ROI analysis of apartment in Azizi Riviera 12: DLD data and real deals

1. Definition of the area and data structure

Actual location: according to DLD, the Azizi Riviera 12 building belongs to the Al Merkadh area and is part of the Meydan One Community master project.

In the DLD database for this building, 44 sale transactions for one-bedroom apartments (1BR) were found, along with more than 250 lease contracts (for all property types), of which 105 relate specifically to 1BR units. This is a sufficient dataset for in-depth statistics on both sales and rentals.

2. Liquidity and market volumes, demand resilience

For Azizi Riviera 12, regular sales of one-bedroom apartments have been recorded throughout 2021–2025, with a trend towards accelerating deal activity in recent periods, indicating high project liquidity. The large number of lease contracts (105 for 1BR, 253 for the entire building over 2 years) demonstrates stable rental demand in this complex, confirming its attractiveness for both investors and tenants.

Across Al Merkadh as a whole, the market is extremely active: for 1BR units, 300–1500 transactions are completed each quarter, which provides high statistical reliability for comparative analysis.

3. Price and rental dynamics over 3–5 years, “building vs area” comparison

Sales (Azizi Riviera 12, 1BR):
– In 2021, the average sale price per m² in the building was about 15,361–15,387 AED.
– In 2022, volatility is visible: 12,406–14,374 AED per m².
– In 2023, growth: 15,171–17,814 AED per m².
– In 2024 (recent quarters, only transactions no later than today): 17,206–19,382 AED per m².
– Over the last 12 months, the average purchase price for a 1BR in Riviera 12 is 20,600 AED/m².

Sales in Al Merkadh (1BR):
– 2021: 16,000–18,753 AED/m²,
– 2022: 16,831–19,083 AED/m²,
– 2023: 17,981–19,228 AED/m²,
– 2024 (to date): 18,411–21,309 AED/m².
– The average 1BR purchase price in the area over the last 12 months: 20,356 AED/m².

Thus, based on the last year of data, pricing in Riviera 12 almost matches the wider area — the premium or discount is minimal (less than 1%).

Rent (building vs area, all types, analysis over the last 12 months):
– Average rental rate in Riviera 12 over 12 months: 1,465 AED/m²/year.
– In Al Merkadh: 1,525 AED/m²/year.
– Range of day-to-day dynamics for the building: on average 1,100–1,500 AED/m²/year over the last 2 years; in the area: strong growth from 580–900 in 2021–2022 to 1,340–1,550 AED/m²/year in 2024.

4. Yield (ROI) and fair investment price range

– Actual gross ROI (for the building): 7.11% — calculated as the ratio of the current average rent to the average purchase price over the last 12 months.
– For Al Merkadh: 7.50%.
– After adjusting for direct transaction costs (≈7–8% of the purchase amount, including DLD, brokers and other expenses), the projected “net” ROI decreases to roughly 6.6–6.9% for the building and 7% for the area.

Fair investment purchase range (based on a target ROI of 7–8%):
– For Riviera 12: 18,316–20,932 AED/m².
– For Al Merkadh: 19,062–21,785 AED/m².

Comparison with the actual average price shows that current sales in Riviera 12 are at the upper boundary of this range. For an investor targeting a 7–8% yield, no additional discount to the market is required for this building, but if prices continue to rise above 21,000 AED/m², rental income will no longer support the desired return.

5. Outlook and recommendations

Riviera 12 is one of the most liquid new buildings in Meydan One, enjoying stable tenant demand. Transaction and leasing activity remains high. Both the building and the area show positive dynamics: purchase and rental prices have grown significantly over the last two years; however, it should be noted that the current price level has almost reached the upper boundary of the “fair investment” range for a 7–8% yield.

Azizi Riviera 12 is suitable for investors seeking a market-level yield of 7%+ with moderate risk and a solid track record of stable lease contracts. The building does not command a significant premium over the wider area. Given the macro trend in Meydan / Al Merkadh, potential performance over a 3–5 year horizon will depend primarily on broader market factors: if rental growth continues, there is a chance to maintain ROI at current or slightly higher levels.

Sales and rental liquidity remain high, which makes this project a generally safe choice for typical buy-to-let investment.