The Fields, Mohammed Bin Rashid City

The Fields is a ready townhome community by G&Co. located in District 11, Mohammed Bin Rashid City. The project, which comprises 1,028 three- and four-bedroom townhomes, was valued at AED 900 million, and construction began in December 2014 and was completed in March 2024. The community draws inspiration from oriental design elements and is built around dense mature landscaping. A community center, retail shops, and a mosque serve residents on-site.

The Fields at Mohammed Bin Rashid City Meydan has direct and easy access from Mohammed Bin Zayad Road and the Dubai Al Ain Road. The residents will have an opportunity to enjoy and experience retail, leisure, dining, and entertainment options.

Nearby Places:

• Dubai Hills Estate
• Dubai International Airport
• Meydan City

Service Charges and All Buyer Costs

When buying a townhome in The Fields, there are a number of usual costs in addition to the purchase price itself. Most of these costs apply to any freehold property transaction in Dubai.

• Service charges (approx. AED 3.50 per sq ft on plot area for townhomes in this development)
• Transfer fee to Dubai Land Department equal to 4 percent of sale value of property
• Property registration trustee fee - a fixed charge, payable at time of transfer
• Agency commission - usually 2 percent of sale price
• Mortgage registration fee (only if the purchase is financed)

As service charge figures vary according to unit size and sub-phase within The Fields, buyers are advised to confirm the precise rate for their specific unit with the owners' association prior to making a purchase.

Resale Inspection and Tenancy Guidance

If you are buying resale in a completed community like The Fields, you need to do a different set of checks compared to an off-plan purchase. This is because the unit has years of use and maintenance behind it. Here is a list of checks to cover:

• Request service charge payment history and confirmation that there are no outstanding dues in the unit.
• Have the property inspected professionally for structural, plumbing and electrical condition, particularly taking into account the completion date of the development.
• Check the rules of the owners' association of the community, especially the regulations about renovations, pets and the use of common gardens or facilities.
• Confirm boundary lines and any arrangement for shared wall or garden with neighboring townhomes.

Standard Dubai tenancy rules apply to tenants. Contracts need to be registered through Ejari, and any increase in rent on renewal is capped as per the RERA rental index for the area. Before signing, tenants should review the contract for maintenance responsibilities, as townhouse living usually involves more shared maintenance than living in an apartment.

Investment Analysis Using Current Market Data

Average sale prices for townhomes in The Fields are currently around AED 3.9 million based on current listings, while average annual rents are coming in at around AED 192,000. This equates to gross rental yields across the community of around 4.5 to 5 percent, similar to the average returns of well-established, low-rise family communities in Dubai. Not to suggest that these are comparable to the higher yields prevalent in high-density apartment towers.

The Fields is a completed, delivered project and is in a well-regarded master plan, so the construction risk is lower than buying off-plan. The area’s demand is mainly from end-user families rather than short-term investors, which helps encourage more stable, longer-term rental occupancy than more transient rental markets in other parts of Dubai.

Pros and Cons

When comparing The Fields to other family communities in Dubai, there are always some common trade-offs.

Pros:

• The community fully built out; no construction risk
• Generous floor plans offering private gardens and allocated parking
• High privacy and low density, relative to apartment-oriented communities
• On-site retail, access to mosque and community amenities

Cons:

• Higher entry price point than apartments in the same area
• Generally rental yields are lower than apartment-centric communities
• Poor public transport access, making a private car almost a necessity
• Pricing and service charges for resales can vary widely within the different sub-phases of the overall Fields master plan.