ROI analysis of apartment in Azizi Riviera 26: DLD data and real deals

1. Definition of the area and data structure

Actual location: Azizi Riviera 26 (strictly according to the DLD database) is located in the Al Merkadh district and the Meydan One Community master project. All calculations and comparisons by district and master project were carried out precisely for these administrative units, without substitution by similar or marketing analogues.

In the DLD database, 26 transactions for 2-bedroom apartments in Azizi Riviera 26 were identified, which is a sufficient volume for a correct quarterly sales dynamics analysis. No rental contracts were found for the specific building or the master project; valid rental data is available only at the Al Merkadh district level.

2. Liquidity and transaction volume

Sales liquidity of the building: from 2021 onwards, 26 transactions for 2-bedroom apartments have been registered, with the main spikes in 2022 and 2024 (especially in Q2 2024). Periodically, a total of 2–8 transactions per quarter are recorded, which confirms stable demand, but the building can hardly be called a “hot” asset in terms of turnover — sales are more wave-like, likely due to the release and absorption of larger batches of units.

Rental liquidity: at the level of the building and the master project there are currently no registered rental contracts for 2-bedroom apartments according to DLD data. At the Al Merkadh district level, the number of leased residential properties exceeds 10,000 contracts over the past 12 months (for all apartment types), i.e. the district demonstrates a high rental turnover and strong investment appeal for a buy-to-let strategy.

3. Price dynamics per m², distribution and comparison with the district

Over the entire observation period, average prices per m² for 2-bedroom apartments in Azizi Riviera 26 fluctuated from 12,200 to 13,200 AED/m² (peaks at the beginning of 2022 and 2025), with a slight decrease in 2024 conditions to around 12,000 AED/m². There are pronounced outliers (including very low values in 2025), but the bulk of transactions over the last 12 months formed an average price of 12,174 AED/m² for 2-bedroom units.

For comparison: the average price in Al Merkadh over the last 12 months amounted to 20,280 AED/m² under the same parameters. Thus, Azizi Riviera 26 is currently being sold at a noticeable discount (~40%) relative to the district average, which potentially increases its investment attractiveness, assuming standard rental levels and reasonable liquidity.

The dynamics for Al Merkadh show a steady, gradual increase in the average transaction price per m²: from 14,300–17,000 AED/m² in 2020–2021 to 20,000–21,000 AED/m² in 2023–2024.

4. Rental dynamics and levels

Across Al Merkadh, the average annual rental rate for all residential properties over the past 12 months amounted to 1,524 AED/m². Rental dynamics over the last 3 years are characterised by steady growth: from 580–700 AED/m² in 2020–2021 to the current 1,300–1,500+ AED/m² in 2023–2024. The volume of leased properties in the district is very high, indicating strong demand for the location from both tenants and investors.

Unfortunately, at the level of the building, the master project and even by apartment type (2-bedroom) there are no valid data for a direct calculation of average rent, so further yield assessment can only be provided at the district level.

5. Yield calculation and “fair price”

ROI at the district level:

– Gross yield (estimated, by district) = average rent in the district / average sale price in the district over 12 months = 1,524 / 20,280 ≈ 7.5% per annum (before costs).
– After adjusting for standard entry costs (≈7%) — indicative net yield is 6.9–7%.
– An investor targeting a 7–8% yield can “theoretically” consider a fair district-level price range of 19,000–21,800 AED/m². However, for Azizi Riviera 26 itself, the achieved price is significantly lower — 12,174 AED/m². To reach a 7–8% yield at actual market rental rates in the district, only basic confirmation of demand will be required.

Key takeaway: the current market price of Azizi Riviera 26 is roughly 40% below the average price for 2-bedroom apartments in Al Merkadh. Such a price gap, combined with the district’s high liquidity, suggests that the potential yield for this building may exceed the district average, provided that rental rates in the building are comparable to district levels (or only slightly lower). However, due to the absence of directly registered rental contracts for the building/project, it is not possible to provide a numerical yield estimate without the risk of distortion — calculations are only reliable at the district level.

6. Outlook and investment analysis

Azizi Riviera 26 may be of interest as a relatively low-cost entry ticket to the promising Al Merkadh market, which shows clearly expressed rental demand and annual growth in residential prices. Due to its discount to the district, Azizi Riviera 26 can potentially deliver a yield above the “typical” district level once rental rates for the building are confirmed by official statistics. An investor should keep in mind that the absence of rental data for the building may be due to its recent handover, off-plan status, or incomplete registration of contracts in the DLD. It is also important to consider general market risks: if in 1–2 years the price of Azizi Riviera 26 converges with the district average, the potential for further price growth will be limited.

Charts and calculation data for visualisation are provided below.