Dubai has a lot of glitz and glamour. From the tallest tower to the biggest mall to the most expensive cars, it has established itself as an opulent city for the rich and famous. However, Dubai was not always like this. It has it’s roots steeped in humble beginnings. We remember Dubai when Deira was the centre of the city and the Dubai Creek was the lifeline of it’s economy. Now that the city has sprawled out in all directions, there is a lot more to choose from however, Dubai has something for everyone. From affordable to mid-level communities, both old and new, Dubai real estate is diverse and accomdating to all income levels. Here are a few examples of areas that may suit your needs.

Jumeirah Village Circle

There are 18 districts in JVC, with villas and townhouses, plus commercial buildings. Master developer Nakheel tends to build Arabic and Mediterranean-style villas and townhouses. There’s a broad range of homes, from studio townhouses and open balcony views to four- bedroom villas with stunning kitchens and multi-level terraces. Homeowners can also ask to add more bedrooms or a landscaped swimming pool, for example. Other developments feature townhouses, commercial buildings and retail space, which are all low- or mid-rise, creating an open atmosphere. The interesting thing about JVC is that there are unique villas which can be G+2 to G+4 with multiple stories of bedrooms, living rooms and open access to the property’s rooftops which can be converted to recreational areas.

The JSS international school which is rated very good by KHDA is located in JVC as are 30 landscaped parks for families to enjoy. It is also relatively close to Dubai Sports City, Emirates Living and it’s proximity to Emirates Road and Al Khail Road make it easy to access. One of the disadvantages of JVC is that the road networks are somewhat disorganized where there are 4 way traffic stops without traffic signals and sometimes you have vehicles that drive right through so best to be mindful of this. Rents for studios start at AED 44,000 and for 2 beds can go up to AED 90,000. This is a mid-level area.

International City

International City is a large master community built by Nakheel. It is primarily a low-rise building community with 10 country themed sectors; China, England, Emirates, France, Greece, Italy, Morrocco, Persia, Spain and Russia. Most buildings are G+4 or G+5 with a lobby and green areas around each building. The rent range for these studio flats starts from AED 23,000. 1 Bedrooms can start from AED 29,000 and go up to AED 60,000. 2 Bedrooms apartments have their price starting from AED 46,000, and lastly, the 3 bedrooms start from AED 65,000 per annum.

You do need to keep in mind that a lot of single people live in this area. If you are a family, you must ask around for buildings or clusters where there are predominantly more families present so that you are surrounded by like minded people. There are a plethora of shops, cafes and restaurants in the IC. For example, there is an amazing hand pulled noodle house tucked away in China cluster in International City that most people would miss but here at Viewit, we have the goods. Simply type Quanjude Restaurant, China F08 – F – 8 D St – Dubai, International City into Google Maps and have some authentic and best Peking ducks in the city.

IC has 2 huge malls, Dragon Mart and Dragon Mart 2. Both these malls scratch an itch that many in Dubai have, one for affordable and durable furniture shops. A useful and resourceful shopping plaza, Dragon Mart caters to all sorts of home and patio furniture that you simply cannot find anywhere else. You can also purchase bikes, scooters, light fixtures, kitchen essentials and much more at this eclectic mall.

Another important point to note; IC has some of the best rental yields in the city. While maintenance of your property might be a bit more challenging, the returns you get here are closr to 9-10% net yield after paying service fees. This is because the entry price to purchase a property can be as low as AED 320,000 and the rental yields for such an apartment can be AED 35-40k netting you close to 10% return.

Dubai South

To give you an idea of where it is, here is a screenshot of Google Maps of the location.

Dubai South is a relatively new community near the new Al Maktoum Airport, Dubai’s second airport primarily used for cargo and in 2013 opened up to passenger flights. Once completed, this airport will be the world’s largest global gateway with capacity for more than 160 million passengers per year. It will also serve as a multi-modal logistics hub for 12 million tonnes of freight.

This airport will support a large network of businesses in logistics and trade around the airport which will then require housing, which is why Dubai South was built. Dubai South is comprised of several projects, as mentioned below;

The Residential District: Home to Dubai South’s flagship residential project, The Pulse, an urban mixed-use development that comprises 1,400 apartments and townhouses, shopping mall, hotels, retail, as well as communities and properties by renowned developers.

Sakany: Dubai South’s first leasehold staff accommodation that emphasises resident welfare across 16 best-in-class buildings, including first-rate leisure and sports facilities, well-equipped medical rooms, and self-cooking facilities.

JV Developments: These include Emaar South, which represents a joint venture between Dubai South and Emaar that will be home to 4,500 residents upon handover of the initial phases. Emaar South has 1-4 bedroom townhouses and apartments starting from AED 621,000. There are going to be 15,630 apartments, 22,700 residential units, 52,000 square meters of retail and dining space, an 18-hole golf course and 25 neighbourhood parks in the area.

IMPZ (International Media Production Zone)

IMPZ is a relatively new area located across the road from Dubai Sports City. It was original concieved by TECOM as a hub for publishing, packaging and producing content. As such there are several commercial buildings in the neighbourhood and you can easily setup a free zone license in the area too.

Some of the notable buildings in the area include Midtown, Centrium Towers, Lago Vista and Lakeside Residences. These are all affordable options with rents starting from AED 35-40,000 for a studio. The sizes are decent for a studio, starting from 460 Square Feet but you cannot expect spectacular views of the sea or a golf course here. There is a City Centre shopping plaza located in the heart of the area where you can shop at the local Carrefour or dine at the various restaurants and cafes in the plaza. There are currently no villa options in the area and it is primarily comprised of apartment blocks. The ease of transportation to and from the area are convenient with bus services near The Crescent Towers and Centrium Towers.

Damac Hills 2

Built by one of the biggest developers in Dubai Damac Properties, Damac Hills 2 is a master community which covers 55 million square feet and is divided into five distinct towns: Down Town, Equestrian Town, Motor Town, Sports Town, and Water Town. A large city within a city, Damac Hills 2 has the following activities and amenities for families;

• Lazy River
• Paintball
• Go-Karting
• Horse Riding
• Zen Garden
• Sports Fields
• Cycling Track
• Fishing Lake

Rents can start as low as AED 40,000 for properties which are less than 2 years old. The only thing to keep in mind here is the distance to Dubai is quite long. Located close to Qudra Lake, it will take 35-40 mins to get to Mall of the Emirates from here without traffic. The road networks are improving everyday but the distance is something to be mindful of.

Conclusion

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