1. Definition of the area and data structure
Actual location: the building The Quayside (construction name, used in DLD) is located in Business Bay, which in DLD data is both a district and a master project.
The DLD database is in fact populated with sales for this asset: a total of 114 sale and purchase transactions have been registered in the building across all apartment types, including studio (0BR) deals. A current rental analysis specifically for this building is not possible — there is not a single registered lease contract in the DLD database for the entire period, neither for the building itself nor for the project as a whole. For yield and rental rate estimates, it is therefore necessary to move up to the master-project level (Business Bay) and use the district’s studio rental rates.
2. Sales dynamics, volumes and liquidity
Sales in The Quayside started relatively recently: all registered transactions are from 2024 and 2025, distributed by quarter (up to 43 deals in the peak quarter). Mass-market liquidity has only been recorded over the past 1.5 years, which is typical for new projects around handover.
The dynamics of the average price per m² for studios in The Quayside show the following levels:
– In 2024, quarterly prices remained in the range of 26,800–28,000 AED/m², reaching 27,960 AED/m² by the end of 2024.
– In 2025, a few isolated transactions show a spread from 27,300 to 29,800 AED/m², but the sample size is very limited.
For an additional purchase or a sale of a studio in this building, the closest benchmark is 2 studio transactions over the last 12 months, with an average price of approximately 28,567 AED/m².
Across Business Bay as a whole, studio prices have risen in recent years: from 19,000–22,000 AED/m² in 2021–2022 to 25,000–29,000 AED/m² in 2024–2025. Over the last 12 months, the average studio price across the entire district is 27,800 AED/m² with more than 5,000 transactions (very high liquidity).
Conclusion: liquidity in The Quayside is comparable to the wider district; the building is popular with buyers, and the price per m² is in line with the Business Bay market level for this property type.
3. Market rents and yields
There is no DLD data on rental rates specifically for The Quayside — not a single studio lease is recorded in the database. Based on the large volume of data (over 17,000 contracts) for the Business Bay master project, the following levels are observed:
– Average annual studio rent over the last year: 1,590 AED/m². Previous quarters show steady growth: in 2022 the level was around 1,100–1,200 AED/m², in 2023 it increased to 1,300–1,500 AED/m², and in 2024 onwards it stabilised in the 1,500–1,630 AED/m² range.
4. Current yield (ROI) and “fair price” for an investor
Over the last 12 months:
– Average price per m² for studios in The Quayside — 28,567 AED/m² (building level), 27,800 AED/m² (district level).
– Average rent — 1,590 AED/m² (district level; no data for the building).
Annual yield (rough ROI):
– District level: 1,590 / 27,800 ≈ 5.7% (gross)
– For The Quayside it is not possible to calculate, as there are no current DLD rental records for studios.
Typical adjustment for transactional and operating costs (DLD fees, brokerage, vacancy, maintenance, ≈7–8% entry costs):
– Net ROI for Business Bay is ≈5.3–5.4% per annum.
The “fair price range” for an investor targeting a 7–8% annual yield (based on market studio rents in Business Bay):
– Minimum: 1,590 / 0.08 = 19,900 AED/m²
– Maximum: 1,590 / 0.07 = 22,700 AED/m²
This is 20–30% below the current average transaction prices for studios both in the building and in the district. To achieve the desired 7–8% annual yield (before costs), a buyer would need a substantial discount to the current market. The actual yield when buying at current prices is around 5.7% gross, which corresponds to the prime-class market level in Business Bay.
5. General conclusions and outlook
– Liquidity and demand for studios in The Quayside and in Business Bay overall remain very high — the market is deep, and it is easy to exit to cash.
– Over the long term, studio prices in Business Bay have shown strong growth since 2021.
– Yields tend to decline as prices rise — the recorded level is below 6%, and the fair income-based price (for a yield-focused investor) is 20–30% below the current market.
– The potential for further price growth is constrained by the already high entry cost and the abundance of new supply. Overheating risks increase if the sole objective is yield.
– To secure a stable income of 7–8% per annum, investors need to look for discounted opportunities or alternative districts with a lower entry price.
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