Your Key Property Management

Dubai Islands Community Guide

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Dubai Islands is a master-planned coastal community in Dubai, with a growing off-plan apartment market listed on yourkey.ae. Foreign buyers can own property in Dubai only in official Designated Areas, so the first check is always the specific plot on Oqood or the title, not the brochure. Off-plan contracts must be registered with Dubai Land Department within 90 days, and the published registration fee is 4% of the sale value, subject to the split in your SPA.

This guide is a buying-focused note for clients of Your Key Property Management LLC. It does not invent average market rents, typical drive times or official yields.

Where is Dubai Islands and who is it for?

Dubai Islands is a waterfront community of several islands off the city’s northern shoreline. The current catalogue on yourkey.ae is mainly apartments and branded residences, with handover dates stretching from 2028 into the early 2030s. It tends to suit buyers who want a coastal setting and are comfortable buying off-plan, including investors who will hold until completion.

Because the community is still being built out, the view, beach access and supporting retail around a given tower can change after you book. Visit the island, look at what is already open, and ask the developer what will sit next to your stack and when those amenities are scheduled to open. Families should confirm school places directly with KHDA-licensed schools; we have not listed individual schools here, as enrolment and ratings change.

What official rules apply?

  • Designated Area status. In Dubai, foreign ownership is permitted in areas designated as freehold, as explained on u.ae (updated 2 Nov 2026) and in Regulation No. 3 of 2006, with further areas designated later. Dubai Islands does not appear on the older “most important Designated Areas” list in DLD’s 2017 investor guide, which is not surprising for a newer community. Confirm Designated Area status for the specific unit with DLD and on the Oqood certificate or title. This is to be confirmed on the document, not assumed from marketing.
  • Oqood and fees. The official initial-sale fee is 4% (2% + 2% unless agreed otherwise), plus AED 10 + AED 10, with registration within 90 days. Payments should go into the project escrow account under Law No. 8 of 2007. See Buying off-plan in Dubai and Total cost of buying in Dubai vs Abu Dhabi.
  • Mortgages. Off-plan LTV is capped at 50% by the Central Bank. See Mortgages for expats and non-residents and the mortgage calculator.

Which projects are currently listed on yourkey.ae?

Starting prices below are from yourkey.ae project pages as of 16 Nov 2026. They are catalogue figures, not a formal offer, and can change.

Project Catalogue starting price Stated handover Developer-stated service charge in the catalogue
Kaia AED 1,801,420 31 December 2028 AED 17–19 per sq ft
FLU1D ONE AED 2,113,849 1 April 2028 AED 18 per sq ft
The Meriva Collection AED 2,883,828 31 December 2031 AED 18 per sq ft
Cheval Residences AED 2,930,000 31 March 2029 AED 38 per sq ft

The AED 38 per sq ft figure against Cheval Residences is a developer-stated catalogue value and is materially higher than the mid-teens figures on the other rows. Confirm the approved rate on the DLD Service Charge Index when the building is listed, and ask what a branded residence fee includes. See Service charges explained.

Browse the full off-plan list for other Dubai Islands buildings as they are added. Catalogue payment plans also vary by building; read the instalment schedule in the SPA, and see our existing guide to UAE off-plan payment plans for how those payment structures usually work in Dubai off-plan sales.

How should I think about use and income?

If you will live on the island, judge beach access, parking and the daily ferry or road journey yourself at peak hours. We have not published drive times, because they vary by route and time of day.

If you will let the unit, do not use a brochure yield. Work from comparable dated rents and the method in Rental yields by area, and remember that service charges reduce net income. A purchase that DLD values at AED 2 million or more may support a Golden Visa application, subject to ICP rules. Several catalogue starting prices in the table above sit around or above that threshold, but a starting price is not the official valuation letter.

Handover, snagging and title conversion from Oqood are covered in the handover and snagging checklist. Under Law No. 6 of 2019, the developer remains liable for structural defects for 10 years from the completion certificate, and for defective mechanical, electrical and similar installations for one year from handover.

What should I verify before I buy?

  1. Designated Area status and the exact title right on the Oqood certificate.
  2. That the developer and project are registered to sell off-plan, and the escrow account details.
  3. Who pays the 4% DLD fee under the SPA.
  4. The payment plan, handover date and delay provisions; see also UAE off-plan payment plans.
  5. The likely service charge, especially in a branded building.
  6. Comparable rents if you will let the unit, with a source and date.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreign buyer purchase on Dubai Islands?

Foreigners may own freehold in Designated Areas only. Confirm that status for the specific unit with DLD and on the Oqood certificate or title.

What registration fee applies?

The official DLD off-plan fee is 4% of the sale value, published as 2% + 2% unless agreed otherwise, plus AED 10 + AED 10. Register within 90 days of signing.

Are catalogue starting prices guaranteed?

No. They are starting prices shown on yourkey.ae as of 16 November 2026 and can change.

How should I check service charges?

Use the official DLD Service Charge Index when the building is listed, and treat catalogue figures as developer-stated until then.

Can a Dubai Islands purchase support a Golden Visa?

It can, if the official DLD letter confirms a total value of at least AED 2 million and the other ICP conditions are met.

Is there an official rental yield for Dubai Islands?

Not in this guide. Use the method in Rental yields by area, with a dated source.

Official and site sources (as of 16 Nov 2026)

Last updated: 16 Nov 2026

Abdul Shakoor, Founder & CEO, Your Key — RERA certified (Dubai) and ADREC certified (Abu Dhabi)

To view a unit on Dubai Islands, contact Your Key, call or message +971 54 451 7999, or email main@yourkey.ae. Dubai office: Office 17, 35th Floor, Al Saqr Business Tower, DIFC.