DAMAC widens entry point for Dubai homes

DAMAC Properties has launched The Lifestyle Collection, a new apartment ownership offer with monthly plans starting from AED 1,999 across four of its master communities, as developers sharpen affordability-led campaigns in a Dubai housing market facing softer transaction momentum after a record-breaking 2025.

The offer covers a curated selection of apartments in DAMAC Hills, DAMAC Hills 2, DAMAC Lagoons and DAMAC Riverside, positioning the company’s suburban and lifestyle-led communities as entry points for buyers who may have been priced out of central Dubai addresses. The campaign places instalment size, community amenities and long-term ownership at the centre of the pitch, rather than relying solely on luxury branding.

The launch comes at a more cautious moment for Dubai real estate. The emirate recorded more than 270,000 property transactions worth AED 917 billion in 2025, a 20 per cent annual rise and its strongest full-year performance. That pace has moderated in 2026, with May sales falling from April levels and ready-home activity weakening as regional uncertainty, higher prices and investor selectivity reshape demand. Developers are responding by widening payment options and emphasising liveability, rental potential and lower initial commitments.

DAMAC’s AED 1,999 monthly starting point is likely to draw attention from first-time investors, salaried professionals and expatriate buyers comparing ownership costs with rent. The figure, however, forms part of a payment structure rather than the full cost of purchase. Buyers still need to factor in booking amounts, Dubai Land Department fees, service charges, mortgage eligibility where applicable, payment milestones and the final cost of the selected unit.

The Lifestyle Collection also reflects a shift in Dubai’s off-plan sales strategy. Instead of marketing single towers in isolation, developers are increasingly using master communities as platforms for cross-selling apartments, townhouses and lifestyle amenities. The approach allows buyers to select from different price points while remaining within a familiar developer ecosystem.

DAMAC Hills remains the most established of the four locations in the collection. The community in Dubailand is built around a golf-course setting and includes apartments, villas, townhouses, retail facilities, sports amenities and landscaped public areas. Its profile is more mature than newer master plans, giving it appeal for buyers who want an existing neighbourhood rather than a fully future-facing project.

DAMAC Hills 2, formerly Akoya Oxygen, has been positioned as a more affordable family-focused community on the Emirates Road corridor. Its distance from central business districts has traditionally kept entry prices lower than prime areas, while parks, outdoor facilities and larger residential clusters have helped it attract buyers seeking space at a lower capital outlay. The affordability pitch of the new collection is expected to be particularly relevant in this community.

DAMAC Lagoons, a Mediterranean-themed master development near DAMAC Hills, adds a water-and-resort lifestyle angle to the offer. The project has been marketed around themed clusters, lagoon-style amenities and leisure facilities, appealing to buyers who want a suburban address with a holiday-home feel. Its pricing has generally remained below waterfront districts closer to the coast, making it part of Dubai’s expanding mid-market lifestyle segment.

DAMAC Riverside is one of the developer’s newer community plays, with apartment and townhouse phases designed around greenery, water features and lower-density living. The inclusion of Riverside in the collection signals DAMAC’s intent to use newer inventory to capture buyers looking for off-plan capital appreciation, while also giving the campaign a broader mix of handover timelines and community profiles.

The wider Dubai market is no longer moving on easy momentum alone. High-end transactions have slowed in parts of the city, some luxury asking prices have been cut, and buyers are paying closer attention to developer track records, handover schedules and payment-plan risk. At the same time, population growth, tax advantages, strong rental yields in several districts and Dubai’s status as a regional business hub continue to support medium-term housing demand.

For developers, the challenge is to convert that demand without overextending buyers. Low monthly instalments can widen access, but they can also obscure total liabilities if payment schedules rise sharply later in the plan. Market professionals say buyers are increasingly scrutinising whether promotional instalments are matched by realistic cash-flow assumptions, particularly for off-plan units that may require larger payments at construction milestones or handover.

DAMAC, founded by Hussain Sajwani, has built its brand through large master communities, branded residences and high-visibility marketing campaigns. The new collection departs from the ultra-luxury emphasis often associated with the company by highlighting accessibility in communities where apartment ownership can be packaged at lower monthly commitments.