Mortgages rise, underpinning demand Office sector remains under pandemic pressure RIYADH: Property prices in the Saudi capital edged higher in the first quarter even as rental rates eased, JLL said. Riyadh’s residential sale prices registered an annual increase of 2 percent for apartments and villas. By contrast, rental rates reported yearly declines of 1 percent for apartments and villas, it said. Some 7,700 homes were handed over during the period, the broker said. “Looking ahead, the government initiatives that are pushing Riyadh to be the business hub of the region are expected to spur local and international demand,” JLL said in the report. It said that strong government support helped to boost demand for residential property in the first three months of the year. New mortgage loans for individuals jumped by 33,000 contracts in January 2021, it said. The total value of mortgages increased to SR16.4 billion, according to the Saudi Arabia Monetary Agency (SAMA). The Riyadh office market remains under pressure with average lease rates across a basket of Grade A & B office spaces in the city falling by 2 percent over the quarter compared to a year earlier.