1. Definition of the area and data structure
Actual location: according to DLD, UPSIDE LIVING is located in Business Bay and is part of the master project of the same name.
The DLD database shows a significant volume of transactions for 1-bedroom apartments (117 sales from late 2023 to early 2026). There are no up-to-date DLD rental contracts over the last 12 months specifically for 1-bedroom units in UPSIDE LIVING, however, across the entire building (all residence formats) 276 rental contracts have been recorded, which reflects good liquidity and strong rental demand for the property.
2. Transaction dynamics and purchase prices
Sales volume for UPSIDE LIVING 1BR (according to DLD):
– Historical breakdown by quarter: the majority of transactions fall in Q4 2023 and early 2024, indicating an active sales phase or a recently completed launch.
– Market price per sq.m in UPSIDE LIVING (1BR) on average fluctuated as follows:
– Q4 2023: 29,770 AED/sq.m,
– Q1 2024: 29,665 AED/sq.m,
– Q2 2024: 30,287 AED/sq.m,
– Q3–Q4 2024: 29,853 – 32,312 AED/sq.m.
Price per sq.m in Business Bay (district, 1BR) over the same period is lower:
– In 2023 on average 21,495 – 21,669 AED/sq.m,
– In 2024: 22,493 – 23,497 AED/sq.m.
Over the last 12 months the average purchase price in UPSIDE LIVING (1BR) stands at 29,396 AED/sq.m (17 transactions), which is more than 19% above the district level in Business Bay (24,561 AED/sq.m, 4,185 transactions).
3. Rental market dynamics
Based on DLD rental contracts:
– Over the last 12 months, the average rent across UPSIDE LIVING has been 2,198 AED/sq.m/year (276 contracts).
– Across Business Bay, the average rent per sq.m is 1,340 AED/sq.m/year (13,592 contracts over the same period).
– Quarterly dynamics: from Q3 2023 to Q3 2024, rental rates in UPSIDE LIVING started at 2,499 AED/sq.m, then stabilised at 2,180–2,504 AED/sq.m and in the most recent quarters have remained at 2,180–2,306 AED/sq.m.
4. Comparison of market levels and returns (ROI)
Comparison over the last 12 months (building/district):
– Purchase price, AED/sq.m: UPSIDE LIVING 29,396 / Business Bay 24,561.
– Average rent, AED/sq.m/year: UPSIDE LIVING 2,198 / Business Bay 1,340.
Gross yield (brutto ROI):
– For UPSIDE LIVING: 2,198 / 29,396 ≈ 7.5% per annum (at building level).
– For Business Bay: 1,340 / 24,561 ≈ 5.5% per annum (at district level, for 1BR).
Taking into account standard transaction costs (≈7–8% of the purchase price), the net yield (net ROI) for UPSIDE LIVING is approximately: 7.5% / 1.07 ≈ 7.0%.
5. Fair price range for an investor
If an investor targets a yield of 7–8% per annum, then at the current rental level in UPSIDE LIVING:
– Fair price range per sq.m: 2,198 / 0.08 = 27,475 AED/sq.m (for 8%); 2,198 / 0.07 = 31,400 AED/sq.m (for 7%).
– The actual average price over the last year (~29,400 AED/sq.m) lies roughly in the middle of this range — close to a “fair” level for a long-term investor; the market does not require a significant discount or premium, and the current value is analytically justified by rental rates.
6. Liquidity and market outlook
The building demonstrates stable demand (117 1BR sales and 276 rental contracts in less than 2 years). Business Bay is one of the most stable districts in terms of rental turnover and secondary market activity (tens of thousands of contracts annually). In all quarters since 2023, UPSIDE LIVING has been renting significantly above the wider Business Bay market, with a visible premium for class/quality and the newness of the product. The average ROI is higher for the building than for the district as a whole (7.5% versus 5.5%).
Conclusions: 1-bedroom apartments in UPSIDE LIVING confidently outperform the district in terms of rental levels and yields, and are attractive for an investor seeking 7–7.5% per annum based on open DLD data, with market-level strategy and liquidity. The strong premium to the district is justified by rental demand.
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