I am going to take your word for it as i have not looked at it for a year now, the marina that is.
I do however have a couple of high-end broker friends in Dubai, who still put the Palm at 40% more expensive than the Pearl so i think the Pearl is still a good bet.
The Marina however is a place i would hate to live. i wouldnt pay anything for a place there. Anyone who has been there would have an idea of what i mean, once its all online it will be a nightmare of a place to live. Way to many people in way to small a place.

The reason i am bring this up is that currently the lagoons is, in my opinion, a far more desireable place to live than the marina and i think the Pearl will be even better.

Now that enough of my personal views.
What it boils down to is supply and demand and the demand will always drive the price. what do you think the demand is like in qatar at the moment and more importantly do you think that will change in the next ten years?
I don't!!!
You quote the Dubai stock exchange, a fairly new concept, which since its inception has shown absolutely no reflection of the property market so i dont think it is valid to bring it in the the discussion.
I understand you are pointing towards the economic stability of the region but somehow it has never effected the property market, i think this is down to the rate with which it is growing, the fact the exchange is so up and down.
that level of high speed growth will always lead to instability but the one constant has always been the property market.
Just a quick note on the freehold, yes you are correct in saying it was legalised in 2002 but the concept began more than 10 years before that and that is how long they have been building towards it, literally, if you will excuse the pun.

Now back top the point at hand. I still maintian that the market in qatar will be very profitable for at least the next ten years but there are always risks and the higher the return the greater the risk.
I would say anyone going in to it must do so with eyes wide open and do their research well but as far as i am concerned the return is at the moment worth the risk....

Over to you!