Takaya Kaia, Kalina, Melody

Union Properties is one of the oldest developers in Dubai, and the company behind Motor City, Uptown Mirdif and Green Community.

It is listed on the Dubai Financial Market, and its projects predate most of new Dubai, which is why they feel established rather than raw: mature landscaping, finished retail, and communities that have been lived in for years. It also developed Dubai Autodrome, the racing circuit at the centre of Motor City.

What do they build?

Mixed use communities rather than standalone towers, combining apartments, townhouses and villas with their own retail and leisure. The distinguishing feature across their work is planting and low density, unusual for the price point.

Where do they build?

• Motor City, with the Autodrome and the Uptown retail centre.
• Green Community in Dubai Investment Park, one of the most heavily planted communities in Dubai.
• Mirdif, with the Uptown Mirdif development.

What should you check before buying?

• Age and condition, since these are established communities and maintenance history matters more than in a new build.
• Air conditioning and plumbing in particular, on the earlier phases.
• Whether maintenance is included in a rental, which is common in their communities and worth real money.
• Service charges and how well the community is being maintained today, which you can see by walking it.

Are they a safe developer to buy from?

The advantage of buying in an established Union Properties community is that there is nothing left to imagine: the community is finished, the trees are grown and you can judge the management by looking at it. The company itself has had a more eventful corporate history than some of its peers, so if you are buying anything off plan rather than completed, check the current position rather than the reputation of the older communities.