Out of house and home

The Weasel is about to be homeless and in a frantic search for a den has rashly decided that buying is the least evil of the accommodation rips that is modern Dubai.
As reported by Secret Dubai this week this is a high risk strategy but to be honest it does appear to be a the best of a bad lot.

This process has brought him into contact with that most slippery species the Dubai Estate agent, these fellow weasels vary from bored Jumeriah Janes, ambitious ISC women, professionals bussed in from the UK and Australia and total chancers running their entire business from a clipboard and a Nissan sunny.

What all have in common is a total lack of any control or licensing, not even a voluntarily code. They are all driving their Cayans and Range Rovers but delivering nothing in the way of service and less than zero confidence.

The most unsettling fact is that none of them have is any idea whether the house they are selling is a set price or even actually for sale. Since all valuations are paid by buyers they frankly don't care that the house is in fact not for sale and the owner just wanted a free valuation.

Owners who are totally in this for the speculation are blatantly hiking prices the moment they sniff a possible sale ably assisted by the estate weasels who despite being paid by the buyer actually work for the seller.

Add to this the Nakeel Emarr transfers along with valuations that claim the houses are grossly overpriced and none of it inspires confidence.

But what is the alternative, rent that has risen by 150 % in 2 years and shows no sign of stopping, landlords that can evict any time they want and house maintenance that is patchy or none existent.

We really are caught between a rock and a hard place in this little boom town on the edge of the desert.