- Doha’s residential rental market showed strong improvement in Q2, with notable increases in apartment and villa rents.
- 1-bedroom apartment rents rose in key areas like Fereej Bin Mahmoud, Musheireb, and Old Airport, indicating localized market strength.
- 2-bedroom apartments also saw positive trends, with increases noted in Najma, Umm Ghuwailina, and Fereej Bin Mahmoud.
- The villa market saw significant growth, especially in prime areas such as West Bay Lagoon and The Pearl, reflecting strong demand and rising property values.
Doha’s residential sector experienced notable improvements in rental rates by the end of Q2, following a slow start in the first quarter. According to hapondo, a Qatar-based online real estate platform, several key downtown neighbourhoods in Doha saw stabilisation in 1-bedroom apartment rents, with an even stronger performance in the 2-bedroom market. Additionally, villa rents increased more rapidly in the latest quarter after a promising beginning in Q1.
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Apartment Rental Trends
1-Bedroom Apartments
In Q2, the average rent for 1-bedroom apartments rose in several areas. Fereej Bin Mahmoud saw a 4.8% increase, Musheireb experienced a 6.6% rise, Old Airport registered a 7.3% growth, and Al Mansoura had a 2.5% increase. However, rents in Al Sadd, Najma, and Doha Jadeed remained stable during this period.
2-Bedroom Apartments
The 2-bedroom apartment market also showed positive trends. Najma saw a 3.9% increase in average rents, Umm Ghuwailina experienced a 4.2% rise, Fereej Bin Mahmoud had a 4.4% increase, and Musheireb saw a 2.2% rise. The markets in Doha Jadeed and Old Airport remained stable.
Prime Neighborhoods
While 1-bedroom rents in prime neighbourhoods such as West Bay, Marina, The Pearl, and Fox Hills faced downward pressure, 2-bedroom rents exhibited stability or marginal growth. Notably, Fox Hills showed signs of recovery after several quarters of declining rents, with average 2-bedroom rents increasing by 1.7% and 1-bedroom rents rising by a marginal 0.5%. The projected gross rental yield in Fox Hills slightly increased from 6.4% in Q1 to 6.5% in Q2.
Rental Yields
Overall, the gross apartment rental yields in prime markets remained substantial. West Bay offered the highest 1-bedroom gross rental yield at 8.1%, tied with Fox Hills in the 2-bedroom category at 6.8%. Across Doha’s prime apartment market, the gross rental yield averaged 6.3% in Q2.
Villa Market
The villa market also saw significant growth in Q2. In prime neighbourhoods like West Bay Lagoon, Legtaifiya, and The Pearl, the average rent per square meter rose by 2.2%. Non-prime villas experienced an even higher increase of 5.7%. The Pearl registered a remarkable 17.7% increase in average rent per square meter, highlighting the strong demand in prime locations, which drove up property prices.
Other neighbourhoods also showed notable growth in villa rentals. The Old Airport area saw a 14.2% increase, Al Thumama experienced a 5.9% rise, and Al Mamoura registered a 4.4% increase.
Market Outlook
Ahmad Al-Khanji, CEO and Co-Founder of hapondo, commented on the vibrant residential market in Q2, noting the increased rents favouring downtown apartments, the two-bedroom market, and villas in general. This positive trend reflects the growing demand and investment potential in Doha’s real estate sector, indicating a robust market outlook for the coming quarters.
Overall, Doha’s residential market demonstrated resilience and growth in Q2, with stable and rising rents across various segments. This trend signifies a healthy demand and a promising future for the real estate sector in the region.
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