Emaar Properties Partners With Standard Chartered Bank To Offer Two Easy Home Finance Options

Emaar Properties has partnered with Standard Chartered Bank to extend two easy home finance packages for all its projects in Dubai that will be delivered in the next nine months.

Standard Chartered Bank will offer two mortgage products – the Asset Back Lending (ABL) Product and Standard Mortgage Product (SMP). The Asset Back Lending (ABL) Product offers an easy loan of up to 40 per cent of the property price with mortgage of AED 100,000 to AED 2.5 million will be provided for a tenure of 3 to 25 years.

The Standard Mortgage Product offers a standard loan of up to 75 per cent of the property price. Potential end-users and customers can obtain financial support from AED 150,000 to AED 10 million for a tenure of 3 to 25 years.

The home finance options will cover an extended portfolio of Emaar projects including apartments and villas in Dubai in prime locations such as Downtown Burj Dubai, Dubai Marina, Arabian Ranches and Emirates Living. The ABL easy loan is particularly tailored for current investors and end-users seeking financial support to complete the remaining payments before handover, while the standard mortgage will appeal to all potential home-buyers.

Mr Ahmad Al Matrooshi, Managing Director – UAE, Emaar Properties, said: “The partnership between Emaar Properties and Standard Chartered Bank is a huge confidence booster for Dubai’s property sector, as it marks the strengthening of liquidity levels. Emaar has always been at the forefront of industry-leading initiatives and this collaboration will further invigorate the market and strengthen investor confidence.”

He added: “The two easy mortgage plans are tied in for the projects that are to be delivered in the next nine months. The ABL product, an easy loan, particularly underscores our commitment to support investors who have been affected by the unprecedented challenges of the global financial crisis.”

Commenting on the partnership, Chris de Bruin, Head of Consumer Banking, Standard Chartered UAE said, "This is an exciting opportunity for Standard Chartered to broaden the core range of our home finance solutions which are offered by us in both conventional and Shariah compliant varieties. The introduction of this new line up is part of the larger consumer banking concept that Standard Chartered has created specifically to be more customer centric.”

Potential customers can visit the Emaar Sales Centre within Downtown Burj Dubai or the nearest Standard Chartered Bank branch located at Emaar Business Square and complete the formalities to avail of the mortgage. They can also call toll-free 800-EMAAR (36227) or the Standard Chartered Bank hotline at 600-522288 for more details. Customers can also email at home.loans@sc.com to fix an appointment with SCB’s Home Loans Sales Representatives.

Emaar has already handed over several thousand homes in Dubai. World-class villas and apartments in integrated communities with all lifestyle amenities are being developed in Downtown Burj Dubai, Arabian Ranches, Dubai Marina and Emirates Living – the four Emaar communities.

Dubai Real Estate on Road to Recovery

Although cash and confidence issues still prevail, Dubai’s property market will witness the first green shoots of recovery sometime between the end of 2009 and the second quarter of 2010, according to a panel of industry experts speaking here today (Tuesday 2 June) at the third ‘not for profit’ Cityscape Connect business breakfast. Attended by more than 100 property executives, legal advisors and investors, the industry forums were initiated to stimulate networking, transparency and open debate on the key issues affecting the Dubai real estate industry which although experiencing a dramatic reversal of fortunes, is now showing signs that the market is stabilising and prices are beginning to bottom-out.Elaine Jones, CEO of Dubai-based real estate agency Asteco echoed the sentiment of the panel: “It’s about cash & confidence. For example, we need to reduce interest rates, relax lending criteria and address the residency visa issue. This will at least start to bring back much needed confidence to the market and begin to stimulate growth.’Indeed investor confidence was debated at length, examining numerous issues such as defaults, incomplete projects, late payments and fraud. “Trust is strained,’ stated Sunil Gomes, of Guru Real Estate. “Credibility is king, if we lose that we have nothing. Projects must be completed and investors better protected.’Steven Henderson, Partner in legal firm Clifford Chance, agreed that trust was paramount but added that the law had previously been struggling to keep up with the rapid growth of the market and that an over regulated market might have an adverse effect and stifle growth.“Dubai has introduced Escrow accounts and the Strata law, but a federal law for real estate would also help to restore confidence. Banks also have a role to play here especially when developers experience credit or cash flow problems’ he said.Difficulties in the banking sector have been widely reported, however, the panel agreed that although credit was available for exceptionally low risk customers, besides rates and approval ratings, the sector needed consistency.“Historically, the region has practiced ‘relationship lending’ but now with the credit crunch, banks are more cautious and have raised their minimum lending criteria especially for real estate projects. They can no longer just use the project as security they often also require ring-fenced assets independent to the project as security.’However despite industry issues the panel was optimistically cautious about the timescale for recovery. Asked when Dubai could expect a market recovery, the general consensus was sometime between the end of 2009 and the second quarter of 2010.“This clearly shows that industry sentiment has moved into positive territory and it is equally important that Cityscape through the Connect series of events continues to provide a platform for open debate. As the largest real estate event brand of its kind in the world, it is crucial in these times of economic uncertainty that Cityscape remains a trusted brand, giving back to the industry that it supports,“ said Rohan Marwaha, Managing Director of the CityscapeModerated by Bob Hird, Senior Director and Head of Investments at CB Richard Ellis, other industry experts on the panel included, David Macadam, Director of Commercial Division at Better Homes and Shahram Shamsaee, SVP Shopping Malls, Majid Al Futtaim Company.Cityscape Connect is an initiative of Cityscape, the real estate service brand that has achieved international recognition and success.  Cityscape events are held in Dubai, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, New York, Mumbai, Moscow, Saudi Arabia and Latin America. Cityscape events attract key industry figures such as international investors, property developers, governmental and development authorities, leading architects, designers, consultants and senior professionals involved in the property industry. Furthermore Cityscape has also established Cityscape Intelligence, an online subscription based service for real estate professionals, Cityscape Datamonitor, a real estate research consultancy, and the Cityscape magazine.Photo-caption: Panel of experts address challenges facing the real estate industry at Cityscape Connect DubaiFor more details about all aspects of Cityscape, please visit www.cityscapeglobal.com

Dubai Islamic Bank Purchases Outstanding Trust Certificates Through Cash Tender Offer

Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), the largest Islamic bank in the UAE, announced today that it has purchased US$50.6 million from the partial cash tender offer to retire US$200 million of outstanding sukuk certificates, which was announced in May 2009. DIB purchased the trust certificates at 88 per cent of the face value. The transaction was settled on May 21, 2009.Through this transaction, DIB has become the first Islamic bank to purchase its outstanding trust certificates through a cash tender offer. The transaction also demonstrates DIB’s strong liquidity position and the bank’s healthy repayment capability and surplus funding. Demonstrating the continuing investor confidence in DIB, a significant percentage of investors have decided to hold the certificates. DIB is rated A1/A- by Moodys and S&P.“This transaction is a testament of the market’s confidence in DIB’s future earning capabilities and its growth strategy,” Mohammed Saleem, Chief of Treasury at DIB, said. “Our investors have reiterated their comfort in their ongoing exposure to DIB, and this is a major validation of our financial strength and the franchise value.“Taking into consideration recent market developments, DIB successfully established a competitive cash tender offer for the trust certificates, creating a favourable offer for investors as well as realising a net gain for DIB. The bank continues to be in a positive liquidity position and maintains sufficient funding to retire the facility earlier than maturity. This marks another successful transaction for DIB, and further validates our business strategy amidst challenging conditions.”The five-year sukuk facility was launched in the first quarter of 2007 through its inaugural US$ 750million Sukuk Certificates. Barclays Capital, DIB Capital and Standard Chartered Bank acted as the lead managers for the cash tender offer.

The Specialists leverages global network of customers to help restore investor confidence in Dubai property market

The Real Estate Specialists has recently announced that it is leveraging its extensive global network of partners and customers to support an ongoing campaign to boost consumer confidence in the UAE’s real estate market. Furthermore, The Specialists revealed that it has taken steps to help make it easier for investors, particularly foreign nationals, to buy properties as part of initiatives aimed at boosting liquidity in the property sector and sustaining market growth.The Specialists disclosed that government intervention will also play a major role in creating new avenues for fresh investments to enter the property sector by implementing investor-friendly policies and streamlining investment processes. The banks’ renewed interest to offer financing facilities has been another important deciding factor identified by The Specialists that will help attract new capital into the country’s real estate industry. Mohamed El Sabbagh, Managing Director, The Real Estate Specialists said: "Efforts to boost consumer confidence are crucially important to reach our ultimate goal of reinvigorating the property market. The Specialists has contributed to such a campaign by leveraging our global network of partners and customers to create awareness about the positive developments that are happening in the property market of Dubai and the UAE. Investors need to be properly informed to make rational investment decisions and to encourage them to resume their investment activities." "The decision to provide short-term, multiple-entry visas to foreign owners of properties was certainly a very commendable move by the UAE Federal Government that will surely create a positive impression on foreign investors. Measures such as this are clear indications that the UAE is moving in the right direction towards ultimately recapturing the confidence of international investors," added Sabbagh. The UAE Federal Government recently introduced a multiple-entry visa for owners of properties and residential units in the UAE, allowing them to stay in the country for up to six months. Furthermore, the new law also allows the applicant’s spouse and children to stay in the country. The Specialists expects that such measures will provide the impetus to drive consumer confidence and help in gradually stabilising property prices in the UAE. The Specialists delivers a comprehensive range of services to cover all types of property transactions within both the commercial and residential markets, for lease and for sale. The company additionally offers comprehensive property management services to clients in the UAE, while it has also been expanding across other key markets in the Middle East including Lebanon.