According to recent research from the leading home and lifestyle channel HGTV*, 55percent of Oman citizens and residents plan on carrying out home improvement during the course of this year. There is an apparent need to create a perfect home; one that meets the needs of its residents and is tuned to their tastes.
The research, released last November, shows the changing face of DIY and home improvement, as more people across the GCC are investing in their homes, regardless of whether they are homeowners or tenants. Conducted in a region that is often considered a transient market, the survey found that nearly half (48 per cent) of respondents planned on carrying out home improvements over the next 12 months to make their living arrangements more comfortable and reflect their new lives in the GCC.
A further 66 per cent of respondents are interested in finding new ways to improve their home in the next year, including 55 per cent eager to invest in rental properties to re-decorate the interiors of their homes, as well as 45 per cent of homeowners planning to renovate kitchens to make them more functional.
The research, covering both homeowners and tenants, also found that more than a third (37 per cent) of residents in these countries noticed a considerable increase in the amount of DIY and home improvement choices in the market, including the launch of HGTV in MENA back in November 2016. However, despite the easy to follow educational tutorials it provides, nearly a quarter (22 per cent) of GCC residents still feel like they do not know enough about DIY and home improvements to carry it out themselves.
A further 74percent of homeowners noted they would rather a professional carry out their own home improvements, despite their interest in trying their hand at the DIY task.
The targeted piece of research surveyed 2,700 respondents that represent the cross-section of expats, NRIs and GCC Nationals living in the GCC markets: UAE, KSA, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.
