Emirati service management Khidmah completes leasing of 588 villa Sorouh Development

Despite current challenges facing the region's real estate sector, all properties - 307 x 3 bedroom, 244 x 4 bedroom and 37 x 5 bedroom villas - were leased within months.

Khidmah's own website www.UAE2LET.com , played a key role in boosting leasing rates, reflecting the latest Google data indicating that 39% of UAE respondents now use online research before making purchasing decisions. The freefone 800 UAE2LET line to Khidmah's dual language call centre also ensured that potential leasers were able to get in touch with the company using their preferred contact method, with the centre now processing an average of 2,000 calls a week (August 2009).

A recent entrant to the UAE's services management market, Khidmah launched in April 2009 at Cityscape Abu Dhabi. The company was officially contracted by Sorouh on 30 June 2009 to provide services management, including leasing, for Sas Al Nakhl Village and for two other completed all-villa developments in the emirate, Khalidiya Village in Abu Dhabi and Al Oyoun Village in Al Ain. Sorouh is one of two joint venture partners in Khidmah, along with Capital Investment LLC.

Khidmah will now be providing services management for Sas Al Nakhl Village on an ongoing basis across maintenance, fitness, cleaning and landscaping.

Sutton Turner, CEO of Khidmah, said:

"Sas Al Nakhl is a wonderful community developed by Sorouh and we are very excited to be providing our extensive portfolio of services to its new residents. Leasing this community is just the beginning for Khidmah - the next step is to provide unmatched resident services with the rollout of our own maintenance, fitness, cleaning and landscaping teams."

"Crucial to Khidmah's success to date has been our commitment to effectiveness in managing and maintaining successful properties, coupled with our ability to deliver great value, fulfill customer needs, and serve our partners - all via a single point of contact. We believe this is what gives us the edge, and it's what ensured that we delivered for Sorouh in a short space of time in a challenging marketplace."

Khidmah appointed its specialist leasing staff in May this year under the leadership of Shelley Jenkins, Director of Property Management, and Ensaf Ahmed Ali, Leasing Manager.