An example is the first new residential tower on Dubai Marina since 2008 which has sold 90% of its units in just five months.
UK based property investment company, Select Property, said that strong sales at the £71 million West Avenue project indicates that the Dubai property market is starting to generate strong interest again.
West Avenue offers 270 one and two bedroom apartments starting at £122,500 as well as four luxury penthouses with a price tag of £1.2 million.
Interestingly, only 6% of the sales are to UK buyers, whereas before the downturn in 2008 this figure was nearer 60%, indicating that British purchasers remain cautious.
The buyers are typically people looking to live in the property themselves or rent it out to Dubai residents. This is very different to the average buyer pre 2008, the majority of who were looking to take advantage of rapid capital appreciation.
The recent movement in the Emirate’s property market can be attributed to a number of factors, one of which is the strengthening of supporting infrastructure such as shops, transport systems, and restaurants in key areas such as Dubai Marina, Business Bay and Downtown Dubai.
New buying and building regulations have also helped the market to stabilise, providing protection to purchasers, landlords and tenants.
According to Select Property, it is the location of West Avenue on the Marina, along with the high quality of the development, that has caused the scheme to be so successful.
‘Before the crash in 2008 many investors were buying in Dubai simply on the strength of the Dubai brand. Now there is an established infrastructure and very obvious property hotspots such as the Marina,’ said Mark Stott, chief executive officer of Select Property.
‘It’s really encouraging that so many of the buyers are end users who are intending on living at the development as this will boost the burgeoning communities,’ he explained.
‘The market is much more stable than it was five years ago as the new regulations mean that only real buyers can invest in the Emirate and subsequently it is in a much more sustainable position,’ he added.
