The Springs, The Meadows and The Lakes: family life by lakes and parks

In short: The Springs, The Meadows and The Lakes are three Emaar communities around Emirates Hills, often referred to together as “Emirates Living”. They are among the oldest villa areas open to foreigners – green, established and just minutes from the Marina and JLT. The Springs offers townhouses; The Meadows and The Lakes have larger villas.

Location and access

The three communities lie on the inland side of Sheikh Zayed Road, behind JLT and around Emirates Hills. The Marina and the Internet City and Media City free zones in Al Sufouh are minutes away, Downtown about 20 to 25 minutes. Al Khail Road and Sheikh Zayed Road get you anywhere quickly.

Three communities, three characters

The Springs

The Springs consists of numerous small neighbourhoods of townhouses, mostly with two or three bedrooms, a small garden and views of lakes or green spaces. It’s the most affordable entry into “Emirates Living” and very popular with young families.

The Meadows

The Meadows offers detached villas with four to six bedrooms on larger plots, many with a private pool. The neighbourhoods sit by lakes and parks and are considered one of the most sought-after family addresses in this part of the city.

The Lakes

The Lakes is smaller and, as the name suggests, lies around lakes. Here you’ll find villas of various sizes in quiet neighbourhoods with lots of greenery and mature trees.

Living in Emirates Living

• Schools: Several well-known international schools are right in the communities or nearby – a main reason for their popularity with families.
• Greenery: Lakes, parks, pools and playgrounds in every neighbourhood.
• Shopping: Small shopping centres with supermarkets and cafés in The Springs and The Meadows.
• Atmosphere: Established and neighbourly, with mature trees – a clear difference from new communities.
• Beach: About ten minutes by car to JBR.

Buying a house in The Springs, The Meadows or The Lakes

The houses were built in the early to mid-2000s. There are practically no new builds, so you buy ready houses second-hand. Many owners have modernised their homes; others are in original condition.

What matters

• Position in the neighbourhood: Lake or park view, distance from the main road and from Sheikh Zayed Road.
• House type: The Springs has various layouts; end units with larger gardens are more in demand.
• Modernisation: Renovated kitchens, bathrooms and air conditioning make a big difference to value and letting.
• Technical condition: For houses of this age, inspecting the air conditioning, roof, pipes and pool is a must.

How buying in The Springs, The Meadows and The Lakes works

In The Springs, The Meadows and The Lakes you mostly buy villas or townhouses – ready and second-hand, or new from the developer:

• Ready house: viewing, sale agreement in line with RERA (Form F) with a deposit of usually 10 percent, a no objection certificate (NOC) from the developer and transfer at a Registration Trustee. For houses a technical inspection of air conditioning, pool, roof and pipes is worth it. Details in our guide Buying a ready property.
• New build: purchase agreement with the developer, registration in the Oqood register and payments according to construction progress into an escrow account. Details in our guide Buying off-plan in Dubai.

For ready houses, budget around 6.5 percent in buying costs. Many villas are worth more than AED 2 million and therefore qualify for the Golden Visa.

Running costs as an owner in The Springs, The Meadows and The Lakes

With a house, some typical costs come on top of the usual items:

• Service charges: for roads, green spaces, security and community facilities. The approved rates are listed in the Service Charge Index of the Dubai Land Department.
• Electricity and water: via DEWA; noticeably higher for large houses with pool and garden than for apartments, especially in summer.
• Garden, pool and air conditioning: regular care and servicing are a must if the house is to keep its value.
• Housing fee: 5 percent of the annual rental value via the DEWA bill – paid by the tenant if you let.
• Ejari: registration of every tenancy contract, AED 177.75 via Dubai REST.

There is no annual property tax. All buying costs are explained in our guide Buying costs in Dubai.

A visa through your property

With a property in The Springs, The Meadows and The Lakes you may also be able to get a residence visa:

• Golden Visa: ten years of residence if your properties in Dubai are worth at least AED 2 million in total – also with a mortgage or, under certain conditions, off-plan.
• Investor visa: a shorter visa for owners who don’t reach the Golden Visa threshold.

The detailed requirements are explained in our guide Golden Visa with property.

Renting out

Tenants are almost exclusively families who stay for several years – because of the schools, the greenery and the proximity to the Marina and the free zones. That makes letting predictable. Renovated houses let faster and on better terms. Check the numbers with our rental yield calculator.

Springs, Meadows or Lakes?

Pros and cons

Who the communities suit

The Springs, The Meadows and The Lakes are ideal for the relocator moving to Dubai with a family who wants to live centrally among greenery. The portfolio investor finds reliable family tenants here. Newer alternatives are Dubai Hills Estate and Jumeirah Park.

Our verdict

Emirates Living proves that older communities in Dubai can be very much in demand – when location, greenery and schools are right. If you find a well-kept or renovatable house in a quiet neighbourhood, you’ll buy one of the most solid family properties in the city here.

Frequently asked questions

Updated: October 2026. This article describes the district in general terms. Prices, rents and service charges change all the time; for a specific property we check the current figures with you.