DUBAI 9 May 2017: Inflow of residents into Dubai Marina and Downtown contributed to almost a fifth (19 per cent) of all moves within Dubai in the first quarter of this year.
However, with an inflow of 13 per cent alone, Dubailand emerged as the most popular destination this year.
It was followed by Dubai Marina/JBR, Downtown, Barsha Heights and Silicon Oasis, according to ServiceMarket, a leading platform for moving and home services, which recently released its bi-annual moving trends report outlining which neighbourhoods had the highest influx of new residents in the first quarter of 2017.
An assessment of thousands of residential moving requests within Dubai revealed a major shift in moving trends. Many residents are opting to move to suburban areas instead of Dubai’s dense high-rise communities.
What were the 5 most popular areas to move to in Q1 2017?
Dubailand moved to first place this year, with 13 per cent of all move-in requests being to this area, followed by Dubai Marina/JBR, Downtown, Barsha Heights and Silicon Oasis.
| Area | % of Move-In Requests on ServiceMarket in Q1 2017 |
| Dubailand | 13% |
| Dubai Marina/JBR | 9% |
| Downtown/DIFC | 7% |
| Barsha Heights/The Greens | 5% |
| Silicon Oasis | 5% |
How does this compare to Q1 in 2016?
The 5 most popular areas to move to in 2016 were Dubai Marina, Downtown, Jumeirah Village, Sports and Motor City, and Dubailand.
| Area | % of Move-In Requests on ServiceMarket in Q1 2017 |
| Dubai Marina/JBR | 11% |
| Downtown/DIFC | 8% |
| Jumeirah Village/JVC/JVT | 7% |
| Sports City/Motor City | 6% |
| Dubailand | 5% |
Why has Dubailand become so popular suddenly?
The 2017 results highlight a shift in housing trends from dense high-rise communities to more recently developed areas such as Dubailand and Silicon Oasis.
Dubailand, a large area located just off Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Road, moved from fifth place (5%) in the first quarter of 2016, to first place in the first quarter of 2017. Dubailand is still under development but it seems to be on the path to becoming one of Dubai’s most popular areas. The most common community to move to within Dubailand is the Mira community, followed by Remraam, Mudon and The Villas.
There could be many reasons for this shift in housing trends, including more affordable rents compared to established areas like Dubai Marina and Downtown, less traffic, and the emergence of new shopping malls, schools and facilities in these suburban areas. Another explanation could be that there are a number of freehold properties available for purchase in these areas for prices significantly lower than in areas such as Dubai Marina.
Other interesting insights:
- Over the past three years, Dubai Marina/JBR, Downtown, and Barsha Heights/The Greens have remained consistently in the top 5 most popular areas.
- Silicon Oasis is another suburban area which appears to be quickly gaining popularity, moving from 11th place in Q1 2016 to 5th place in Q1 this year.
- Around a third (30%) of people moved to another property within the same neighbourhood they were moving out of.
- More than 60% of the moving-in activity took place in just 10 Dubai areas.
By Sheena Amos