Mention Arabian property and the chances are that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will spring to mind first. If you’re thinking of looking to the Middle East for property investment, there are other areas, in addition to the UAE, that are worth exploring, such as Qatar.

Interest in investment property in the Middle East has increased over the last few years, not least because many of the countries are home to a growing number of British expats and foreign workers. Qatar, in the Arabian Peninsular, has hit the headlines a fair bit this year, as a major development has been progressing off the coast of its capital, Doha.

In an effort fit to rival the grand developments in nearby Dubai, the Pearl of Qatar is a multi billion man-made, oyster-shaped island located off the east coast of Qatar. Covering an expanse of 985 acres, it’s the country’s first ever international urban development venture and has created quite a stir. In fact, for property investors, it’s significant as it’s the first development in the country to offer freehold property ownership to international developers.

The full extent of the project will be finished in 2011 and it will eventually be home to up to 41,000 people, but the first residents are expected to move in soon. In addition, they’ll be three five-star hotels catering for 800 people, three marinas with moorings for 1004 boats and numerous other community and lifestyle facilities.

As Christmas approaches, the island is getting into the spirit of things and a festive Christmas market has been operating from the boardwalk. To put the icing on the cake, it’s also celebrating the launch of its first boutique, which opened its doors to customers on 20th December.

Elsewhere in the country, the capital city of Doha is a popular location for investors and property is often in demand (unlike areas such as Dubai, there isn’t an oversupply of property). Rental rates rose last year by 20% to 30% and property prices are generally steady at the moment.

If you’re interested in investing, then take a look at the property for sale in Qatar.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 24th, 2008 at 12:31 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.