In its half yearly survey of public opinion on Dubai’s real estate sector, DSL Exhibitions – organizers of the Resale & Rental (R&R) Property Show, due to be held in Dubai on 13th and 14th April 2007 at Crowne Plaza Dubai – have found residents of the city uniformly concerned with the drastic drop in the quality of life in Dubai due to the exponential construction boom.

Conducted with 567 residents of Dubai who have lived here for 3 years or more, the recent opinion survey was focused on urban planning and quality of life issues that the city is facing. The demographic backgrounds of the respondents were chosen to reflect the population mix of Dubai to avoid bias that a particular segment may hold on the issues presented. The proportions were as follows: UAE nationals 20%, Indian sub-continent 60%, Arab Expatriates 15% and others 5%.

The survey is part of a series that DSL Exhibitions conducts every six months as a value addition to the R&R Show – the city’s first and most popular real estate exhibition focusing on the secondary market, both resale and rental.

‘It an important feedback mechanism for us and our clients,’ said Tessa Morris, Marketing Director, DSL Exhibitions. ‘The key objective of these surveys is to reflect the residents’ views on the pressing issues they face with regards to the real estate sector. As most local and international developers, big and small, are exhibitors at our shows that travel across the world, giving our clients a total picture of the market they exhibit in, constitutes a vital part of our product.’

The summary of the survey findings are as under:

Multiple choice:
Supply / demand imbalance in Dubai

• Do you feel there is a demand supply imbalance in Dubai’s property market?: 78% of respondents said that there is an imbalance, while 21 percent said there is not. 1% of the respondents said they do not know.

• If yes, which sector is over supplied?: Of the 78% who said that there is an imbalance, nearly all said that the luxury apartment segment is over supplied.

• If yes, which sector is undersupplied?: 89% of the respondents said that the medium income group segment is undersupplied while 11% felt that there was a shortage of 2-3 bedroom villas in the market.

• What, in your opinion, is the remedy for this?: Almost all respondents (98%) felt that government intervention is needed to create affordable residential communities.

The effect of the construction boom on quality of life

• How has the construction boom affected your quality of life?: 72% of the respondents said that their lives have been negatively impacted by the construction boom, while 15% said that their quality of life has improved because of it. 23% maintained that their lives were not impacted at all.

• If negatively, what are the areas that concern you most?: Of those who said that their quality of life has deteriorated, 54% said that rent inflation was the most worrying factor while 46% voted on traffic congestions as the critical determinant.

• If positively, which aspects have benefited you?: Of those who voted for a positive impact on their quality of lives, almost all named ownership of property as the most positive factor.

• Do you feel that Dubai will offer an attractive quality of life once construction is complete?: A significant proportion of respondents (81%) said that they were sure quality of life will improve once the construction projects are complete while 12% felt it will not. 7% felt they were not sure.

Experience with real estate / construction industry

• In the last few years, how has been your experience with the real estate / construction industry?: A sizeable majority (65%) said they have had negative experiences with the real estate / construction industry, while 22% said their encounters had been positive. 13% remained neutral.

• If negative, which aspects have directly impacted you?: Of those who voted for this category, lack of professionalism in the industry accounted for 62%, while missed deadlines was the woe of 30% of the respondents. 5% said that quality of construction / infrastructure was the major area of worry for them.

• If positive, which aspects have directly benefited you?: Surprisingly, of those who said they were happy with the industry, almost all 97% voted for professionalism in the industry, while 3% voted for quality of construction.

• How can the real estate / construction industry improve itself?: A whopping majority (92%) said there needs to be better regulation of the industry, while 5% voted for more professionals entering the field. 3% respondents said better planning is required by the industry.

Open ended:
Critical urban planning challenges for Dubai

• What is the most critical urban planning challenge facing Dubai? Issues related with real estate prices (both rental and resale were included) and transportation figured most prominently in the concerns the respondents underlined in their responses. Other issues such as decentralizing the Dubai urban planning off the main artery (Sheikh Zayed Road) and development of stand-alone, sub-urban communities also figured prominently in the suggestions.

• How can this be most effectively mitigated?: Almost all respondents felt that government intervention – such as the metro currently under construction – was needed if Dubai wanted to keep growing, while maintaining a sustainable quality of life and stable demographic ratio.

The R&R show will be held on 13th and 14th April 2007 at Crowne Plaza form 12 noon to 9pm. Entry to the show is free.

About DSL Exhibitions:
DSL Exhibitions is an international exhibition and conference company that specialises in organising events in the Middle East. The company’s mission is “to create an effective platform, in a conducive environment, to bring clients and consumers together in one location for a common purpose.’ DSL Exhibitions has many brands under which the company organizes its shows to keep up with the complexities of ever-changing markets. Their property exhibitions attract leading international developers, agents, lenders, mortgage brokers, lawyers and investment consultants.

For more information please contact:

Karen Hernandez
Business Development Manager
DSL Exhibitions
Ph: + 971 4 329 0509
Fx: + 971 4 332 5511

Rohini Rego
Media Relations Manager
Tel:04 282 0044
www.partnershipme.com

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