House hunters queued from 3am on Wednesday to be among the first to buy property on Dubai's Palm Jebel Ali, amid a frenzy for luxury real estate in the city.
Hundreds of people waited outside developer Nakheel's sales centre to snap up the first available properties on the man-made island, which is 20km south of the Palm Jumeirah.
The waterfront villa project was revealed earlier this week amid strong demand for luxury homes.
The project, which will be centred on four fronds of the island, is to offer two types of villas – coral villas and beach villas.
The fact that a launch can cause so much frenzy says that the demand is still very high
Matthew Solomon,
Haus & Haus
The first properties were expected to be handed over in 2027, real estate agents said.
“People were queuing up from 3am,” said Matthew Solomon, sales team manager with estate agents Haus & Haus.
“The demand for these sort of high-end properties is continuing to grow and grow.
“The fact that a launch can cause so much frenzy says that the demand is still very high.”
Wednesday's sales included villas of up to 8,000 square feet, which fetched about Dh20 million ($5.4 million), Mr Solomon said.
Other sales included 12,000 square-foot villas, which were commanding fees of Dh30 million to Dh35 million, and plots were going for between Dh25 million and Dh30 million.
He said the properties appealed to those looking for modern luxury.
“You see a lot of people buying those kind of villas on Palm Jumeirah and renovating them to be more contemporary,” Mr Solomon said.
“The master plan for Palm Jebel Ali is showing the properties there are going to be more modern, like a Beverly Hills style.
“The days when people would be happy with a traditional-style villa are gone.”
The project, which was launched this week, follows the unveiling of new master plan for the Palm Jebel Ali development by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, in June.
“We are delighted to bring Palm Jebel Ali to market at this exciting time, with the island playing a transformative role in shaping the city’s future, raising the global benchmark on waterfront living,” Rasha Hasan, chief commercial officer of Nakheel, said on Monday.
Nakheel's website stated “the island will offer enhanced waterfront living, extensive green spaces and people-oriented mobility, while utilising smart city technology to streamline transportation management”.
The company also said the island would be home to more than 80 hotels and resorts, as well as several unique retail and dining experiences.
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Palm Jebel Ali over the years - in pictures
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs: 2019 BMW X4
Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km
Sunday's games
Liverpool v West Ham United, 4.30pm (UAE)
Southampton v Burnley, 4.30pm
Arsenal v Manchester City, 7pm
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In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Specs
Price, base: Dhs850,000
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 591bhp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.3L / 100km
RESULTS
Women:
55kg brown-black belt: Amal Amjahid (BEL) bt Amanda Monteiro (BRA) via choke
62kg brown-black belt: Bianca Basilio (BRA) bt Ffion Davies (GBR) via referee’s decision (0-0, 2-2 adv)
70kg brown-black belt: Ana Carolina Vieira (BRA) bt Jessica Swanson (USA), 9-0
90kg brown-black belt: Angelica Galvao (USA) bt Marta Szarecka (POL) 8-2
Men:
62kg black belt: Joao Miyao (BRA) bt Wan Ki-chae (KOR), 7-2
69kg black belt: Paulo Miyao (BRA) bt Gianni Grippo (USA), 2-2 (1-0 adv)
77kg black belt: Espen Mathiesen (NOR) bt Jake Mackenzie (CAN)
85kg black belt: Isaque Braz (BRA) bt Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE), 2-0
94kg black belt: Felipe Pena (BRA) bt Adam Wardzinski (POL), 4-0
110kg black belt final: Erberth Santos (BRA) bt Lucio Rodrigues (GBR) via rear naked choke
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
The biog
Hometown: Cairo
Age: 37
Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror
Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing
Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition
