Union Properties open to asset sale

Gulf News -

Dubai's Union Properties is willing to sell any of its projects if it receives a fair price, its chairman told UAE newspapers yesterday.

The developer has received offers for its Ritz Carlton hotel in Dubai which the debt-laden firm is hoping to sell for about Dh1.5 billion.

"The company's complete projects have achieved their investment targets, and it's not strange that we offer them to investors for sale particularly as we have giant projects under way," Khalid Bin Kalban told the Arabic daily Al Bayan.

Income

"Buyers are mainly investment companies and individuals who are looking to buy complete and rented properties with an income of 7-8 per cent," he added.

In a separate interview with the UAE Arabic daily Al Ittihad, Kalban said the funds raised from asset sales will be used to repay financial commitments and finance ongoing property projects.

The firm posted a third consecutive quarterly loss on provisions for contracting and property revaluation. It has Dh6.5 billion of outstanding debt, of which Dh2.8 billion had been rescheduled for payment to 2011 from 2009, with the remainder maturing in the long-term.