Ahsen Ghufran Khan

The glistening city of Dubai is abuzz with a lot of construction-related activity nowadays as preparations for the Expo 2020 are starting to get rolled out. Thousands of visitors from across the world are thronging to the emirate at present, and millions are expected to visit the port city in another three years or so. Naturally, such a large number of visitors will require respectable accommodation and Dubai is pushing forward the construction of residential projects with full force. At the moment the prices of apartments have rationalised from inflationary peaks of past years and lucrative deals for buyers abound. UAE-based property web portal Bayut.com recently shared data that details the areas that became and stayed popular with prospective property owners in the first half of 2016.

Dubai Marina: Set amidst fancy yacht docking areas and promenades, Dubai Marina continues to be the most preferred locality for people looking to rent or buy apartments. The area features amazing waterfront residential units that have been constructed around a man-made marina, complemented by a wide array of hotels and restaurants. Offering exceptional living options and a beautiful view of the vast waterfront, Dubai Marina’s status as a favourite locality for buying apartments remains intact.

Jumeirah Lakes Towers: Jumeirah Lakes Towers followed Dubai Marina to become the second most searched area for buying apartments. Giving the same high-end feel as its neighbouring areas, Jumeirah Lakes Towers offer affordable apartments in more or less the same setting as that of Dubai Marina. But, the living options here are far more reasonably priced in comparison with other high-end areas of the emirate, explaining its popularity with buyers.

Downtown Dubai: Being one of the most successful developments of Emaar, Downtown Dubai bagged the third spot on Bayut.com’s popularity chart. The value of this area is due to the fact that it offers unmatched views of Dubai’s icons, including Burj Khalifa, Dubai Fountains and Dubai Opera. For someone living in this high-end locality of the port city, the sights and sounds alone guarantee a blissful living.

Palm Jumeirah: Dubai’s iconic man-made island, the Palm Jumeirah landed the fourth spot on the list of most searched areas for apartments in the emirate. Palm Jumeirah is a living example of a locality that thrives on providing luxury and exclusivity to residents. Uncrowded beaches, luxury lifestyle and a host of entertainment options define the Palm. Then there is the enrichment an owner experiences from having an asset perched atop one of the most recognisable addresses on the planet.

Dubai Sports City: The fifth-most searched area for buying apartments in Dubai was the Dubai Sports City. This residential community is linked to important areas of the emirate through a wide network of roads which makes accessibility issues a concern of the past. This is an excellent locality for sports lovers. Dubai Sports City has the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, football academies and gymnasiums along with other world-class sports facilities that can easily woo a sport maniac in a matter of minutes.

Author: Ahsen Ghufran Khan is a journalist and a real estate analyst at Bayut.com