Jumeirah Asora Bay

Dubai Properties is one of the city's largest master developers and part of Dubai Holding, behind JBR, Mudon, Serena and Villanova.

Its portfolio is unusual in its range. The same developer built the beachfront towers of Jumeirah Beach Residence, the office and residential blocks of Business Bay, and a series of suburban family communities out in Dubailand. That breadth means a Dubai Properties address tells you very little on its own, and the specific community matters far more than the name on the brochure.

What do they build?

Large master planned communities rather than single towers. The pattern is a community built out in named phases over several years, with its own retail centre, parks and pools, aimed at the mid market rather than the luxury end. They also hold and manage a substantial rental portfolio.

Where do they build?

• Jumeirah Beach Residence, the beachfront towers and The Walk.
• Business Bay, including the Executive Towers cluster.
• Mudon and Remraam in Dubailand.
• Serena and Villanova, both townhouse communities.
• Jumeirah, with the low rise Madinat Jumeirah Living district.

What should you check before buying?

• Which phase or cluster, since a community released over five years contains units of noticeably different age, layout and finish.
• What is actually built around the plot today, not what the masterplan shows.
• Service charges and what they cover, which varies a great deal between their communities.
• Resale competition, because in a large community you are usually selling against several near identical units.

Are they a safe developer to buy from?

They are among the most established names in Dubai, government linked through Dubai Holding, with a long record of completing and handing over what they start. That removes most of the delivery risk that hangs over smaller developers. It does not remove the ordinary questions about location, price and the specific unit, which is where the work actually is.