UAE: Why high-net-worth individuals are moving to golf-front homes
Nestled in the golf district of Dubai South, Discovery Dunes is shaping up to look like the blueprint for ultra-luxury golf communities in the UAE. Here, renowned American golf course architect Tom Fazio designed his first 18-hole private layout in the region, with wide fairways, recessed bunkers, and native ghaf trees woven into the desert in a way that feels intentional, understated, and remarkably quiet.
Spanning nearly 27 million square feet, Discovery Dunes — developed by Discovery Land Company — includes 340 residences, with 84 per cent of the land preserved as open space. With the value of plots reaching approximately Dh183 million, Discovery Dunes isn't just selling homes — it's selling exclusivity. One of the latest deals, in April 2025, closed at Dh33 million for a 52,000-square-foot plot, underscoring just how much buyers are willing to pay for space and seclusion.
The 600-acre development offers three types of land plots — Estate, Signature, and Lifestyle — ranging in size from around 22,000sqft to over 73,000sqft. Beyond golf, residents enjoy amenities like the Lakehouse — a farm-to-table restaurant overlooking the 11th hole — equestrian facilities, wellness centres, and even 'comfort stations' stocked with gourmet snacks. Buyers are required to purchase a membership for access to the amenities, reinforcing a focus on quality over scale.
Even though homes that overlook golf course estates typically have a 10-30 per cent price premium, golf-front homes in Dubai and Abu Dhabi have steadily carved out their place in the market over the past two decades. Not for the sport, but for what they offer: green views, fewer neighbours, and a sense of calm that's getting harder to buy. 'There's always been an association globally between green space and golf communities and privacy and exclusivity,' says Ghada 'GG' Benitez, the CEO of GG Benitez International, a luxury real estate company that operates under Prime Capital Realty in Dubai. She also runs the affiliate offices in California and in Spain's Costa del Sol. 'When you have exclusivity, particularly, that equates most times to additional value.'
Benitez, who also hosts The Dubai Connect Podcast where she discusses real estate trends in the UAE, launched her property firm in Dubai a little under three years ago but works with her strategic partner, who has operated in the market for over two decades. 'Dubai is a vertical city... It's not as prevalent to find open green areas.' She said that as part of the UAE's Master 2040 plan to develop more green spaces for residents, golf communities are in line with the government's long-term goals.
To understand what's driving demand for golf communities, Benitez says you have to look at who's actually moving in. She notes a rise in high-net-worth individuals relocating from the UK, the US, Canada, Russia, and India, with most of her clients coming from Europe and North America. In those parts of the world, golf is already tied to luxury, she notes.
But the group to really watch, she says, is families. 'As more families move to Dubai, they're looking for more villas and townhouses,' she explains, adding that they are looking for greenspace. UK families are a big one. The GEMS Education report Exodus & Education: Why British Parents Are Moving to the UAE found that over a third of UK parents with children in private schools are considering relocating abroad due to rising education costs — with many drawn to the UAE for its tax-free income, strong schools, and family-friendly lifestyle.
That shift in who's buying is shaping the kinds of spaces people want. It's not just about luxury — it's about liveability.
Many of the golf communities are gated, offering privacy, greenery, and a quieter environment that's well-suited for raising families, Benitez explained. 'Because it's green, it lends to that serenity and greenery, and recreational walkways that are associated with more desirable, luxurious, higher value,' Benitez says. It's a clear contrast to typical tower living and speaks directly to the growing number of families choosing to relocate to Dubai.
Of the highest rated communities, Dubai Hills Estate topped villa searches in Q1 2025 — and it's easy to see why. It's massive, central, and built with families in mind. At 2,700 acres, it's Emaar's largest community to date, anchored by an 18-hole championship course and filled out with schools, parks, and enough green space to feel like you're not in the city. Prices have climbed fast, according to a Dubai Housing investment guide — Sidra villas, which once went for Dh3.2 million, are now hitting Dh6.6 million, and Maple townhouses have nearly doubled in value.
Still, agents say the market hasn't peaked. Kunal Gaur, an economist writing for Dubai Housing, claims it's not too late to invest. 'When you compare Dubai property prices to places like Singapore, the US, or the UK, they're still pretty reasonable, especially when you factor in that whole tax-free thing,' Gaur wrote.
That optimism is reflected in the numbers. According to Provident Real Estate's Q1 2025 market overview, villa communities built around golf course amenities dominated market share. DAMAC Hills 2, home to the Trump World Golf Club Dubai — an 18-hole championship course designed by Tiger Woods — led the segment, capturing a 5.8 per cent market share. Emirates Living, which offers views of both Emirates Golf Club and the Address Montgomerie, followed with 5.2 per cent, while DAMAC Hills held 5 per cent. Jumeirah Golf Estates (JGE) came in close behind with 4.7 per cent.
Total sales volume for JGE for Q1 reached Dh882 million, with the average price across listed JGE properties being approximately Dh14 million. That performance tracks with the broader luxury villa market.
The Provident Real Estate report also noted a 13 per cent price jump in the luxury villa segment this quarter. Most of the sales happened in the premium range, particularly among four-bedroom villas priced over Dh3.2 million. In total, 1,183 transactions were recorded, with the average sale price hitting Dh11.83 million. Four-bedroom homes made up the bulk of activity, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of all sales.
Even within golf communities, supply is tight. 'You have to understand that whether it's Dubai Hills, Jumeirah Golf Estates, or Emirates Hills, the number of homes that actually sit on the course is very limited,' says Tahir Majithia, a Dubai-based real estate agent with over 20 years of experience and managing partner at Prime Capital. Originally from Mumbai, Majithia has seen first-hand how exclusivity and location within these communities can drive demand. Even in newer communities being launched by other developers, you're not seeing many new golf courses, Majithia says. 'When you talk about a golf course, you need a lot of land for it... Obviously, land has become expensive.'
Because golf communities are expensive, they don't necessarily dominate overall sales. They tend to sit in the luxury or high mid-market range, which naturally limits how many people are buying in. Over the past five years, only 7.6 per cent of all residential transactions in Dubai happened in golf-focused communities — and more than half of that came from Dubai Hills Estate alone, according to Dubai Residential: Par for the Course, a report by GCP Group and REIDIN. When asked how golf-front homes compare to waterfront properties, Majithia didn't hesitate: ' You would get much better value for money if you're buying on a golf course. You would get a much bigger plot... you'd probably get somewhere around 70-80 per cent more space for the same amount of money.'
'Waterfront has historically performed better than non-waterfront. But again, how much more waterfront is there going to be in Dubai? And in the UAE in general,' Benitez adds. 'You're still going to find that for short-term rental, which tends to provide, let's say, on average 3 per cent higher rental yields than long-term, that there's still that desirability of being in the middle of the city or on a waterfront. Whereas you would see more of the family wanting long-term rental, the larger units, you'll see that in golf communities.'
Looking at buyer psychology and investment behaviour, Majithia said most buyers to purchase in golf communities are end users wanting a lifestyle and long-term hold, meaning people who are purchasing homes are actually living in them, not flipping or renting them. There are a few people who are still buying as an investment, despite inventory tightening in prime golf communities. He explained that end user buying in this real estate category has increased because of the increase in demand for the lifestyle affiliated with golf communities.
Importantly, Majithia noted that five to seven years ago, demand for golf-facing villas wasn't nearly as strong. The recent surge, he said, aligns with the influx of ultra-high-net-worth individuals relocating to Dubai.
Looking forward, Benitez believes that golf-facing villas and real estate will remain a top-tier asset class. 'It's here to stay and it will become the new, what we talk about waterfront,' she said. If you look at what's still available along the waterfront, the options are starting to narrow. 'There's Palm Jebel Ali, Maritime City, La Mer, Rashid Marina — but inventory there is limited.' Then you have Dubai Islands, and that's pretty much it, she explained.
As coastal land gets built out, the city is naturally pushing inward, and golf-front living is starting to fill that space in the luxury market. It's a shift that's not just about views and square footage, but about what comes next. 'With healthcare and lifestyle clubs, you're going to see that as more retirees are looking where to retire around the world, golf communities in Dubai are going to be a play,' Benitez said.
With long-stay visas, rising healthcare standards, and a growing appetite for wellness-led living, golf communities may end up offering something the city hasn't quite figured out yet: a soft landing for the people who've built their lives here and want to stay.
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