Realestate Fraud

Another example to how sad and disgusting the property market here has become...

Thirty eight families will find out later on Sunday if they are to be evicted from their homes in Discovery Gardens after paying a year’s rent upfront to a brokerage firm which turned out not to be the landlord.

Everyone who is involved in this story is an accomplice:

Corporate Business Solutions (CBS) - I hope they find the owner and leave him/her to rot in jail

RERA - for lukewarm reaction and not taking a strong stand with the real victim here

Meraas - for choosing to blame and go after the victims, not the culprit

RE agents - for blackmailing tenants for their commission money back in return of waiving liability.

Here is my question: If the brokerage firm in question (CBS) was not the landlord, how did they have keys to the units and managed to handover apartments to tenant to move in and officially register DEWA and all? Something doesn't smell right here at all ..

I hope that everyone mentioned above sleep warm and cozy in their beds at night knowing that they can be responsible for throwing out 38 families in the street. Sick.

[via Arabian Business]

Kindle Goes International ... but

Labeled as Amazon's iPod, Oprah loves it and when I travel to the US, every other person I meet rubs a Kindle in my face ...

Today, the news is out … after a lingering wait, people outside the US will have the chance to own one. Amazon cut its prices and decides to ship 100K units to international locations around the world (thats it? 100K?).

BUT … if you happen to be one of those who really really really really really want a Kindle and happen to live in the Middle East, it must suck to be you. Because Amazon is not recognizing any country in the region as worthy enough of its precious little reading toy.

Mind you, Kindle and Kindle content will be available in countries like Myanmar, Ghana and Namibia, where illiteracy rates are much higher than places like the UAE, Kuwait, Egypt and Lebanon. However, avid readers of Arabia will have to wait longer.

Some people suggested buying it in the US and using it here; thats not my point .. Also, I am not entirely sure using a Kindle on a non-US or non-Amazon-recognized service provider will allow me to download Kindle content (books, magazines and newspapers)..

I am pissed and I need to point a finger at somebody to blame..

Not Your Typical Robin Hood

Having a couple of trolleys in the building is always useful for the tenants. Especially when you come back loaded with shopping bags and no one is there to help you carry them.

But not this guy...

Clearly, he is keeping the cart all to himself ...