Harbor Real Estate Blog

15-Apr-2010 - Dubai Real Times: Official Magazine of RERA

Trend predictions
By Mohanad Alwadiya, Managing Director of Harbor Real Estate

To the questions: “What will be the most prominent trends in Dubai’s real estate industry in the future?” I reply that short term investors and speculators were hit with the ‘perfect storm’ last year. Those who were taking the longer term view and had planned their cash flows accordingly have been able to weather the storm; those who were speculating, hoping to spin the property for short-term gain, got caught in the storm; while those that sold prior to mid 2008 left town unscathed.

During the second half 2009, the market witnessed the emergence of institutional and private investors that were focused on acquiring assets from distressed sellers. We anticipate this trend to continue in 2010 and we also expect more end user demand will flow into the market once lending starts again.

Another noticeable investment focus that emerged during the second half of 2009 is the investment in income producing assets with the prime consideration being yield. In today’s environment to try and predict capital appreciation is very difficult and, while in the long term property bought today will certainly appreciate, the market is too volatile to start predicting capital appreciation rates.

Overall, many buyers still believe that real estate is a lucrative investment option. People want to take the opportunity of owning their family home or take advantage of the investment opportunities that emerged in the market today. The demand is there, it just needs some liquidity to enable the conversion of intention into transaction.

What are the best properties for investment, selling, leasing?

There now exists a greater range of choice and buyers can succeed in obtaining true value and quality in the property they seek to purchase. It is now that the fundamentals of purchasing or leasing real estate come to the fore; location, quality construction, infrastructure, return on investment and yield.

The most sought after assets today are the yield producing assets as they offer investors an opportunity to enjoy annual yields that remain higher than the global average yields.

The best assets to invest in are residential units within completed developments and established communities that offer its residents (owners and tenants) a rich lifestyle experience.

In addition, the current attractive price points and the overall low supply of villas compared to apartments (estimated at 13 percent of the total residential units), offers a safer and more robust investment opportunity for investors.

When it comes to offices and retail, these two asset types were affected by the slowed commercial activity and the expected high supply. Hence this had a direct impact on the appetite of investors. Having said that, there are some fantastic investment opportunities in both asset types where some office or retail properties are rented by renowned brands with long term lease contracts which offer greater stability in terms of annual yields to investors. It is known fact that companies do not relocate as often as residential tenants.

Investment funds and bonds are always good options for investors that don’t have the time to manage their investment transaction process. But it is definitely an option for long term investors.

What are the difficulties faced by the real estate industry?

The industry is experiencing some serious growth pains but will recover. We believe we will see a much improved level of activity in the second quarter of 2010 as the world economy strengthens, credit becomes more accessible and Dubai re-launches itself as a preferred place to do commerce and trade. The launch of Burj Khalifa has helped strengthen Dubai’s global position as an innovative and leading destination and the media coverage it obtained definitely helped boost the awareness of Dubai.

The recovery phase will need to be driven by fundamental and solid economic drivers, not speculation. Population growth, driven by an increase in commercial activity will be the primary determinant of a real estate recovery as Dubai attracts new business entities, investors and owner occupiers who have a long term outlook to their participation in Dubai’s economy.

We believe that the market is currently going through a phase of positive stabilization. The long anticipated recovery cannot be claimed as yet, despite indications that started during the third quarter of 2009 suggesting the market had bottomed, and early signs of recovery will be evident in the next few quarters.

Of course, there are fundamental economic issues to be addressed, some of which are central to hastening an overall economic recovery which, in turn, will aid the real estate recovery. The good news is that the Dubai and UAE government are already addressing these issues.

The issues can be summarized as follows:

• Inevitable and unavoidable exposure to the rapidly deteriorating global economic condition.
• The inevitable downturn of domestic consumption and low confidence levels of investors.
• Scarcity of credit and funding sources for private and institutional buyers.
• The strength of the US dollar/Dirham and its effect on foreign investment.
• Corruption and transparency and its effect on investor confidence in our opinion, the biggest issue remains the lack of availability of credit. There are buyers who are willing to invest in their future, but the availability of funds is the major inhibitor.

Article from Emirates Business 24-7

Rera’s colour-coded norms will not impact agent commissions. (EB FILE)

Agent commissions will not be impacted under the colour-coded system introduced by Dubai’s Real Estate Regulatory Agency (Rera) whereby brokers are authorised to sell a particular type of property in a specified area, according to realtors.

Natasha Pereira, Area Manager-Dubai, Sherwoods Property Consultants, said: “Areas such as Discovery Gardens, International City and Dubai Silicon Oasis generate lesser revenue than others. For agents who have been assigned these areas, we also give them (parts of) other areas to handle the sales and rentals as well.”

She added: “Our agents are already classified into specific areas and asset classes.” While some real estate consultancies said they were already segregating the functions of a real estate agent based on specific areas and asset classes, others felt now was not an opportune time to introduce the colour-coded system.

Avais Najam, Managing Director, Venture Horizon Real Estate, said: “There is already an oversupply of real estate brokers in the market since business activity is yet to pick up in Dubai. Further, most brokerage firms continue to employ real estate agents on a commission-only basis, rather than enrolling them in their companies.” He added many brokerage firms and agents were unaware of rules that require a colour-coded system and have sought more clarity on the system’s implementation from Rera.

Najam said: “We are already segregating our real estate agents on the basis of the territories they work in. Most of our agents follow a specific territory.”

Mohanad Alwadiya, Managing Director, Harbor Real Estate, said: “At the moment we are not ready for renewals of our agents. However, we have been following our own policies similar to that set out by Rera. All our agents follow the system. For example, for handling Dubai Media City, Internet City and Tecom areas, we have one designated person since these are all free zone areas. We also have a specific division that specialises in office space.”

In September, Rera announced the four-tier broker classification system whereby brokers were granted one of four types of licences authorising them to sell property of a particular type or in a specified area.

Under the new colour-coded classification, tier one brokers, those issued a blue licence by the Department of Economic Development (DED) and registered with Rera, will be allowed to carry out all types of brokerage activities and operate throughout the emirate, including free zones if authorised to do so by the authority. These have the widest sphere of operation.

Tier two or yellow licences will be issued by the appropriate free-zone authorities to carry out the full range of brokerage activities but will be registered to operate only within “designated” freehold areas owned by that authority. The tier three registered brokers, having green licences, will be authorised by the DED and registered by Rera, to sell only properties of specific companies or developers. The last tier of licenced brokers will be issued a red licence to promote, sell or rent time-share units.

This move by Rera is a step towards regulating professional services in the sector and enhancing rights of buyers, sellers and tenants. The agents also called for the “Agent Trust Account” to be put in place at the earliest to help further regulate the brokerage industry.

Broker firms in Dubai current employ legal firms to oversee some transactions into the account and help them manage accounts in cases where deposits may have been taken by the agent from the customer.

Najam said: “For us, all the commission earnings go into an account and in cases where we receive a deposit, we take on a solicitor to safeguard the client’s deposit money and see to it that it is secured and the transaction made is accurate.

“We sometimes take a deposit of about five per cent to 10 per cent to lock in a client. The deposit money can either be in cash or cheque. In such a scenario, we usually have a solicitor on board to ensure the transaction is valid.”

According to Alwadiya, Harbor Real Estate has hired a professional legal firm to audit its transactions.

Article from Emirates Business 24-7

Dubai’s Real Estate Regulatory Agency (Rera) yesterday announced an agreement with the Ministry of Labour (MoL) to have real estate brokers recognised as a new professional category.

Labour cards and residence visas issued to real estate brokers will now include their designation and henceforth not be categorised as “sales staff”.

Marwan bin Ghalita, Chief Executive Officer, Rera, said: “This is the first step towards a complete classification of real estate professions in Dubai.

“The practical objective is to make sure each real estate professional’s designation reflects what he does so buyers and sellers are clear that they are dealing with properly qualified, competent, licensed and registered professionals.”

He said: “The overall effect will be to increase transparency and professionalism across the sector. This in turn will boost confidence in property dealings and in the networks agents and third-party investors depend on to execute their transactions.

“Previously, there were no officially-recognised categories for real estate professionals and none was recognised by the ministry. Rera, as the custodian of these professional services, took the initiative and approached the MoL.”

“The ministry has now approved the first step of officially recognising broker as a professional category and this will be included in all the related professional and operations documents,” said bin Ghalita. “So when firms come to renew their registration and labour permits these will be issued with the new designation.”

Effectively, this step completes the three-stage formal approvals procedure of registration, licensing and now labour permit and residence visa to support the professional qualifications and training of real estate practitioners in Dubai. This compulsory system will take Rera’s campaign to outlaw “rogue practitioners” to its conclusion.

Rera has, as part of its agreement with the MoL, set up an electronic link direct to the ministry, which will allow the exchange of information to speed up processing of labour permits.

Humaid Al Rashid, Head of the Labour Affairs Department in the MoL, said: “We were only too happy to co-operate with Rera and to support it in its aims.”

Mohanad Alwadiya, Managing Director, Harbor Real Estate, said: “While the efforts to protect rights, lift standards of professionalism and establish a transparent framework are to be applauded in Dubai, there is still a long way to go before the industry can be said to be in the final stages of maturation.

“The new agreement between Rera and the Ministry of Labour to have real estate brokers officially recognised as a separate professional category is a step on the right direction.”

Hiba Jaber, Chief Operating Officer, Landmark Properties, said: “We support this initiative as introduced by Rera and MoL. We firmly believe that once professionals are properly categorised in accordance with their qualifications and credentials, investors and end-users will have a clear direction on who to contact when seeking help and advice from the professionals.”

Partho Bhattacharya, Director of HR, Better Homes, said: “This is a good step in the right direction where real estate agents will get recognition as professionals. The MoL must recognise the Rera certificate to grant a work permit. Such real estate professionals should not be asked for any other educational certificate for grant of work permit.”

Article from Emirates Business 24-7

Laws and regulations introduced under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, have transformed the emirate into a more mature market and global real estate destination.

“The vision and leadership of Sheikh Mohammed has positioned Dubai as a global city and one of the most renowned business hubs in a record time. His Highness focused on attracting international investors and building a world-class infrastructure which made Dubai, as we know it today, the location of choice for residents, businesses and visitors,” said Mohanad Alwadiya, Managing Director, Harbor Real Estate.

When it comes to real estate, Dubai set a new global benchmark and has introduced iconic projects to the world that covered all kinds of asset types and interests including the Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City, Knowledge Village, Burj Al Arab, Emirates Towers, Dubai Marina, Business Bay, Dubai Festival City, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Downtown Burj Dubai, Emirates Living, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Burj Dubai and the Palm Trilogy.

Sheikh Mohammed’s vision did not start with the real estate developments, he ensured establishing the suitable infrastructure to support the real estate boom and its sustainability. The development of the Dubai Ports Authority, the introduction of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and industrial and specialised business zones have contributed to setting Dubai up to become one of the main trading, tourism and culturally rich cities of the world, he added.

Dubai, under Sheikh Mohammed, became the first city in the Gulf Co-operation Council to introduce a real estate regulatory body under the auspices of the Land Department.

The Land Department has continuously strived to keep up with the development and prosperity of the emirate. Through the leadership of Sheikh Mohammed, who always strives to be the best and definitely world-class in everything he plans, guiding with an extraordinary skill, passion and intelligence, the “vision of Dubai” has become the world’s most incredible reality and yet still, there is even more to come.

Supported by Sheikh Mohammed, the Land Department is planning and implementing services to participate towards making Dubai the leading city of the world, the Department said on its website.

The Government of Dubai instituted new rules, regulations and laws in the emirate to regulate the market, to protect the rights and interests of consumers, and to ensure Dubai property investors are assured the highest possible service standards from real estate agents, brokers and property developers transacting business in Dubai and maintain the integrity of all the developments.

The Department launched a number of laws and regulations that regulate the property sector. Starting with Law No7 concerning land registration in Dubai, Law No3 concerning areas of properties that can be owned by non-UAE nationals in Dubai, Law No8 concerning property trust account in Dubai, Law No 85 concerning real ease agent regulation and the upcoming strata law.

Alwadiya said: “The young Dubai property market has come a long way with regards to regulating the real estate industry. While the efforts to protect rights, lift standards of professionalism and establish a transparent, credible and functional framework are to be applauded, there is still a long way to go before the industry can be said to be in the final stages of maturation.

“Over the past years, the government has adopted numerous legislations and regulations to protect everyone in the real estate sector, and most importantly establish a safe environment for investors. Dubai has proven to be the world’s greatest improver in terms of real estate transparency over the past two years. With the establishment of regulatory bodies such as Rera, investor representative bodies, the establishment of codes of practice for real estate practitioners combined with laws relating to freehold ownership, escrow accounts and strata titling, Dubai has reduced drastically the concerns of expatriate and foreign investors,” he added.

Transparency has also been given a boost with the introduction of the credit information law, a positive step towards transparency and risk mitigation for banks. The law will create a framework of rights and obligations for data providers, information users and individuals alike, Alwadiya said.
Saeed Mirsaeedi, Investment Manager of Sherwoods Real Estate, said: “Introduction of new laws has been a positive development and has helped Dubai’s emergence as a mature and prosperous economy.

“Clear-cut regulations and increasing transparency make Dubai property most attractive to overseas investors,” he said.
Although previously non-Gulf Co-operation Council expatriates were only permitted to rent property, or own property on a 99-year leasehold basis, all changed in 2002 when the Dubai Government took the initiative and permitted the ownership of freehold property to expatriates. This bold initiative changed the perception of the real estate industry in the Middle East and the Gulf.

The Dubai Government began the promotion in 1997 by setting up Emaar Properties. The next year, Emaar began work on Dubai Marina followed by the Emirates Living Community developments such as the Springs, the Meadows, Emirates Hills, etc. However, the major property boom in Dubai occurred in May 2002, when Sheikh Mohammed issued a decree to allow foreigners to buy and own freehold property in selected areas of the city, now referred to as New Dubai.
On March 14, 2006, Dubai’s Government issued a law legalising foreign ownership of properties in designated areas of Dubai.

“It was the adoption of freehold tenure in general, and foreign ownership in particular, that sparked the great real estate boom in the Dubai property market,” said Alwadiya.

The introduction of the freehold law by the Ruler transformed Dubai into a true success story capturing the imagination and admiration of countries worldwide. Many countries followed the Dubai model and benefited greatly from its visionary experience.

Dubai has developed several iconic real estate projects, which have acquired international recognition, marketing the emirate as a destination of choice for business and travel and for investment in real estate.

The Palm trilogy and other iconic projects such as The World have put Dubai in international limelight. Furthermore, prospective developments of creative concepts, which are likely to attract significant visitors in the coming years, continue to take shape. Burj Dubai, the tallest tower in the world, will be opens today. Although Dubai International Financial Centre formally opened as a global financial centre in 2004 with the aim to become the global hub for financial services in the Middle East, it has also emerged as one of the most expensive addresses for real estate in the emirate.

In fact, property prices on residential units in the DIFC are becoming increasingly comparable with the leading capitals of the world. Dubai’s real estate industry dynamics are firmly entrenched in Dubai Strategic Plan, which strives to achieve a medium-long term objective of diversifying the economic base of the emirate in key growth areas, which have been defined as priority sectors within the associated blue print. Of particular significance is the focus of the plan on the real estate development and the construction sector, as well as travel and tourism, with the former providing necessary infrastructure for growth of all other businesses, and the latter ensuring sustained economic buoyancy through continuous and aggressive growth in visitors to the emirate.

The investor-friendly business environment in Dubai has promoted not only businesses but also a demand for office space, and the high real incomes have ensured that the labour force is increasingly imported from abroad, thus catalysing requirements for housing and retail.

Iconic projects

Dubai has introduced some of the most iconic destinations that cater for different lifestyles and asset categories. Some of them in the business and commerce segment are the DIFC, Business Bay, Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Knowledge Village, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai Maritime City, Tecom, Jebel Ali Free Zone and Dubai Healthcare City.

In entertainment, lifestyle and culture segment falls the Dubai Festival City, Downtown Burj Dubai, Emirates Living, Dubai Mall, Ibn Battuta Mall, Palm Jumeirah, Burj Dubai and Dubai Marina.

Article from Gulf News

Dubai-His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Moaktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has announced that the rent increase caps for 2010 remain at the same rates as 2009.

Endorsed by the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA), the rent cap states the maximum increase in rent landlords can impose each year.
The 2010 figures have been formed following the trends shown in RERA’s latest rental index. It states that increases can only occur if the property is more than 25 per cent below the average index price.

If the rent is 26 per cent to 35 per cent less than the average rent for a similar property, the maximum increase will be equivalent to 5 per cent of the rent value of the year 2009.

Pattern

If the rent is 36 per cent to 45 per cent less than the average rent for a similar property, the maximum increase will be equivalent to 10 per cent of rent value of the year 2009.

If the rent is 46 per cent to 55 per cent less than the average rent for a similar property, the maximum increase will be equivalent to 15 per cent of rent value of the year 2009.

If the rent is less by a percentage that is more than 55 per cent of the average rent rate, a 20 per cent increase is permissible.
‘Positive move’

“I think the decision to keep the rental cap the same as 2009 is good as it keeps the market in the same condition and doesn’t have that much of an impact as of now.” Sudhir Kumar, managing director of Realtors International told Gulf News.

The decree was implemented to curb the sky-rocketing rents and to regulate relations between landlords and tenants.

“It’s a positive move because it shows that regulatory operations are taking charge. However, there should be more enforcement on the individual landlords who are still breaking the values of the caps and are not abiding to the decree. A closer eye should also be kept on the fluctuating prices with the rent cap keeping up to speed.” said Mohanad Al Wadiya, managing director of Harbor Real Estate.

Article from Dubai City Guide

Dubai, December 27, 2009 – Harbor Real Estate, an integrated Real Estate service provider in Dubai, announced the signing of a professional services agreement with Prestige Advocates & Legal Consultants, a leading global law firm, to provide counselling to all Harbor clients and representation in all legal matters concerning real estate in Dubai.

The profound perception of the industry and the daily interface with real estate clientele has resulted in the espousal of a fresh innovative legal counselling scheme. According to a recent study conducted by Harbor research division, the majority of people perceive legal counselling as an exorbitant service which leaves them with no alternative other than staying unaided and frustrated. For that reason, the innovative legal solution introduced by Harbor & Prestige is viewed as a results-driven method; customers who seek legal counselling will incur minimal fees and no extra charges will be required in case of not winning the case.

Mohanad Alwadiya, Managing Director of Harbor Real Estate commented: “Lawyers at Prestige are second to none in terms of knowledge and experience, both locally and internationally. The combined real estate experience of Harbor and Prestige and the comprehensive understanding of the wide array of Real Estate issues in the UAE enable us to provide clear candid counsel and guidance to clients at all times to ensure that their rights are always protected”

“The legal services introduction is vital as the real estate market matures through the current economic crisis to become a more structured and regulated market,” Said Dr, Ali Al Jarman, Legal Partner of Harbor and founder of Prestige. “One of the objectives we aim to achieve through this partnership is to increase the public’s understanding of the law’s procedures and implications which will eventually help reduce the number of cases filed and will boost the overall confidence in the market.”

According to sources from RERA, the number of cases filed in Q1 2009 has increased by 55% compared to Q4 of 2008. The drastic increase in the number of disputes is a result of many reasons ranging from investors not fulfilling their obligations, Sale & Purchase agreements containing provisions that contradict the law about developers not delivering projects on time, and many more.

Harbor Real Estate services have evolved from traditional real estate brokerage of merely bringing buyers and sellers together to innovative world class end-to-end real estate services. The company services include, Real Estate Tailored Research Services, Integrated Marketing Services, Sales, Leasing & Conversion Management Services, Real Estate Investment Portfolio Management Services and, Holistic Real Estate Legal Services.
—–END—–

About Harbor Real Estate

Harbor Real Estate Brokerage is a fully integrated real estate service provider based in Dubai and part of an established world class group of real estate companies since 2001. With a strong reputation and a veteran team with over 15 years of experience in the industry, Harbor Real Estate provides Real Estate Research Services, Integrated Sales & Marketing Services, Sales and Lead Conversion Management Services and Real Estate Investment Portfolio Management Services.

Having served over 5,000 satisfied customers, Harbor has an extensive clientele base that consists of public and private entities, major developers, private and institutional investors and owner-occupiers..
Harbor Real Estate brokerage has a dedicated team of realtors and consultants who are renowned for their expertise, high level of professionalism and insight into local and international markets. The company is committed to providing its customers world class service and innovative real estate solutions.

In 2009, Harbor Real Estate Brokerage established a quarterly real estate report “The Harbor Report”. This candid report covers the latest news, developments and trends in the real estate industry with an in-depth analysis of the latest topics and current affairs.

The Harbor Services include:
REAL ESTATE RESEARCH SERVICES: Harbor believes that fact-based analysis generated from insights emanating from market research is the prerequisite to recommendations and tailor-made solutions that provide optimum results for its clients. Harbor’s market knowledge, experience, industry research and research auditing expertise are proven.

INTEGRATED SALES & MARKETING SERVICES: Developers will benefit from Harbor’s innovative marketing, communication and consulting services. Developed by Harbor’s dedicated experienced marketing & sales professionals, tailor made strategies are formulated to allow developers to fully capitalize on whatever opportunities exist in the marketplace and drive above benchmark results.

SALES AND LEAD CONVERSION MANAGEMENT SERVICES: Harbor’s Sales and Lead Conversion Management process transforms the normally lengthy and complicated transactional procedure into a systematic and disciplined solution. This unique ground-breaking approach fuels greater returns for our clients.

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT SERVICES: The Harbor Team consists of highly experienced and culturally diverse Realtors and consultants. The team prides itself in providing world class consultation services to investors of land, commercial and residential Real Estate in the UAE.

HOLISTIC REAL ESTATE LEGAL SERVICES: The Harbor professionally managed and certified legal arm offers the most experienced property legal services in the region. Its main offices are located in Dubai with associate offices in the GCC and Europe.

For further information, please contact:
Mohanad Alwadiya
Managing Director – Harbor Real Estate
Email: mohanad@harbordubai.com

Shatha Al Khatib
PR Account Manager – Harbor Communications
Mobile: +971 50 2908921
Phone: +971 4 325 1616
Email: shatha@harbordubai.com

Article from Ame Info

Dubai, December 27, 2009 – Harbor Real Estate, an integrated Real Estate service provider in Dubai, announced the signing of a professional services agreement with Prestige Advocates & Legal Consultants, a leading global law firm, to provide counselling to all Harbor clients and representation in all legal matters concerning real estate in Dubai.

The profound perception of the industry and the daily interface with real estate clientele has resulted in the espousal of a fresh innovative legal counselling scheme. According to a recent study conducted by Harbor research division, the majority of people perceive legal counselling as an exorbitant service which leaves them with no alternative other than staying unaided and frustrated. For that reason, the innovative legal solution introduced by Harbor & Prestige is viewed as a results-driven method; customers who seek legal counselling will incur minimal fees and no extra charges will be required in case of not winning the case.

Mohanad Alwadiya, Managing Director of Harbor Real Estate commented: “Lawyers at Prestige are second to none in terms of knowledge and experience, both locally and internationally. The combined real estate experience of Harbor and Prestige and the comprehensive understanding of the wide array of Real Estate issues in the UAE enable us to provide clear candid counsel and guidance to clients at all times to ensure that their rights are always protected”
“The legal services introduction is vital as the real estate market matures through the current economic crisis to become a more structured and regulated market,” Said Dr, Ali Al Jarman, Legal Partner of Harbor and founder of Prestige. “One of the objectives we aim to achieve through this partnership is to increase the public’s understanding of the law’s procedures and implications which will eventually help reduce the number of cases filed and will boost the overall confidence in the market.”

According to sources from RERA, the number of cases filed in Q1 2009 has increased by 55% compared to Q4 of 2008. The drastic increase in the number of disputes is a result of many reasons ranging from investors not fulfilling their obligations, Sale & Purchase agreements containing provisions that contradict the law about developers not delivering projects on time, and many more.

Harbor Real Estate services have evolved from traditional real estate brokerage of merely bringing buyers and sellers together to innovative world class end-to-end real estate services. The company services include, Real Estate Tailored Research Services, Integrated Marketing Services, Sales, Leasing & Conversion Management Services, Real Estate Investment Portfolio Management Services and, Holistic Real Estate Legal Services.
—–END—–

About Harbor Real Estate

Harbor Real Estate Brokerage is a fully integrated real estate service provider based in Dubai and part of an established world class group of real estate companies since 2001. With a strong reputation and a veteran team with over 15 years of experience in the industry, Harbor Real Estate provides Real Estate Research Services, Integrated Sales & Marketing Services, Sales and Lead Conversion Management Services and Real Estate Investment Portfolio Management Services.

Having served over 5,000 satisfied customers, Harbor has an extensive clientele base that consists of public and private entities, major developers, private and institutional investors and owner-occupiers..
Harbor Real Estate brokerage has a dedicated team of realtors and consultants who are renowned for their expertise, high level of professionalism and insight into local and international markets. The company is committed to providing its customers world class service and innovative real estate solutions.

In 2009, Harbor Real Estate Brokerage established a quarterly real estate report “The Harbor Report”. This candid report covers the latest news, developments and trends in the real estate industry with an in-depth analysis of the latest topics and current affairs.

The Harbor Services include:
REAL ESTATE RESEARCH SERVICES: Harbor believes that fact-based analysis generated from insights emanating from market research is the prerequisite to recommendations and tailor-made solutions that provide optimum results for its clients. Harbor’s market knowledge, experience, industry research and research auditing expertise are proven.

INTEGRATED SALES & MARKETING SERVICES: Developers will benefit from Harbor’s innovative marketing, communication and consulting services. Developed by Harbor’s dedicated experienced marketing & sales professionals, tailor made strategies are formulated to allow developers to fully capitalize on whatever opportunities exist in the marketplace and drive above benchmark results.

SALES AND LEAD CONVERSION MANAGEMENT SERVICES: Harbor’s Sales and Lead Conversion Management process transforms the normally lengthy and complicated transactional procedure into a systematic and disciplined solution. This unique ground-breaking approach fuels greater returns for our clients.

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT SERVICES: The Harbor Team consists of highly experienced and culturally diverse Realtors and consultants. The team prides itself in providing world class consultation services to investors of land, commercial and residential Real Estate in the UAE.

HOLISTIC REAL ESTATE LEGAL SERVICES: The Harbor professionally managed and certified legal arm offers the most experienced property legal services in the region. Its main offices are located in Dubai with associate offices in the GCC and Europe.

For further information, please contact:
Mohanad Alwadiya
Managing Director – Harbor Real Estate
Email: mohanad@harbordubai.com

Shatha Al Khatib
PR Account Manager – Harbor Communications
Mobile: +971 50 2908921
Phone: +971 4 325 1616
Email: shatha@harbordubai.com

Or visit:

www.harbordubai.com

Article from Eye of Dubai

Dubai, December 27, 2009 – Harbor Real Estate, an integrated Real Estate service provider in Dubai, announced the signing of a professional services agreement with Prestige Advocates & Legal Consultants, a leading global law firm, to provide counselling to all Harbor clients and representation in all legal matters concerning real estate in Dubai.

The profound perception of the industry and the daily interface with real estate clientele has resulted in the espousal of a fresh innovative legal counselling scheme. According to a recent study conducted by Harbor research division, the majority of people perceive legal counselling as an exorbitant service which leaves them with no alternative other than staying unaided and frustrated. For that reason, the innovative legal solution introduced by Harbor & Prestige is viewed as a results-driven method; customers who seek legal counselling will incur minimal fees and no extra charges will be required in case of not winning the case.

Mohanad Alwadiya, Managing Director of Harbor Real Estate commented: “Lawyers at Prestige are second to none in terms of knowledge and experience, both locally and internationally. The combined real estate experience of Harbor and Prestige and the comprehensive understanding of the wide array of Real Estate issues in the UAE enable us to provide clear candid counsel and guidance to clients at all times to ensure that their rights are always protected”

“The legal services introduction is vital as the real estate market matures through the current economic crisis to become a more structured and regulated market,” Said Dr, Ali Al Jarman, Legal Partner of Harbor and founder of Prestige. “One of the objectives we aim to achieve through this partnership is to increase the public’s understanding of the law’s procedures and implications which will eventually help reduce the number of cases filed and will boost the overall confidence in the market.”

According to sources from RERA, the number of cases filed in Q1 2009 has increased by 55% compared to Q4 of 2008. The drastic increase in the number of disputes is a result of many reasons ranging from investors not fulfilling their obligations, Sale & Purchase agreements containing provisions that contradict the law about developers not delivering projects on time, and many more.

Harbor Real Estate services have evolved from traditional real estate brokerage of merely bringing buyers and sellers together to innovative world class end-to-end real estate services. The company services include, Real Estate Tailored Research Services, Integrated Marketing Services, Sales, Leasing & Conversion Management Services, Real Estate Investment Portfolio Management Services and, Holistic Real Estate Legal Services.
—–END—–

About Harbor Real Estate

Harbor Real Estate Brokerage is a fully integrated real estate service provider based in Dubai and part of an established world class group of real estate companies since 2001. With a strong reputation and a veteran team with over 15 years of experience in the industry, Harbor Real Estate provides Real Estate Research Services, Integrated Sales & Marketing Services, Sales and Lead Conversion Management Services and Real Estate Investment Portfolio Management Services.

Having served over 5,000 satisfied customers, Harbor has an extensive clientele base that consists of public and private entities, major developers, private and institutional investors and owner-occupiers..
Harbor Real Estate brokerage has a dedicated team of realtors and consultants who are renowned for their expertise, high level of professionalism and insight into local and international markets. The company is committed to providing its customers world class service and innovative real estate solutions.

In 2009, Harbor Real Estate Brokerage established a quarterly real estate report “The Harbor Report”. This candid report covers the latest news, developments and trends in the real estate industry with an in-depth analysis of the latest topics and current affairs.

The Harbor Services include:
REAL ESTATE RESEARCH SERVICES: Harbor believes that fact-based analysis generated from insights emanating from market research is the prerequisite to recommendations and tailor-made solutions that provide optimum results for its clients. Harbor’s market knowledge, experience, industry research and research auditing expertise are proven.

INTEGRATED SALES & MARKETING SERVICES: Developers will benefit from Harbor’s innovative marketing, communication and consulting services. Developed by Harbor’s dedicated experienced marketing & sales professionals, tailor made strategies are formulated to allow developers to fully capitalize on whatever opportunities exist in the marketplace and drive above benchmark results.

SALES AND LEAD CONVERSION MANAGEMENT SERVICES: Harbor’s Sales and Lead Conversion Management process transforms the normally lengthy and complicated transactional procedure into a systematic and disciplined solution. This unique ground-breaking approach fuels greater returns for our clients.

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT SERVICES: The Harbor Team consists of highly experienced and culturally diverse Realtors and consultants. The team prides itself in providing world class consultation services to investors of land, commercial and residential Real Estate in the UAE.

HOLISTIC REAL ESTATE LEGAL SERVICES: The Harbor professionally managed and certified legal arm offers the most experienced property legal services in the region. Its main offices are located in Dubai with associate offices in the GCC and Europe.

For further information, please contact:
Mohanad Alwadiya
Managing Director – Harbor Real Estate
Email: mohanad@harbordubai.com

Shatha Al Khatib
PR Account Manager – Harbor Communications
Mobile: +971 50 2908921
Phone: +971 4 325 1616
Email: shatha@harbordubai.com

Or visit:

www.harbordubai.com

Article from Zawya

Dubai, December 27, 2009 – Harbor Real Estate, an integrated Real Estate service provider in Dubai, announced the signing of a professional services agreement with Prestige Advocates & Legal Consultants, a leading global law firm, to provide counselling to all Harbor clients and representation in all legal matters concerning real estate in Dubai.

The profound perception of the industry and the daily interface with real estate clientele has resulted in the espousal of a fresh innovative legal counselling scheme. According to a recent study conducted by Harbor research division, the majority of people perceive legal counselling as an exorbitant service which leaves them with no alternative other than staying unaided and frustrated. For that reason, the innovative legal solution introduced by Harbor & Prestige is viewed as a results-driven method; customers who seek legal counselling will incur minimal fees and no extra charges will be required in case of not winning the case.

Mohanad Alwadiya, Managing Director of Harbor Real Estate commented: “Lawyers at Prestige are second to none in terms of knowledge and experience, both locally and internationally. The combined real estate experience of Harbor and Prestige and the comprehensive understanding of the wide array of Real Estate issues in the UAE enable us to provide clear candid counsel and guidance to clients at all times to ensure that their rights are always protected”

“The legal services introduction is vital as the real estate market matures through the current economic crisis to become a more structured and regulated market,” Said Dr, Ali Al Jarman, Legal Partner of Harbor and founder of Prestige. “One of the objectives we aim to achieve through this partnership is to increase the public’s understanding of the law’s procedures and implications which will eventually help reduce the number of cases filed and will boost the overall confidence in the market.”

According to sources from RERA, the number of cases filed in Q1 2009 has increased by 55% compared to Q4 of 2008. The drastic increase in the number of disputes is a result of many reasons ranging from investors not fulfilling their obligations, Sale & Purchase agreements containing provisions that contradict the law about developers not delivering projects on time, and many more.

Harbor Real Estate services have evolved from traditional real estate brokerage of merely bringing buyers and sellers together to innovative world class end-to-end real estate services. The company services include, Real Estate Tailored Research Services, Integrated Marketing Services, Sales, Leasing & Conversion Management Services, Real Estate Investment Portfolio Management Services and, Holistic Real Estate Legal Services.
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About Harbor Real Estate

Harbor Real Estate Brokerage is a fully integrated real estate service provider based in Dubai and part of an established world class group of real estate companies since 2001. With a strong reputation and a veteran team with over 15 years of experience in the industry, Harbor Real Estate provides Real Estate Research Services, Integrated Sales & Marketing Services, Sales and Lead Conversion Management Services and Real Estate Investment Portfolio Management Services.

Having served over 5,000 satisfied customers, Harbor has an extensive clientele base that consists of public and private entities, major developers, private and institutional investors and owner-occupiers..
Harbor Real Estate brokerage has a dedicated team of realtors and consultants who are renowned for their expertise, high level of professionalism and insight into local and international markets. The company is committed to providing its customers world class service and innovative real estate solutions.

In 2009, Harbor Real Estate Brokerage established a quarterly real estate report “The Harbor Report”. This candid report covers the latest news, developments and trends in the real estate industry with an in-depth analysis of the latest topics and current affairs.

The Harbor Services include:
REAL ESTATE RESEARCH SERVICES: Harbor believes that fact-based analysis generated from insights emanating from market research is the prerequisite to recommendations and tailor-made solutions that provide optimum results for its clients. Harbor’s market knowledge, experience, industry research and research auditing expertise are proven.

INTEGRATED SALES & MARKETING SERVICES: Developers will benefit from Harbor’s innovative marketing, communication and consulting services. Developed by Harbor’s dedicated experienced marketing & sales professionals, tailor made strategies are formulated to allow developers to fully capitalize on whatever opportunities exist in the marketplace and drive above benchmark results.

SALES AND LEAD CONVERSION MANAGEMENT SERVICES: Harbor’s Sales and Lead Conversion Management process transforms the normally lengthy and complicated transactional procedure into a systematic and disciplined solution. This unique ground-breaking approach fuels greater returns for our clients.

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT SERVICES: The Harbor Team consists of highly experienced and culturally diverse Realtors and consultants. The team prides itself in providing world class consultation services to investors of land, commercial and residential Real Estate in the UAE.

HOLISTIC REAL ESTATE LEGAL SERVICES: The Harbor professionally managed and certified legal arm offers the most experienced property legal services in the region. Its main offices are located in Dubai with associate offices in the GCC and Europe.

For further information, please contact:
Mohanad Alwadiya
Managing Director – Harbor Real Estate
Email: mohanad@harbordubai.com

Shatha Al Khatib
PR Account Manager – Harbor Communications
Mobile: +971 50 2908921
Phone: +971 4 325 1616
Email: shatha@harbordubai.com

or visit:

www.harbordubai.com