The UAE's top 10 developers
We can buy from any developer in the UAE. These are the ten we would point a friend to first, and the reasons we would give.
Dubai
Emaar Properties
Founded in 1997, Emaar built Downtown Dubai, home to Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Mall, and still manages it. It plans whole communities with parks, schools and shops alongside the homes, and says it runs the design, construction and delivery of its projects itself.
Known for: Downtown Dubai, Dubai Hills Estate, Arabian Ranches
Abu Dhabi
Aldar Properties
Founded in 2004 and based in Abu Dhabi, Aldar is the master developer of Yas Island, Saadiyat Island and Al Reem Island. Its business reaches beyond homes into retail, hospitality, schools and facilities management, and it now has residential projects under way in Dubai too.
Known for: Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, Al Reem Island
Dubai
Nakheel
Established in the early 2000s and part of Dubai Holding, Nakheel created Palm Jumeirah by reclaiming land from the sea. It takes its projects from land reclamation through construction and sales to running the finished community, and is now building the Palm Jebel Ali villa programme.
Known for: Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali, Al Furjan
Dubai
Meraas
Established in 2007 and now part of Dubai Holding, Meraas builds neighbourhoods around places to walk, eat and shop rather than stand-alone towers. Its homes sit in destinations it created, from City Walk to the waterfront at La Mer and Bluewaters.
Known for: City Walk, La Mer, Bluewaters
Dubai
Sobha Realty
Part of the Sobha Group, founded in 1976, Sobha Realty has built in Dubai since 2003. It designs, manufactures and builds in-house, which it says is how it controls quality, and its master communities in Dubai include Sobha Hartland and Sobha Hartland II, in Mohammed Bin Rashid City.
Known for: Sobha Hartland, Sobha Hartland II, Sobha One
Dubai
DAMAC Properties
Founded in 2002, DAMAC builds at two scales: large themed master communities of villas, townhouses and apartments, such as DAMAC Hills and DAMAC Lagoons, and branded towers created with names such as Cavalli and de GRISOGONO. It has delivered tens of thousands of homes.
Known for: DAMAC Hills, DAMAC Lagoons, Couture by Cavalli
Dubai
Omniyat
Founded in 2005, Omniyat builds a small number of limited-unit towers rather than volume housing, designed by architects such as Zaha Hadid Architects and Foster + Partners. Several are branded residences with Dorchester Collection, on Palm Jumeirah and around Marasi Bay in the Burj Khalifa district.
Known for: The Opus, The Lana Residences, One at Palm Jumeirah
Abu Dhabi
Modon Holding
Listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, Modon is the Abu Dhabi government's vehicle for new urban communities and the master developer of Reem Island and Hudayriyat Island. Its homes on those two islands range from villa neighbourhoods to golf estates and waterfront communities.
Known for: Reem Hills, Hudayriyat Island, Muheira
Dubai
Majid Al Futtaim
Majid Al Futtaim, the Dubai group founded in 1992, is the single master developer of Tilal Al Ghaf: townhouses, villas and mansions built in phases around a large lagoon with sandy beaches. Its own retail and leisure brands run the shops and amenities there.
Known for: Tilal Al Ghaf, Harmony, Alaya
Dubai
Ellington Properties
Founded in 2014, Ellington is a Dubai residential developer that puts design first, building apartments, townhouses, villas and penthouses in Mohammed Bin Rashid City, Jumeirah Village Circle, Dubai Islands and Business Bay. It runs its own art programme, which features in some of its buildings, such as DT1 in Downtown Dubai.
Known for: Belgravia, DT1, Wilton Terraces
Our own view, for illustration. Not an official or third-party ranking.