The expats left with ‘unsellable’ Dubai homes: One British TV influencer faces making loss on his £1.5m mansion as property prices collapse due to war

Expats are suffering massive property losses in Dubai as war in the Middle East throws the city’s housing market into turmoil.

A British influencer was left with an ‘unsellable’ villa after investing hundreds of thousands of pounds in luxury renovations before conflict broke out.

Sam Gowland, 30, a former Love Island and Geordie Shore star, left the world of reality TV behind to build a property empire and quickly boasted a multimillion-pound turnover, offering to share his secrets to success with his followers.

And he proudly explained that his biggest project yet involved buying a £1.5 million villa which he extensively redesigned. It was announced for sale just days before US and Israeli attacks on Iran led to retaliatory drone strikes on Dubai.

Dubai media is already reporting a 51 percent drop in transactions and a 20 percent drop in value is predicted overnight.

Since the start of the war, the DFM Property Index, which tracks real estate developers listed on the Dubai Financial Market, has fallen by 30 percent, marking a dramatic decline in investor confidence in the sector.

Gowland fled the city for the safety of Thailand, one of tens of thousands of Britons who have fled the country in recent weeks.

The saga began in happier times for both Gowland and Dubai, when he told followers he had bought the villa for ‘$2 million’, or £1.54 million.

He said the four-month project to take the existing building and make it more spectacular was the result of ‘years of goal setting and dreams coming to life, one by one’.

In regular online updates, he teased followers with exquisite details of the project and said he was tempted to make it his permanent home; he eventually announced on 13 February that he would sell it and would listen to offers of over £2 million.

He proudly explained that his biggest project to date had been the purchase of a villa for £1.5 million, which he had extensively redesigned.

Now property sales there have collapsed, with Dubai media reporting a 51 per cent drop in transactions and forecasting a 20 per cent drop in value overnight.

This meant he covered his capital costs and made at least £500,000 less profit no matter how much he spent on the refurbishment.

But then a US and Israeli attack on Iran put Dubai in the firing line of retaliatory strikes, and the wealthy Westerners targeted by Gowland’s extended speech on social media were suddenly cut short.

Gowland, from Teesside, described rockets flying over his house on Instagram and hit out at trolls who said they hoped his house would be hit by a missile.

He has now left the UAE for the safety of Thailand, but it is unclear whether the proposed sale of his new villa amid war has attracted the interest of potential buyers.

A source in Dubai’s expat community said: ‘The timing couldn’t have been worse for Sam. He will struggle to sell the place soon; In short, no one is buying it, and it won’t be until this whole war resolves itself, which could take months or even years.

‘Meanwhile all his money will be tied up in the villa, so he won’t be able to obtain any liquidity to fund his next development project.

‘I suspect he was hoping to get £2.25 million for this. Now he will struggle to get back much of what he has already spent. Devastating.”

Gowland’s stepmother Joanne told the Daily Mail at the family home in Thornaby-on-Tees: ‘I’m glad he’s out of there now, he’s safe now and he’s in Bangkok.

‘He left Dubai for Mauritius and is now safe in Bangkok.’

Asked about the property deal, he added: ‘I’m not sure if he managed to sell the house in Dubai, there’s so much going on I’m never sure what’s on the market and what’s not.’

Gowland, from Teesside, described rockets flying over his house on Instagram and hit out at trolls who said they hoped his house would be hit by a missile.

He has now left the UAE for the safety of Thailand, but it is unclear whether the proposed sale of his new villa amid war has attracted the interest of potential buyers.

On October 5 last year, Gowland announced for the first time that he had purchased his new home, but that he had a major renovation project ahead of him.

He told his Instagram followers: ‘Proud moment today, I bought and moved into my new $2 million house in Dubai. Years of goal setting and dreams are coming to life one by one. Another villa abroad and many more to come.

‘The complete renovation of the villa started today, give it three months and watch how this looks. I’m grateful for Ecom and the freedom to make money from my phone anywhere in the world.’

And by February 15, he was looking for ways to increase sales.

He shared: ‘After 4 months of stress and deep pockets, I’m proud to announce the completion of my latest house/villa in Dubai.

‘This time I chose a minimalist yet timeless design where each room would complement the outdoor area, which is the main focal point of my villa.

‘[I’m] humming and coming [sic] I thought about what to do with it as I became obsessed with the look of it, haha.

’10 million AED (£2 million GBP) and I will initiate a conversation with you.’

On October 5 last year, Gowland announced for the first time that he had purchased his new home, but that he had a major renovation project ahead of him.

In a now-deleted video posted on March 1, Gowland slammed trolls who said they hoped his house would be hit after airstrikes began on neighboring Iran on February 28.

Gowland first came to prominence as a contestant on Love Island in 2017

In a now-deleted video posted on March 1, Gowland slammed trolls who said they hoped his house would be hit after airstrikes began on neighboring Iran on February 28.

Speaking in the video, Gowland said: ‘I cannot understand at all the tweets and comments about what is happening in Dubai. People celebrate by saying “I’m glad I saw something like this happen to Dubai” or “I hope your house gets hit.”

‘I have thick skin, but even from a human perspective I can’t believe some of the things I see. There are many different reasons why people come here, but seeing other people making ill wishes… I am lost for words when I read the comments on my house post on Instagram.’

The video continued with Gowland urging people online to ‘think’ about those affected.

Gowland said: ‘Why would you wish this on anyone? Being in Dubai was very scary. Please think before you speak. After reading things like this, sometimes words fail me.’

Gowland first came to prominence as a contestant on Love Island in 2017.

In December 2017, five months after the show aired, it was announced that she would be joining Geordie Shore for the 16th series of the MTV show.

He remained on Geordie Shore for another 12 months, starting a fight with cast member Alex MacPherson over advances made towards Gowland’s then-girlfriend Chloe Ferry.

Since leaving Geordie Shore, he has devoted himself to property development abroad, claiming to have made a fortune from nothing.

In December 2017, five months after the show aired, it was announced that she would be joining Geordie Shore for the 16th series of the MTV show.

He remained on Geordie Shore for another 12 months, starting a fight with cast member Alex MacPherson over advances made towards Gowland’s then-girlfriend Chloe Ferry.

In a post to celebrate her 30th birthday last August, she said: ‘Wow, I can’t believe how quickly the years have gone by.

‘As I step into this new chapter, I reflect on an incredible journey, from starting working on construction sites in my 20s to now standing proudly as a millionaire.

‘Along the way, I’ve had the privilege of appearing on two of the biggest television shows in the UK, traveling the world and building homes while creating unforgettable memories and lifelong friendships.’