Lebanon’s real estate sector forges ahead
Total real estate transactions in Lebanon increased 39.5 percent in the first five months of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009. In that time the average real estate sale value jumped 47.2 percent and the number of construction permits rose 53.7 percent, according to Bank Audi’s June real estate report. The greatest indicator of demand, said the report, was the doubling of total real estate sales over the five months — between 2004 and 2009, average growth for this period was 19.5 percent. Lebanese residents and expatriates made up 85 to 90 percent of total demand, while the amount of sales to non-Lebanese grew by 10.7 percent compared to last year, according to the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre. Housing loans added up to $3.1 billion, thus considerably helping Lebanese residents’ purchasing power, said the report, while noting that these loans take up only 2.5 percent of banks’ balance sheets in Lebanon.
Solidere rakes in record revenue
Solidere, Lebanon’s largest property developer, recorded record revenues for 2009, hitting $336 million last year, up 17.5 percent year-on-year, according to the latest figures released on June 21 by BLOMInvest, the investment arm of BLOM Bank. The number matched BLOMInvest’s expectation of $340 million for the year and was mainly driven by land sales, which made up 91 percent of revenues. Rental revenues increased from $22 million in 2008 to $27 million in 2009, and this year are expected to draw a greater proportion of rental income in line with the recent full opening of the Beirut Souks retail project. Gross income rose 13 percent to reach $234 million, while net income grew only 3 percent, totaling $189 million, compared to $183 million in 2008. Liquidity dropped to $114 million due to necessary dividend payments and payouts for new projects.
More space to grow
Construction permits issued in the first four months of this year covered 5.1 million square meters, a 56.5 percent expansion compared to the same period a year ago, said Albert Aoun, chief executive officer of International Fairs and Promotions, at the opening of the 15th edition of the Project Lebanon exhibition last month at BIEL. Aoun, whose firm organized the event, said in his speech that the booming real estate sector in the country has not been affected by the credit crisis. Project Lebanon showcased regional and international construction, building materials, equipment and technology firms and drew some 600 exhibitors – the largest number to date by a margin of nearly 25 percent.
Noor International’s big talk in the south
Noor International Holding announced in mid June plans to build a residential project of 74 homes and 444 apartment units in the southern district of Azza, 62 kilometers south of Beirut. If construction actually begins, this will be the first project in the south of the country for the Lebanese developer, which has opened an office in Nabatiyeh. Other recently announced Nour projects include the “Cedar Island” off the coast of Lebanon and the “Arab Star Islands” off the coast of Syria, intended to offer “luxury” living communities on artificially created islands. Neither project, however, has yet to progress much beyond blueprints on a page, despite the fanfare.
Egyptian and Syrian developers join forces
Egypt’s fourth largest developer by market value, Six of October Development and Investment (SODIC), will acquire 50 percent of the Syrian developer Palmyra in a $40.5 million deal, according to a press release issued by the Egypt Stock Exchange last month. The newly formed Palmyra-SODIC, financially advised by EFG Hermes Syria, will be managed by SODIC and plans to develop several residential, retail and commercial projects in and around Cairo. “With a population of 20 million, strong economic fundamentals, an underserved real estate market and a strong and reputable partner, we are extremely optimistic about the future of this venture. We believe there’s a lot of value to be generated,” said Maher Maksoud, SODIC’s chief executive officer. Palmyra is a subsidiary of MAS Economic Group, and although it has 2.6 million square meters of land in Damascus, Aleppo, and Lattakia, its only existing project so far is a 169 villa residential compound near the periphery of Damascus, due to be completed by 2012. Real estate exchange set to open in Dubai
The first specialized real estate exchange in the world, trading asset-backed securities in the sector, plans to open branches in Dubai and London. The Irex Group, a Canadian company, announced in a press release last month that it will create and run a marketplace which will list and trade assets in real estate, functioning in a manner similar to a stock exchange. The Irex exchange branches should be open by 2012. All securities listed on the exchange will be approved and licensed by the appropriate government figures, according to the group, which is now in the process of seeking approval from the Dubai government to set up its MENA exchange branch there. Safar al-Harthi, executive chairman of the Irex Group, says that the company has been working on the real estate exchange for 10 years and is now in a position to set it up in the Gulf. “Dubai is the preferred location for the regional branch of the real estate exchange due to its infrastructure and regulatory framework,” he said, adding that the new mechanism will help developers through the credit crisis by offering financial instruments, such as real estate investment trusts, which will increase regulation and confidence among market players.
Concerns raised at real estate forum
The first edition of the Lebanon Property Investment Forum ‘Estate Lebanon 2010’ saw market experts discuss property-related issues, such as the effect of the global and regional financial crisis on the Lebanese real estate sector, property market trends in the country, regulatory framework and urban planning issues. In the first panel entitled “The Fundamentals of the Lebanese Real Estate Sector,” while most of the speakers expressed confidence in the real estate market and the health of the sector, Nassib Ghobril, head of economic research and analysis at Byblos expressed some concerns. Ghobril said he expected growth in the Lebanese property market to slow as expatriates, who used to represent a major share of the market, are finding Lebanese properties expensive and therefore may begin looking elsewhere for other opportunities. He added that there is a high level of land speculation that will hurt the market, in addition to the lack of a price index and adequate data. “No one realizes there is a bubble until it bursts,” he said.
Top award for world’s tallest tower
Less than six months after it opened, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai has won one of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat’s awards for ‘Best Tall Building’, according to Emirates Business. The daily also reported that service charges at the world’s tallest tower are $14.4 per square foot for residential units and $15.16 per square foot for office units. Mohanad Alwadiya, managing director of Harbor Real Estate, told the paper: “If you compare the total maintenance and service charges of Burj Khalifa to other luxurious projects in town, you’ll find that it is not the highest, which is quite impressive, as everyone was expecting the Burj Khalifa charges to break all records in terms of maintenance and service charges.” Real estate brokers informed Emirates Business that most owners of the units, who all paid in cash, do not want to sell but would rather lease their units for now, as they expect prices to rise. Alwadiya said the current market price for residential units, capped at $1143 per square foot, is higher than the original price issued by Emaar, the Dubai developer that build the tower, which set a maximum of $980 per square foot. According to Gulf News, real estate ads are asking for $81,700 as the starting price of a two-bedroom apartment.
