Caynine
Not sure about your comment there, perhaps you've had your fingers burnt by the property crash? Some guys have done very well buying their family homes here, many now with small mortgages covered by the Company and sitting on lots of equity. The company will give you an extra 180k per year. That's a lot of money to put into a mortgage over the next 15 years or so. Buying off plan and dealing with the likes of Nakheel I'd agree with avoiding but now is still a good time to buy as prices slowly starting to rise again. If you have a deposit, are planning long term, you'd be daft not to buy. Even if you decide not to live in it, rental yields are almost double those in the UK.
Regarding the banks, you have no choice. No bank, no salary. Stick with the western ones regulated in the UK. At least you have some recourse should things go pete tong.
Harry