DUBAI // More tenants are searching for homes in less expensive developments as rents increase.
Areas such as Dubailand, Dubai Sports City and Jumeirah Village Circle are becoming more popular among potential tenants and buyers, according to statistics from propertyfinder.ae.
The website, a portal to connect residents with brokers and agents, analysed more than two million visits to the site in the past three months and compiled a list of the most searched-for developments.
The property agency said the report was a good indicator of current sentiment.
“It’s a barometer of the market,” said Bharat Kumar, the marketing director for propertyfinder.ae. “This is an indication from a consumer point of view, of what people are interested in.”
The most popular development was Dubai Marina, which received 18.67 per cent of views among those looking to buy property, and 18.41 per cent of views among those looking to rent.
In terms of the top 10 rental locations, Dubai Sport City, Jumeirah Village Circle and Dubailand were sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively.
In terms of the top 10 buying locations, Dubailand, Jumeirah Village Circle and Dubai Sports City were fifth, sixth and eighth.
In the same quarter last year, none of the three developments figured in the top 10 in either category.
"Each quarter this year they have crept up the ladder," said Mr Kumar. "They are more affordable in both sales and rent. They offer better value for money than an equivalent property elsewhere.
"Over the past 12 to 18 months, rent and sales prices have gone up, meaning that people are looking for better alternatives."
In Abu Dhabi, Al Reem Island was the top search for people looking to buy, with 28.1 per cent of page views, followed by Al Reef and Al Raha Beach.
The ranking remains largely unchanged since last quarter, when 2,500 new units were delivered in the three developments.
In terms of rental-related searches, Al Reem Island was in top place, with 18.4 per cent of views, followed by Khalifa City and Al Reef.
Mario Volpi, managing director for Prestige Real Estate, said the relatively lower rent and sales prices for the most-searched areas in Dubai were due to a lack of amenities compared with other areas.
“Perhaps calling them building sites is a little too rough, but certainly not everything is there,” he said.
"In terms of Jumeirah Village Circle, the community centres aren't there and pools aren't there. It's still a work in progress. Clearly the rents are going to be slightly cheaper there because people are going to have to sacrifice some amenities.
“If people can’t afford to live where they’re currently living, they’ll need to search for cheaper areas, and off we go again.
“As developments mature, more things will come in, and prices will rise.”
Changes were announced for the rent cap in Dubai on Saturday by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
Landlords will now be allowed to raise rents by 5 per cent if the property is being rented for 11 per cent below the current market rent, as opposed to the previous requirement of 26 per cent below market rate.
Rents in some areas of the city have risen by more than 30 per cent, according to a report this year by CB Richard Ellis.
Mr Kumar said residents were concerned about the prospect of sharp rent increases as prices increase to match current market values.
“Renters are obviously going to be concerned with rent increases that are higher than they would like,” he said. “We have seen communities which have increased quite heavily. There’s some nervousness about this.”
The report found that the most commonly searched rental bracket was Dh80,000 to Dh100,000, replacing the Dh60,000 to Dh80,000 bracket that was most popular last year.
Mr Kumar said it was not necessarily a sign that people were happy about the rental increases.
“It is not that people are prepared to pay more, or are necessarily happy about it,” he said. “It is just that rents have gone up for the same types of properties, and people have acknowledged that.”
mcroucher@thenational.ae
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Haltia.ai
Started: 2023
Co-founders: Arto Bendiken and Talal Thabet
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: AI
Number of employees: 41
Funding: About $1.7 million
Investors: Self, family and friends
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Seats open:
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Company: Eco Way
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Founder: Ivan Kroshnyi
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Electric vehicles
Investors: Bootstrapped with undisclosed funding. Looking to raise funds from outside
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THE SWIMMERS
Director: Sally El-Hosaini
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Company: Zywa
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What you as a drone operator need to know
A permit and licence is required to fly a drone legally in Dubai.
Sanad Academy is the United Arab Emirate’s first RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) training and certification specialists endorsed by the Dubai Civil Aviation authority.
It is responsible to train, test and certify drone operators and drones in UAE with DCAA Endorsement.
“We are teaching people how to fly in accordance with the laws of the UAE,” said Ahmad Al Hamadi, a trainer at Sanad.
“We can show how the aircraft work and how they are operated. They are relatively easy to use, but they need responsible pilots.
“Pilots have to be mature. They are given a map of where they can and can’t fly in the UAE and we make these points clear in the lectures we give.
“You cannot fly a drone without registration under any circumstances.”
Larger drones are harder to fly, and have a different response to location control. There are no brakes in the air, so the larger drones have more power.
The Sanad Academy has a designated area to fly off the Al Ain Road near Skydive Dubai to show pilots how to fly responsibly.
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“Operators must undergo proper training and certification to ensure safety and compliance.
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Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting
- Don’t do it more than once in three days
- Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days
- Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode
- Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well
- Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days
- Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates
- Manage your sleep
- People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting
- Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert
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Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
If you go
The flights
Etihad flies direct from Abu Dhabi to San Francisco from Dh5,760 return including taxes.
The car
Etihad Guest members get a 10 per cent worldwide discount when booking with Hertz, as well as earning miles on their rentals. A week's car hire costs from Dh1,500 including taxes.
The hotels
Along the route, Motel 6 (www.motel6.com) offers good value and comfort, with rooms from $55 (Dh202) per night including taxes. In Portland, the Jupiter Hotel (https://jupiterhotel.com/) has rooms from $165 (Dh606) per night including taxes. The Society Hotel https://thesocietyhotel.com/ has rooms from $130 (Dh478) per night including taxes.
More info
To keep up with constant developments in Portland, visit www.travelportland.com. Good guidebooks include the Lonely Planet guides to Northern California and Washington, Oregon & the Pacific Northwest.
Company profile
Company name: Fasset
Started: 2019
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Sector: FinTech
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- Have a plan for your savings.
- Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
- Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
- It's important to have a purpose for your savings as it helps to keep you motivated to continue while also reducing the temptation to spend your savings.
- Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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Stars: Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Jean Smart
Rating: 4/5
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Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind
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Khalfan Mubarak
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Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
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Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
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Biog
Age: 50
Known as the UAE’s strongest man
Favourite dish: “Everything and sea food”
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Favourite car: Any classic car
Favourite superhero: The Hulk original
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1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya
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What is hepatitis?
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, which can lead to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer.
There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E.
Hepatitis C is mostly transmitted through exposure to infective blood. This can occur through blood transfusions, contaminated injections during medical procedures, and through injecting drugs. Sexual transmission is also possible, but is much less common.
People infected with hepatitis C experience few or no symptoms, meaning they can live with the virus for years without being diagnosed. This delay in treatment can increase the risk of significant liver damage.
There are an estimated 170 million carriers of Hepatitis C around the world.
The virus causes approximately 399,000 fatalities each year worldwide, according to WHO.