Abu Dhabi: The Madinat Zayed area recorded the maximum number of residents moving in last year in Abu Dhabi, followed by Al Reem Island, Khalifa City and Al Khalidiyah, according to a survey by ServiceMarket, a UAE-based online home services marketplace.
The survey which covered around 5,000 residents also found the reasons why they chose a certain area.
“Those who opted for Madinat Zayed and Al Khalidiyah said these are established residential areas with an abundance of buildings, shops and recreational facilities. On the other hand, people who moved into Al Reem Island and Khalifa City cited good amenities and facilities as reasons for doing so,” said Veerle De Witte, head of sales at ServiceMarket.com.
Top Five
According to the survey, Madinat Zayed was the most popular area in 2017 with 14.46 per cent of all move-in activity.
De Witte said its popularity is not surprising as it is a business hub for both established and small enterprises. It is also home to the long standing New Medical Center hospitals, Madinat Zayed Shopping Center and Gold Center, a number of textile stores, restaurants, tailors, repair facilities and other utility stores.
An Indian expat who moved in here last year said that she is very happy with the place despite the apartments being old and not maintained well.
“The place is self-sufficient. We don’t even have to use the car for household needs as everything is available within walking distance,” she said.
Reem Island and Khalifa City
The survey shows Reem Island and Khalifa City were the main choices for people who wanted to stay away from the crowded core city of Abu Dhabi. Al Reem Island recorded 13.88 per cent move-in and Khalifa City 11.7 per cent.
Shahina Khan, a resident of the Marina Blue tower in Reem Island, said the maintenance in her building is impeccable. “There are plenty of walking areas and gardens. As for grocery and other household needs, a Carrefour store here provides for all of that,” she said.
Al Khalidiyah & Outskirts
De Witte said that Al Khalidiyah made it to the top five list because of its proximity to the Corniche and the number of recreational facilities it has.
The outskirts of Abu Dhabi including Al Bahia, Baniyas, Al Shamka, Al Shahama etc also witnessed a substantial number of move-ins (6.12 per cent) owing to cheaper rents, large houses with gardens and compounds with pools.
“People are also moving there to avoid traffic and congestion. Those who work in Dubai prefer these areas as they can save up to an hour on their daily commute,” said De Witte.
Interestingly, most of the popular areas like Madinat Zayed, Khalifa City, Al Reem Island and Al Khalidiyah, also experienced the most moving-out activity. “This is because people tend to move a lot within the same area. Those who are looking for lower rents don’t want to move away from the area where they’re already settled in. So they move into another building in the same area,” said De Witte.
Move in move out
Interestingly, most of the popular areas like Madinat Zayed, Khalifa City, Al Reem Island and Al Khalidiyah, also experienced the most moving-out activity. “This could be because people tend to move a lot within the same area which have many residential buildings. Those who are looking for lower rents don’t want to move their family away from the area where they’re already settled. So they choose to move to another home in the same area,” said De Witte.
Other interesting insights
More than 75% of the influx of people took place in just 10 areas of Abu Dhabi,
Around a third of Abu Dhabi residents just move from one residential building to another in the same area
Al Reem Island and Khalifa City are very close to overtaking Madinat Zayed in popularity
There was more moving-out activity compared to moving-in activity in Madinat Zayed
Al Reem Island experienced a net gain in 2017
The writer is an Abu Dhabi-based freelance journalist
