This 1-bedroom apartment in Terra Gardens - Building 2, Dubai South, is offered as a distress deal at AED 1,400,000. The original price, including DLD fees, was AED 1,661,804, so the current entry point reflects a 15.8% discount, or AED 261,804 below the original basis. The unit measures 760 sq.ft, placing the price per square foot at AED 1,842. Recent transactions in the same building for similar 1-bedroom layouts have registered between AED 1,593,888 and AED 1,633,888, with price per sq.ft ranging from AED 2,134 to AED 2,136. This means the offered price is not only below the original developer price but also undercuts recent market transactions for comparable units. The handover is scheduled for Q4 2029, with a staged payment plan in place, reducing immediate capital outlay and spreading risk over the construction period. The deal thesis is straightforward: a below-market entry into a new Emaar development, with a payment structure that supports capital management and a clear discount to both original and recent transaction benchmarks.
TERRA GARDENS · Dubai SouthEmaar · Dubai South
DISTRESS DEAL: 1-BR IN TERRA GARDENS
- Unit
- 1-BR
- Size
- 760 sq.ft
- Developer
- Emaar
- Handover
- Q4 2029
The discount is measured against the original price + DLD recorded for this unit, not against a valuation.
This unit has sold. The page is kept as a record of a deal we transacted. Every figure on it — the asking price, the discount to original price and the payment schedule — is the position as listed on 23 June 2026 and is historic. It is not an indication of what the same unit, or a comparable one, would cost today.
On this page
Quick navigation
The numbers
Payment breakdown
- Payment to sellerAED 281,479
- DLD Transfer fee (4% of OP + 40 AED)AED 63,956
- DLD Registration Trustee fee + 5%VATAED 5,250
- Buyer's agent comission 2% + 5%VATAED 29,400
- Total on transferAED 380,085
- 24-OCT-2026AED 159,789
- 24-MAR-2027AED 159,789
- 24-AUG-2027AED 159,789
- 60% ConstructionAED 159,789
- 80% ConstructionAED 159,789
- On HandoverAED 319,576
- Total remaining payment planAED 1,118,521
This unit has sold. Tell us what you are looking for and we will send the deals that are open now.
Show me deals like this oneLayout
Floor plan
Distress Deal
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
OVERVIEW
LOCATION & TRANSPORT
Terra Gardens is located within Expo Living, Expo City Dubai, in the Dubai South district. This area has seen significant infrastructure investment due to its proximity to Al Maktoum International Airport and the Expo 2020 legacy developments. The masterplan for Dubai South prioritises connectivity, with direct access to major road networks such as Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road, facilitating commutes to Dubai Marina, Downtown Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. Public transport links are improving, with bus routes and planned metro extensions supporting future growth. The location is positioned to benefit from ongoing development in Expo City and the wider Dubai South corridor, which is expected to see increasing demand from both end-users and tenants seeking access to new business, logistics, and lifestyle hubs.
AMENITIES & SURROUNDING
Terra Gardens is a multi-building complex designed by Emaar with a focus on sustainability, wellness, and community living. Amenities include landscaped gardens, shaded balconies, a pool deck, sky gardens, jogging tracks, a multi-purpose sports area, outdoor gym and fitness stations, children's play areas, a yoga garden, and pet-friendly spaces. Communal outdoor pavilions and meditation zones are integrated into the masterplan, supporting a lifestyle that balances activity and relaxation. The architecture employs energy-efficient systems, green rooftops, and recycled water for irrigation, reflecting a commitment to sustainable urban living. The wider Expo City Dubai area offers retail, dining, and cultural venues, with the Expo legacy infrastructure providing a foundation for long-term community growth. Residents will also benefit from proximity to planned schools, healthcare facilities, and business hubs as the district matures.
MARKET
The investor case for this unit is grounded in its below-market pricing and the reputation of Emaar as a developer. Recent transactions in Terra Gardens for similar 1-bedroom units have closed at higher prices per square foot, indicating that this distress deal offers a genuine entry discount. The payment plan, with a significant portion due on handover in Q4 2029, allows investors to manage cash flow and reduce exposure during the construction phase. The Dubai South area is positioned for long-term growth, driven by infrastructure investment, airport expansion, and the ongoing development of Expo City. Liquidity for off-plan units in this corridor is supported by Emaar's brand and the increasing demand for new, well-amenitised communities. Rental demand is expected to strengthen as the area matures, particularly from professionals linked to logistics, aviation, and Expo-related industries. Risks include the long construction timeline and the need for continued area development to support capital appreciation and rental yields. However, the entry price and payment structure provide a buffer against market volatility.
CONCLUSION
For investors seeking exposure to Dubai South and the Expo City growth story, this 1-bedroom in Terra Gardens - Building 2 offers a clear value proposition. The pricing is below both the original developer rate and recent resale transactions, and the payment plan reduces upfront capital requirements. The Emaar brand, combined with a comprehensive amenity offering and a location set to benefit from ongoing infrastructure investment, underpins the long-term case. The main considerations are the extended handover timeline and the need to monitor area development progress. For buyers comfortable with an off-plan horizon and seeking a discounted entry into a new, sustainable community, this deal represents a disciplined approach to capturing upside in a maturing Dubai submarket.
Location
TERRA GARDENS — Dubai South
Illustrative model
Scenario modeller
Set your own assumptions and see how DISTRESS DEAL: 1-BR IN TERRA GARDENS behaves as a cash purchase, the same purchase mortgaged, or a capital-only resale.
Enter the asking price to run the model.
Every figure recalculates as you type. Use the price you are considering.
Method
- Handover
- The date the unit is handed over, set in quarters from purchase. Gross rent, the vacancy allowance, maintenance and management, and the service charge all start there and not before — an unbuilt unit cannot be let and is not billed. The year handover falls in gets the exact fraction it is entitled to, not a rounded whole year. Capital growth is not treated this way: it compounds from today across the whole hold, because an off-plan unit can be sold before it completes. Where the holding period ends before handover, there is no operating income anywhere in the schedule and the whole return is capital movement less costs.
- Gross yield
- Gross annual rent ÷ purchase price. Before every cost. Where handover is in the future this is a stabilised full year from handover — a rate on the price, not a figure reduced by the construction period. The schedule shows what each year actually books.
- Net yield
- (Rent collected after the vacancy allowance − maintenance and management − service charge) ÷ purchase price. Stabilised on the same basis as the gross yield.
- Rent growth
- Compound annual movement in gross rent, applied from handover and stepping at each anniversary of it, which is when a tenancy renews. It may be negative. It does not touch the service charge, which is held flat in nominal terms.
- ROI
- Total profit over the whole hold ÷ total cash invested (price + all acquisition costs). Unlevered. Not an annual rate.
- ROE
- Total profit over the whole hold ÷ equity contributed (deposit + all acquisition and finance costs), after debt service. Levered. Not an annual rate.
- Cash-on-cash return
- Year-one operating cash flow, after debt service where there is a mortgage, ÷ cash invested. Reported separately from ROI/ROE and never merged with it. Year one means the first year of the schedule as it stands: where that year falls before handover it carries no rent, so on a mortgaged off-plan purchase the figure is negative — that is the year you fund out of pocket, and it is shown rather than smoothed away.
- IRR
- The annualised rate that discounts the dated cash-flow schedule above to a net present value of zero, solved numerically. Where the schedule has no sign change, or the solver does not converge on a single meaningful rate, we print “—” rather than substitute a simpler annualised-return figure.
An illustrative model, not a forecast, a valuation, an offer or investment advice. Every figure is generated from the assumptions on this page — some yours, the rest stated defaults, not promises. Rents, service charges, fees, vacancy, handover dates, financing terms and sale prices vary by unit and over time; past prices are not a guide to future prices. Returns are not guaranteed and capital is at risk.
Mortgage availability, loan-to-value, rate and term are subject to lender criteria and underwriting; nothing here indicates that finance will be offered. Figures exclude any tax payable in your country of residence — take independent financial, tax and legal advice before committing. Mitchell's Commercial Real Estate is a trading brand; the RERA-licensed broker is Stephen James Mitchell, BRN 68593.
More deals
The latest distress deals
The most recently listed deals that were still available when we last checked. Sold units are not shown here.

Emaar Beachfront
DISTRESS DEAL: 1-BR IN DAMAC BAY - TOWER C
- Price / sq.ft
- AED 3,378
- Developer
- Damac
- Handover
- Q4 2027

Rashid Yachts and Marina
DISTRESS DEAL: 1-BR IN OCEAN POINT - TOWER 2
- Price / sq.ft
- AED 1,908
- Developer
- Emaar

Emaar Beachfront
DISTRESS DEAL: 1-BR IN SEAPOINT - TOWER 2
- Size
- 764 sq.ft
- Price / sq.ft
- AED 3,442
- Developer
- Emaar
- Handover
- Q2 2028

Bluewaters Island
DISTRESS DEAL: 2-BR + Maid's IN BLUEWATERS BAY - BUILDING 1
- Size
- 1,670 sq.ft
- Price / sq.ft
- AED 3,145
- Developer
- Meraas
- Handover
- Q3 2027

Sobha Hartland II
DISTRESS DEAL: 2-BR IN SKYSCAPE ALTIUS
- Size
- 1,268 sq.ft
- Price / sq.ft
- AED 2,129
- Developer
- Sobha
- Handover
- Q4 2028

Emaar Beachfront
DISTRESS DEAL: BULK DEAL - 9 APARTMENTS IN BAYVIEW - TOWER 1
- Size
- 10,041 sq.ft
- Price / sq.ft
- AED 4,681
- Developer
- Emaar
- Handover
- Q2 2027
Read next
A discounted unit is bought the same way any other is. The questions are just sharper. These are our own guides and articles on buying from overseas, taking on a resale or an off-plan assignment, and what the purchase costs.
The gold rule under an entry is its length, against the longest piece here.
Guides
How to Buy Dubai Property from Overseas
Power of attorney, attestation country by country, remote AML checks, funding the purchase, and remote signing against a short trip.
How to Buy Ready (Secondary) Property in Dubai
The fixed sequence the Land Department sets for a resale — an agreed Form F, a deposit, a developer NOC and the Trustee Office transfer.
Pre-Handover Assignment (Off-Plan ‘Flipping’) in Dubai: How It Works
Assigning an off-plan unit before handover — the developer NOC and minimum-paid rules, the fees that come off the profit, and when it still loses money.
Off-Plan Payment Plans in Dubai Explained: 10/90, 50/50 and Post-Handover
Construction-linked and post-handover structures, what escrow protects at each stage, and what happens if a later instalment cannot be funded.
NOC (No Objection Certificate) for a Dubai Property Purchase
What the developer’s certificate confirms, how service-charge clearance runs through Mollak, and the usual reasons issuance is delayed.
How to Vet a Dubai Developer Before You Buy
Brochures are marketing; DLD registration, project escrow status and broker licensing are checkable public facts. How to verify all three.
A Due-Diligence Checklist for Buying in Dubai
Who owns the title, whether the unit carries a mortgage or a restriction, and whether its service charges are current. In order, with the tool that verifies each.
The True Cost of Buying Property in Dubai: All Fees Explained
Transfer, trustee office, agency commission, developer NOC and the mortgage costs, each set against the Land Department’s own published figures.
Mortgages for Non-Residents in Dubai
What a genuine non-resident can borrow, as distinct from a UAE-resident expatriate, which banks lend, and how a purchase is completed remotely.
Capital Gains & Property Tax in Dubai: What Investors Actually Pay
What an individual owner is and is not charged here, which transaction cost is the real one, and why your home-country position is a separate question.
Articles
How to Buy a Cancellation Unit in Dubai: Strategic Guide
A cancellation unit is a launch booking the first buyer lost — how they reach the market, and the steps to secure one at launch pricing.
How to Buy Dubai Property During Crisis and Build a Portfolio at Peak Fear
The historical entry points, yields by district, and a contrarian acquisition process for buying when confidence is at its lowest.
Buying a Resale Property in Dubai: Step-by-Step Guide for Investors
The process, the legal steps, the costs and the mortgage options, for residents and international investors alike.
How to Buy Property in Dubai as a Foreign Investor: Step-By-Step Guide
Costs, the legal process, the risks, and how to structure the investment — written for a buyer outside the UAE.
Buying Off-Plan Property in Dubai: Primary Market Guide
The primary market end to end. EOIs, SPAs, payment plans, Oqood, escrow, resales and mortgages.
Residential Mortgages in Dubai: Guide for Expats and Investors
Rates, loan-to-value limits, eligibility, fees and the documents a lender asks for, for residents and investors.



