iPhone | iPad
Android
Huawei
Pecker is a key witness in the case against the former US president, who is accused of falsifying business records to cover up hush-money payment
KT APPDOWNLOAD
Union in Talks to Sell Property Assets
DUBAI - Union Properties is considering the sale of some of its completed property assets to generate liquidity and enhance revenues, its chairman said, as the company struggles amidst a real estate downturn.
Khalid bin Kalban said in an interview there were many debt-free assets available for sale.
“We are looking at selling some of the assets of the company to generate further liquidity to complete the second phase of the projects and look at growth,” he said late on Tuesday.
“The most important part of the agenda for 2010 is how we can grow the revenues of the company.”
Union Properties is the third-largest real estate developer by market capitalisation in Dubai, one of seven members of the United Arab Emirates, and has a land bank of around 9 million square feet (836,000 square metres) for future development.
The company is negotiating for the sale of some property assets, Kalban said, adding he hoped to complete a deal in the next two months.
“Most buyers want to buy an existing building with an existing income and make 7-8 per cent return on their investment,” he said.
The firm suffered from poor results in the second and third quarters of 2009 and said it expected to take a revaluation loss on its property portfolio and provisions in the fourth quarter.
The developer made a net loss of Dh152.3 million ($41.46 million) in the third quarter, due to lower revenues and provisions against contracting-linked losses.
Dubai’s once-booming property sector crashed at the end of 2008 as the global financial crisis hit the emirate, leading to a sharp fall in prices, project cancellations or delays and thousands of job losses. Kalban said in November the company would benefit from the handover of two major projects — Index, an 80-storey multi-purpose tower, and Limestone House — in the first quarter of 2010.
He said on Tuesday the company has already started delivering some of the units. “There is a land bank available and we need to build,” he said. Union Properties shares were down 2.86 per cent at Dh0.68 dirhams at 03:33 GMT.
More news from
The oil and gas conglomerate and Fifa, the world governing body, sign major sponsorship agreement
Toomaj Salehi risks being hanged after the conviction on the Shariah charge of "corruption on Earth" by a Revolutionary Court
Aid groups warn any invasion would add to already-catastrophic conditions for Gaza's 2.4 million people
The American they will face Australia and Serbia on July 15 and July 17 as part of their preparation for the Paris Olympic Games
The leaders emphasise that the deal to release the hostages would bring an immediate and prolonged ceasefire in Gaza
Dubai-based Sumit Augustine has had a philosophical approach towards spending
The regional upswing also defies oil production cutbacks
