In an interesting turn of events, Property Finder’s recent 2024 data has unveiled a striking trend: 40% sales home seekers are looking to buy villas. Out of this 40%, 85% are looking for three bedroom and above villas. Leading the demand in early 2024 are areas like Dubai Hills Estate, Al Furjan, Arabian Ranches, Palm Jumeirah and Mohammed Bin Rashid City.
So, why has the demand picked up for sprawling villas over breathtaking skyscraper views? Here’s the inside scoop on what’s driving this surge:
- Young blood, big dreams: A wave of youthful enthusiasm is sweeping the villa ownership scene, with 39% of buyers under 40 years old in Q1 2024 compared to just 31% during Q1 2023. Influenced by the upward trajectory of rental prices, savvy millennials are seizing the opportunity for long-term investments in spacious villas.
- Ownership over rentals: It’s not just the affluent who are getting in on the villa action. Property seekers across all income brackets are capitalizing on flexible payment plans to upgrade to larger living spaces. The number of buyers earning below AED 50,000 per month recorded 47% in Q1 2024, up from 37% in Q1 2023, indicating a more diversified demand for property.
- ROI growth for the win: While villa prices may have experienced an uptick, the return on investment has been nothing short of impressive. In 2023, Palm Jumeirah boasted a staggering 41% increase in returns for five-bedroom villas, while Dubai Hills Estate and Arabian Ranches saw spikes of 38% and 29% respectively. It’s clear: villas are not just a lifestyle choice, but a tactical financial move for many.
- A wide range of desired amenities and facilities: As audience groups evolve, a clear pattern for amenities that are considered a source of comfort and luxury is drawn with a rising demand by property seekers in Dubai. The top three searches from the past three years on Property Finder show a growing interest in villas that provide a maid room, a study area and a private pool. A maid room seems to be the biggest priority for many property seekers looking for villas with three bedrooms or more, with 2024 recording over 129,000 searches already! A budding demand for vastu compliant homes also seems to be on the horizon with few searches emerging since 2023. Waterfront views continue to be of growing interest among property seekers as well. Last but not least, more people are also looking for pet-friendly communities, with more than 52,000 searches, recorded in 2023 and 22,000 in 2024 already.
Signaling a burgeoning desire for a holistic lifestyle, it looks like Dubai’s property demand is on its way to becoming more centered around vibrant and positive communities within the city.
All the latest information for top listings and communities are available on Data Guru by Property Finder that can be accessed at https://www.propertyfinder.ae/ or on the Property Finder app, available for download on Google Play and Apple Store.
Note: Data has been derived using Property Finder’s Market Watch 2023 Report and search data from the website, as well as Data Guru by Property Finder.
About Property Finder
A pioneering property portal in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Property Finder is on a mission to motivate and inspire consumers to get living the life they deserve. Connecting millions of property seekers with thousands of real estate professionals every day, Property Finder is a go-to place for a seamless and enriching house-hunting and finance-finding journey for both buyers and renters.
Since its inception in 2007, Property Finder has evolved into a trusted platform for developers, real estate brokers and property seekers to make informed decisions on all things real estate.
