Experts highlight real estate financing, foreign investment at Saudi forum
RIYADH: Experts at the Real Estate Future Forum emphasized the evolving landscape of property financing in Saudi Arabia, pointing to strong bank portfolios, public-private partnership opportunities, and a focus on foreign investment.
The Managing Director and Partner at Watheeq Financial Services, Ibrahim Al-Alwan, highlighted the rising significance of property financing for financial institutions: 'Today, we see that banks' portfolios in real estate financing are very high. The process involves regulation, management, and the implementation of effective tools for investment and financing.'
Joe Jabbour, managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group, underlined the vast potential for PPPs, particularly in utilities, social, and civil infrastructure, facilitated by government offtake agreements.
'I must say that most of the investments that are being structured and are being prepared for the market, have the foreign investors in mind,' Jabbour said.
On its second day, the forum explores the key trends shaping Saudi Arabia's real estate sector as it advances toward Vision 2030 goals.
The inaugural day included industry leaders, policymakers, and investors who discussed the Kingdom's ongoing focus on property development, investment strategies, and tourism expansion.
Governor of Asir Region Prince Turki Bin Talal said during a panel that the Public Investment Fund has nine projects in development, with four already launched and five underway in the region.
The governor also said that Asir has between 6,000 and 8,000 approved and licensed hotel rooms. In line with this momentum, he also announced that the Ministry of Sports has officially recognized Abha's World Cup bid as the best in the Kingdom.
A key highlight from the first day was the Capital Market Authority's announcement permitting foreign investment in Saudi-listed companies that own real estate in Makkah and Madinah.
'On behalf of the CMA, we congratulate these companies,' CMA's Chairman Mohammed El-Kuwaiz said.
The Real Estate Future Forum, taking place from Jan. 27 to 29 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh, serves as a global platform for shaping the industry's future. Uniting over 300 speakers from 85 countries, the event explores innovations, sustainability initiatives, and investment strategies under the theme 'Future for Humanity: Shaping Dreams into Reality.'
The upcoming event days are set to provide an outlook on integrating advanced technologies into the real estate sector, with panels diving into emerging trends like virtual reality for property marketing, the role of the metaverse in digital real estate, and the use of robotics and 3D printing in construction.
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