Dubai
Dubai is blessed with year-round sunshine, golden beaches and world-class shopping.
Located on the Arabian peninsula and bordered on one side by the Arabian Gulf and on the other by the Gulf of Oman, it is the financial heart of the Middle East, with a flourishing economy that is reflected in a multitude of building programs.
In the last few years, Dubai has emerged as a global economic player and a major tourist destination. It sits at the epicentre of the all-important strategic routeway of the modern world, linking China, India, the Middle East, Europe and the US.
In its determination to become the strategic financial centre of the modern world, the successor to New York and London, Dubai is investing massive sums of money and transforming itself into a new model place to live and work.
While local customs must be respected - no loud music during Ramadan, and no eating in front of Muslims on fast days – Dubai successfully synthesizes the best of London, Sydney, Miami and Las Vegas. And nowhere in the world do you get such good service!
The country is also enjoying a boom in tourism with 5 million visitors a year, and 80% of its 1 million inhabitants are expatriates.
This designer destination is ideal for those who enjoy a cosmopolitan life rich with every contemporary comfort, and for those who seek a secure investment.
Today, Dubai's Riviera is home to some of the most remarkable constructions in the world. The Palms are the largest man-made islands on earth, a massive project that will bring over 62 miles of new beachfront as well as hotels, villas, shopping malls, cinemas and Dubai's first marine park.
When completed, the Burj Dubai will be the tallest tower on earth. Dubai Mall is the biggest shopping mall in the world, and another, the world's largest retail development, is under construction. One indoor ski resort, with real snow and its own black run, exists already, and there is to be a second, with a revolving mountain.
Also under construction are "Hydropolis", the first underwater luxury hotel resort, and Dubailand, an awe-inspiring development far bigger than Monaco, divided into six themed "worlds" and featuring state-of-the-art sporting facilities, theme parks, eco-tourism resorts, museums, galleries, spas and stunning shopping and recreation venues. It will employ 300,000 people, servicing a projected 15 million visitors.
A new urban railway with 37 stops begins construction soon, serving Dubai's own Silicon Oasis for computer companies, and a mixed development called Dubai Waterfront/Arabian Canal which will cover an area larger than Barbados and house more people than Paris.
Obviously, this expansion brings with it a host of jobs and opportunities, making Dubai truly one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, with expatriate residents from over 200 different countries.
Dubai is quite literally shopping heaven.
You can choose from an endless stream of shopping centres selling branded goods and traditional souks selling ethnic crafts, spices, perfumes and jewellery.
Luxury items are cheaper in Dubai than in most countries and you can buy anything from designer clothes to electronics.
The city state of Dubai is in the middle of a huge property boom. It is the Middle East's hub for trade, finance, land-sea-air logistics, property, leisure, entertainment, retail, IT, media, education, and medical activities and, in the next 3 years, is set to be the second fastest-growing metropolis in the world after Shanghai.
Property prices are extremely reasonable compared with other capital cities. For example, villas in Dubai cost around $1,000 per square metre whereas apartments in London's Docklands can be 5 times that price.
The population is growing by 8% per annum. Many companies are establishing headquarters in Dubai, so there is a high proportion of mid-high earners with disposable income.
The country has 5 million visitors a year currently, and a predicted 15 million by 2010. All this adds up to a high demand for rentals. Yields are high, and investment returns are rising between 10–20% annually.
Dubai is showing robust economic growth: GDP grew 12% from 2003 to 2004, and unemployment is non-existent.
New developments are springing up all the time, and the country offers literally thousands of great value luxury properties, many in the process of being built, which will doubtless become lucrative investments.
Recent years have seen capital appreciation rise by between 15 - 25% anually.
Standards of living are high, and build quality is excellent; all our properties have a 10-year structural warranty.
