Best 6 projects for buying apartments in Abu Dhabi

Buying a property in the emirate of Abu Dhabi is one of the best ways to invest in the UAE. The capital offers many popular areas to purchase real estate, and one of the most in-demand areas is the man-made Yas Island from Aldar Properties. A large entertainment center occupies an area of 2,500 hectares and a lot of attractions, hotels, restaurants and entertainment complexes are concentrated here, which annually attracts a huge flow of tourists. We have prepared an article with a selection of the best residential complexes and communities for buying apartments on Yas Island, which includes Mayan, Yas Bay, Water’s Edge, Ansam, Diva and Yas Acres.

Yas Island is a popular destination for tourists and investors from all around the world. The island is home to many hotels, restaurants, clubs and other entertainment venues, including easily recognizable attractions such as Ferrari World Park, Yas Links Abu Dhabi golf course, Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi water park with its extreme waterslides, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi theme park and Yas Marina West Circuit, which is also a Formula 1 circuit. It is also home to Abu Dhabi’s largest shopping mall, Yas Mall.

The developer of the man-made island is Aldar Properties. Yas Island is well-connected to the mainland and all bus stops are situated near Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi and Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi.

The Yas Island neighbourhood has a well-developed infrastructure including:

• Hotels: W Abu Dhabi, Yas Island Rotana, Radisson Blu Hotel, Park Inn by Radisson Abu Dhabi, Centro Yas Island and more.
• Yas Marina Circuit Medical Center and many pharmacies.
• Supermarkets: Spinneys, Allday Market – Ansam and Carrefour Hypermarket.
• Mosques: Ansam Residences – Gate 2 Mosque, Yas Villa Mosque and West Yas Mosque.

The community is pure luxury in the capital of the UAE and attracts an investor interest in terms of long-term investments. Yas Island offers investors a wide choice of real estate for sale, including apartments, townhouses, villas, duplexes and land plots. The island has a vibrant lifestyle and is a good residential option for both young professionals and families with children. All developments in the community have dedicated parking spaces for its residents.

This section of the article contains a selection of the best residential complexes and communities for purchasing apartments in the Yas Island area. The selection includes Water’s Edge, Ansam, Mayan, Diva, Yas Acres and Yas Bay. These developments offer world-class amenities and direct access to all popular landmarks of the man-made islands, as well as the luxury residences themselves.

Water’s Edge

Water’s Edge is a new residential complex in the heart of the Yas Island community and includes 13 buildings, with a total of 2,262 housing units. The Water’s Edge project offers studios and 1-3 bedrooms apartments for sale that have gorgeous views over the canal. The properties range in size from 688 sq. ft to 1,420 sq. ft. And the minimum cost for an apartment with 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom constitutes AED 753,000 (USD 205,000). At the moment, Phase One of Water’s Edge is completed, while Phase Two is still under construction.

Residents of the complex have access to various amenities such as a 26,909 sq. ft waterfront boardwalk, a swimming pool for adults and a separate pool for children, a modern gymnasium, a BBQ area, jogging and cycling trail, covered parking and beautiful beaches with soft white sand. Due to the convenient location of the Water’s Edge development, different retail shops, cafes and restaurants are situated in very close proximity.

Ansam

Ansam is a neighbourhood on the west side of Yas Island. The project is developed by Aldar Properties and is currently completed. The development consists of 12 Andalusian-style buildings with 6-8 floors. The Andalusian character is displayed through distinct pitched roofs adorned with rustic tiles and Spanish characteristic features on terraces, facades, balconies, window protrusions and canopies.

All residences in Ansam have large and double-glazed windows and bedrooms are equipped with built-in wardrobes. Apartments are fully serviced by electrical, central gas, water, security and fire sprinkler systems.

There is plenty of landscaping throughout the community with flowers, mature trees and gardens. Each building provides access to a variety of amenities that include infinity-edge pools, shallow pools for children, poolside areas with lounge chairs and sunbeds, outdoor event spaces, bars, modern gyms, local retail outlets, community areas, walking and running paths, a multipurpose room, and numerous recreational areas.

There are 547 housing units in Ansam and the residential complex offers studios and 1-3 bedroom apartments for sale, with views of the Yas Links Golf Course. Property sizes range from 4,337 sq. ft to 34,584 sq. ft. The starting price for an apartment with 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom constitutes AED 1,000,000 (USD 272,300).

Mayan

Mayan by the Aldar Properties developer is a residential community that is fully completed. The complex offers the following facilities: swimming pools, steam rooms, sun decks, a community room, a well-equipped gymnasium, a children’s playground, community garden, BBQ areas, around-the-clock concierge service and underground parking. Residents of Mayan have fast and easy access to the Yas Links Abu Dhabi golf course, Yas Beach and beach retail outlets and cafes.

The total area of the Mayan community is 774,883 sq. ft and consists of 5 buildings, each has a basement, a ground floor, 10 residential floors and 2 roof storeys (Roof and Top Roof). Building 2 and Building 3 are the tallest establishments.

The Mayan residential development offers studios and 1-4 bedrooms apartments for sale with stunning views of the waterfront and mangroves. The total number of housing units in the complex is 512. All residences are family-oriented and have quality sound insulation and double glazing. Property area of the units ranges from 430 sq. ft to 8,277 sq. ft. The minimum price for a 1-bedroom apartment with 2 bathrooms constitutes AED 1,200,000 (USD 327,000).

Diva

Diva at the Bay is a waterfront complex by Webridge Properties real estate development company. Currently the project is under construction and the anticipated date of handover is Q3 2024. The complex is a 13-storey mid-sized residential tower featuring DIVA A and DIVA B. The total number of apartments in the building constitutes 736.

Some residences on the first storey have large terraces and private swimming pools and other apartments in Diva have large balconies. Residents of the complex will enjoy plenty of amenities such as a public gymnasium, broadband internet, a children’s playground, a day-care center, a public swimming pool, cable and satellite TV, round-the-clock security and CCTV.

The Diva community offers spacious studios and 1-3 bedroom apartments with gorgeous views of the Arabian Gulf and Yas Island for sale. The cost of a 1-bedroom apartment with 1 bathroom starts from AED 518,000 (USD 141,000).

Yas Acres

The Yas Acres development on Yas Island was constructed in 2 phases. Phase One is already completed, while Phase Two is currrently under construction. The developer of this residential community is Aldar Properties.

The golf and waterfront neighbourhood offers a mix of real estate, including apartments, townhouses and villas. The available apartments for sale in Yas Acres are residences with 2 bedrooms. The property size of the units varies from 2,217 sq. ft to 2,228 sq. ft. The minimum price for a 2-bedroom apartment constitutes AED 2,568,000 (USD 699,200).

Excellent facilities in the Yas Acres development consist of beautifully landscaped parks, a cycling and jogging track, barbecue areas, outdoor yoga spaces, community centres, cafes, retail stores, restaurants and retail centres. Yas Acres Golf & Country Club is situated in the centre of the area and offers a world-class 9 hole golf course. The Country Club in Yas Acres includes squash, swing and tennis courts, a spa, a children’s playground and swimming pools. The community is also in close proximity to international schools, which is very convenient for families with children.

Yas Bay

Yas Bay is a new waterfront development on Yas Island. The community includes 2 luxury hotels, food and beverage outlets, a beach club, residences, a boutique cinema, a skate park and an 18,000 capacity multi-purpose arena. The master plan of Yas Bay comprises 3 areas: The Waterfront, Yas Beach Residences and Perla 2. The Waterfront is a dedicated media zone and residences. Yas Bay is a one-of-a-kind AED 12B destination, which is promising to be the most popular waterfront district. The official opening of Yas Bay Waterfront will be on December 1.

Investors can find apartments for sale in 2 complexes which are part of the other two areas of Yas Bay: Yas Beach Residences and Perla 2. The developments provide residents amenities such as a BBQ area, central air conditioning, covered parking, a children’s swimming pool, lobby, a spa, concierge and security services. The residential complexes here offer studios and 1-5 bedrooms apartments for sale. The minimum price for a 1-bedroom residence with 2 bathrooms and property area of 745 sq. ft constitutes AED 563,000 (USD 153,300).

The purchase of real estate on Yas Island is profitable both in terms of living in it yourself and for investment. Yas Island provides a large number of jobs and entertainment locations and has extremely popular attractions situated on man-made islands which attract a high number of tourists every year, who may also be interested in short-term apartment rentals. There are the following landmarks in the area: Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi aquapark, Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, Yas Links Abu Dhabi golf course, Yas Marina West Circuit and Yas Mall.

Property in residential developments on Yas Island provides a good return on investment. For example, the starting price for the purchase of a 1-bedroom apartment in the Water’s Edge complex on the man-made island constitutes AED 753,000 (USD 205,000). Renting out a 1-bedroom apartment in the same residential complex will bring a minimum of AED 50,000 (USD 14,000) per year. Therefore, the minimum ROI can be predicted at a level of 6–7%.

The lowest price for the purchase of a 2-bedroom apartment in the Mayan complex on Yas Island constitutes AED 1,485,000 (USD 404,000). The rental price for an apartment with 2 bedrooms in this complex starts from AED 120,000 (USD 33,000) per year so the projected minimum ROI will be 8%.

1. The Yas Island area is home to many easily recognisable landmarks such as Ferrari World park, Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi aquapark with extreme water slides, Yas Links Abu Dhabi golf course, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi amusement park, Yas Marina West Circuit motordrome and the largest shopping destination in the emirate of Abu Dhabi – Yas Mall.
2. Top residential complexes and communities for buying apartments on Yas Island include Water’s Edge, Ansam, Diva, Yas Acres, Mayan and Yas Bay.
3. Yas Bay is promising to be the most popular waterfront district and worth AED 12B.
4. The property in residential developments on Yas Island provides a good return on investment as the minimum estimated ROI for 1-bedroom apartments constitutes around 6–7% and for 2-bedroom residences, this increases to 8%.