Saadiyat Island

Seven themed districts are planned to be built on an area of 27 square kilometers. The most famous of these is the Cultural District, a district of museums and exhibitions in the western part of the island. Coastal villas and medium-rise residential complexes are also being built here, but there is a predominance of an urban atmosphere. The neighboring Marina District will become the most densely populated: predominantly mid-rise residential complexes will surround a natural harbor with modern yacht marinas.

Along the luxurious sandy beaches of the northern coast stretch Saadiyat Beach and Saadiyat Retreat. The first area's coastline is home to five-star resorts, while luxurious low-rise communities are located along golf courses. Saadiyat Retreat is the most secluded part of the island, with an uninterrupted 7-kilometer strip of beaches dominated by the luxurious villas of the gated community Hidd Al Saadiyat.

Another golf course will be built next to the mangrove forests on the island's eastern coast, where Saadiyat Reserve is located, offering land plots for private development. The central part of the island will be occupied by the Saadiyat Lagoons and Saadiyat Promenade districts. The former will mainly consist of villas and townhouses on the banks of artificial lagoons, while the latter will be a mixed-use area with hotels on the coast, commercial areas in the central zone, and various residential properties throughout the district.

Economic Attractiveness

Only one Louvre Abu Dhabi annually attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists, being the most visited museum in the Arab world. As Saadiyat Cultural District develops, real estate on the island will become increasingly in demand for short-term rentals, and further construction of social infrastructure and the creation of new jobs will ensure demand for the purchase and long-term rental of residential property. In addition, many families of foreign and local professionals choose the island as a peaceful place to live surrounded by beautiful natural landscapes and in good transportation accessibility relative to the central districts of Abu Dhabi.

Currently, the ROI for housing on Saadiyat Island reaches 6.2%, with villas with 4-5 bedrooms being in high demand. Apartments show less profitability, but the ROI for studios is 5%. The price for studios starts at AED 549,000 (USD 150,000), and a villa with four bedrooms can be purchased for AED 5,450,000 (USD 1,484,000).