Delegates to the invite-only Cityscape Qatar Conference, which will run at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre on October 22, will get a multi-sector overview of the country’s real estate market and expert insights into the gross yields within its residential sector, the organisers have said.

The overview and insights will be delivered by ValuStrat general manager Pawel Banach and senior market research analyst Anum Hasan. The two will present a comprehensive overview of the current market covering the entire property spectrum, including residential, commercial, office, retail, hospitality, and industrial.

They will then drill down into gross yields within the residential sector and examine the issue of leasing versus buying apartments in the context of The Pearl-Qatar and Lusail.

“All sectors have different trajectories and are in different stages of development. In every sector there are assets which are performing better compared to others. For example, in the residential sector apartments in prime locations are performing better in terms of occupancy, as rents in these locations have reduced to make them affordable to a larger section of the population,” explained Banach.

Banach said the Qatari market is now benefitting from pro-active public sector initiatives, including the recently-released freehold zones law, which increased the number of freehold zones, allowed non-Qataris to own freehold property, enabled 100% foreign ownership, and 100% repatriation of profits across all sectors.

“Government spending and policies have been key in encouraging foreign direct investment in Qatar real estate. Robust government spending has been crucial in driving investor confidence and has also aided economic diversification and private sector development. Moreover, the government continues to introduce policies and laws which encourage foreign investment and augment capital flow,” added Banach, who also contends that new financial incentives will also help spur the market.

“Recently banks have started offering very attractive interest rates to encourage home ownership. Moreover, developers are also now offering payment plans over three to five-year period not only on off plan properties but also handed over properties in The Pearl and Lusail in order to augment buying opportunities,” he said.

One of the speakers at this year’s conference, Cushman & Wakefield Qatar’s Edd Brookes has dubbed the local market as “probably one of the most stable in the region with demand slowly converging towards equilibrium, assisted in no small way by a flight to quality and more affordable property costs for occupiers.”

Brookes said the market is benefiting from positive sentiment accrued from scaled-up transport options and great ownership and incomes security. He identifies the medium cost housing sector as the best performing asset, especially in locations outside Doha but which are now commutable thanks to the Metro network.

Cityscape Qatar Conference has been designed for institutional investors, private, investors and semi-government officers, and C-level executives from the real estate, finance, legal, and associated sectors. A combination of high-level presentations and expert panel discussion will deliberate trends impacting the market. Invites are available by registering online.

Meanwhile, the free-to-attend Cityscape Talks series will return to the show floor of Cityscape Qatar on October 23 and 24, with a wide choice of presentations.



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