Zayed City Abu Dhabi: Commercial-Residential Investment

Al Rumaithi – Zayed City

Commercial–Residential Development Investment Overview

Mohannad diak | 0507810600 | January 2026

Project Snapshot & Investment Thesis

<ul><li><strong>Location:</strong> Zayed City, Abu Dhabi (Plot MZ40 – C150)</li><li><strong>Type:</strong> Commercial–Residential Building</li><li><strong>Plot Area:</strong> 4,355 sqm</li><li><strong>Total GFA:</strong> 11,340 sqm</li><li><strong>Net GFA (Ex-Parking):</strong> 10,905 sqm</li></ul>

INVESTMENT THESIS: Efficient build ability with repetitive floor plates, optimized for cost-effective construction and bankable exit strategies.

Location & Market Context

<ul><li><strong>Emerging Node:</strong> Zayed City is a key growth area in Abu Dhabi, anchored by major masterplans like Bloom Living.</li><li><strong>Yield Performance:</strong> Emerging areas showing rental yields up to 9.95%, outperforming the citywide apartment average of 8.5%.</li><li><strong>Demand Drivers:</strong> High off-plan sales growth (+53% QoQ citywide) driven by affordability and infrastructure maturation.</li></ul>

Building Configuration & Massing

<ul><li><strong>Structure:</strong> Basement + Ground + 7 Floors + Roof</li><li><strong>Efficiency:</strong> Repetitive residential floor plates to minimize formwork costs.</li><li><strong>Design:</strong> Tapered massing with reduced plate sizes on upper floors (5-7).</li><li><strong>Circulation:</strong> Centralized vertical cores for optimal GFA usage.</li></ul>

Area & GFA Breakdown

<table style='width:100%; border-collapse:collapse; font-size:18px;'><thead><tr style='background:#333; color:#fff;'><th style='padding:10px; text-align:left;'>Level</th><th style='padding:10px; text-align:right;'>Area (sqm)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td style='padding:10px; border-bottom:1px solid #ddd;'>Basement</td><td style='padding:10px; border-bottom:1px solid #ddd; text-align:right;'>435</td></tr><tr><td style='padding:10px; border-bottom:1px solid #ddd;'>Ground</td><td style='padding:10px; border-bottom:1px solid #ddd; text-align:right;'>1,818</td></tr><tr><td style='padding:10px; border-bottom:1px solid #ddd;'>First Floor</td><td style='padding:10px; border-bottom:1px solid #ddd; text-align:right;'>1,733</td></tr><tr><td style='padding:10px; border-bottom:1px solid #ddd;'>Floors 2–4</td><td style='padding:10px; border-bottom:1px solid #ddd; text-align:right;'>4,914</td></tr><tr><td style='padding:10px; border-bottom:1px solid #ddd;'>Floors 5–7</td><td style='padding:10px; border-bottom:1px solid #ddd; text-align:right;'>1,956</td></tr><tr><td style='padding:10px; border-bottom:1px solid #ddd;'>Roof</td><td style='padding:10px; border-bottom:1px solid #ddd; text-align:right;'>425</td></tr><tr style='font-weight:bold; background:#eee;'><td style='padding:10px;'>TOTAL GFA</td><td style='padding:10px; text-align:right;'>11,281</td></tr></tbody></table>

Parking & Amenities Strategy

<ul><li><strong>Basement Parking:</strong> 103 dedicated spaces ensuring strong asset liquidity.</li><li><strong>Wellness:</strong> Segregated Male & Female Gym facilities.</li><li><strong>Leisure:</strong> Swimming pool and Jacuzzi located at roof level.</li><li><strong>Community:</strong> Roof-level landscaped common areas.</li></ul>

Unit Program & Mix

<h3>Confirmed Inventory</h3><p>Total Units: <strong>75</strong></p><ul><li><strong>66</strong> × 1 Bedroom Units</li><li><strong>9</strong> × Studio Units</li></ul><p><em>Note: Mix optimized for mid-market liquidity and rental velocity.</em></p>

Sellable vs. GFA Efficiency

<div style='display:flex; gap:40px; margin-bottom:40px;'><div style='flex:1; background:#F8F8F8; padding:20px; border-top:4px solid #2C3E50;'><h3>GFA (Ex-Parking)</h3><p style='font-size:32px; font-weight:bold;'>10,905 sqm</p></div><div style='flex:1; background:#F8F8F8; padding:20px; border-top:4px solid #27AE60;'><h3>Sellable Area</h3><p style='font-size:32px; font-weight:bold;'>8,179 sqm</p></div><div style='flex:1; background:#F8F8F8; padding:20px; border-top:4px solid #7F8C8D;'><h3>Efficiency</h3><p style='font-size:32px; font-weight:bold;'>75%</p></div></div>

Development Cost Structure (Base Case)

<ul><li><strong>Construction & MEP:</strong> 56.99 M AED</li><li><strong>Marketing & Sales:</strong> 8% allocation</li><li><strong>Contingency:</strong> 5% standard buffer</li><li><strong>Total Estimated Cost:</strong> ≈ 64.4 Million AED</li></ul>

Exit Valuation Scenarios

Rental Economics & IRR

<h3>Conservative Hold Strategy</h3><ul><li><strong>Gross Rent:</strong> ≈ 3.2 M AED / year</li><li><strong>Net Operating Income (NOI):</strong> ≈ 2.25 – 2.40 M AED / year</li></ul><h3>Unlevered Returns (IRR)</h3><ul><li><strong>Base Case Exists:</strong> 11% – 13%</li><li><strong>Upside Exists:</strong> 14% – 17%</li><li><strong>Pure Hold:</strong> 8% – 10% yield</li></ul>

Strategic Positioning & Outlook

<ul><li><strong>Asset Profile:</strong> Parking-strong, efficient residential investment in a high-growth node.</li><li><strong>Liquidity:</strong> Studio & 1BR-led mix ensures high velocity for both sales and leasing.</li><li><strong>Risk Profile:</strong> Conservative underwriting with clear optionality for Hold vs. Sell strategies.</li></ul><p style='margin-top:20px; font-weight:bold; color:#2C3E50;'>Conclusion: A bankable, scalable residential asset with a balanced risk-return profile.</p>