Some residents are hunting for properties with gardens or more space as the work-from-home trend continues, while demand for short-term rentals is also on the up.
However, the idea of investing in real estate might seem a little risky for some when you consider the world is only just emerging from the pandemic.
So, what alternatives are there for investors that want a slice of the real estate market without saving up a huge deposit? Are UAE property prices really on the rise? And, what other global markets should you consider investing in now?
Host Alice Haine from
The National is joined by Siddiq Farid, the founder and chief executive of SmartCrowd, a digital real estate investment platform that allows investors to crowdfund their property purchase.
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One of the biggest personal finance concerns many people have faced over the years is dishonest advisers selling complex, high-commission financial products to unsuspecting investors that can lock them in for years.
Amber Waheed is one of them. The Dubai-based business strategist and author of the recently released
The Great Fraud Fightback lost $80,000 after being duped by her adviser into signing up for long-term investments she believed were low risk.
It is a familiar, heart-breaking tale for many. But Ms Waheed decided to fight back and took her case to the UAE regulators. This was the first step in what turned out to be a landmark legal case in the UAE when her adviser was convicted of offering financial advice without a licence.
Buying property is also one of the best investments we can make – even if it doesn t appreciate in value, it still means that we are paying ourselves rather than a landlord.
But one of the biggest concerns for homeowners is the interest they pay on their mortgages, whether it is variable or fixed. While today s record low interest rate environment might be bad news for savers, it spells great news for homeowners looking to refinance their mortgages and reduce their monthly instalments.
Unsurprisingly, there has been a jump in the number of people seeking to refinance their home loans, according to Mortgage Finder, the Dubai-based independent home loan specialist.
In the UK, Britons have built up £100 billion ($136.54bn) in excess savings during the pandemic, according to the Bank of England.
In the US, America’s young adults have doubled their assets to more than $10 trillion for the first time ever, data from the Federal Reserve shows.
So, how should the young handle their new Covid cash piles? With vaccinations set to ease restrictions in 2021, is now the time to splurge that cash or to build on that savings base?
Host Alice Haine from
The National is joined by Iona Bain – the founder of Young Money Agency and the author of
While an army of DIY investors in the UAE now adopt a long-term approach by investing in exchange-traded funds, others prefer a helping hand from either a regulated financial adviser or digital investment platforms, known as robo-advisers.
But, how about taking it one step further and using the power of Artificial Intelligence to ensure our investment decisions stay in line with our rational values?
Host Alice Haine is joined by Mehdi Fichtali, the founder of Finamaze, a new hybrid human AI robo-asset manager, which launched in Abu Dhabi in November.
Listen to last week s episode to find out whether now is the time to invest in post-Brexit Britain: