It’s the home of some of the city’s best restaurants, bars and brunches, so it comes as no surprise, really, that Dubai Marina was the most popular area in which to buy a home in the first half of 2018.|

According to a report from Property Finder, the area witnessed twice as many searches as the runner up, Downtown Dubai.

The top areas most searched for by prospective buyers were Palm Jumeirah, Arabian Ranches and Jumeirah Village Circle.

For the second half of the year, the top areas remained unchanged although JVC fell four spots and was replaced by Jumeirah Lakes Towers.

Renters in the first half of the year were also enamoured by Dubai Marina, which was joined at the top by Downtown Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah and Al Barsha.

In the second half of the year, Al Barsha moved to fourth place, while Business Bay went to fifth.

The report noted that across the Dubai market, demand for renting outweighs demand from those seeking properties to buy.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published in Timeoutdubai on February 20 2019 https://www.timeoutdubai.com/news/397365-the-most-popular-place-in-dubai-to-rent-and-buy-revealed