Business Bay — Danube's tallest buildings, and one that is finished

Business Bay holds three Danube towers and they could hardly be more different from one another. One is complete and occupied at a conventional twenty-nine storeys. The other two are super-tall buildings under construction at 101 and 102 storeys, both sold on the developer's highest monthly instalment rate. So this district offers a genuine choice between buying something finished today and reserving a landmark apartment that hands over towards the end of the decade. Those are different purchases with different risks, and the district is one of very few where the same developer offers both.

The district itself sits immediately south of Downtown and is among the most liquid apartment markets in Dubai. Transactions happen constantly, comparable evidence is plentiful, and exiting a position is generally faster here than almost anywhere else in the city. That liquidity is the main argument for buying in Business Bay and it is a strong one. The corresponding weakness is supply: towers complete continuously along this stretch, which caps pricing power for landlords and sellers alike. Liquidity shortens your selling time; supply limits your price. Both are true simultaneously.

Business Bay is dense, busy and commercial in character rather than quiet or residential. It suits investors and professionals working nearby considerably better than it suits families looking for calm, and buyers should be honest with themselves about which they are before committing. The proximity to Downtown is genuine and valuable, the road network is congested at peak times, and the two super-tall towers add lift journeys to every trip out of the building. Visit at eight in the morning on a weekday rather than on a quiet weekend afternoon, because that is the version you would actually be living in.