Investors within the UAE property marketplace are already facing some serious annoyances recently, particularly in the northern emirates of Umm ul Quwain, Ajman, and Ras Al Khaimah. Ajman may be a particular location of choice for numerous Pakistanis who are already fascinated by the inexpensive off-plan property or home prices and the assure of a property visa. Now that a few of these jobs have finished or are nearing completion, they have learned that they get a 1 year visa which needs to be renewed every 12 months at a price of AED 1,500 and even worse, they might not have any electricity in the warm and damp desert climate for several years !
Thousands of structures are being designed within the United Arab Emirates throughout the current booming situation but they have ignored one serious development issue – Electricity !! Many brand-new buildings that have already been finished, stand in darkness and this has caused most the owners of the apartments in these structures stand frustrated. Many moved in furniture and belongings expecting the electrical power to be connected with a few days but they are nevertheless waiting months later and it seems that the problem will not go away until 2012 at the earliest.
In Umm al Qaiwain, a Dh30-billion project by the Dubai-based developer Tameer, Al Salam Town, was set on hold in May due to the lack of electricity and water. The actual postpone in such a high-profile task, that was considered to are already 70% sold, would be a main blow to the emirate.
Safeer Mall, in RAK, which was finished in June, and has the largest hypermarket within the region, remains empty due to the electrical power crisis. A spokesman for that mall mentioned they’ve lost all hope of solving the issue and companies are starting to withdraw stock.
In RAK alone, 3,532 constructing permits have been issued. But up to 2,145 structures within the emirate are still waiting to be connected with electrical power, based on the municipality.
In whole districts of Ajman, new high-rise towers, completed without delaying, however have stood empty for many months. In the evening, occasional lighting effects driven through generators highlights the idle buildings.
Developers, unable to persuade the federal or municipal authorities to switch the power on, are watching investments running into millions of dirhams showing no sign of generating the expected return.
Ajman has signed an agreement with the Malaysian energy producer MMC to build the Gulf’s first coal-powered electricity plant. The task won’t be ready until 2012.
It’s unlikely that the energy crisis will be resolved prior to 2013.
Mr Shaban spent millions on setting up company in the Emirate and is now experiencing wreck and having to return to Egypt with absolutely nothing and claims others are in comparable predicaments. “Many people purchased a flat right here. They might have purchased it for Dh900,000 and now they have had to market it for Dh500,000.”
Without having power, he claims, there could be “no existence, no improvement…… you are nothing”.
“You can anticipate this to happen in other countries, but not the UAE,” he added. “How will the development with the city be accomplished if all of the company individuals leave? People are already saying there is no energy in Ajman, so why are they still giving approval for the buildings?”
Many Pakistanis who invested in the property markets of Dubai, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah are now dumping their properties at below their purchase costs and are trying to take out what ever they can of their investments. Islamabad is experiencing a resurgence in real estate investment as a lot of this cash s becoming repatriated to the safety with the federal capital of Pakistan.
Have you bought property in the UAE? Have you been made aware of this situation? Wat are your thoughts on this?
Come and see more related articles
The Author is a Management Consultant and has been investing in real estate in the Middle East for over 6 years and has built up an impressive amount of knowledge about the property market in the UAE and other regions. The next emerging Market is Pakistan..get in early