Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is increasingly assuming greater importance for various stakeholders of the real estate sector. Potential buyers are insisting on properties that have a good ESG record. Investors and buyers know full well that unsustainable assets are at a considerable risk of depreciation in value. While the awareness about ESG is heartening, the acute lack of related skills in the real estate industry is a big worry. The ESG skills gap is causing the property sector to struggle to meet the climate-change challenge and reach net-zero emission goals. Real estate is ..read more

Owning a beachfront property is the ultimate sign of having arrived. It’s always a fashionable address. The cool breeze, the sound of waves crashing on the shore, and an overall sense of well-being are added advantages. But living right at the doorstep of the sea also comes with its own challenges. Let’s first look at the pros of living in a beachfront house. Unsurprisingly, there are quite a few. Breathtaking views The most obvious advantage of having a house by the sea is the enchanting, picturesque view. The glorious sunrises or sunsets, the beckoning horizon, the allure of the waves, and a ..read more

In 2022, the UAE expanded its Golden Visa programme (which enables foreigners to live, study and work in the country while enjoying exclusive benefits) to include more workers, such as skilled professionals, scientists, researchers, senior scholars, clerics, and specialists in manufacturing, health, and education. The move gave a major boost to the real estate sector of the nation, with foreigners making a beeline to the UAE for buying property. Transactions jumped 61.7% in 2022 over the previous year, touching a whopping AED 20.8 billion(1).  And Indians topped the list when it came to b ..read more

With UAE’s real estate corporate tax structure undergoing a major change, a few repercussions and disruptions will follow. However, in the long run, things will settle down, clarity will emerge, and it will be business as usual. But first, a look at what exactly has transpired: Early this month, the UAE’s Ministry of Finance declared that foreign companies and other non-resident juridical persons will be subject to a 9% corporate tax on income earned from real estate and other immovable property in the UAE. The new law was announced in December 2022 and became effective on June 1, 2023. In vie ..read more

3D printing is the latest buzzword in construction sectors worldwide, especially in Dubai. It is being increasingly used for constructing complex building structures through modelling software programmes. The use of this technology in the construction sector is enhancing efficiency, reducing labour costs, and speeding up the entire process.  Often referred to as additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies have been evolving rapidly over the last few years. 3D printing is being adopted to create detailed models and to print specific real-size parts of the same that are otherwise diffi ..read more

The real estate sector of the Middle East has always been attractive to investors across the world — private capital flocking to the region and raking in good returns has been happening for quite some time now. But post-pandemic, the property market of the region, particularly in the GCC hub, is fast becoming an outperformer in drawing global private capital. Demand for property remains high — the holiday home sector is on the up and up, residential units are doing a roaring business, office space has a number of takers, and retail is booming, with new projects on the anvil. Middle East: The r ..read more

Historically, real estate has been the golden sector of the UAE, exhibiting growth year after. The rate of growth may fall a bit now and then, but it has always been on an upward curve. However, 2022 was particularly a stand-out year for UAE’s real estate. Defying global market trends, the property market posted an exceptional performance. The Emirate of Dubai, in particular, witnessed impressive growth, with property prices going up by 9.5% yoy and more than 90,000 transactions being recorded. Abu Dhabi, too, saw property prices on the upswing, particularly in the residential sector. What sig ..read more

Rental housing is a complex issue in India — the rent, the terms of the agreement, the obligations of the landlord, the rules which the tenants should abide by, the amount to be proffered as the security deposit, and so forth differ vastly from region to region. The difference is at its sharpest when it comes to a comparison between metros such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, Gurugram, Delhi, Chennai, Pune, Kochi, and the rest of the country.  With an intention of reforming the rental housing sector, the Central Government of India came out with the Model Tenancy Act (MTA) in June 2021. It aims to ..read more

Urban spaces around the globe are increasingly facing enormous pressures — from a rapidly growing population, scarcity of land and resources, overcrowding of both residential and commercial areas, and, most importantly, under-capacitated transit systems. In such a situation, Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is one of the most practical solutions that can redefine how cities design (and re-design) their spaces. TOD can maximize the utility of the available residential, business, and leisure spaces within walking distance from public transport hubs. That, in turn, promotes a symbiotic relation ..read more

Big Data has become a crucial aspect of several sectors, and real estate is no exception. Data science and analytics have become a cornerstone of the industry — all kinds of data are flowing in, and unless put to good use, they will only clutter the space. Ramping up the utility of data requires special skills, and this is where the role of data managers becomes critical. More and more real estate companies are realizing the importance of collating data and profiting from it. This has necessitated hiring Chief Data Officers (CDOs), whose job is to deal with Big Data. CDOs are responsible for l ..read more