Saudi Real Estate Development Fund Drops 'First Housing' Down Payment to 5 %

View shows the King Abdullah Financial District, north of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 12, 2016. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser
View shows the King Abdullah Financial District, north of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 12, 2016. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser
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Saudi Real Estate Development Fund Drops 'First Housing' Down Payment to 5 %

View shows the King Abdullah Financial District, north of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 12, 2016. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser
View shows the King Abdullah Financial District, north of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 12, 2016. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser

General Supervisor of the Real Estate Development Fund Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Amoudi announced that the down payment for the first housing has been reduced from 10% to 5% to reduce the burden of the advance payment required by the financing parties.

Amoudi addressed challenges in the financing of retirees during the last period, and private sector employees.

Accordingly, appropriate financing solutions were adopted to find new solutions in partnership with banks and finance companies in obtaining mortgage loans by accepting financing from non-corporate entities.

More so, Amoudi announced the launching the “flexible installment” which tunes monthly installments according to the beneficiary’s income so that rates do not exceed 65% of the monthly income after retirement or in the case of a personal loan.

Amoudi stressed the body’s keenness to provide all facilities to beneficiaries and provide suitable financing solutions for all those on the Fund’s waiting lists.

The Saudi Ministry of Housing and Real Estate Development Fund announced its fourth installment of the “Residential” program for year 2018, with a total of 21,840 housing and finance services, distributed throughout the Kingdom.

This year’s programs is set to hit a target of completing 300,000 products, bringing the total of allocated housing support during the first four months to 83,562 residential and financial services.

Housing services provided by the ministry include 7,686 residential units under construction that are up for sale, in partnership with developers. Some 160 units are found in Riyadh and 188 in the Eastern Province.

At least 5,854 land plots are distributed over nine areas including 1,845 land plots in Makkah, 1,484 in Najran, 1,015 in the Asir region, 590 in Jizan, 396 in Al Jouf, 224 in the Eastern Region, 125 in Riyadh, 95 in Al Baha, and 80 in Al-Qassim region.

Financial support programs include 8,300 real estate loans from the Real Estate Development Fund in partnership with banks and financial institutions distributed throughout the Kingdom.



Gold Firms in Thin Trade as Investors Weigh Fed Outlook

Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo
Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo
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Gold Firms in Thin Trade as Investors Weigh Fed Outlook

Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo
Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo

Gold prices firmed on Monday, although trading was thin due to the holiday season and as investors looked for cues on the US Federal Reserve's monetary policy trajectory for next year after it signaled gradual easing in its latest meeting.
Spot gold added 0.3% at $2,628.63 per ounce, as of 0941 GMT, trading in a narrow $16 range. US gold futures eased 0.1% to $2,643.10.
"(It's a) Quiet day with lower liquidity and limited data releases during the holiday season," said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo.
"We retain a constructive outlook for gold in 2025, targeting a move to $2,800/oz by mid-2025."
The Fed cut rates by 25 basis points on Dec. 18, although the central bank's predictions of fewer rate cuts in 2025 resulted in a decline in gold prices to their lowest level since Nov. 18 last week.
US consumer spending increased in November, supporting the Fed's hawkish stance, a sentiment that was also shared by San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly.
Higher interest rates dull non-yielding bullion's appeal.
"Presently, we are in a lull for Christmas week with the gold price trending sideways. Federal Reserve policy is clear with expectations of rising interest rates in the second half of the year," said Michael Langford, chief investment officer at Scorpion Minerals.
"The next big impact is the incoming presidency of (Donald) Trump and the initial presidential decrees that he might declare. This has the potential to add to market volatility and be bullish for gold prices."
Gold, often considered a safe-haven asset, typically performs well during economic uncertainties.
Spot silver rose 0.8% to $29.75 per ounce and platinum climbed 1.3% to $938.43. Palladium steadied at $920.53.