Dubai Silicon Oasis offers best gross rental returns
UAE properties continued to provide world-leading rental yields despite the downward trend experienced by sales prices and rents in H1 2019, according to the ‘Property Finder Trends’ report, released bi-annually by the leading portal. This makes the UAE one of the most favourable places for property investment globally. Rental yields are the rental income (the money a tenant pays to the landlord) divided by the purchase price of the property. It is one of the most important considerations for mid to long-term investors. Landlords get higher rental yields from apartments than villas and make more profit by renting studios than large apartments. The average rental yield in global property hotspots such as London (2.7 percent), Hong Kong (2.4 percent), New York (2.9 percent) and Singapore (2.5 percent) hover in the low single digits while Dubai properties consistently offer over 7 percent gross returns on average.
“Despite a sustained contraction in prices, Dubai still holds its own as an investment hotspot with attractive yields and new legislative initiatives to further entice investors and companies,” said Lynnette Abad, Director of Data & Research, Property Finder.
Dubai Silicon Oasis apartments provided the highest gross rental returns in Dubai at 9.5 percent in H1 2019 compared to 9.2 percent a year ago. New communities such as Meydan and Damac Hills also offered gross rental yields at 9.3 percent and 8.9 percent, respectively.
Investor favourites such as International City (8.4 percent), Dubai Sports City (8.4 percent), International Media Production City and Arjan (both at 7.6 percent) continued to offer compelling returns for buyers.
Villas and townhouses
Among villa and townhouse communities in Dubai, Town Square offered the highest gross returns at 7.8 percent in H1 2019, the ‘Trends’ report added. This was followed by The Springs (6.6 percent), Reem – Mira (6.4 percent), Mudon (6.3 percent) and Jumeirah Village Circle (6.2 percent).
Luxury villa communities such as Palm Jumeirah Signature Villas, Palm Jumeirah Garden Homes, Emirates Hills, Jumeirah Islands and Mohammed Bin Rashid City offer smaller yields ranging between 2 to 4 percent.
Yields in Abu Dhabi, Northern Emirates
The affordable community of Al Reef leads in terms of offering Abu Dhabi’s gross rental yields for both apartments and villas/townhouses at 8.5 percent and 6.7 percent, respectively. Apartments in Al Ghadeer (8.3 percent) and Al Raha Beach (7.2 percent) also find favour with investors while villas and townhouses in Al Raha Gardens (5.7 percent) and Golf Gardens (5.5 percent) are also popular with those looking to make a rental income.
Luxury communities such as Saadiyat Island and Yas Island in Abu Dhabi are more targeted at end-users and therefore offer relatively lower rental yields in the UAE capital.
Apartments in Ajman’s Emirates City provided the UAE’s best gross rental yield at 11 percent. Al Hamra Village in Ras Al Khaimah (9 percent) and Ajman Downtown (8 percent) also provided apartment buyers with robust rental returns. Meanwhile, villas in Ajman’s Al Mwaihat (6 percent), Al Hamra Village in RAK (5.2 percent) and Al Zahraa in Ajman (4.9 percent) rounded up the top 3 list of best gross returns.
