Dubai Property Market
- 36% YoY
Property sale volume
- 20% YoY
Property sale value (AED)
One of the most established and popular investment locations in the whole of Dubai
Investors have been acquiring assets in this exciting waterway-centric part of the emirate since the onset of the Gold Rush – when international purchases were sanctioned – almost over two decades ago.
Ever since the introduction of that foreign ownership decree, Dubai Marina investors have enjoyed some of the world’s biggest annual capital appreciation returns.
It’s true that like Dubai in general, and every other property market in the world, the past 20 years haven’t been without some downturns and cyclical performance, but on the whole investment in Dubai Marina has offered strong ROI.
And it looks like property investment in the marina has a bright future too.
Available
Properties
Dubai Marina's Property Market Performance
Dubai Marina property statistics for completed 1-bedroom properties:
- The average asking sales price in Dubai Marina in November 2024: 2M AED
- The average transaction sales price in Dubai Marina in November 2024: 2.6M AED
- The average asking sales price in Dubai Marina in November 2024 per sq ft: 1,815 AED
- The average transaction sales price in Dubai Marina in November 2024 per sq ft: 1,866 AED
There are in excess of 200 residential buildings, but despite the density of the area, investors will find that most homes offer breathtaking views of the surrounding locale and the waterways leading to the harbour. Given that the vast majority of these residential buildings are towers, it is not surprising that the Dubai Marina stock primarily consists of apartments.
Average capital appreciation in Dubai Marina over the past 12 months
- Dubai Marina overall: 8.47% capital appreciation
- Dubai Marina 1-bed property: 4.10% capital appreciation
- Dubai Marina 2-bed property: 14.37% capital appreciation
- Dubai Marina 3-bed property: 13.64% capital appreciation
- Dubai Marina 4-bed property: 19.53% capital appreciation
How to choose an apartment for investment in Dubai Marina
Given the current widespread strong capital growth across the Dubai Marina market, investors looking to absolutely maximise ROI are focusing on the rental appeal of their units.
Dubai Marina is popular with the emirate’s young ex-pat population and consequently, void periods are a lot less frequent and demand much higher than in some other places within Dubai.
Most apartment units come with access to shared amenities, which typically include gyms, spectacular swimming pools, covered parking, a concierge, and security. Other features that appeal to tenants are balconies and maid quarters.
Dubai Marina rental market
As mentioned, investors looking to maximise ROI with marina assets have a strong focus on the rental market. Dubai Marina is favoured by thousands of young professionals who live and work in the emirate – and even further afield. It is not unusual for ex-pats to work at locations as far as Abu Dhabi and still opt to live with friends in Dubai Marina.
Consequently, investors and owners enjoy year-round lettings demand and void periods in Dubai Marina are often shorter than other markets in Dubai and the wider GCC.
As it is one of the most mature sub-markets in Dubai, many investors now have multiple properties in Dubai Marina and use local agents to help market and let their portfolio. However, Dubai Marina is also very accessible and popular with first-time investors too.
Whether you have a portfolio of properties or are seeking your first acquisition, if you require assistance letting your assets, this is something we can help you with even prior to your acquisition.
Starting rental values for Dubai Marina property:
- Average rental price for Dubai Marina properties December 2024: 130,000 AED
- Average gross yield for Dubai Marina properties December 2024: 6.49%
Dubai Marina real estate outlook
The prospects for property investment in Dubai in general look bright.
The UAE recently secured its place as the most attractive investment destination in the world with states, corporations and individuals from Europe, Asia and the United States investing in a myriad of schemes in the country.
Real estate investments are expected to benefit from the strong economy and the continued drive to grow the ex-pat population in Dubai and the rest of the UAE.
Furthermore, most experts agree that outside of the wider positive forecast for Dubai real estate investment, Dubai Marina itself will always benefit from the added resilience of being a popular lettings investment – not to mention the extra maturity and the confidence this brings to future investors too.
Many investors expect transaction values to rise further – especially as prices are still undervalued compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Subsequently, currently, Dubai Marina is a hot market. Investor demand for available Dubai Marina stock is high and this is expediting the rise in transaction values weekly. This is expected to be the case until more off-plan stock enters the market – although given the maturity of the sub-market, off-plan stock is never as prevalent as elsewhere in Dubai.
Dubai marina location and lifestyle
Like with much of Dubai property investment, it is hard to separate the appeal of Dubai’s lifestyle from the ROI; the lifestyle drives the demand for property and tenancy.
Dubai Marina is widely viewed as one of the emirate’s most vibrant and picturesque neighbourhoods due to its array of waterside bars and restaurants and its stylish skyscrapers.
Furthermore, the area has strong transport links and it is easy for Dubai Marina residents to travel across the emirate either by car or public transport. There are two metro stations, bus and tram networks, plus the ferry service to Business Bay. Dubai Marina is about 5 minutes from other prime destinations such as JLT and JBR – even Downtown Dubai is only a 20-minute drive away.
What is the mix of off-plan and completed properties in Dubai Marina?
Dubai Marina’s property market is predominately completed properties.
This means demand for properties is always high and existing investors have few difficulties securing an exit from the market when the time is right.
Are there good schools in Dubai Marina?
Proximity to schooling remains a good investment pre-requisite – even in an area that is predominately home to young ex-pats.
Raffles International School, which is an authorised school for the Cambridge Curriculum, is a short walk from most addresses in the marina. There are also various nurseries including Marina Village Nursery and Willow Nursery Dubai Marina.
What investment budget do you need to buy property in Dubai Marina?
As mentioned, the most populous property type in the marina is the 1-bedroom apartment and average asking prices are currently around the 1.5m AED mark.
However, Dubai Marina has many different types of assets, including 7-bedroom penthouses and Villas that can command up to 30m AED.
