Real Estate

La Francaise launches sharia-compliant #real estate account

La Francaise Forum Securities (FS) has launched its sharia-compliant real estate securities separately managed account. The account has been developed for an unnamed Islamic investment manager based in Kuwait. La Francaise FS will select securities with an above average risk adjusted total return to form a portfolio of 30 to 50 stocks. According to Jana Sehnalova, managing director of La Française FS, the account is designed for institutional investors with an Islamic finance focus. She said that La Francaise FS was investigating the viability of developing a fund based on the same strategy as part of the existing product line managed by Groupe La Francaise.

Bidaya Home Finance Issues Plans for Selling Islamic #Sukuk Bonds

Bidaya Home Finance revealed plans to sell Islamic sukuk bonds worth 500 million SAR. Bidaya Home Finance hired the services of Ashmore Investment Saudi Arabia to arrange the program.

ADIB funds GBP19 million acquisition of Bristol's The Hub

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) has arranged an Islamic financing transaction to fund the acquisition of The Hub, located at the Aztec West Business Park, Bristol. The transaction is worth GBP19.35 million and is arranged on behalf of a private Saudi-based client. The Hub is a regional UK office for Atkins, a multinational design, engineering and project management consultancy. The building has been awarded a BREEAM excellent rating, as overall carbon emissions are more than a third lower than expected for a building of its size. ADIB opened its office at One Hyde Park in London in May 2012 and was the first UAE-based bank providing Islamic financial services to be licenced to operate in the UK, being one of the six banks that are fully Shari'ah-compliant.

Dar Al Arkan meets bond investors for non-deal roadshow

Saudi Arabian real estate developer Dar Al Arkan met fixed income investors last week for a non-deal roadshow. The aim of the meeting was to update investors on the company’s business, so no concrete bond issue plan was discussed. The roadshow was held last week in Dubai and arranged by Emirates NBD. Dar Al Arkan issued $500 million (Dh1.8 billion) of sukuk last April with a profit rate of 6.875% per annum. It also has $450 million of sukuk due in June this year, $400 million of sukuk due in 2019 and a further $500 million of sukuk, those issued last year, maturing in 2022.

#UAE-based real estate investment trust completes $210m deals

UAE-based Residential REIT has completed new property transactions worth AED772 million ($210.1 million). The deals were closed with Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Arcapita and an unnamed large Saudi institution. Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank has contributed 165 residential units located in three buildings in Marina Square on Al Reem Island in Abu Dhabi. Arcapita and the Saudi institution have contributed three buildings with a total of 285 residential units located in Saadiyat Beach Residences on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi. Following the new acquisitions, the Residential REIT's portfolio includes a total of 1,069 units across Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Dubai.

#Saudi SEDCO Capital launches #REIT Fund

Saudi SEDCO Capital announced the offering of its first Shariah-compliant real estate investment traded fund SEDCO Capital REIT. The fund will be offered to the general public through an initial public offer during the period of Jan. 24 to Feb. 6. With an occupancy rate of over 92%, SEDCO Capital’s real estate portfolio has grown to include seven assets across various geographical regions. According to CEO Hasan Al-Jabri, SEDCO Capital Real Estate Income Fund targets to generate an initial net yield of 7% through the acquisition of additional assets and by utilizing capital. To facilitate the offering period, three receiving entities were appointed for investors to subscribe, these include NCB, Al Rajhi Bank and Samba Financial Group.

Gatehouse Bank partners with Blueprint Real Estate Company

London based Gatehouse Bank has partnered with Kuwait based Blueprint Real Estate Company to offer finance to expats looking to purchase property in the UK. Gatehouse Bank says this forms part of the strategy of its move into the home finance business. At the same time, Gatehouse Bank announced an expansion to its residential home finance team. Umar Ali has been appointed as head of home finance, while Junaid Sarwar has joined as a business development manager.

MAG Lifestyle Development to accept Sharia-compliant OGC for #property

#UAE-based MAG Lifestyle Development has announced that it will accept OneGramCoin (OGC) as payment for real estate it sells. This move offers real estate investors an opportunity to utilize their digital assets while also welcoming OGC into the mainstream with a practical application in the property sphere. Bitcoin and other digital currencies are struggling to enter the mainstream in the Middle East, where the fundamentally speculative and high-risk character of cryptocurrencies does not go with the local investment culture. As the first Islamic Sharia-sanctioned digital currency, OGC is entering to fill this void. Each OGC is supported by a gram of gold, something that makes sure the cryptocurrency stays capitalized and stable. According to MAG, trade will go live in June 2018. Investors will buy OGC to the price of the property and get a 5% discount on the property cost consequently. OGC will then go to MAG based on the payment plan, which is 35% over six to nine months and 65% on completion at 2019’s end.

#Gulf #Islamic #Investments acquires two logistics facilities

The Gulf Islamic Investments, a Islamic financial services company based in the UAE, has revealed the acquisition of nearly one million square feet of logistics facilities on behalf of its investors, at the price of 144 million US-Dollar. The two state of the art logistics centres, are located in Dortmund Germany, and serves as key logistics centre of Amazon supplying goods to 29 other facilities. These newly built facilities are leased out to Amazon on a long-term lease that cannot be cancelled with regular rental uplifts linked to Germany CPI.

Halk REIT issues #Turkey's first #sukuk

Halk Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) has issued Turkey's first sukuk with a nominal value of TL 100 million ($26.12 million) through Halkinvest. The return of the 87-day lease certificate will be realized at 13.25% at the end of the maturity period. Halk REIT General Manager Feyzullah Yetgin said that the widespread use of real estate-based financial products would make a great contribution to the real potential of the sector. Halkinvest General Manager Serdar Sürer said that the lease certificate issuance transaction executed on behalf of Halk REIT was their 60th capital market issuance transaction this year. He also said that they would continue to add value to their business partners with products based on the real economy.

Dubai: MAG to sell #property via Sharia-compliant OneGram

Dubai's MAG Lifestyle Development will offer customers the opportunity to purchase properties using OneGram, the first Sharia-compliant crypto-currency. Talal Moafaq Al Gaddah, CEO of MAG Lifestyle Development stated that customers will benefit from the growing potential of crypto-currencies with OneGram. Each OneGram Coin (OGC) is backed by a gram of gold, which ensures that it remains a fully capitalised and stable digital currency. In compliance with Islamic Sharia law, it is also zero interest, profit-loss sharing, and non-speculative as it is pegged to gold. OneGram is also simple to buy and trade and will go live in June 2018. Mohammed Ibraheem Khan, co-founder of OneGram said this was the first real-world application for OneGram and the company was proud to be taking this step with MAG Lifestyle Development.

King Abdullah Financial District set for Phase I launch

The first phase of the King Abdullah Financial District project is due to be launched next year. The business hub in Riyadh has been under construction since 2006 and will soon get a fresh lease of life under the management of the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund. The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) will take over the management of the King Abdullah Financial District from the Public Pension Agency. As outlined in the Saudi Vision 2030 plan, the new hub is to be an economic free zone with visa exemptions and a direct connection to the airport. The government is now exploring new incentive options to attract financial institutions to occupy space in the district. The 73-building development has been restructured to reduce office space and increase the number of residential units.

Maybank Islamic launches rent-to-own #housing #scheme

Maybank Islamic has launched a rent-to-own (RTO) housing scheme. Named HouzKEY, the product is targeted at first-time house buyers and those who want to upgrade their homes. According to Maybank Islamic's CEO, Datuk Mohamed Rafique Merican, HouzKEY addresses the growing issue of concern for affordable home ownership. The new product will initially be made available to Maybank employees and is slated to be rolled out to the general public in early 2018. HouzKEY is the first such RTO product in the country fully enabled on a digital platform, with the application and submission of supporting documents being required to be made online. To be eligible, applicants should have a household income of at least RM5,000 and commit to a minimum rental tenure of five years. They will have the option to purchase the property after one year at a pre-agreed price.

#Saudi #fund ‘to take over Riyadh financial district’

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) has finalized a deal to take over the management of the King Abdullah Financial District from the Public Pension Agency. As outlined in the Saudi Vision 2030 economic reform plan, the financial district is to be an economic free zone with visa exemptions and a direct connection to the airport. The first phase of the project is due to launch next year with plans to host the G-20 meeting there in 2020. The government is now exploring new options to attract financial institutions to occupy space in the district. The 73-building site has been restructured to reduce office space and increase the number of residential units. PwC and local regulator Capital Market Authority are among the companies due to take space in the area.

Shepherd and Wedderburn secures Islamic finance deal

Shepherd and Wedderburn has completed the Shariah-compliant refinancing of high-value office accommodation in Aberdeen. The properties, which total 159,170 sq ft of floor space, are fully let to the oil and gas service provider Petrofac as its North Sea office headquarters and NHS Scotland. The funding was completed by way of a commodity murabaha facility from an established international bank. Peter Alderdice, a senior associate at Shepherd and Wedderburn, said the team was pleased to have used its expertise in Islamic finance to help secure the refinancing of two of the largest commercial properties in the city.

Gulf Finance House begins new #land #acquisition drive

Even though its Tunis Financial Harbour (TFH) mega-project has barely got off the ground, Bahrain's Gulf Finance House (GFH) is already looking to acquire adjacent land.

Dubai's Emirates Reit plans debut #sukuk of at least US$300m this year: source

Dubai-based Emirates REIT plans to issue a debut Islamic bond of at least US$300 million by the end of this year. The Syariah-compliant real estate investment trust (REIT) has called a shareholder meeting on Nov 23 to discuss the planned sukuk, which could be issued shortly after that date. The company's total debt as at June 30 was about US$300 million. The loan-to-value (LTV) ratio of the REIT stood at 36.8%, which means there is room for issuance larger than US$300 million, the source added. The company had a portfolio of US$772 million at the end of June. Its portfolio includes mixed-use properties, office buildings and schools in Dubai.

Guidance Residential CEO Talks #Fintech

The strategy of 'technology first' and the automation of everything is not how businesses usually start. The traditional barriers have been human and financial capital, as well as various regulatory barriers. Fintech starts with anyone’s business and applies a 'technology first' approach to that model. Islamic finance in the US has taken hold. There are several institutions offering Islamic financial products. They all have websites, a comprehensive online foundation and a robust social media presence. That used to be enough once you have overcome the traditional barriers to entry, but that is no longer the case. Experts predict that in the near future, no enterprise will succeed and flourish without the right fintech services in place. Guidance Residential, a leader in the US Islamic home financing market, was among the first to identify the trend and face that challenge.

Ibdar Bank and partners acquire Boston office building for $48mln

#Bahrain-based Ibdar Bank has acquired a prime office building in Boston, USA. The deal is a collaboration with US property manager Lincoln Property Company and asset manager Ritz Banc Group and the total size is $48 million. The Boston property is a single-let building leased to Amazon Robotics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amazon Inc. The area is regarded as the "technology corridor", and is home to many well-known technology-related companies making it the epicentre of robotic innovation. The bank’s head of real estate, Bassam Kameshki, said the Boston metropolitan area has witnessed substantial growth within the technology and medical sectors. He ensured that Ibdar Bank will be working to add further value to the property and ensure a profitable exit scenario.

#Saudi developer Jabal Omar to raise 4b riyals via #sukuk

Saudi Arabia’s Jabal Omar Development plans to raise 4 billion riyals (Dh3.91 billion or $1.06 billion) with local currency sukuk issues. Bank Al Bilad has been hired to arrange the fund-raising, but other banks are likely to have leading roles too. The developer’s flagship project, Jabal Omar, is within walking distance of the Holy Mosque in Makkah. It includes commercial malls, residential units and hotels over an area of 230,000 square metres. Saudi Arabia’s real estate sector was hit hard last year, with prices declining 8.7%, as a result of the government’s austerity measures after a slump in international oil prices. Jabal Omar missed in January last year the first repayment, worth 650 million riyals. It amended the terms of the loan in February 2016 to postpone the date, the first payment on the facility is now due in 2019 and the loan will mature in 2024. Jabal Omar has also borrowed 4 billion riyals in February 2015, then 8 billion riyals in September 2015. It is not clear whether the planned sukuk would be used as new funding or to refinance some of the company’s existing debt.

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