Markets / Analysis
Event-season retail: questions before signing
Event-season retail can create unusual operating peaks. A lease still needs to work outside those peaks and within the premises' actual constraints.
THE ASTRA TERRA ARCHIVE
Stories with perspective.
Explore our reporting on Dubai property, commercial spaces and the decisions that shape the market.
73–90 of 144 stories · Newest published first
Investing / Analysis
International interest does not validate an off-plan price
International interest in a city does not establish the value of an individual off-plan unit. A buyer needs evidence about the product, obligations and likely use.
Investing / Analysis
Use local evidence alongside citywide sales totals
Citywide sales totals can provide context, but a property operates within a particular building and catchment. Local evidence is needed to connect the two.
Markets / Analysis
A café or sports lounge starts with an operational plan
A café or sports lounge requires an operational plan before a property shortlist. The premises must support the intended service, equipment and customer experience.
Investing / Analysis
Scarce office space still needs careful pricing
A claim that office space is scarce needs a definition of the space being discussed. Scarcity of one specification does not establish the appropriate price of every office.
Investing / Analysis
Different commercial assets need different investment cases
Different commercial assets require different investment cases. An office, shop and development-stage unit should not be evaluated through a single simplified return figure.
Investing / Analysis
Major sporting events and the limits of property forecasts
A major sporting event is not automatic evidence of property demand in another location. Commercial operators should investigate the connection rather than assume it.
Investing / Analysis
Dubai commercial property: a guide to offices and retail
Compare offices and retail premises in Dubai by business use, total cost, location and the evidence needed before a viewing or offer.
Markets / Analysis
Choose a shop location around the customer journey
A shop location should be assessed through the customer's journey and the operator's daily work. A prominent district name cannot answer those questions on its own.
Investing / Analysis
Buy a shop for its usable space and sustainable income
Buying a shop for occupation and buying it for rental income require different evidence. Clarify the objective before comparing candidates.
Markets / Analysis
An office district comparison for occupiers
An office district comparison should preserve the practical differences between actual buildings. Broad area averages cannot establish how a team will experience its workplace.
Investing / Analysis
Buy or rent an office: test both routes
Buying and renting an office are alternatives with different commitments. Compare both against the same operating period and space requirement.
Opinion / Analysis
Opening a business: decide when the premises are ready
The right time to open a business depends on more than a favourable market headline. The premises, permissions, funding and operational readiness need to align.
Investing / Analysis
Separate buyer-demand stories from mortgage eligibility
A story about overseas buyers does not establish a particular applicant's mortgage eligibility or the suitability of a unit. Financing and property evidence need separate checks.
Investing / Analysis
Check who carries a development’s cost risk
Development cost pressure matters to a purchaser through the obligations and risks attached to the project. A general statement about a developer's resilience needs supporting evidence.
Investing / Analysis
Tenant convenience and investor returns need separate checks
Convenience for a tenant and a return for an owner are related but distinct outcomes. An arrangement should be assessed from both sides without assuming that one benefit proves the other.
Investing / Analysis
Flexible rent and an apartment’s operating costs
A flexible rental schedule changes the timing of payments. Its effect on an apartment's operating outcome depends on the full terms and costs.
Investing / Analysis
Buying into a changing supply pipeline
A changing supply pipeline creates questions about timing and competition. A purchaser should distinguish proposed homes from premises that can actually be occupied.