Surviving a slow market

Without a radical improvement in the political and security climates, Lebanon’s real estate market is unlikely to pick up. The market thus continues to stagnate as the economic, political and security situations continue to deteriorate. The picture may look gloomy, but it is not desperate. Demand may have slowed but it exists, with professional developers still launching new projects and prospecting for new plots of land. The rental market, meanwhile, is still active, particularly during the summer months just before schools resume. Stringent market conditions, however, do have repercussions for market players on both the supply and demand sides of the equation. Surviving a slow market requires tight maneuvering and a keen understanding of market dynamics, in particular what buyers are looking for. What apartment size do they want? Do they want a maid’s room? Do they want a family/TV room? Do they want two or three bedrooms? What budgets