Jebel Ali Free Zone

Jebel Ali Free Zone, known as JAFZA, is one of the largest free zones in the world, home to thousands of companies and the logistics businesses that serve Jebel Ali Port. Run by DP World, it has long been a place where people work rather than live: its staff have typically commuted in from Discovery Gardens, Al Furjan, Jebel Ali Village, Dubai Marina and further afield.

That is starting to change. Developers, Azizi most prominently, have recently launched freehold apartment towers inside the free zone and in neighbouring Downtown Jebel Ali, close to the last stations of the Metro Red Line. Listing portals label the area in different ways, including Jebel Ali Freezone Extension, JAFZA and Downtown Jebel Ali, but they generally mean the same strip along Sheikh Zayed Road.

The case for living here is a short commute for the many people who work in JAFZA, at the port and around Expo City and Al Maktoum International Airport, plus direct metro access. The case against is that it is still a commercial and industrial area: shops, restaurants, schools and parks within walking distance are limited for now, and lorries are part of the daily traffic.

• 01

  Metro on the doorstep

  The Red Line ends at Life Pharmacy station (formerly UAE Exchange) on Sheikh Zayed Road, a short walk or ride from the new towers.

• 02

  Short commute for JAFZA

  For people working in the free zone, at Jebel Ali Port or in Dubai South, the daily journey can take minutes rather than an hour.

• 03

  Close to new growth

  Expo City Dubai, Al Maktoum International Airport and Palm Jebel Ali are all within about 15–20 minutes by car.

• 04

  Freehold beside a free zone

  The new towers are among the first freehold residential buildings in and around JAFZA, open to buyers of all nationalities.

This is a new residential area inside a business district, so daily life depends heavily on what each building provides, and most new projects include gyms, pools, shops and cafés in the podium. Beyond that, residents drive to Ibn Battuta Mall, about 10 minutes away, for supermarkets, restaurants and cinemas, or to the community shops of Al Furjan and Discovery Gardens.

For weekends, the beach resorts of Jebel Ali such as JA The Resort, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Expo City's parks and events, and Dubai Marina are all within about 20 minutes. More is on the way, with Palm Jebel Ali and Expo City both growing nearby.

The area runs along Sheikh Zayed Road (E11), the main route between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road (E311) and Expo Road a few minutes inland. The Metro Red Line ends here at Life Pharmacy station, with direct trains to Dubai Marina, Mall of the Emirates and Downtown. Inside the free zone, distances are long and the streets are built for lorries and commuters, so most residents drive or use taxis for errands.

There are no schools inside the free zone. Families look at schools in neighbouring communities, such as The Arbor School in Al Furjan and the schools of Jebel Ali Village, Discovery Gardens and Dubai Investments Park, mostly within 10–20 minutes by car. For healthcare, there are clinics in the surrounding communities, and NMC Royal Hospital in Dubai Investments Park is about 15–20 minutes away.

The stock is almost entirely new apartments, from studios to three-bedroom units and some duplexes, in mid- and high-rise towers sold off-plan with payment plans. Projects launched in and beside JAFZA include Azizi Arian and Azizi Abraham, with further Azizi towers in Downtown Jebel Ali, and completion dates spread over the next few years.

Buyers are mainly investors expecting rental demand from the large workforce in JAFZA, at the port and in Dubai South, plus some end-users who work nearby. Because the residential community is new, there is no resale or rental track record yet. Check construction progress through the Dubai Land Department, the real walking distance to the metro, and how much of the land around the building is industrial.