UAE expats to get freehold property rights in Sharjah?

Published: 10 August 2010

House prices in the northern emirates could recover if expats are given freehold rights, claim market experts

The latest report from CB Richard Ellis blames recent rent declines in the north of the region on poor infrastructure and a lack of concessions to migrants and expats workers

Giving freehold rights could revive the market in Sharjah, which has seen prices fall by more than a third since 2008

The authors of the study claim that changing property regulation to attract foreign investors would be a "potential driver for fuelling new market demand"

It is also disclosed that this was on the agenda during the second quarter of the year, indicating that changes could soon by on the horizon for expats living in the emirate

Earlier this year, it was reported in Khaleej Times that the state authority was considering an expatriate registration law

However, concerns about Sharjah's infrastructure have also been raised, with the report identifying this as one of the reasons why Dubai remains attractive despite offering similar rents