The first freehold properties to be offered for sale in Qatar went on the market yesterday.

This follows a test marketing period which saw great interest from potential investors from within the Gulf states and beyond.

The 1,012 apartments, 28 luxury penthouses and 140 town homes in seven, 20-storey towers are due to be completed in the final quarter of 2006 or first quarter 2007 and will line Porto Arabia - the main harbour of the rediscovered island, The Pearl-Qatar, being reclaimed offshore Doha.

The range of one, two, three and four-bedroomed homes come in four architectural styles Monaco, Tuscan, Provencal and Florentine.

"These are the first properties within the Arabian Gulf to be offered with true freehold status as laid down in Article 3 of decree number 17 of 2004, issued by the Emir of Qatar, His Highness Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani on June 6 of this year," said Omar Al Fardan, director, United Development Co (UDC), the developer and promoter of The Pearl-Qatar.

"This decree, which is backed by cabinet approval and is subject to a draft protocol between UDC and the Government of Qatar, regulates the ownership of real estate and residential units by non-Qataris.

"We believe local, regional and international investment will be attracted to this unique destination off the coast of one of the world's most rapidly expanding economies."

The sales launch coincided with UDC's unveiling of the The Pearl-Qatar's final masterplan and brand essence.

"The island will become the Riviera Arabia and each of the 10 themed districts and their individual localities is named to reflect a Mediterranean lifestyle in the heart of the Gulf," said Nick Bashkiroff, Development Director, The Pearl-Qatar.

"The names have been created with a mix of French, Italian, Spanish and Arabic, summoning up the promise of an iconic destination and one of the most glamorous addresses in the Middle East."

Mega project

  • The Pearl-Qatar, covering 985 acres of reclaimed land, is Qatar's first international real estate venture, the largest real estate development in the country and the first to offer freehold and residential rights to international investors.
  • When complete in 2009, some 30,000 people are expected to live on the island, which will be linked to the mainland by an eight-lane, palm-tree lined boulevard the Grand Cruz.
  • The four-phase development will have 10 distinct districts housing three luxury hotels, four marinas, with combined mooring for over 700 boats and 60,000 square metres of luxury retail and restaurant space.