UAE Property Investment Forum

With an estimated development time of 12 years, Dubai Festival City was started in 2003. It spans 3.8 km of water frontage on the eastern bank of Dubai Creek. Talk about how far it has progressed till date, latest images, latest projects and availability, legal issues and more. Have you invested in Dubai Festival City or considering an investment? Discuss issues and any concerns related to this project here.

Covering 7.2 million sq m., Dubai Silicon Oasis is the world's premier purpose-built high-technology park for the microelectronics and the semiconductor industry. Construction has been full-steam ahead and a lot of investors have reaped the rewards of this desert oasis. Have you invested in Dubai Silicon Oasis or considering investing there? Do you have any questions related to the project, or just want to share your views with others. Talk about it here.

Covering almost 800 hectares (8 million sq m.), the International City project will contain studios, one and two bedroom apartment units and accommodate over 60,000 residents. With phase 1 already complete, the other phases are well underway. Are you a current owner of one of the units? Have you got any useful information to share with others? Are you considering an investment here? Whatever the issue, you can openly talk about International City here.

Due to increasing competition, the final height of the Burj Dubai skyscraper is officially being kept a secret. However, figures released by a contractor on the project have suggested a height of around 808 m (2,651 ft), making it the world's tallest building. Rated as one of the most expensive projects in Dubai, Burj Dubai is set to make history when it completes. Have you purchased a unit there, or considering an investment? Does Burj Dubai offer a tremendous investment opportunity? Discuss it here.

Business Bay is a 64 million sq ft commercial and business cluster along part of the Dubai Creek, featuring office and residential towers set in landscaped gardens interspersed with a network of roads, pathways and canals. Investors who were savvy to buy early into Business Bay saw excellent returns and some are even holding on to their commercial units till today. Have you invested in Business Bay, or considering an investment? Are you aware of any drawbacks of this development or just want to share your opinion? Talk about Business Bay here.

DIFC is the world's newest international financial centre. It aims to develop the same stature as New York, London and Hong Kong and primarily serves the vast region between Western Europe and East Asia. Developments around the DIFC have been scanty, but pricey. Projects like Park Towers, and Sky Gardens have proved successful in their marketing strategy, but have they been good investments? Share your views and opinions on the DIFC here.

Located along the Sheikh Zayed, Discovery Gardens is a self contained community with shopping amenities, jogging paths, community swimming pools and other recreational zones. Discovery Gardens is one of the few property investments in Dubai that falls within the low end of the market, and investors have made a killing on it. What do you think of Discovery Gardens and the investment potential? How does it compare to other Dubai properties? Share your views here.

Dubai Marina is one of the largest and most meticulously planned waterfront developments in the world. The Marina project consists of luxury apartments and villas set against the backdrop of a stunning man-made marina and views of the Palm Jumeirah. With most of the projects nearing completion and properties having been sold over and over, what do you feel about Dubai Marina? Has it been a good investment or a failure? Do you have any concerns over occupation of the properties? Share your views and opinions here.

Dubai Pearl is a mixed-use development being built over an area of 10 million sq ft (929,000 sq m), linked on a circular 4-storey podium of approximately 500 meter diameter. It stands at the entrance of the Palm Jumeirah, but has not really hit the limelight as the developers would have hoped. Have you invested in the Dubai Pearl project, or have any opinions of it's investment value? Is it as good an investment opportunity like the other projects in Dubai? If you know something about Dubai Pearl that others don't, share your views and opinions here.

Emirates Hills is undoubtedly amongst Dubai’s most prestigious master planned villa communities. The landscaping and exquisite exteriors makes Emirates Hills villas one of the most sought after luxury projects. With most of the plots sold out and prices starting from AED3m upwards, these have not really taken off as "investments". Rather Emirates Hills remains a luxury home ownership concept. What have you heard about Emirates Hills, or are you an existing owner with something to share? Say it out loud and proud here.

The Greens contains modern low-rise residential apartment buildings grouped together in fours, creating an intimate and informal exclusive courtyard environment. The Greens have always been aimed at the residential market and were one of the first developments to be completed in Dubai. Very few units are currently available on resale and almost all units are owner-occupied. If you own an apartment in The Greens and want to share your views with others, shout it out here.

Considered the largest single-phase residential and commercial project in the world at a cost of over US$ 1.6 billion, Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) will comprise of 36 luxury residential apartment towers and 4 hotel towers, catering for over 25,000 residents. With the project almost complete, most of the owners have taken possession of their apartments. There have been mixed reviews about the quality of build and fittings, but complaints seem to have gone unheard. Have you got any qualms about Jumeirah Beach Residence, or have any insiders opinions, share them here.

Jumeirah Islands consists of a total of 50 island clusters covering 300 hectares of land and encompassing 736 villas, 184 apartments and 104 townhouses surrounded by waterfalls, lagoons, and gardens. Envisaged to be an exclusive and upmarket residential community, Jumeirah Islands (at some levels) have failed to deliver. Nakheel had come under bad press for their quality of build, but the voices have died down. Are you still angry or upset over the build quality? Do you own one of the villas? Are there any pending issues that still need to be heard? Voice your opinion here.

Jumeirah Lake Towers consists of residences, offices and retail outlets developed around man-made lakes and waterways covering over 730,000 sq m (2.4 million sq ft); with man-made lakes covering 116,000 sq m (381,000 sq ft). So, with this sheer size and magnitude of the project, has it really been a success? Jumeirah Lake Towers is being completed in various stages, and some investors have already seen a good return on their investment. Are you one of them, or do you have a contradictory opinion? Share your views with others here.

Jumeirah Village is a freehold residential development that will contain over 6,000 villas and townhouses, set amidst luscious landscaping and unsurpassed leisure and lifestyle amenities. Another masterplan by Nakheel, all villas were sold out on the day of the launch. So, what investment returns have investors seen on this project? Has there really been a resale market for Jumeirah Village, and if so, have people made money? What problems have there been with the development? Discuss the issues here.

The Meadows is a premium project offering 25 different architectural styles of luxurious villas, all with 3 to 7 rooms, surrounded by a landscaped gardens, swimming pools and parks. Meadows was one of the first few projects in Dubai that offered a true community feel in luxurious style. Owners of these units have had various issues with the development and Emaar have reacted to correct some problems. Have you experienced any such issues, or have been one who flipped the investment many times over? Share your ideas and views with other investors here.

The Springs is an innovative waterfront villa development built around scenic lakes, featuring a range of exquisite waterfront villas and a unique community. Like the Meadows, Springs is one of the very few Emaar developments that offers affordable true family homes in Dubai. Various issues have been addresses with the Springs community and Emaar have corrected some of the problems. However, various Springs owners are still agitated over certain long-term issues. Have you got any qualms with Emaar, have made money on Springs, or are you happy with your investment? Share your thoughts with others here.

The Lakes - a luxurious residential suburb surrounded by lush landscaping, community parks and some of the best leisure facilities in the city. Kept relatively low-profile, the Lakes has never been up for sale. It was Emaar's very few projects that was only offered for rental. As a result, there were very few issues with the project and tenants have been very happy with their rentals. Are you a tenant in the Lakes? What is it like living there? Have Emaar justified their investment within this project and delivered on their promises? Share your thoughts.

This premium multi-billion Dirham desert development called Arabian Ranches is spread over thousands of acres and includes an 18-hole championship course designed by Ian Baker-Finch. Located on the outskirts of the city, Arabian Ranches offers luxurious living at affordable prices. Designed to be released in phases, these villas have seen massive appreciation in prices and investors have seen mega returns on their investment. Were you one of those that invested wisely and exited timely? Or are you currently occupying one of the units? Any qualms with the development? Shout it out here.

Dubailand is the ultimate entertainment, leisure and tourism destination, and will be the world's largest theme park, covering 3 billion sq ft. There is a massive 5-8 year plan in place to develop Dubailand as THE tourist destination of Dubai. The Government of Dubai is relying heavily on this large scale investment to bring in the tourist numbers to support the economy. What are your feelings about this fantasy land? Will it be successful? Have you bought any land there for investment? Let others hear your stories and learn.

Featuring sporting stadiums and academies, golf courses, sports mall, villas, residential complexes and high rise buildings, Dubai Sports City is the ultimate destination for all sports enthusiasts. The Dubai authorities are determined to make Dubai the headline sports destination of the world. Dubai Sports City offers varied investment opportunities and investors have poured millions into the area. Have you invested there? Are you considering an investment? Have you heard anything through the grapevine? Open up your thoughts here.

The Palm Jumeirah is the smallest of the three Palm Islands, and is built in the shape of a date palm tree. It consists of a trunk, a crown with 17 fronds, and a surrounding crescent island that will form a water-breaker. Delayed by almost 2 years, the Palm is now reaching it's final stages. Palm Jumeirah is one of the very few projects in Dubai where investors have made over 300% returns. The Palm has been popular with investors, owners and holidaymakers alike. What are your views of the Palm, have you invested there or considering a resale property? Discuss your issues and share your thoughts with others.

The middle-sized of the three Palm Islands, Palm Jebel Ali is 50% larger than Palm Jumeirah. It aims to create an entertainment destination catering to both residents and tourists away from the actual city of Dubai. However, the project has been greatly delayed and investor money has been blocked. Prices on certain projects have shot up on the island, but actual returns vary. Have you invested on the Palm Jebel Ali, or did you manage to flip and get a return? Will it be as successful as Palm Jumeirah? What about the technical pitfalls? Share your views and opinions here.

Largest of the three Palm Islands, Palm Deira will cover 14 km (8.7 miles) in length and 8.5 km (5.3 miles) in width and have an area of 80 sq km (861 million sq ft). With only a limited release of villas on Palm Deira, all units were sold within a few days of the launch. No further releases have been announced yet, but current investors are hanging on to their investment. Being extremely pricey, these units were bought out by a small group of select investors. Were you one of them, and have you seen a return? Do you think that the Dubai authorities are pushing their luck with this project? Shout out your thoughts, views and opinions here.

The World, a culmination of 300 man-made private artificial islands divided into the continents of the world. Located off the coast of Dubai, transportation between the islands is only possible by sea or air. Yet another iconic project by Nakheel, The World is designed for the exclusively elite, or for those with excess capital to invest. It is claimed a lot of the islands have sold out and construction is well underway. Are you one of the celebrities that has parked your money there? What do you have to say about The World and it's impact on the environment? Is it all shambles? Voice your views and opinions here.

Dubai Waterfront comprises of canals and islands containing luxury hotels and homes. It will extend the Dubai coast line by 820 km (492 miles), which is 12 times the current length of Dubai's coastline, and will cover an area of over 81 million sq m (266 million sq ft). The Palm Jebel Ali will eventually become a part of Dubai Waterfront. Land sales have been very popular when the project was released, and prices have soared. What do you have to say about this masterpiece? Will it be a roaring success or a shot in the dark? Will it help the Dubai tourism industry? Whatever your views, share them with others here.

The Dubai Lagoon residential community development project will be spread over 1.75 million sq ft (162 thousand sq m) and contain 53 low-rise apartment buildings in 8 different shapes. It is aimed at creating another community based project in Dubai, and investors are hoping to bite into their profits with resales. On the popularity scale, the Lagoon has not really hit the mainstream market and investor takeup has been slow. What have you heard about the project, and have you invested in any of the developments? Is it as good as the brochures say? Discuss it here.

The clusters of International Media Production Zone (IMPZ) will include a wide range of residential towers with landscaped gardens, and waterways. IMPZ aims to create a unique environment for media production companies to setup base camp here, and also provides affordable living accommodation for these companies. Numerous projects are on offer in the IMPZ and take up has been good. Do you know what the investment returns are like in IMPZ, or have you invested yourself? Would you recommend it to anyone? Share your experiences and thoughts with others.

US$ 60.5 million beach resort called The Cover is the second freehold development project in Ras Al Khaimah. It will cover 50 acres and contain 134 Nubian style furnished chalets and a five-star beach hotel. The hill and island chalets will have access to their own private beach and have their own terraces. With a guaranteed return of 7% per annum, The Cove appeals to holiday makers and investors alike. But what has the resale market been like? Are you an investor who has seen a return on this? Do you have any advice for other investors? Share your views and opinions with others here.

A sea-side premium real estate and tourism project, Al Hamra Village is the first freehold development to be built in the city of Ras Al Khaimah. The US$ 274 million resort and residential development will consist of more than 1,350 residential units, a marina, hotels and a golf course. Located at a distance of 40 minutes from Dubai Airport, Al Hamra Village is built in three phases and will complete by 2007/2008. Investor perception and uptake has been mixed, and returns have not really been published openly. What have you heard about this project, and have you made money on it? Are you still holding your unit and finding it difficult to resale? Open up your thoughts and concerns here.

Mina Al Arab, referred to in English as Port of Arabia or Port Arabia, is a mixed use leisure and holiday beach resort development situated along the beach of Ras Al Khaimah. This US$ 2.7 billion project will cover an area of 30 million sq ft (2.8 million sq m) and consist of 3,500 residential units and 388 residential villas of varied styles. With first phase expected to be completed by 2008, the full project should be ready by 2011. Mina Al Arab is Ras Al Khaimah's answer to Dubai's Palm and Waterfront projects, although not as grand and "loud". What do you feel about this project, and is it a worthwhile investment? Share your thoughts and opinions.

Nujoom Islands, also referred to as Stars Islands, is the largest commercial, residential and tourism development project in the city of Sharjah. The US$4.9 billion project will be built in three stages, over a period of 5 years, near the village of Hamriya. 60% of Nujoom Islands will be landscaped with beaches, gardens, parks, and roads, while the remaining 40% will contain structures. The project is being developed by Saudi-based real estate company Al Hanoo Holding Company. Have you invested in this project and realised a return? Do you have any inside information on this project and construction? Share your thoughts and views.

The Abu Dhabi property market came into the limelight when the Abu Dhabi government issued a law allowing foreigners 99 years leasehold ownership of select projects in the Emirate. Prior to this law, property ownership was restricted to locals and that too, within a select few. Abu Dhabi has announced a number of large scale projects, some even grander than those in Dubai. Al Dar Properties was the first company in Abu Dhabi to announce projects that allowed foreign ownership. Do you think Abu Dhabi will be as successful as Dubai? What kind of returns can investors expect in this market? Have you invested yourself in Abu Dhabi? Open up your suggestions and views here.

The property ownership law of Umm Al Quwain states that foreigners are allowed to own property, but not the land, which complicates the ownership issue a little. Foreigners are still not convinced that Umm Al Quwain will live up to the investor expectations and hence property uptake has been very limited. Tameer, the largest development company in Umm Al Quwain, is developing a project called Al Salam City which is due to complete by 2010. Has investor uptake been good on this project, and if so, what have the returns been? Will Umm Al Quwain be successful in boosting its property market? Share your thoughts and views here.

Ajman was the second Emirate to follow suit after Ras Al Khaimah to open up its property market to foreigners. 15 freehold residential projects were announced initially, and one of the largest development being announced by Tameer. Ajman property prices have been lagging behind the other Emirates of Dubai and Sharjah, and investor uptake has been average with the limited exposure Ajman has got overseas. However, residential uptake has been good with people being priced out of Dubai and Sharjah. If you have a story to tell about Ajman, or have invested there, or just want to share your opinion, shout it out here.

Fujairah has probably been the last Emirate to get on the property bandwagon. Fujairah's efforts to enter the freehold property market have been very limited and the only project announced so far has been the Al Jabar Tower which consists of apartments, shops and showrooms. The Al Jabar Tower is being developed by Al Jabel Contracting. Fujairah has had very limited overseas exposure and as a result, overseas investment has been almost negligible. But local investors have still snapped up quite a few units. Are you one of them? Do you believe in the Fujairah property market? Share your views and opinions here.

Property ownership laws in the UAE are changing almost on a daily basis. The UAE property market started with a vague 99 year leasehold definition, but only on select projects. This was then extended to freehold ownership, but again only on certain projects. Land regulations and ownership was never clearly defined, and that deterred a lot of investors. Whether the property ownership laws are clear and concise today still remains a matter of opinion. If you’re up to date with ownership legislation, post your comments here and share your valuable information.

Even though the property ownership laws have never been clearly defined, investors have been snapping up properties in Dubai and Sharjah without any legal consultation. Contracts still remain very one-sided favouring the developers with no respite for the purchaser. Solicitor firms are now coming into the limelight with the market being dominated by some key players primarily due to overseas investor interest and caution. How do you think the solicitors should take this matter forward? Have you bought a property without a solicitor? What would you recommend to fellow investors? Share you valuable insight and knowledge with others.

The UAE mortgage and lending market had remained a very elite institution until recently with banks only lending to large scale developers. However, with the increasing number of developments and the slow growth of the property market, banks have been forced to open up their doors to end users and investors as well. Though interest rates are still relatively high, local demand has been strong for borrowing. More banks are offering higher lending today as opposed to a year ago, but repayments are still a burden. Which lenders offer the best rates? What developments do they finance? What criteria do they use? If you have any valuable insight, please share it with others here.

Property Insurance is still a new-age market for the UAE. Prior to the opening up of the property market, insurance was really targeted at the corporate and banking sector. Household insurance was not a known concept in the UAE. However, with the arrival of foreign investment (and eventually foreigners), household and buildings insurance has been on the minds of the government. Still, there are relatively very few providers in the market and the rates are not as competitive. What has your experience been with your purchase? Do you think insurance is necessary, or does it not matter? Will household insurance ever take off like in Europe and US? Share your thoughts and views here.

The banking sector in the UAE is far advanced than many overseas investors think. Many local and international banks have representation in the UAE, primarily in Dubai. As there are no exchange controls, international financial transactions and transfers are relatively simple. Non-residents are allowed to open bank accounts in UAE, but only on the recommendation of a resident. Requirements vary from bank to bank, but the process is fairly simple. If you have had any good or bad experiences with banks in the UAE, share them here.

UAE is really a "tax respite" for foreigners and locals alike. Having maintained a "no-tax" policy since its independence, freedom from paying any taxes has been one of the most attractive features of property investment in the UAE. From a corporate perspective, tax plays a different role. Different economic zones have been setup that are truly tax free where companies can take advantage of the legislation. However, a "tax-free" status is still limited to a set number of years after which it is reviewed. Have you got further insight into taxation, and how it affects overseas buyers? Are you an expert in the field? Share your valuable insight with others here.

Are you aware of any "cool tools" related to property buying or selling? For example, mortgage calculators, tax calculators, financial spreadsheets, or others? Are you one of those "geeks" that writes their own tools? Or are you just interested in what tools are out there to help you make quick decisions? Check out our Property Tools forum where you can post or just read!

So you've been to the UAE and come back hearing a few phrases that sound greek!? Well, they're not really Greek - the language is Arabic. Or has someone thrown in a word like "off-plan" or "ROI" in a casual conversation leaving you wondering what planet they were from? Broaden your knowledge of the Arabic language, and learn about what the various property terms mean. Alternatively, if you are already an expert in these areas, why not share your knowledge with others.

News, views, reviews and analysis on the Middle East property market including Dubai, Qatar, Oman, Saudi and others. Read on for full property investment reviews and news.

Any official (or unofficial for that matter!) announcements related to the forums are posted here. We may occasionally be launching new topics, announcing events or just being our jolly good selves - remember, it will all be in here.

We welcome feedback and suggestions to improve the forums to make them more interactive and interesting for all visitors. Feel free to post your feedback and suggestions here.

Having trouble finding your way around? Can’t find anything in particular? Or just neeed a helping hand. Let us know and we’ll try our best to help.