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Hello everyone. A community built in Dubai’s interior around lagoons, sand islands and water sports areas. Today, DAMAC Properties by DAMAC Islands is what we are looking at today!
For prices, taxes and the whole buying process, see our guide: Dubai Property Guide
Apartment types, current price range and location: see the project page
DAMAC Islands is an island themed masterplan of detached homes in Dubailand. The idea is simple but ambitious: to build waterside living around lagoons and artificial islands in the desert bound interior of Dubai. The homes are set around these water routes.
Prices
- Homes: AED 2,750,000and up
- four and five bedroom townhouse
- six and seven bedroom villa
- Home size: 200 m²and up
- Developer: DAMAC Properties
- Address: Dubailand, Dubai
DAMAC Propertiesruns several masterplans along the Dubailand corridor, including DAMAC Hills, DAMAC Lagoons and DAMAC Islands. The company’s approach on schemes of this size is phased handover, meaning anyone buying a later phase can see how the earlier ones were delivered.
Why DAMAC Islands?
A detached home in Dubai is a different equation from an apartment. Supply is limited, family demand is strong and the rise in price per square metre has outpaced apartments in recent years. DAMAC Islands opens this segment from AED 2.75 million, clearly below its equivalents in the coastal districts.
- The Ranches Souk within reach, with its shops and places to eat
- The Village Community Mall 10 minutes away
- a motorway link towards Al Maktoum International Airport
- a road link to the city centre along the Dubailand corridor
- International schools in the neighbouring communities
Daily life
The community is laid out with walking routes around lagoons and sand islands. Water sports areas and island themed shared facilities sit at the centre of daily life. For shopping, The Ranches Souk and The Village Community Mall are close by.
Rental yield and tenant profile
In detached homes the tenant profile is almost entirely families. This profile stays for a long time and the rent per unit is higher than on apartments, but liquidity is lower: both finding a tenant and selling can take longer than with an apartment. No income tax is charged on rental income in Dubai.
Communal areas and specification
- Lagoons and sand islands
- Water sports areas
- Island themed shared facilities
- Landscaped walking routes
- Homes with private gardens
- Security within the community
Who is buying?
Those planning to move to Dubai with their family, and investors who want to add a detached home to their portfolio. Because a property purchase above a certain amount opens the door to a residence application, this segment is particularly attractive to families.
Total cost: what you actually pay when you buy at DAMAC Islands
There is no stamp duty in Dubai; its equivalent is the Land Department (DLD) transfer fee of 4% of the sale price. The table below is indicative, based on the entry price.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Property price | AED 2,750,000 |
| Land Department transfer fee (DLD, 4%) | AED 110,000 |
| Registration and administration fees | about AED 4,200 |
| Approximate total | AED 2,864,200 |
With a loan there are mortgage registration and bank charges, and if you let the property, management commission. For purchases on the United Kingdom side, use our purchase cost calculator page.
What to Check Before You Decide
- The detached home segment is less liquid than apartments; think about your exit plan from the outset.
- The masterplan runs across many phases; there will be construction around for years.
- The area is not on a metro line; transport depends entirely on a car.
- Maintaining the lagoons and water features feeds into the service charge.
- An off plan scheme; check the payment plan and the completion guarantees in the contract.
How does DAMAC Islands compare with the alternatives?
- DAMAC Islands 2: the second phase of the masterplan, with eight island themed clusters.
- ELO 3: from the same developer, at a lower budget in the apartment segment.
- Valencia: an apartment alternative in DAMAC Lagoons.
We can work out together which project fits your goal, judged on budget, intended use and exit plan. We can also set the villa and apartment segments in Dubai side by side on yield and liquidity.
Answers to the most common questions on this topic: Can You Buy Property in Dubai in Instalments? How Payment Plans Work
