Data is king, the adage goes. Good, reliably sourced and accurate data often turns a seemingly courageous decision into a lucrative success. Every successful business leader knows the value of dependable data on which to base their next move, and in the case of the property market, it is no exception.

“We have been leaders in this market for the past 40 years” says Alan Grima, CEO at Dhalia. “We have come a long way from the analog days of 1982, in fact today we are safe to say that Dhalia is Malta’s largest privately-owned real estate agency”

“This wealth of experience has given us an unparalleled vantage point onto the trends, and leanings of the country’s property market, down to the most subtle detail. This is what places us in the best position to help prospective investors to identify the best options for their needs,” Mr Grima explains.

In fact, through their recently published document ‘The Malta Property Landscape: a true picture’, in collaboration with Grant Thornton, Dhalia translates this treasure-trove of information into a detailed and insightful snapshot of where Malta’s property market has been in the past years, and where it is heading.

“The need for timely information on developments in the Maltese property market based on in-depth analysis is crucial for policymakers, businesses and investors, to make informed choices,” Mr Grima states.

“From our experience, we noticed readily available information did not meet the desired industry standards, and hence there was a gap in the information chain. Reliable information was either unavailable or limited in its consideration of important factors that drive house prices, or available with a significant delay. With the introduction of this bi-annual publication we aim to fill this gap,” Mr Grima says.

“The report uses a series of indices which are constructed using Dhalia’s database of over sixty-five thousand property transactions, covering all locations in Malta and Gozo over several years.”

However, it is not just the large number of property transactions that makes the database unique, Mr Grima is swift to point out.

“It is the quality of the data that sets our report apart,” he clarifies. “Over the years we have developed systems and put procedures in place which have given us a wealth of information on the market we operate in. The detail obtained from our on-the-ground operators is second to none, and this is what gives our report the cutting edge.”

In fact, every day new data is carefully compiled by individual Dhalia real estate agents who understand that the information is not only useful for the purpose of selling or renting a property, but also for high-level analysis that ultimately enables them to provide informed advice to their clients. In turn, and for the purposes of this report, the data has been organised in a way that enables rigorous analysis of what is happening in the property market.

This happens through the careful compilation of data which enables the development of indices that go beyond the simple price-comparison.

“When it comes to property pricing and valuation, the devil is in the detail. No property is like any other. Comparisons require careful consideration of similarities and differences in characteristics, and these differences matter immensely,” Mr Grima reveals.

‘The Malta Property Landscape: a true picture’ includes insights on several aspects of the real estate market, including, the valuation of property, its expected return on investment, affordability, selling and rental price changes, as well as many other elements that any businessperson, investor or policymaker will be on the look-out for.

“We believe that long-term sustainability of the property market can only be achieved and guaranteed through a thorough understanding and the insightful knowledge of the market itself. For too long has this country taken this market for granted and expected it to behave in a certain way without really understanding the detail behind the trends.

“The need to go a few levels deeper had been clear and to us for some time. This report seeks to understand the key determining factors of the property market. Without a thorough understanding of the behaviour and impact of these factors, it is highly difficult for anyone to form any meaningful insights and opinions about this extremely important industry,” Mr Grima concludes.

The Malta Property Landscape: a true picture brings together Dhalia’s high-quality data on the real estate market and the analytical expertise of Grant Thornton. The study was presented during an event in June, which saw the participation of stakeholders in the property and construction industries and local authorities.

The full version of the bi-annual publication “The Malta property landscape” report is available for purchase from www.maltapropertylandscape.mt. An abridged version is also available for download from the same site. For more information, please contact Dhalia on [email protected].