Nakheel is opening the first phase of Bay Estate on Dubai Islands, and expressions of interest are being taken now. The launch is in the Verda neighbourhood: three and four bedroom townhouses, four bedroom attached villas and four bedroom garden villas. Alongside them Nakheel is selling beach and waterfront villa plots for buyers who want to build their own house.
Average prices run from AED 5.9 million for a three bedroom townhouse to AED 10 million for a garden villa. The deposit is 20 percent in October 2026. Nakheel's own estimate for construction completion is January 2031.
Everything below comes from the price sheet, payment plans, brochures and sample plot regulations Nakheel has issued for this launch. Where a number is my own calculation, I say so.
The short version
- Five home types, averaging AED 5.9 million to AED 10 million.
- That works out at about Dh1,680 to Dh1,970 per sq ft of saleable area. The cheapest per foot is the three storey attached villa Plus.
- Villas and townhouses are on a 60/40 plan: 60 percent by April 2029, 40 percent on handover in January 2031.
- Beach plots average AED 19 million and waterfront plots AED 17.5 million. The plot price is paid in full by September 2029.
- Private pools and landscaping are not included in the villa and townhouse prices. The floor plans say so in the small print.
- The expression of interest is not a sale. Nakheel can reject it and return your deposit.
If you stop here you have the picture. The rest is how each number works and what I would check before paying anything.
Bay Estate price list by home type
Nakheel has not published a unit by unit list. The sheet gives one average price, one average saleable area and one average plot size for each home type. The unit you are offered can land above or below these figures, so ask for the specific price when you pick a unit.
| Home type | Average price | Saleable area | Plot | Per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 bed townhouse | AED 5.9M | 3,100 sq ft | 2,400 sq ft | Dh1,903 |
| 4 bed townhouse | AED 6.9M | 3,500 sq ft | 3,900 sq ft | Dh1,971 |
| 4 bed attached villa, G+1 | AED 7.2M | 3,700 sq ft | 4,100 sq ft | Dh1,946 |
| 4 bed Plus attached villa, G+2 | AED 8.9M | 5,300 sq ft | 4,100 sq ft | Dh1,679 |
| 4 bed garden villa | AED 10M | 5,200 sq ft | 6,500 sq ft | Dh1,923 |
The last column is mine: average price divided by average saleable area. Four of the five types sit in a tight Dh1,900 to Dh1,970 band. Nakheel has priced almost strictly by size.
The exception is the attached villa Plus. It adds a second floor with a multifunction room and pantry, which makes it about 1,600 sq ft larger than the G+1 attached villa for AED 1.7 million more. If you need the space and do not mind a third level, it is the most house per dirham on this list.
For context, villas across Dubai averaged Dh2,241 per sq ft in the first half of 2026 on Property Monitor and DLD data. Bay Estate sits below that. The comparison is loose, because the citywide average is ready homes in every community and this is off-plan with a 2031 handover. I explain how build cost relates to sale price in construction costs and Dubai property prices.
Floor plans and unit sizes
The brochure carries a floor plan and total area for each model. Townhouses come in clusters of four and six. In both, the end units are four bedrooms and the middle units are three. Every townhouse is two floors with a private garden on the ground floor.
| Model | Bedrooms | Floors | Total area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Townhouse, middle | 3 | G+1 | 3,055 to 3,085 sq ft (284 to 287 sqm) |
| Townhouse, end | 4 | G+1 | 3,513 to 3,546 sq ft (326 to 329 sqm) |
| Attached villa | 4 | G+1 | 3,690 sq ft (343 sqm) |
| Attached villa Plus | 4 | G+2 | 5,260 sq ft (488 to 489 sqm) |
| Garden villa | 4 | G+1 | 5,200 sq ft (483 sqm) |
The garden villa has the largest plot, with living and dining opening straight onto the garden and an extra multipurpose room. The attached villas share one wall with a neighbour and get a bigger plot than the townhouses in exchange.
One line at the foot of every floor plan deserves your attention. Swimming pools and landscape features are not included and are the responsibility of the end user. Almost every render in the brochure shows a pool. If you want one, budget for it and its permit separately.
The 60/40 payment plan and the January 2031 handover
The villa and townhouse plan has seven instalments during construction and a final 40 percent on handover. Here it is on a three bedroom townhouse at the AED 5.9 million average.
| Date | Share | Amount | Paid so far |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026, booking | 20% | AED 1,180,000 | AED 1,180,000 |
| March 2027 | 5% | AED 295,000 | AED 1,475,000 |
| August 2027 | 5% | AED 295,000 | AED 1,770,000 |
| January 2028 | 10% | AED 590,000 | AED 2,360,000 |
| June 2028 | 10% | AED 590,000 | AED 2,950,000 |
| November 2028 | 5% | AED 295,000 | AED 3,245,000 |
| April 2029 | 5% | AED 295,000 | AED 3,540,000 |
| January 2031, handover | 40% | AED 2,360,000 | AED 5,900,000 |
At booking you also pay the 4 percent DLD registration fee, which is AED 236,000 on this unit. So the cash you need to start is about AED 1,416,000 plus small admin fees. After that, the remaining 40 percent of the construction phase falls across 30 months. Set aside monthly, that is roughly AED 79,000 a month.
Two things in this plan work for the buyer. First, after the April 2029 instalment nothing is due for about 21 months. That is real time to build up the final 40 percent or arrange a mortgage. Second, the AED 2,360,000 left at handover is comfortably within what UAE banks lend against a finished villa of this value.
If the Golden Visa is part of your reason for buying, off-plan property counts once 50 percent is paid under the current rule. On this plan you cross 50 percent with the June 2028 instalment. The detail is in the Golden Visa property threshold.
Check the handover date you are working to. Several online listings for this project still quote an 80/20 plan and a 2028 or 2029 handover. Nakheel's own sheet says 60/40 and an estimated completion of January 2031. Plan your cash flow on the developer's document. You can line this plan up against other launches in the payment plan comparator.
Bay Estate villa plots: price, building rules and all in cost
The second half of the launch is land. You buy the plot and build your own villa within Nakheel's rules. Beach plots face the beach. Waterfront plots face the water and the marina.
| Plot type | Average price | Plot area | Max GFA | Per sq ft of GFA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterfront plot | AED 17.5M | 8,000 sq ft | 7,800 sq ft | Dh2,244 |
| Beach plot | AED 19M | 8,100 sq ft | 7,800 sq ft | Dh2,436 |
Beach plots range from 710 to 889 sqm and waterfront plots from 725 to 1,027 sqm. On average the beach plot costs AED 1.5 million more, a premium of about 8.6 percent. That is the market price of stepping straight onto sand.
The plot payment plan is nothing like the villa plan. It is 20 percent in October 2026, 15 percent in March 2027, then five instalments of 13 percent every six months, the last in September 2029. The whole price is paid inside three years, with nothing held back for handover. On an average waterfront plot that is a AED 3,500,000 deposit, a AED 700,000 DLD fee, and AED 2,275,000 at each 13 percent instalment.
The sample Development Control Regulations set out what you can build:
- Basement, ground and two upper floors, to a maximum height of 12.5 metres. The second floor is capped at 50 percent of the buildable area.
- Floor area ratio of 0.97. Plot coverage on the samples is about 46 percent.
- A closed garage is mandatory. A maximum of three parking spaces along the front.
- At least 10 percent of the plot must be landscaped, and a 2 metre solid wall to each neighbour is required.
- Solar panels are mandatory for water heating, pool heating and all external lighting.
- Environmental and marine assessments can increase the setback from the sea wall, or declare part of the plot a no build zone.
- The sheet is a draft. A final version replaces it when you sign the SPA.
Now the all in cost, because the plot is only part of it. For a high spec custom villa I assume Dh600 to Dh1,000 per sq ft of GFA to build, plus about 10 percent for design, engineering and permits. That is my assumption and no substitute for a contractor's quote.
On 7,800 sq ft of GFA that puts the build at roughly AED 5.15 million to AED 8.58 million. Add the waterfront plot and its DLD fee and the total lands between about AED 23.4 million and AED 26.8 million. That is roughly Dh3,000 to Dh3,400 per sq ft. On a beach plot it becomes about AED 24.9 million to AED 28.3 million.
That is roughly 1.6 to 1.8 times the per foot price of a garden villa in the same project. The plot buyer pays that gap for two things: the frontage, and a house designed to their own brief. They also take on the years and the management of the build. With the last plot instalment in September 2029 and a two year build, realistically you move in around 2031 or 2032.
Amenities, in full
Bay Estate is planned as three neighbourhoods. Verda, where this first phase launches, is built around parks and tree lined streets. Cala sits closest to the lagoons and the coast. Agora holds the clubhouses and shared facilities. The brochure lists these across the whole estate:
- Two swimmable lagoons with sand beaches and sun decks
- An open air yoga deck in the middle of the lagoon
- A beach club with a private gym, pool, dining and a children's area
- Two pool clubhouses with shaded lounges
- Community pools within the neighbourhoods
- Multi sport courts
- Children's play areas
- A marina and a waterfront promenade
- Parks, lawns and shaded walking routes
- A gym and cafe
- A multipurpose room for private events
- A retail plaza and a community mosque
Location: Dubai Islands drive times
Dubai Islands is five islands off the Deira coast, and Bay Estate is a self contained residential estate within them. The sample plot sheets place it facing Al Mamzar Beach. Dubai Islands is a freehold area, so foreign buyers can own outright. These drive times are Nakheel's and will stretch at peak hours.
| Destination | Drive time |
|---|---|
| DXB Airport | 18 minutes |
| J1 Beach | 20 minutes |
| DIFC | 28 minutes |
| Burj Al Arab | 28 minutes |
| Downtown Dubai and Burj Khalifa | 28 minutes |
| Palm Jumeirah | 32 minutes |
This works if your life is in Deira, near the airport or across in Sharjah. If you work in Dubai Marina or further south, take the distance seriously. The area's prices, rents and market position are in my Dubai Islands scorecard, and Nakheel's other waterfront launch is covered in Palm Central on Palm Jebel Ali.
How the expression of interest works
Sales open through an expression of interest. You name the home or plot type, give two preferred units, and pay a deposit by manager's cheque, personal cheque, bank transfer or credit card. Payments are accepted only at Nakheel's sales boutique in City Walk.
The villa and townhouse account and the plot account are held by two different Nakheel entities. Match the account name against the official payment sheet before you send anything.
The form itself makes four points clear:
- It is not a contract, and it does not oblige you to buy or Nakheel to sell.
- Nakheel can reject it at any point, for any reason, and return the deposit.
- When the booking form is sent to you, you must sign it immediately or the unit can go to another buyer.
- A refund if you change your mind is subject to Nakheel's approval.
What I would check before booking
- Ask for the price of the specific unit, not the type average, and get its plot drawing.
- Price the pool and landscaping separately. They are not in the price.
- The service charge has not been published. Ask for it in writing.
- Get the deposit refund terms of the expression of interest in writing before paying.
- Read the resale clause. Assignment before handover is normally blocked until a set percentage is paid.
- Check the project registration and escrow account on the DLD system.
- For a plot, ask for the final regulations and the marine assessment result before signing.
- For a plot, ask whether you can start design and permits before the final instalment.
My take
For a family that wants a permanent home on the water and is not in a hurry to sell, the Bay Estate villas and townhouses are sensibly priced. About Dh1,900 per sq ft for a house with its own plot on a residential island is below the Dubai villa average. The 60/40 plan, with a 21 month gap before handover, keeps the cash flow manageable. On space for money, the attached villa Plus is the best line on the sheet.
For an investor I would separate two things. A 2031 handover is more than four years of waiting, and a rental market for villas at this level does not yet exist on Dubai Islands.
The plots are a different product. Full payment in three years, a build you manage yourself, and an all in cost well above the finished villas in the same project. They suit a buyer who wants exactly their own house by the beach and has the time and budget to run a construction project.
Frequently asked questions
Bay Estate is a private residential estate by Nakheel on Dubai Islands, off the Deira coast. It is planned as three neighbourhoods, Verda, Cala and Agora. The first phase launches at Verda with three and four bedroom townhouses, four bedroom attached villas and four bedroom garden villas, alongside beach and waterfront villa plots.
Nakheel's sheet gives average prices: AED 5.9 million for a three bedroom townhouse, AED 6.9 million for a four bedroom townhouse, AED 7.2 million for a four bedroom attached villa, AED 8.9 million for the four bedroom Plus attached villa and AED 10 million for a four bedroom garden villa. That is about Dh1,680 to Dh1,970 per sq ft of saleable area.
Villas and townhouses are on a 60/40 plan: 20 percent at booking in October 2026, then 5, 5, 10, 10, 5 and 5 percent between March 2027 and April 2029, and 40 percent on handover in January 2031. Villa plots are paid in full by September 2029: 20 percent at booking, 15 percent in March 2027 and five instalments of 13 percent every six months.
The down payment is 20 percent in October 2026. On a three bedroom townhouse at the AED 5.9 million average that is AED 1,180,000, plus the 4 percent DLD fee of AED 236,000, so about AED 1,416,000 to start. On an average waterfront plot it is AED 3,500,000 plus a AED 700,000 DLD fee.
Nakheel's estimated construction completion for the villas and townhouses is January 2031, when the final 40 percent is due. Some online listings still quote 2028 or 2029 with an 80/20 plan; the developer's own payment sheet says 60/40 and January 2031.
From the brochure floor plans: three bedroom townhouses are 3,055 to 3,085 sq ft, four bedroom townhouses 3,513 to 3,546 sq ft, the attached villa about 3,690 sq ft, the attached villa Plus about 5,260 sq ft and the garden villa 5,200 sq ft. Average plots run from 2,400 sq ft on a three bedroom townhouse to 6,500 sq ft on a garden villa.
Waterfront plots average AED 17.5 million for about 8,000 sq ft of land and beach plots AED 19 million for about 8,100 sq ft, each allowing about 7,800 sq ft of GFA. The sample regulations allow basement, ground and two floors to 12.5 metres, a floor area ratio of 0.97, a mandatory closed garage and solar panels for water heating, pool heating and outdoor lighting.
No. Every floor plan in the brochure states that swimming pools and landscape features are not included and are the responsibility of the end user, although most renders show a pool. Budget for the pool, landscaping and their permits separately.
Two swimmable lagoons with a yoga deck, a beach club with gym, pool, dining and a children's area, two pool clubhouses, community pools, multi sport courts, play areas, a marina and promenade, parks, a gym and cafe, a multipurpose room, a retail plaza and a community mosque.
Bay Estate is on Dubai Islands, the five island Nakheel masterplan off the Deira coast, facing Al Mamzar Beach. Nakheel quotes 18 minutes to DXB Airport, 20 minutes to J1 Beach, 28 minutes to DIFC, Burj Al Arab and Downtown, and 32 minutes to Palm Jumeirah.
Dubai Islands is a freehold area open to foreign buyers. Every home type is well above the AED 2 million Golden Visa threshold. Under the current rule an off-plan home counts once 50 percent is paid, which on the villa plan happens with the June 2028 instalment.
Nakheel has not published a service charge for Bay Estate. Ask for the projected annual figure in writing before you sign, because on a villa with shared lagoons, clubhouses and a beach club it is the running cost most likely to move.
You choose a home or plot type, name two preferred units and pay a deposit by cheque, bank transfer or card, accepted only at Nakheel's City Walk sales boutique. The EOI is not a contract: Nakheel can reject it and return the deposit, you must sign the booking form immediately when it is sent, and a refund if you withdraw is subject to Nakheel's approval.