Unitas Consultancy (A GLOBAL CAPITAL PARTNERS GROUP COMPANY) Q2 2016 STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

Dubai: The War of the Villas

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1 Office No. 1706, Indigo Icon, Plot No. F, Jumeriah Lake Towers, , UAE Executive Summary

• A breakdown of the pricing structure of the horizontal market (mansion, villas and townhouses) in 2005 reveals that 85% of units in freehold areas were below the 2 million mark. This dynamic has inverted a decade later in 2016, as these units only accounts for 12% of freehold supply. As Dubai moves foreword with a new set of launches, catering to the salaried worker, a larger portion of up-coming supply (32%) is below the 2 million purchase price.

• The existing supply of units is skewed towards the villa segment, accounting for 63% of the total number of units, whereas townhouses account for 32% and mansions 5%. These developments originally clustered around the Sheikh Zayed corridor, which accounted for 43% of the entire freehold stock. However, the new wave of launches has shifted westwards, centering around Al-Qudra and Al-Khail road. As developer cater to the pent up demand from the affordable segment 50% of the new supply is from townhouses, which historically made up only 32% of all freehold horizontal living units. For the mansion segment, 65% of the new units will be on Al-Khail road, in the form of Dubai Hills and Muhammad bin Rashid City

• The mean-reversion analysis is a useful indicator in valuing properties in order to determine whether they are over or under valued. The greater the divergence between the spread in either direction signals that a convergence is on the horizon, consequently over valuing or undervaluing a property. Within the villa segment it reveals that communities such as Islands, Springs, , and Victory Heights have entered the buy territory. Whereas Jumeirah Park and remain within the ‘sell’ zone. Whilst there is no hard rule for mean reversion, the data indicates that historically prices have tended to mean revert in all communities

• Villas, townhouses and mansions have historically accounted for 14% of the entire freehold housing stock. However, with the recent flood of supply within this segment, the topography will shift making horizontal living units account for 17% of the housing stock. When analyzing returns factoring in the rental income since the 2014 correction, the apartment segment has outperformed.

Contents

1 Price Structure of the Horizontal Living

2 Supply Analysis of the Townhouses, Villas, and Mansions

1 Spread Trades

4 Apartments to Villa Ratios

Apartments to Villas Ratio

“If you do not know how to ask the right question, you discover nothing” – W. Edward Deming

4 Price Structure of the Horizontal Living: Above 2 Million / Below 2 Million

Nshma Townhouse Jumeirah Village Circle Reem Jumeirah Village Triangle Mudon Springs – Emirates Living Akoya Oxygen Al Reem – Arabian Ranches Warsan Village 15% 12%

32%

Up-coming 2005 Existing Supply 2020 Supply / Supply Up-Coming 68%

85% 88%

Above 2 million Below 2 million REIDIN

A break-down of the housing supply by purchase points reveals that 88% of the existing units is above the 2 million mark. This dynamic has inverted from a decade ago, where bulk of the supply was below the purchase price point of 2 million, making it accessible to salaried workers.

The pendulum appears to have shifted somewhat with recent launches by developers catering to the below aed 2 million mark on a greater scale (moving up from 12% to 32%); this is a trend that we opine will continue as developers increasingly cater to the mid market segment by developing in new upcoming suburban areas. Supply Dynamics of the Horizontal Living

“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted” - Albert Einstein

6 Supply Dynamics of the Horizontal Living of Dubai: Segmentation Analysis

45% 5% 5.5%

1738 1295

11018 10365 32% Existing Up-Coming Supply Supply 11.440

21.626

5% 49.5% 63% 3033 37%

21383 Future Housing Stock 33066 58% REIDIN

Mansions Villas Townhouses

The above diagram depicts the housing supply dynamics of the horizontal living landscape. Currently the existing supply is skewed towards the villa segment accounting for 63% of the housing stock. However, in the second wave of development from 2012, developers began to launch affordable options in order to cater to the pent up demand. This lead to a series of new townhouses launches, which accounted for 50% of the new supply.

*In monitored areas Supply Dynamics of the Horizontal Living of Dubai: Density Analysis

21% 43% 46%

22% 3.377 7.632 4.954

Existing 14.927 Up-Coming 4.153 Supply Supply 18% 5.739

17% 10.616 6.084 46%

18%

12.586 22% 18.304 32% Future Housing Stock

16.355 10.237 18% REIDIN 28%

Sheikh Zayed Road MBZ Road Al-Qudra Road Al Khail Road

A geographic analysis reveals that the existing options in the freehold market for horizontal living is focused around the Sheikh Zayed corridor. However, as developers began to launch a series of new developments in the second asset boom, it shifted the supply westwards. The major beneficiary of the new construction boom within the horizontal living space will be Al-Qudra road, accounting for 46% of new supply.

*In monitored areas Segmentation Analysis of Location of Units

Mansions Villas Townhouses

177 3.593

256 8.512 4039 Existing Existing Existing 5110 4.238 Supply Supply Supply

1305 1.324 5.283 545

283 334 1.482 2.760 2642 1634 Up-Coming Up-Coming Up-Coming Supply Supply 830 131 Supply 4.810 2.388 5806

5075 5393 830 6681 Future Future 11272 Future Housing Housing 1639 Housing 2179 177 Stock 9048 Stock Stock 387 7130 7671

Sheikh Zayed Road MBZ Road Al-Qudra Road Al Khail Road REIDIN

The above diagram gives a granular break-down of units within the segments of the horizontal living space and their location. We can witness the major shifts have been in the mansion segment, with the majority of new stock coming on Al-Khail road in the form of Dubai Hills and MBR City. In the townhouse segment, Al Qudra road will act as the major repository for new supply.

*In monitored areas Price Performance of Villas

“Data! Data! Data! I can’t make bricks without clay!” – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

10 Where is the Spread Trade (I)

Jumeirah islands VS City Wide Villas Palm Jumeirah VS City Wide Villas 1.400.00 400.00

350.00 1.200.00

300.00 1.000.00

250.00 Sell Sell 800.00 200.00 Buy 600.00 Buy 150.00 400.00 100.00 Spread Spread 50.00 200.00 Average Spread REIDIN REIDIN Average Spread 0.00 0.00

A mean-reversion analysis between villa communities and the historical average of city-wide prices act as an indictor whether to buy or sell. The greater the divergence between the spread in either direction signals that a convergence is on the horizon, consequently over valuing or undervaluing a property.

Whilst there is no hard rule for mean reversion, the above charts indicate that historically prices have tended to mean revert in all communities, implying that this serves as a useful signal for investors in determining buy/sell decisions. Where is the Spread Trade (II)

Arabian Ranches VS City Wide Villas Springs and Meadows VS City Wide Villas 0.00 0.00

-50.00 -50.00 Sell Sell -100.00 -100.00 Buy -150.00 Buy -150.00 -200.00

-200.00 Spread Spread -250.00 Average Spread Average Spread REIDIN REIDIN -250.00 -300.00

In Arabian Ranches and Springs/Meadows, we witness that Arabian Ranches continues to fall deeper in the ‘buy zone’ whereas Springs and Meadows creeps towards the neutral territory. For the former therefore, it is likely that prices will revert upwards to the mean, as has already been witnessed in the Springs/Meadows Community. Where is the Spread Trade (III)

Jumeirah Park VS City Wide Villas 0.00 Victory Heights VS City Wide Villas 200.00 Spread REIDIN -50.00 150.00 Spread Average Spread

100.00 Average Spread -100.00 Sell Sell 50.00

-150.00 0.00

-50.00 Buy -200.00 Buy -100.00 REIDIN -250.00 -150.00

In Jumeirah Park, prices seem to be trending towards the buy zone, whereas Victory Heights appears ripe for an upward revision of prices towards the mean city wide levels.

Apartments to Villas Ratio

“If you do not know how to ask the right question, you discover nothing” – W. Edward Deming

14 Ratio of Apartments to Villas

34,382 Units 23,800 Units 58,182 Units

0 14% 17% 22%

Future Up-coming Exiting Supply Housing Supply Stock

78% 83% 86%

298,951 Units 219,029 Units Villas Apartments 79,922 Units REIDIN

Historically, the vertical living has accounted for 86% of the total freehold supply. However, an analysis of the up- coming supply reveals that ratio is skewing higher towards the horizontal space, accounting for 22% of new developments. With higher levels of expected supply in the horizontal space, it is likely that overall capital gains in this space are expected to moderate.

*In monitored areas Prices Action in Apartments and Villas

Villas vs. Apartments – Price Change (2014 Peak to Now) Villas vs. Apartments – Total Return Analysis (2014 Peak to Now)

0% 0% Villas Apartments Villas Apartments -2% -1% 0% -4% -1% -6% Villas -2% Apartments -8% -2% -2% -10%

-3% -12% -11% REIDIN REIDIN -14% -13% -3%

A price action analysis between apartments and villas reveals that the latter has under-performed by 2% since the correction in mid 2014. However, an important variable that is not factored in the equation is the rental income, as highlighted in our previous report “All the Returns We Cannot See”. When a total return analysis is conducted we witness that apartments remain flat since the fall, while villas have dipped by 2%.

16 Conclusions Pricing Structure of the Horizontal Living Supply Analysis

The 2 million aed price point is one that allows A break-down of the supply of mansion, villas, and home -ownership amongst the upper strata of townhouses reveals that the majority of supply is A break-down of the housing society. focused around the villa segment (63%). supply by purchase points reveals that 88% of the In 2005, 88% of horizontal living units were within Furthermore, the majority of developments have existing units is above the 2 this price point. However, a decade later this been clustered around the Sheikh Zayed road million mark. This dynamic has metric has inverted, making the majority of units corridor. inverted from a decade ago, unattainable by salaried workers.

However, as developers began to launch the second

However, as Dubai moves towards a more wave of launches in 2013, they shifted westwards, affordable spectrum of supply, this ratio of units towards Al-Khail and Al-Qudra road. launched below 2 million aed has increase (12% to 32%) Moreover, the shift of supply has been tilted towards townhouses space, allowing for higher accessibility from the population

Spread Trades Apartments and Villa Ratios

Mean-reversion has been used by technical Historically apartments have made up 84% of the analysts as an indicator to value asset pricing. By supply, dominating the housing market. However, A mean-reversion analysis tracing how much prices have deviated from the due to the lack of supply superior villas had between villa communities and mean signals a buy or sell signal depending on the superior price growths in the first bull run from the historical average of city- direction. 2002 to 2007. wide prices act as an indictor whether to buy or sell. A similar analysis was conducted in the villa This caused developers to concentrate on communities. It reveals that communities such as launching villas during the second rally in 2012, Jumeirah Islands, Springs, Arabian Ranches, and increasing the ratio of upcoming supply. Victory Heights have entered the buy territory.

Whereas Jumeirah Park and Palm Jumeirah remain This tilt in supply dynamics has lead to apartments within the ‘sell’ zone. Whilst there is no hard rule having superior growth rates. for mean reversion, the data indicates that historically prices have tended to mean revert in all communities GCP believes in in-depth planning and discipline as a REIDIN.com is the leading real estate information mechanism to identify and exploit market company focusing on emerging markets. discrepancy and capitalize on diversified revenue streams. REIDIN.com offers intelligent and user-friendly online information solutions helping professionals access Our purpose is to manage, direct, and create wealth relevant data and information in a timely and cost for our clients. effective basis.

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