Living in Al Barari

History

Al Barari was created by the Zaal family. Gulf News reported in 2018 that the family started looking for a green family home in Dubai in 2003, could not find one and decided to build it themselves. Zaal Mohammed Zaal chairs the developer (The National, 2012). The community sits in Wadi Al Safa 3, off Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311).

By February 2012, The National reported, more than 170 families lived in the first 189 villas, nearly all of which had sold, and about 80% of the 1.3 million sq m site was open space and gardens. The Reserve, 28 six-bedroom villas on plots of 30,000 to 75,000 sq ft, came next; 14 were complete by March 2013 (The National). In late 2018 Gulf News reported that The Nest’s 55 four-bedroom villas were almost finished and the Seventh Heaven and Ashjar apartments were due in 2019.

The last big project is The Cape: 286 apartments in three mid-rise blocks, from one-bedroom flats to four-bedroom duplexes (Middle East Construction News, July 2026). Property Finder lists completion for December 2028 and shows the project as sold out.

What it’s like to live here

Al Barari is mostly large villas set among gardens, lakes and streams, with a few low-rise apartment buildings. Property Finder lists six sub-communities: The Residences, The Reserve, The Nest, Ashjar, Seventh Heaven and The Neighbourhood. Recent sales and lettings also name villa clusters such as Ixora, Chorisia, Jasmine Leaf, Desert Leaf and Silk Leaf.

Bayut lists five- and six-bedroom villas in The Residences, four-bedroom villas in The Nest, one- to three-bedroom apartments in Seventh Heaven and studios to two-bedroom apartments in The Neighbourhood. Ashjar has 120 homes in nine five-storey buildings.

Gulf News put the green cover at about 80% in 2018; Bayut gives about 60% of 18 million sq ft. The developer’s plant nursery, Green Works, is on site. Inside the community there is The Farm restaurant, the Body Language health club and the Heart & Soul spa (Gulf News), and a community mosque (Bayut). There are few shops inside the gates. It is quiet and private.

Who it suits

Families and wealthier owner-occupiers above all. Property Finder matches the area to families (65%) and retirees (56%), and much less to young professionals (11%). It suits people who want a big villa and garden and are happy to drive to schools, shops and work. The apartments in Ashjar, Seventh Heaven and The Neighbourhood suit couples and smaller households who want the setting at a lower price.

For investors, Property Finder puts the average gross yield at 6.35% (October 2026), but that figure mixes apartments and villas. Villas here are expensive, so expect fewer buyers and tenants for them when you sell or let.

Getting around

There is no Metro station. Bayut names Rashidiya as the nearest, about 20 minutes away by car. It also lists RTA bus routes 102, 103, 104 and 106 from the Global Village bus station, about 3 km south. In practice you need a car.

The community is on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311), and Dubai–Al Ain Road (E66) is the other main route. Bayut puts Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall about 24 minutes away, Dubai International Airport 19 to 23 minutes and Dubai Marina about 26 minutes.

Schools, healthcare and shopping

Dunecrest American School, next to Al Barari in Wadi Al Safa 3, teaches the American curriculum from pre-K to Grade 12, with the IB Diploma in the last two years (Bayut), and is rated Good by KHDA (Edarabia, October 2026). GEMS Heritage Indian School (CBSE) is opposite the community (Bayut), and Odyssey Nursery has a branch in neighbouring Living Legends. Check current fees with each school or on KHDA’s website.

For healthcare, Bayut points to clinics outside the community: in Majan and The Villa, including Dubai London Clinic in The Villa, and in Dubai Silicon Oasis, about 14 minutes away. In 2018 the developer’s second-phase plans included medical facilities and a school (Gulf News), so ask what has been built before you rely on them. For shopping, Remal Mall in neighbouring Majan is about 1.3 km from the middle of Al Barari. Cityland Mall, beside Global Village on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, has over 300 shops, restaurants and entertainment venues on two levels (Property Finder). Global Village, IMG Worlds of Adventure and Dubai Miracle Garden are all nearby.

Things to check before you rent or buy

• Know the sub-community. Al Barari mixes villas worth tens of millions with apartments, so averages hide wide ranges. Recent recorded sales in October 2026 included about AED 3.3 million for a one-bedroom off-plan apartment in The Cape and AED 41 million for a five-bedroom villa in Desert Leaf 5 (Property Finder).
• Read the lease terms. Some villa leases run longer than a year: one Ixora villa was let for AED 1 million over 25 months (Property Finder, October 2026), so an average rent can overstate the yearly figure.
• Check the condition. The first villas were lived in by 2012, so look closely at air conditioning, pools, water features and the cost of keeping a large garden.
• Check what is still being built. The Cape is due for completion in December 2028 (Property Finder), so expect construction nearby until then.
• Ask for the latest service charge statement before you buy.
• Plan for a car. There is no Metro and few shops within walking distance.
• Expect a lively but uneven market. Property Finder recorded 333 sales in the past 12 months, 92.5% more than a year earlier, including off-plan sales in The Cape.