Arabian Ranches’ ongoing appeal for families

This picture perfect area of lush green parks, a glittering lake, and a vibrant golf club, has found the formula for staying desirable to Dubai property hunters.

One of Dubai’s most established family communities, Arabian Ranches has cleverly maintained a vibe and appeal all its own for around 20 years (a lifetime in UAE terms) – even as slick new projects spring up on all sides.

Located along Sheikh Zayed Bin Zayed road and connecting with Umm Suqeim road, the area is affectionately known by residents as ‘the Ranches,’ and back in the day this Emaar developed community was pioneering for being one of the first gated neighbourhoods.

Spread over 1,650 acres, and divided into sub-communities serving different requirements, Arabian Ranches has managed the impressive trick of staying fashionable and appealing in Dubai’s competitive market, continuing to attract professional couples and families.

This is largely down to its peaceful ambience, pristine landscaping, sense of exclusivity – as well as a host of great community amenities like swimming pools, tennis courts, a skatepark, and BBQ areas. It’s also one of the most pet friendly areas in Dubai, offering loads of dog walking areas and green open spaces and there’s a beautiful lake right in the middle, perfect for joggers and lazy family picnics.

As well as beautiful vistas and a sense of serenity (even though the city is within easy reach), Arabian Ranches is very self-contained with a great selection of retail and leisure offerings including supermarkets, cafes, clinics and salons.

In short, it feels like its own private world.

It is also home to the sprawling Arabian Ranches Golf Club – considered the social heart of the area and a great spot for lunch in the sun overlooking the immaculate greens.

In terms of properties, there is an array of upscale villas and townhouses, ranging from two to seven bedrooms that continue to be in hot demand – and this year has been no different.

According to a recent haus & haus market report, Arabian Ranches showed a noticeable increase in transactions during Q3, especially for two-bedroom properties which are highly popular among investors and first-time buyers. Homes that are vacant on transfer remain particularly sought after.

Rentals prices here remain high, especially for new tenants, and there’s still a strong market for renovating standard units.

However, Emaar recently introduced a new regulation on property extensions, setting the limit to 10% of the original BUA; this has been done to manage the load on community supplies and maintain the area ‘feel’ people know and love.