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If you have the money to invest in real estate, consider putting it in the Dubai property market. The Dubai luxury real estate segment is booming. Reuters reports 431 homes sold in Dubai had price tags of more than $10 million. While the other sectors may lag behind the luxury segment, the influx of new residents should keep the real estate inventory moving.

Where should you invest in Dubai? If you’re in the market for investment apartments, consider Dubai Marina and Downtown Dubai.

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Dubai Marina: Luxury Waterfront

Consider apartments for sale in Dubai Marina, one of Dubai’s most sought-after neighborhoods. Dubai Marina is a prime residential and commercial neighborhood known for its luxurious lifestyle, stunning waterfront views, and modern amenities.

Dubai Marina Property Prices

Many factors determine apartment prices. The following are the indicative prices for Dubai Marina apartments.

Studio apartment prices start north of AED 750,000. A quarter fractional ownership of a high-floor luxury studio with a panoramic view on Ciel Tower (slated to become the world’s tallest hotel) costs AED 800,000.
One-bedroom average prices are close to AED 1.2 million. Luxury one-bedroom apartments, like one on Stella Maris, are selling for AED 3.45 million.
Two-bedroom unit prices start at around AED 2.2 million. Many are selling between AED 2.5 to AED 3.5 million, with luxury two-beds breaching AED 4.4 million.
Three-bedroom apartments in Dubai Marina typically sell for more than AED 3 million. However, the price of furnished options with excellent views can start at AED 5.5 million, and duplex penthouses sell at around AED 7.9-11 million.
Four-bedroom apartments, if you can find them, typically cost upward of AED 4 million.

Note that prices vary from property to property. The above figures are the prices indicated for Dubai Marina apartments on a leading Dubai real estate agency website.

What Makes Dubai Marina Special?

Dubai Marina is a thriving retail, recreation, and lifestyle hub. It’s perfect for upwardly mobile residents, including those living in Dubai with their families. It has many:

Malls – Dubai Marina Mall, Trident Grand Mall, Marinascape Mall, Al Fattan Shopping Centre
Supermarkets – Spinneys, Al Maya, Waitrose, Carrefour
Hotels – Ritz-Carlton Dubai, Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa, Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites, Grosvenor House
Restaurants – Barasti, Trèsind, Asia Asia, La Carnita, Bar du Port, Bushra by Buddha-Bar

Essential services are available – and very conveniently so. There are nursery schools here and plenty more in adjacent Jumeirah Lakes Towers and Emirates Hills. Nearby Dubai Media City and Dubai Internet City are also home to many private international schools. There’s a mosque (Masjid Al Ramin) in Dubai Marina and other places of worship in nearby Jebel Ali.

As for medical services, the following are some of the more popular medical destinations in Dubai Marina:

Marina Medical Center
Cornerstone Clinic
King’s Marina Medical Centre
Medcare Medical Centre
LIFE GP Clinic

Many smaller clinics are nearby within and in the areas immediately surrounding Dubai Marina. They range from eye, dental, and wellness and aesthetic clinics.

The canal is one of Dubai Marina’s biggest draws, but the beach is undoubtedly another. The many beaches easily accessible to Dubai Marina residents include:

JBR Beach
Marina Beach
Sufouh Beach
Pine Beach
Meraas Beach Walk
Black Palace Beach
Umm Suqeim Night Swimming Beach

Dubai Marina has an efficient public transport system. Leave your car at home, in your designated parking slot, and use the metro stations (Sobha Realty Metro Station and DMCC Metro Station) to get out and about. You can also ride the Dubai Tram to get around the neighborhood.

Downtown Dubai: Central and High-Traffic

Downtown Dubai is an excellent property investment location. It is popular among tourists, so you can buy a Downtown Dubai apartment and turn it over to a property management company. They can take care of it, maintain it and rent it out to tourists and short-term Dubai visitors for a percentage share of your rental revenue.

Downtown Dubai Property Prices

Downtown Dubai apartment prices are generally higher than Dubai Marina prices. Again, this is likely due to the high volume of tourist traffic and short-term visitors in the area, which can lead to higher transient rental yields.

Studios typically sell for more than AED 1 million. A furnished 538-square-foot studio on a Boulevard Walk apartment built in 2008 is selling for AED 1.1 million.
One-bedroom apartments are priced at around AED 1.6 million, but there’s great variability in one-bed apartment pricing. A one-bed Burj Khalifa unit measuring 1,378 sq ft has a price tag of AED 3.5 million, while a one-bed in St. Regis Residences with an area of 807 sq ft is selling at AED 3.32 million. The latter has a higher per-sq-ft price because of its spectacular Burj Khalifa view.
Two-bedroom apartments in Downtown Dubai cost AED 3 million and up, although you can find units in older apartment buildings selling for less. Apartments with Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Fountain views sell for upward of AED 7.8 million.
Three-bed units typically have an AED 5 million starting price, although you can find a three-bed apartment in South Ridge for AED 4.4 million. Burj Khalifa-view apartments with an area more than or equal to 2,200 sq ft may have an asking price greater than AED 9 million.
Four-bedroom apartments start at around AED 6 million. There’s even a four-bed, seven-bath duplex penthouse with an area of 6,509 sq ft on The Address Residence Fountain Views selling for AED 56,000,000.

Why Downtown Dubai?

Downtown Dubai is a thriving destination, offering a mix of recreational and entertainment options to Dubai residents and visitors alike. The high traffic means high demand for short-term and transient properties.

The following are some of the most popular attractions in Downtown Dubai:

Burj Khalifa
The Dubai Fountain
Souk Al Bahar
Burj Khalifa Park
Dubai Mall Waterfalls
I Love Dubai Sign
Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo
Dubai Opera
Dubai Ice Rink
Dubai Mall

Even though it makes an ideal base for tourists and short-term visitors, Downtown Dubai is also an excellent residential area. It is in a central location right on Financial Center Road and near the attractions on the coast of Jumeirah.

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Downtown Dubai has schools in and around the neighborhood, including Blossom Nursery, Jumeirah International, and Toddler Town. The supermarkets in the area include Spinneys, Waitrose, Grandiose, and Carrefour Market. There are two mosques in the area and Christian, Catholic and Hindu places of worship within 20 minutes of Downtown Dubai. However, the best thing about Downtown Dubai is the number of hotels, restaurants, and shops in the area.