Company Background and History
Meraas Properties was established in 2007 under Dubai Holding, focusing on building communities that combine living, leisure, and retail. Since then, the company has become closely tied to Dubai’s urban expansion, especially City Walk and Bluewaters Island. Instead of simply adding buildings to the skyline, Meraas has concentrated on shaping neighborhoods—places designed for everyday life as much as for investment.
According to publicly available data, Meraas has developed over 3,500 residential units and over 80 million square feet of built-up space across various asset classes. Meraas has worked on multiple real estate projects over the years—some are low-rise apartment buildings, others are standalone villas, and a number are full-scale neighborhoods with a mix of uses. What sets them apart is the way they’re planned. These developments aren’t just for one group; they’re built to serve both people who live in Dubai and those who come as visitors, reflecting the city’s focus on being livable and welcoming at the same time. Instead of building for scale alone, the company chooses locations carefully. It prioritizes how people live and move through a space, often blending homes with shops, restaurants, parks, and walkable public areas.
Architectural Style and Construction Quality
Design Philosophy
Meraas tends to take a site-specific approach to design. In many of its projects, you’ll notice a mix of modern lines with subtle regional influences—something that feels current without losing a sense of place. For example, developments like City Walk and Madinat Jumeirah Living show how the company blends urban design with pedestrian-friendly layouts and green elements. The focus isn’t just on buildings but on creating walkable areas where homes, shops, and open spaces are part of one continuous experience.
Quality of Construction
Across different projects, Meraas tends to stick to a certain level of quality when it comes to construction and finishes. You’ll often see things like marble floors, large windows that let in plenty of natural light, and well-chosen fixtures built to last. Whether it’s a villa in The Acres or an apartment in Central Park at City Walk, the idea seems to be to create spaces people want to live in, not just properties that look good in photos or sell quickly. Most of what they build appears to be planned for long-term use, not just short-term investment.
Construction Credentials
Meraas has taken steps toward more sustainable development in recent years. In one of its newer projects, The Acres, the company received a LEED Gold pre-certification for Communities—an international marker that the project follows specific environmental standards. This recognition is increasingly common now as Dubai focuses on sustainability in real estate, especially in larger community developments. It’s part of a shift where energy use, green space, and long-term environmental impact are starting to matter more in how projects are planned and judged.
Areas of Development and Master Plan Role
Primary Locations
Meraas has focused most of its development activity within Dubai, selecting sites with strong potential for long-term growth. Some areas where it has built extensively include City Walk, Bluewaters Island, La Mer, Jumeirah Bay, and Nad Al Sheba Gardens. These locations combine residential, commercial, and public-use spaces within a single master-planned setting.
Master Developer Status
As a master developer, Meraas is responsible for planning and delivering entire communities, not just individual buildings. This includes road layouts, landscaping, utility networks, and the integration of retail and leisure areas. Its role often starts from the ground up, with an emphasis on connecting different functions within one unified development.
Geographic Focus
Meraas’s projects are concentrated entirely within the Dubai market. While other developers have expanded into international or regional markets, Meraas has continued investing within the city, particularly in neighborhoods near the coast or downtown business districts. This narrow geographic focus allows for deeper integration with local infrastructure plans.
Delivered Units
According to published data, Meraas has delivered more than 3,500 residential units across Dubai since its founding. These include various asset types, from mid-rise buildings to villa communities.
Pipeline and Expansion
Ongoing projects include the final phase of The Acres, which is expected to add 208 new homes (106 villas and 102 mansions) by 2028. Other pipeline projects continue within existing developments like Central Park at City Walk. The company’s expansion appears to follow a strategy of completing multi-phase communities over time, rather than launching multiple unrelated projects across the city.
Construction Volume and Scale
Since its start, Meraas has built more than 80 million square feet of space in Dubai. That includes homes, shops, and leisure areas—most of them planned as part of larger neighborhoods rather than stand-alone buildings. The company's projects usually bring together different uses in one place, aiming to create spaces that work for both people who live there and those just passing through.
The scale of Meraas's work places it among the more established players in Dubai's real estate sector, particularly in areas focused on lifestyle and tourism. Projects like Bluewaters Island, City Walk, and The Acres are examples of how the company manages large land parcels with long-term development timelines. Rather than building isolated towers, Meraas typically delivers clusters of buildings connected by shared infrastructure, open spaces, and amenities.
This way of building fits with how real estate is evolving in Dubai, where there's a clear push toward communities that mix homes with shops, restaurants, and public spaces. It's not just about housing anymore—how people live, work, and spend their time in one place. Meraas's project city has followed that direction, especially in areas near the coast or the city center, gradually adding to the shape and layout of modern Dubai.
Market Performance and Trends for Meraas Properties
Pricing
Property prices in Meraas developments generally reflect their locations and the types of communities they’re part of. In areas like City Walk and Bluewaters Island, apartments and townhouses tend to fall in the mid-to-upper price range within the Dubai market. For example, average prices in these areas have followed the broader trend in Dubai property sales, which saw a year-on-year increase of around 17% as of mid-2023.
Rental Performance
While detailed rental figures for Meraas units aren’t consistently available, their projects are in zones with strong rental demand. Units in communities such as Madinat Jumeirah Living or Central Park typically attract long-term tenants, particularly due to proximity to schools, retail spaces, and business districts.
Sales Uptake and Growth
Sales performance in Meraas projects appears steady, especially for those launched in well-established areas. Multi-phase developments, like The Acres or Central Park, tend to release units in batches, and most launches have seen consistent buyer interest. However, exact sales velocity figures are not publicly disclosed.
Buyer Demographics
Meraas attracts a mix of end-users and investors. Many buyers are UAE residents looking for homes in walkable communities, while others are international investors interested in real estate projects in Dubai with long-term value potential. The coastal and urban locations of Meraas developments appeal to both groups.
Rental Yields and Trends
Yields vary depending on the project and location, but areas like Bluewaters and City Walk have shown relatively strong rental returns compared to citywide averages. These figures are supported by high foot traffic and nearby commercial activity, which increases tenant demand.
Resale Market and Value Retention
Units in Meraas projects generally maintain their value over time, especially those in mature developments with complete infrastructure and amenities. Resale activity in City Walk and Bluewaters suggests stable pricing, with some units appreciating depending on layout, view, and market timing.
Awards and Recognitions
Meraas has received a limited number of public awards, but one notable recognition is the LEED Gold for Communities pre-certification awarded to The Acres. This certification, issued by the U.S. Green Building Council, is based on environmental and planning standards applied at the community level. It highlights the project’s alignment with sustainability goals in urban development.
Beyond this, Meraas projects are frequently mentioned in regional real estate reports and shortlists related to sustainability in real estate and integrated community planning. However, detailed award data is not always disclosed publicly. The company focuses more on meeting technical benchmarks and delivery timelines than participating in high-profile awards circuits.
Investor and End-User Sentiment
Market Reputation
Meraas is generally recognized in the Dubai property sales market as a developer focusing on urban, mixed-use projects. Its developments are often noted for their locations and planning approach rather than aggressive marketing or rapid expansion. This positioning has helped the company build a reputation for delivering stable, long-term residential and retail environments.
Positive Feedback
Many end-users have pointed to the walkability and layout of Meraas communities as key advantages. Areas like City Walk and Bluewaters Island are often mentioned for their access to public spaces, shops, and transportation. Investors have also responded positively to the location-driven nature of Meraas projects, particularly in neighborhoods where tourism and residential demand overlap.
Challenges and Criticisms
There have been some mentions of delayed handovers in select projects. However, these instances appear limited and are not unique to Meraas within the broader real estate market in Dubai. A few buyers have noted that service charges in specific locations are relatively high, particularly in developments with premium retail or waterfront elements.
Overall Sentiment
On the whole, sentiment toward Meraas remains steady. Investors often see the brand as a low-rotation, location-first option rather than a speculative play. End-users value the design and livability of the spaces, even if the pricing or service fees are above average in some cases.
