Dh500m in housing assistance for Emiratis approved

Hundreds of housing assistance applications worth a total of Dh500 million were approved for UAE citizens on Wednesday.

The applications were approved by Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme during a meeting chaired by Dr Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Minister of Infrastructure Development and chairman of SZHP, with the rest of the board members in Ras Al Khaimah.

The board members visited the northern emirate for a tour of Bateen Al Samar, an Emirati housing project comprising 888 units that are due to be completed by the end of 2020.

On Wednesday, the programme's board, led by Dr Al Nuaimi, approved a plan to implement a UAE Cabinet decision to raise the income ceiling of those eligible to receive housing support from Dh10,000 to Dh15,000, to increase the number of beneficiaries. It also approved a proposal to link Hassantak, a centralised smart fire alarm system introduced in buildings and villas, to future housing units.

SZHP has approved 2,336 housing assistance applications, valued at Dh1.8 billion, for Emirati families since January, reported state news agency Wam..

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Other ways to buy used products in the UAE

UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.

Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.

Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.

For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.

Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.

At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.