Top 5 areas to buy property in Abu Dhabi

The real estate sector in the capital of UAE has maintained its position as one of the most sought-after markets and destinations for property investment in the world. The main reasons for this are the excellent infrastructure, world-class services, as well as a wide range of real estate types. In addition, the real estate industry in the emirate of Abu Dhabi strengthens its position as one of the best places in the world to both live and work.

We have prepared an article with a list of the 5 best areas in the capital of the UAE to buy property in 2022.

In Q1 2022, according to the quarterly report of the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), the real estate market in the capital of the UAE registered 3,304 transactions, reaching a value of AED 11.3B (USD 3B). The transactions comprised the purchase, sales and mortgages of all types of land plots, buildings and real estate.

The property trading index published by the DMT showed that the real estate sector in the capital of the UAE recorded 1,722 real estate purchases and sales transactions valued at AED 4.35B (USD 1.1B) as well as 1,582 mortgage transactions valued at AED 6.9B (USD 1.8B).

Note! By purchasing real estate in Abu Dhabi for a minimum amount of AED 2M (USD 545K), owners will be eligible to apply for a 5-year UAE Golden Visa.

The top 5 districts in the emirate of Abu Dhabi for property sales in the first half of 2022 comprise Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, Al Reem Island, Khalifa City and Al Raha Beach.

Yas Island

Yas Island is the best destination for property sales in Abu Dhabi, with AED 1.2B (USD 326.7M) in real estate transactions. The man-made island is located a 10 minute drive from Abu Dhabi International Airport, which is very convenient for frequent travellers. Yas Island offers plenty of entertainment facilities, parks, retail stores and dining options for everyone to enjoy. Here residents and visitors will be able to visit Yas Links Abu Dhabi, Ferrari World, Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi, and plenty more. Property units on Yas Island bring an average ROI of 7% annually.

The most popular residential projects for sale on Yas Island include:

• Yas Acres – North Bay with land plots at the sale price of AED 15M (USD 4.08M)
• Perla 1 with 2 and 3-bedroom duplex apartments, 4-bedroom townhouses and a 5-bedroom duplex apartment from AED 1.5M (USD 409K)
• Perla 2 with 3, 4 and 5-bedroom duplex apartments, as well as an exclusive 4-bedroom simplex apartment at a starting price of AED 1.58 (USD 430K)

Saadiyat Island

Saadiyat Island is the cultural hub of the emirate of Abu Dhabi, which is home to Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, Manarat Al Saadiyat, and other popular landmarks. Saadiyat Island took second place in the top 5 best destinations for property sales in the capital with AED 673M (USD 183M) in real estate transactions.

Saadiyat Island is a popular area in Abu Dhabi’s real estate market and will be home to a total of 145,000 residents in the future, once the area is fully completed. Depending on the type of property, the average ROI will be between 5.1-7.2%. According to the master plan, the island will house a well-developed infrastructure, hotels, marinas and shopping centers upon its completion.

Note! One of the advantages of investing in properties on Saadiyat Island is that the area is freehold which means both local and international investors can purchase a residence here with 100% ownership.

The most popular residential projects for sale on Saadiyat Island comprise:

• Grove Museum Views with studios and 1-2 bedroom apartments at a starting price of AED 1.4M (USD 381K)
• Louvre Abu Dhabi Residences has studios as well as 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments at the sale price of AED 2M (USD 545K)
• Saadiyat Beach Residences with studios and apartments with 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedrooms starting from AED 1.9M (USD 518K)

Al Reem Island

Real estate transactions on Al Reem Island were valued at AED 598M (USD 162.8M) in Q1 2022. The island has an advantageous location near the mainland of the city and Downtown Abu Dhabi. Complexes in the community have onsite swimming pools, modern gymnasiums and retail stores.

Al Reem Island became the most popular area among investors and end-users in 2021, and it is predicted that the popularity of the island will only grow in the future. The average ROI of real estate on Al Reem Island constitutes between 6-7.5%.

The most popular residential complexes for sale on Al Reem Island include:

• Park View at Al Reem which houses 2-3 bedroom apartments and duplexes (prices upon request)
• Reem Hills with apartments, townhouses and villas at the sale price of AED 11M (USD 2.99M)
• One Reem Island has 2, 3 and 4-bedroom apartments with a sale price from AED 2.66M (USD 724K)

Khalifa City

The Khalifa City area ranked 4th in our list of the 5 best districts to purchase real estate in the emirate of Abu Dhabi in 2022. Real estate transactions in Khalifa City were valued at AED 173M (USD 47M) in the first quarter of 2022.

Khalifa City is a family-friendly community, which is ranked as one of the most popular areas among renters in Abu Dhabi. The area is an independent master community with both residential and commercial real estate, and is one of the most popular neighbourhoods among investors and tenants looking for affordable properties in the capital of the UAE. The highest ROI of 6.3-7% in Khalifa City is expected from 10 and 11-bedroom villas, while 4 and 5-bedroom villas will bring an ROI of 5-5.6% per annum.

The most popular residential projects for sale in the Khalifa City area include:

• Al Forsan Village has 4-bedroom townhouses with prices starting from AED 4.3M (USD 1.17M) as well as 3 and 4-bedroom villas at the sale price of AED 3.85M (USD 1.05M)
• Al Rayyana with 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments (prices upon request)
• Al Merief houses residential plots with 4-6 bedroom villas at the starting price of AED 2.8М (USD 763К) and villas with 3-5 bedrooms priced from AED 5.5M (USD 1.50M)

Al Raha Beach

Real estate transactions in Al Raha Beach were valued at AED 168M (USD 45.7M) in Q1 2022. The waterfront community is considered to be one of the most prestigious areas in the emirate of Abu Dhabi and is a home to retail, residential and commercial properties, and in the future it plans to accommodate a public tram line, which will connect to the rest of the public transportation system of the capital of the UAE. The average ROI of apartments in the Al Raha Beach area constitutes 6.71%.

Popular residential complexes for sale in the Al Raha Beach area comprise:

• Al Zeina includes 1-6 bedroom apartments from AED 820K (USD 224K), 3-bedroom townhouses from AED 3.7M (USD 1.01M), 2 and 4-bedroom duplexes from AED 1.7M (USD 463K), 4-bedroom penthouses from AED 5M (USD 1.36M), and 4-6-bedroom villas from AED 7М (USD 1.91М)
• Al Naseem Residences (A, B, C) has 1-4 bedroom apartments from AED 1.3M (USD 354K) and 4-6 bedroom penthouses from AED 8.7M (USD 2.37M)
• Al Maha includes 1-4 bedroom apartments costing from AED 1.4M (USD 381K) and 4-bedroom penthouses from AED 7.2M (USD 1.96M)

Our highly-experienced specialists at Metropolitan Capital Real Estate LLC will help you to choose and purchase property in the best areas of the emirate of Abu Dhabi. Our agents will also provide you with a full range of services related to real estate, and answer all your questions about investing in real estate in Abu Dhabi.

Metropolitan Capital Real Estate is a representative of some of the leading and biggest development companies in the capital of the UAE. We provide our clients with the best offers and promotions within Abu Dhabi’s real estate market.