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What do you prefer? Shorter commute or lower rents in Dubai?

dubai - Dubai suburbs offer value for money, but it means a longer commute to work and play

Dubai's tenants are increasingly opting to live in the city's up-and-coming suburbs, trading a longer commute for cheaper rents.
Much has been written about rent and property prices in some of Dubai's more established communities, including Dubai Marina, Downtown, the Palm Jumeirah, Discovery Gardens and Jumeirah Lakes Towers.
But for residents looking for alternative rental options (read: more affordable), we round up Dubai's up-and-coming communities that are emerging in terms of infrastructure, facilities and amenities.
The fact that these communities aren't fully developed and inhabited yet means they offer relatively cheaper homes and more bang for your buck. Moving in to these communities now could give you the first-mover advantage (you may be able to choose the corner house, for instance) and lock in lower rents before they appreciate in the run-up to Expo 2020.
According to recent research by property services firm Core Savills, transaction activity and delivered stock in 2016 indicate a major thrust towards outer apartment districts, with Dubailand, Jumeirah Village and Dubai Silicon Oasis accounting for 45 per cent of the total delivered stock in the year. Core also expects most new units in 2017 to come up in the outer areas of Dubailand, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai Sports City.
According to CBRE, suburban communities like Jumeirah Village Circle, Dubai Sports City and Dubailand Residences all achieved rental growth in 2016, testimony to the strong demand. The Dubailand Residence Complex, Arjaan, Remraam, International Media Production Zone (IMPZ), Dubai Sports City, Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai Investments Park are a few up-and-coming communities in Dubai where you don't have to pay a fortune in rent, but still find most facilities a stone's throw away.
Tenant speak
Meet Manika Kapoor, a home-maker who moved to JVC one-and-a-half years ago from Al Barsha 1 and absolutely loves the new community. "It's much quieter here, family-friendly and we have everything around, such as schools, public parks, shops and other basic amenities. The rents are cheaper than Al Barsha and the apartment size is bigger too. There is also public transportation available and we don't encounter traffic to get in and out of the community during peak hours," she said.
Another resident in Sky Courts in Dubailand Residence Complex, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "Sky Courts is a self-sustained community. We have a hypermarket, restaurants, salon and beauty parlour, laundromat, green spaces for children. the works. Apartments aren't like match boxes and rents are much cheaper by Dubai standards. Getting to the centre of Dubai is only a 30-minute drive. The only downside is the absence of a bus link, although taxis are easily available."
Expert speak
IMPZ offers affordable housing and a host of amenities, including connectivity, but as Mario Volpi, chief sales officer, Kensington Exclusive Properties, explains, "much of IMPZ is still under construction. There are no villas, so predominantly IMPZ is occupied by small families, bachelors and couples only."
Arjaan is another up-and-coming community that is attracting tenants looking for affordable homes. "For mid-income individuals looking to start building a secure future, there is no better springboard than Miraclz in Arjaan. Although a car would be essential for residents due to the lack of transport options, the recent road improvements in the area have made commutes more convenient and substantially reduced travel times and traffic bottlenecks," said a PropertyFinder spokesperson.
ReidIn, on the other hand, recommends Emaar's Mira community in Dubailand. Emaar started handovers in Mira in the third quarter of 2016 and will continue till the end of the first quarter of 2017. You can rent a three-bedroom townhouse at Mira for between Dh125,000 and Dh160,000 and a four-bedroom townhouse for between Dh150,000 and Dh175,000.
"It is an Emaar development and new, affordable compared to nearby communities, offers good rental deals with multiple cheques payment and is located on Al Qudra Road, which will likely be a real estate hotspot in the future. However, it is far from the city centre, lacks shopping facilities and will take time to became a mature community," said Ozan Demir, data and research manager - UAE, ReidIn.

- deepthi@khaleejtimes.com