Area guides

Thinking of buying or renting in Dubai? Not sure where you want to live or what community is best for you? Whether your moving from within Dubai or relocating from another country, our community video guides will help you find out everything you need to know about an area and its facilities. Reading a guide is fine but nothing beats watching a video of a community, we cover the schools, pa...

The lowdown
Al Barsha is a safe and quiet area filled with large, standalone villas and some new apartment blocks which are popular with Media City & Internet City workers.    Al Barsha was once popular with groups of young professionals, who wished to share the cost of a property, but they have moved on and the area is becoming the preserve of families. Nearby
I...

The lowdown
Al Safa and Al Wasl are two quiet residential areas close to Jumeirah that are popular with families. The area is populated with mostly highly-priced villas (old and new) set in established streets with traffic-calming speed humps and ample parking. There is traffic congestion at peak times on Al Wasl road, but traffic within the communities is rarely a problem and kids can ride...

Community Overview
The Arabian Ranches, over seven years old, is a mature community and it shows in the landscaping which makes the area such a popular choice for many. The green and colourful, yet sustainable, desert style scenery blends into the surroundings of Dubailand where sand dunes still dominate. An all-villa development, the Ranches, offers a get-away from the city lifestyl...

Get an insider's view on life in Arabian Ranches: Suzanne McDonald, super active mum and entrepreneur, founder of ‘Toffee Princess’ propertyfinder.ae: Why did you choose to live in Arabian Ranches and what do you love about living here? Suzanne:  We’d been in Dubai for over a decade and decided it was time to buy our own family home. After looking at different areas we decided that t...

The lowdown
Dubai’s ‘concrete jungle’ and the original heart of the city lacks any green space but boasts numerous new and old apartment blocks in an area that is centrally located with good facilities.  The area is old by Dubai standards and has a real street scene which is lacking in the city’s other neighbourhoods. Nearby
Bur Dubai is well-served by supermarkets with two Spi...

The lowdown
A popular area for those in search of cheap rents, this is the heart of ‘old Dubai’.  Many buildings are several decades old but there have been a number of new developments become available recently.     If you can look past the heavy traffic and lack of parking, it’s a bustling, atmospheric section of the city and many a pleasant evening can be had exploring the...

Community Overview This area of Dubai probably stands out due to its variety of affordable homes in a pleasant environment. Not identical, but similar in concept, the younger ‘Discovery Gardens’ follows the success of ‘The Gardens’ project, developed before freehold became the word of the day. True to its name, The Gardens became popular because of its tree-lined streets and parks offeri...