Impact of Saudi mortgage law to be a key topic at Riyadh Urban Development And Real Estate Investment Event - Cityscape Riyadh 2012

Currently in its third year, the Riyadh Urban Development and Real Estate Investment Event - Cityscape Riyadh will discuss the ongoing and increasing shortage issue of housing in the rapidly-growing country of 27 million residents lacking mostly in low to medium-cost housing, coupled with limited finance options to bridge the gap to home ownership.

Commenting on his views of the impact of the Mortgage Law over the short to medium term, Nasser Nubani, General Counsel at Capitas Group International, said: "The Mortgage Law should expand all forms of real estate finance over time. However I don't expect the Mortgage Law to have a short term impact on project finance. It will take time for the finance and banking industry to assess the implications of the regulations on their project finance risk assessment criteria, as well as the effectiveness of the implementation of the enforcement regulations. "

"Furthermore, currently in Saudi Arabia 70% of the housing supply is being delivered by small and medium-sized developers, whose limited access to debt financing is less an issue of the Mortgage Law and more about banks' challenges with underwriting real estate developers with small balance sheets and limited collateral."

The three-day event will take place from December 9-11, 2012 at the Riyadh Exhibition Centre (King Fahad Road), and will comprise a unique mix of specialized activities including an exhibition, a three-day meetings , investor round tables, workshops, and the prestigious Cityscape Awards for Real Estate, designed to reward industry professionals and companies proven to have shown outstanding real estate development and architecture for both built and future projects in the Kingdom.

Highlighting the significance of this year's event, Hussain Al-Harthy, Managing Director, National Exhibitions Company said: "We are delighted to announce that this year's Cityscape Riyadh is of exceptional interest to all investors, real estate professionals and anyone interested in getting a first-hand look at the rules and regulations concerning market opportunities, exclusive strategies in residential financing, engineering of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) for affordable housing, and creation of greater economic efficiencies."

Underscoring the focal points of the Real Estate meetings, Day One will concentrate on the residential real estate market and consist of a keynote address providing a better understanding of the newly approved Saudi Mortgage Law, reviewing the latest regulations, defining the rights of borrowers and lenders, and clarifying the foreclosure process and oversight of lenders.

Presentations on how to build an efficient mortgage market and a future outlook concerning how the new law will affect the Saudi real estate sector over the short to medium terms will also be included.

In addition, to exclusive information on the latest investment opportunities in the home finance market and identify the feasibility of starting one's own home finance company, in line with the Government's plan to meet the demand for housing as part of the national housing strategy.
Day Two will focus on the commercial market and outline winning strategies to acquire project finance, engineer Public-Private Partnerships to finance and develop affordable housing, and project management techniques for creating greater economic efficiencies.

Voicing his opinion on the impact of new legislation on the mortgage market from a lender's and developer's perspective, Sameer Kazi, Head of Corporate Real Estate Investments at SEDCO Holding said: "The new legislation has a positive impact potential for both lenders and developers. Developers are expected to benefit from the increased liquidity, while lenders will be better able to manage risk."

He went on to say: "The Mortgage Law will also have a positive impact on property prices driven mainly by the general demand, given the demographics and anticipated liquidity from mortgage financing. On the other hand, rents would be more driven by the supply-demand balance rather than the passing of the Mortgage Law."

In conclusion, Day Three will provide information on maturing the market for greater transparency, improving customer satisfaction, multi-model marketing campaigns for homes, and creating marketing and sales positions in the real estate sector.

There is no doubt that Riyadh Urban Development and Real Estate Investment Event - Cityscape Riyadh is one of the leading real estate events in the Kingdom, supporting the Government's vision for growth in the real estate industry, highlighting iconic architecture and innovative development, and providing direct access to the region's biggest real estate market - Saudi Arabia.