Arabian Ranches could not have captured the ‘family-friendly neighbourhood’ vibe any better. From two-bedroom townhouses with lake views to seven-bedroom mansions overlooking a golf course, it is a perfect place for young couples and families to set up home. Established in 2004 by property developer Emaar, the district has 15 gated sub-communities located in Arabian Ranches 1, 2 and 3. It has 4,500 homes, spread over 1,650 acres. Arabian Ranches offers residents a premium lifestyle with Spanish, Mediterranean and Arabian-style residences. The neighbourhood is self-sustaining, with easy access to top-rated schools, medical centres, community centre, restaurants, swimming and sports facilities. With a drop in rents, you can now score a two-bedroom townhouse at starting price of Dh75,000. Prices can go all the way up to Dh550,000 for a seven-bedroom luxury villa. “The location is better than a lot of the other new developments which are along the same corridor,” said Greg Ware, senior sales consultant at Allsopp & Allsopp, a real-estate firm in the UAE. “It is not the cheapest place to live by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s definitely not the most expensive. “It has a really good spread of families and there’s a really good sense of community there, because people are encouraged to go out and use all the parks and facilities, and there's so many of them. When you go there, after school, or the weekends, a lot of the places are busy.” The lively neighbourhood has an 80 to 85 per cent occupancy rate and more are choosing to relocate here as rents become slightly more pocket-friendly. The 15 sub-communities in Arabian Ranches are Al Reem, Terra Nova, Al Mahra, Palmera, Alvorada, Mirador, Savannah, Aseel, Saheel and Alma. The luxury ones are Polo Homes, Hattan, La Avenida, Golf Homes and Mirador La Coleccian. Arabian Ranches is situated along Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. Neighbouring communities include Dubai Hills, Motor City and Dubai Studio City. Mall of the Emirates and Dubai Mall are about a 25-minute drive away. Dubai International Airport is about 23 minutes by car and the Al Maktoum International Airport is 26 minutes away. Nearby attractions include Dubai Miracle Garden, Dubai Autodrome, Plantation Equestrian and Polo Club and Dubai Butterfly Garden. It’s also a short drive away from the leisure attractions of IMG Worlds of Adventure and Global Village. The latter also has several country pavilions and is ideal for a unique shopping experience. Dubai Metro or Dubai Tram does not link up to Arabian Ranches. Residents here mostly depend on cars. Though, there is no shortage of restaurants, medical facilities, supermarkets and schools within the district itself. Mr Ware said rents for entry level townhouses with two bedrooms range from Dh70,000 to Dh85,000. So, even though Arabian Ranches is a premium community, you can still find an affordable home in some sub-communities. The current market has caused a dip in rent. Previously, starting rents for similar units started at Dh85,000. The value for a two-bedroom townhouse start at Dh1.45 million. “Every time there’s been a difficult blip in the market, Arabian Ranches has always been one of those areas which has managed to do very well by maintaining its pricing or recovering very quickly,” said Mr Ware. “The only thing about the Arabian Ranches is that you could argue it’s dated, but a lot of people who buy units there will always upgrade and modernise. But, structurally, you’re buying a better villa.” A three-bedroom villa with a study room (278.7 square metres), in the Al Reem sub-community is going for Dh90,000. Some of the luxury villas with seven bedrooms (929sqm to 2,043sqm) in the Polo sub-community are selling at Dh27.5m. Yearly rents range from Dh550,000 to 1m. Nearly all the structures in Arabian Ranches are generously sized and most have a very spacious landscaped backyard. Each sub-community in Arabian Ranches has its own swimming pool for kids and adults, kids play area and park. The neighbourhood is also equipped with its own tennis and basketball court. Some of the larger villas have their own private pools and come with a maid’s room plus a study. Arabian Ranches has a main community centre that has restaurants, medical centres and supermarkets. There is a mosque in the area and a school. Arabian Ranches is home to the Jumeirah English Speaking School, which has primary and secondary education. The not-for-profit school is rated as outstanding for by Dubai's private schools regulator, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority. Tuition fees ranges from Dh39,837 to Dh93,852. Safa Community School is another option outside of the neighbourhood, just a 10-minute drive away. As for medical care, the community centre has the Mediclinic Arabian Ranches and a pharmacy. In the Ranches 2, there is an Aster Medical Centre and clinic. There are about 20 to 25 retail outlets in the community centre – all the way from restaurants, supermarkets, pharmacies, clinics and coffee shops. It has a Carrefour, where residents shop for their groceries. There are no small grocery or convenient stores located within the sub-communities, so residents do have to drive to the retail centre within the district. The quality of homes, facilities nearby and community feel is what makes this neighbourhood popular among residents. While, it is not the most affordable places when compared to other areas of Dubai, Arabian Ranches makes up for it with the premium lifestyle it promises its residents. Some of the luxury homes face the golf course, while others overlook a lake. But, with rents down, a two-bedroom townhouse in the Palmera going for Dh70,000 to Dh85,000, also offers a lake view. Laura Walsh has been living in a three-bedroom villa in Arabian Ranches for nearly four years. “It’s a great neighbourhood for families,” she said. “You get the open backyard, big bedrooms and living area and you have the kids’ school nearby, as well as the coffee shops and supermarket – there’s everything you need.” Aayush Chauhan also rents a three-bedroom villa. “I think what separates Arabian Ranches from other communities is the quality you are getting. It’s well-developed, there’s no construction around. In my opinion, you really are getting what you paid for.” <em>A version of this article was first published on November 22, 2020.</em>
