Saudi Real Estate Market Deals Confirm Solidity despite Surrounding Factors

An aerial view of the Saudi capital, Riyadh (Reuters)
An aerial view of the Saudi capital, Riyadh (Reuters)
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Saudi Real Estate Market Deals Confirm Solidity despite Surrounding Factors

An aerial view of the Saudi capital, Riyadh (Reuters)
An aerial view of the Saudi capital, Riyadh (Reuters)

The Saudi real estate market recorded deals worth more than 214 billion riyals ($57 billion) during the first nine months of this year, according to real estate exchange data.

Real estate experts, who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat, noted that the recent figures highlight the strength, solidity and cohesion of the Saudi real estate market, despite the surrounding factors, such as the continued rise in interest rates and the decline in financing granted to individuals.

Real Estate expert Eng. Ahmed Al-Faqih said that the value of real estate market deals, despite its relative decline from about 260 billion riyals (69 billion dollars) in 2022, confirms the solidity of the real estate market, despite the continued rise in interest rates, and the decrease in the volume of real estate financing granted to individuals by banks and financing companies.

Al-Faqih pointed to three factors that he said contributed to this value. First, the scarcity of supply in the residential market, whether land, apartments, or villas, which led to an increase in their prices, according to the periodic reports of the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT).

The second factor is the large demand for real estate. This gave positive signals to property owners and supported adherence to the prices offered, he underlined.

As for the third factor, Al-Faqih pointed to the “open appetite of major businessmen and real estate entities to acquire many undeveloped land deals at billion-dollar prices, which clearly indicates that we are facing a very promising market in the near future, in light of unprecedented support from the government.”

Al-Faqih expects next year to witness greater momentum in the Saudi real estate market after the non-Saudi ownership and investment law comes into effect.



Kuwait Seeks to Offer Flexible Incentives to Attract Foreign Investments

Kuwait City (Asharq Al-Awsat file photo)
Kuwait City (Asharq Al-Awsat file photo)
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Kuwait Seeks to Offer Flexible Incentives to Attract Foreign Investments

Kuwait City (Asharq Al-Awsat file photo)
Kuwait City (Asharq Al-Awsat file photo)

Mohammad Yaqoub, Assistant Director General for Business Development at Kuwait’s Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA), announced that Kuwait is actively working to boost investments in emerging sectors such as the management of government facilities, hospitals, and ports, including Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port.

He added that his country is collaborating with Saudi Arabia on joint projects, notably the development of a railway linking the two nations.

Speaking at the 28th Annual Global Investment Conference in Riyadh, Yaqoub highlighted the 650-kilometer railway project, which is expected to cut travel time between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to under three hours. He clarified that this initiative is separate from the broader GCC railway network under development.

The official further emphasized Kuwait’s commitment to offering streamlined processes and incentives to attract foreign investment in critical sectors such as oil and gas, healthcare, education, and technology.

Since January 2015, the Gulf country has attracted cumulative foreign investments valued at approximately 1.7 billion Kuwaiti dinars ($5.8 billion). During the 2023–2024 fiscal year, KDIPA reported foreign investment inflows amounting to 206.9 million Kuwaiti dinars ($672 million).

Yaqoub stressed that KDIPA is focused on creating an investor-friendly environment by offering flexible incentives to attract international companies. He noted Saudi Arabia’s achievements in this area and highlighted his country’s efforts to provide comparable benefits to foreign investors.

He also expressed optimism about the potential for growth in foreign investments in Kuwait, emphasizing their role in advancing economic development in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Yaqoub also underscored the strong synergy between the Kuwaiti and Saudi markets, which he said will help accelerate economic progress across the region.