Saudi property buyers are now looking beyond just the unit and are increasingly shopping for a masterplan. As Saudi Arabia builds out its smart cities and pushes the property transaction chain online, the questions a buyer needs answered before they sign have gotten considerably harder. Shabab Al Qarni (LinkedIn), general manager of Holo KSA, talks to us about how the definition of a good location is shifting, why more information hasn’t made buying any simpler, and what the next phase of digitization has to fix. EnterpriseAM: How is smart-city development reshaping demand in the Saudi real estate market? Shabab Al Qarni: Smart-city development is changing how buyers assess real estate in Saudi Arabia. The question is no longer just where a property is located, but what is being built around it — and how that location will evolve over time. Infrastructure, mobility, connectivity, and access to services are becoming increasingly important in determining a property's long-term value and suitability. Buyers are therefore looking beyond the individual unit and considering the wider ecosystem they are buying into. From where we sit at Holo, that makes access to information increasingly important. Buyers need a clearer picture of both the property itself and the development taking shape around it to make more informed decisions. E: How are the priorities of Saudi property buyers changing as those cities come online? SAQ: Price and location will always matter, but the definition of a good location is becoming broader. As the Kingdom develops more connected communities and invests in infrastructure and quality of life, buyers are increasingly looking beyond the property itself to the wider community — its accessibility, services, connectivity, amenities, and development potential. Property decisions are therefore becoming more informed and complex. The question used to be “Can I afford this property?” Now, it’s: