Pocketful of Dirhams

The pros and cons of fractional property investing

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Episode notes

Buying property is one of the biggest financial commitments that we will make in our lives. But getting on to the property ladder can be difficult for some — saving for a deposit while also meeting other expenses can take years, more so these days as property prices quickly rise and mortgages become more expensive due to central banks raising interest rates to rein in inflation.

Others may feel uncomfortable making a financial commitment to buy a property and prefer to live their lives free of the burden of a mortgage. However, many financial experts advise that investing in property is important to diversify your portfolio, particularly in today's bear market.

One option in the UAE involves fractional property investing. Think of it like crowdsourcing — a certain number of people invest X amount of money and collectively buy a property together. The property is then rented out and investors earn a return based on the rental yield. But what is fractional property investing, how much do you need to begin and are the returns worth it?

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Siddiq Farid, co-founder of real estate investment platform SmartCrowd, who discusses the pros and cons of fractional property investing.

Hosted by Felicity Glover Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Thomas Smith