His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, visited the Dubai Land Department (LD)’s stand at Cityscape this morning where he launched the department’s new real estate investment map. The interactive application has been designed to make it easier for investors to view projects and developments taking place across the emirate.
At the stand, His Highness was given a detailed description of the map by Majida Ali Rashid, Assistant Director General and Head of LD’s Real Estate Investment Management and Promotion Centre, in the presence of Sultan Butti bin Mejren, Director General of LD, Juma bin Humaidan, Deputy Director General of LD and Marwan bin Ghalita, CEO of DL’s Real Estate Regulatory Agency.
It was explained to His Highness that the three-dimensional smart device application is an important step forward and one that aims to support the growth of the real estate sector in Dubai, with Majida Ali Rashid discussing how LD is incorporating state-of-the-art technology and enhancing its services to customers across the globe. His Highness was impressed with the new initiative and emphasised that Dubai is always in need of such innovative solutions to keep the city at the forefront of global competitiveness.
Designed in conjunction with Space Imaging, the satellite Imagery Company and strategic partner of Google, DL’s investment map is linked to the department’s website and works with mobile devices and tablets to provide a three-dimensional display of ongoing and forthcoming real estate projects. It has been brought to the market by LD’s Real Estate Investment and Promotion Centre, which is responsible for attracting investments to Dubai.
"This interactive map that utilises the Google platform is a very important advanced step to support growth in Dubai by encouraging investments,” said bin Mejren, before the visit of His Highness to LD’s stand. “It is a vital new tool allows investors to actually see the projects on-line. It reflects Dubai’s position as a developed investment environment and one that is forward-thinking in the adoption of modern technologies for economic activities,” he added.
Using DLD’s new investment map involves selecting a particular area, with the application then revealing the basic features of that locality, such as shopping malls, health and education centres, the location of the airport and metro stations. When accessing a particular project, the map displays its specifications, area, and number of floors, apartments, services provided, number of apartments sold from the tower and the number of apartments available for sale.
The map allows users to search for property available for both sale and lease and also displays how many people have viewed the property. Although available to everyone, users will be broken down into three categories; developers, brokers and real estate investors. The names of streets and buildings on the map are updated on a daily basis, with satellite images refreshed every three months.
“LD will be developing the investment map through its investment arm, the Investment and Promotion Centre,” said Ali Rashid. “The success of the map will attract more investors from different parts of the world and will benefit the national economy. It will achieve a ‘chain of gains,’ for the investors, developers, real estate brokers and other stakeholders,” she added.
"The concept of having an investment map is the result of the Dubai government’s program of increasing its scope of smart government, which aims to enhance the customer experience across all sectors. The application is part of a strategic direction that will help keep the emirate up to speed with an ever-evolving digital age and also serve to further bolster Dubai’s stance as a hub for growth and prosperity,” she continued.
Further information about the Dubai Land Department can be found on its social media sites; Facebook (http://on.fb.me/1btUJG0), Twitter (@Land_Department) and Instagram (@Land_Department)