Fairway To Heaven

South of the Al Khail/Sports City roundabout and beyond the dusty expanses of IMPZ, a line of near-finished villas stand on the crest of a gentle rise. From the outside, Jumeirah Golf Estates (JGE) looks like just another Dubai residential community. But once you're in one of its fairway-facing villas or out on the championship golf courses, you might think differently. The development was in the spotlight in December, when its first two courses, Earth and Fire (both designed by golfing great Greg Norman), hosted the Dubai World Championships, the final tournament in the 2009 European Tour. Earth's landscaping is inspired by European and North American parkland courses, with its fairways flanked by tanbark, hence the name. Fire is desert themed, with terracotta sand traps. The Water and Wind courses and their surrounding neighborhoods are still a work in progress. Of course, the main attraction for investors are the villas that line these courses, 75 per cent of which face the fairways, with the remainder overlooking lakes and landscaped areas. All the existing residences are attractive yet understated, with the master developer JGE policing building standards and aesthetics. Mark Leale of Fine and Country says the undulating courses are unlike any in the UAE, as are the views from the villas.

"The varying levels of the courses together with the clever integration of the residences means that your view is not, as in many cases in Dubai, a sea of properties." Sub-developments adjacent to Earth and Fire are options if you want to move in soon. Both courses are completed, and adjacent communities are nearing handover, with many properties already on the resale market. "The quality of build and finish being delivered by the master developer and sub-developers is superior to that of many other residential properties in the UAE," says Mark. "The limited number of villas within the project also give it a certain exclusivity." Communities on the Earth course on the resale market are Lime Tree Valley, Olive Point, Sanctuary Falls and The Sundials. Alongside both the Earth and Fire courses are Whispering Pines and Flame Tree Ridge while Fireside, Sienna Lakes, Valencia Grove and Juniper Way overlook the Fire course. Roads in the development are complete while around these communities will be 16km of jogging and cycling tracks linking parks. "Prices range, depending on size, location, view and the motivation of the seller," says Mark. "They start at about Dh3.8 million and rise to over Dh20 million."

One community is Lime Tree Valley, whose Tuscan-styled villas will begin handover this summer, according to Roger Wakeham, director of CHI, the developer. "We're eagerly awaiting delivery of the site infrastructure as the villas are now complete and ready for handover." More than 80 per cent of the villas have been sold, he adds. "However, CHI has retained a small number of properties for sale and for future rental options." Lime Tree Valley has eight villa types with 30 variations in floor plan. Build and fixtures are high quality, and early purchasers had the option of making changes to the layout. "Each villa at Lime Tree Valley has been planned with the objective of providing a variety of options for the discerning homeowner." Villas are four- to six-bedroom, says Roger, "ranging from the homely and intimate to the grand and opulent. Beyond the physical infrastructure, the views from the villas could certainly be described as unique - they face on to a beautifully maturing championship golf course."