand for locations with villa projects like Al Reef Villas and the regional theme villas in Jumeirah Park. Exclusive addresses in Business Bay like Churchill Residency and Emirates Park Towers and even those in the recreation and sports-intensive Dubai Sports City find a mention in the skyscrapers favored by expatriates.

From the earlier economic boom in Dubai to the present stagnancy, expatriates are loathe to let go of the dream that is Dubai. At the rate at which the population is matching strides with the growing availability of property investment in Dubai, there will be no problem finding accommodation suited for any and every pocket.

Get in touch with SkyDome Properties for absolutely reasonable deals on investment property in Dubai.

Image courtesy: Flickr