Community watch: Inside Dubai’s Mira Oasis
Young families call this district off Dubai’s Al Qudra home
- The community vibe at Mira and Mira Oasis is something residents extol, even as they take in the expansive greenery and generous spaces
- Developed by Emaar, Mira and Mira Oasis offer an affordable-premium location.
- For anyone looking to upgrade to an "affordable premium" Dubai haven, access to amenities, posh lifestyle and good value-for-money are among its top draws.
Dubai: The amenities galore in a place away from the city’s cacophony form a complete package at Mira community in Dubai's Al Qudra district. Yet it also competes on the cost front. It's a multi-district, quiet residential area that’s premium yet affordable.
When it was completed in 2017, Mira was one of the hottest properties attracting young professionals in and around Dubailand, a planned entertainment mega-complex.
Danish expat Soren Ziegler Fauno and his family call it home, as do many young families.
Its biggest plus: proximity to the Town Square community, schools, malls, and a host of dining and service options. Moreover, with Ranches Souk being close by, and the Dubai Hills Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Outlet Mall, Dubai Studio City, Trump International Golf Club within a short driving distance, it all adds to the affordable-posh lifestyle.
Happy residents
For the past two years, Fauno, 38, has been living with his British wife Alexandra Louisa Williams in a 3-bedroom townhouse with their children Jenson Saikkonen (3) and 10-month-old daughter Adrianna in Mira.
There are more than 1,300 townhouses within the Mira Oasis development.
“When we first moved in, the rent was Dh95,000 per year. Upon our renewal, we signed a contract for Dh100,000 per annum,” said Fauno, citing that the asking rent now for a similar unit we stay in is around Dh160,000 per annum.”
Nestled along the Dubai Bypass-Al Qudra roads, the project is located within the master development of Reem Dubai.
Reem Dubai itself is home to several residential communities, among them Mira and Mira Oasis being very popular among expats working around the area.
Amenities galore
Fauno cites the family-friendly amenities and facilities: i.e. the Mira Town centre, parks with dedicated children’s play area, walking, cycling, jogging tracks. “There are pools and play courts as well. It is just right.”
Generous spaces offer an extra sense of expanse. Within each housing unit, the area is more generous than comparable units in other communities.
“We have a good garden space where the children love to spend time. There is a very friendly community here and the children get some good playtime as well,” said Fauno.
Affordability factor
The Faunos, too, consider themselves lucky. They enjoy the protection of rental slab implemented by the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA), Dubai’s rental watchdog.
“The rents are scorching and I am really glad we got a great deal here,” said Fauno, admitting his family finds it a joy to live in the community.
“It is a luxurious real estate development with economical pricing. It is a good deal.” Having been developed by Emaar, the brand behind the Burj Khalifa complex, it naturally adds value and impetus to the community.
Home for 4 years
As for the value addition, Pakistani expat Sanna Diwan Ali, 32, couldn’t agree more. She and her husband Salman Saleem, 37, live with their son Rayhan, age 7, in Mira-4 since November 2019.
“Before we moved here, we were living in a two-bedroom apartment, paying Dh90,000 per annum in Jumeirah Village Circle. When we saw that we could live in a bigger townhouse with our own private garden space and entry to our property — for just Dh5,000 extra per — we were pleasantly surprised.”
Ali, a freelance make-up artist, said it has been nearly four years since they moved to Mira.
“I love it here. We don’t want to leave the community for any other place. The community centre has everything we need. For a mall experience, we hang out at the Mall of the Emirates or the Dubai Hills Mall, which is close by. The Town Square Dubai is a great place to find restaurants and cafes. So there is plenty of options around this part of the town.”
Friendly, helpful community
Egyptian expat Nadeen Alsarairah lives in Mira Oasis-3. She raves about the place, and its friendly community vibe.
Her children Yara Khalil (6), Sarah (4) have made plenty friends in the area. “They love it here.”
Alsarairah and her husband Khalil Almobaydeen, plan to move to Sharjah soon as their work has shifted to the emirate, and their own villa is nearing completion.
“We have bought a villa in Sustainable City – Sharjah. We will shift when it is ready.”
She said the family have been preparing the children for the eventual move, while minimising any social disruptions for them.
“We will miss this place a lot, a quiet haven for young families like ours. We have the community centre for our urgent needs. Key spots of Dubai are within reach.”
Access, security
For the past year or so, Indian entrepreuneur Anwar Karakulangara has been living in Mira Oasis-3 with his wife Bushara and children Adez and Aliya.
“It is a very safe place to live in and that is what we love most here.”
He added: “The community is beautifully landscaped. The green expanse in the area ensures the climate is cooler inside.”
Karakulangara said he works in Jebel Ali Free Zone. “There is absolutely no traffic to and from my workplace. That is one of the reasons I bought the villa in Mira. It was reasonably priced, and in a great location.”
He said: “I bought the villa during the pandemic. In 2021, when I bought the villa, it was priced Dh1.7 million. It is a great investment so far as we are all happy living here in the community.”
• The project was completed by Emaar Properties in 2017, with its key draws being premium affordability and accessibility.
• Mira and Mira Oasis are situated parallel to each other. They share a common community centre – Mira Community Centre.
• Mira Oasis is a secure, gated community within Reem Dubai.
• There are three phases of the project — Mira Oasis 1, Mira Oasis 2 and Mira Oasis 3. Construction of all three phases is completed, with handovers done. The units come in 3- and 4-bedroom units.
• The townhouses range from 2,500 square feet (for a 3BR unit with separate housemaid space) to 3,500 square feet (for a 4 BR unit with separate maid space).
Rent vs Sales
The residential properties were delivered between 2016 and 2017.
“The community generates a lot of interest especially due to its attractive pricing,” said Niraj Masand, Managing Director of Artha Realty.
The fact that it is developed by Emaar lends an extra premium, he added.
It is the same asking rent for townhouses in Mira / Reem. For 4 BR units, the asking rental rates range from Dh160,000 to Dh180,000.
In terms of sales, villa prices range from Dh1.8 million ($490,064) to Dh2.3 million ($626,188) for a 4-BR unit in Mira Oasis.
A similar-sized unit in Mira / Reem has an asking price of between Dh1.8 million and Dh2.4 million.
A 4-BR unit in Mira Oasis ranges from Dh2.3 million to Dh2.85 million while a same size unit in Mira / Reem currently goes for Dh.2.4 million to Dh2.8 million.
Amenities within Mira
When it comes to amenities, the development is quite generous.
- Community parks
- Children's Play area
- Jogging | walking tracks
- The Mira Town Centre (for residents in and around the neighbourhood)
- Spinneys
- Zaatar W Zeit
- Starbucks
The Mira development is a stone's-throw away from The Town Square, with its host of restaurants, salon, cafes which service in and around the area. Also within a 30-minute drive are the following retail destinations:
- Ranches Souk (Arabian Ranches 2)
- The Dubai Hills Mall (Dubai Hills)
- Mall of the Emirates
- Dubai Outlet Mall
- Dubai Studio City
- Trump International Golf Club
Schools
Nearby schools include:
- Fairgreen International School – Sustainable City – Dubai
- Ranches Primary School – Arabian Ranches 2
- Blossom Arabian Ranches 2 Nursery
- Kings’ School – Al Barsha
- South View School – Remraam
Getting there
It is located off Al Qudra Road (D63), right by Al Qudra cycling track, across Town Square Dubai.
Bus route: F29 and F30 (both go through Mira and Mira Oasis).