Majid Al Futtaim

Developer overview

Majid Al Futtaim describes itself as a creator of brands, destinations and spaces, and its corporate site frames the whole group around one idea from its founder: creating great moments for everyone, every day. Its residential arm, Majid Al Futtaim Development, is the part that matters to home buyers. A 2024 announcement on the Tilal Al Ghaf website names Hawazen Esber as chief executive of that development business.

In Dubai's residential market, the group's work centres on Tilal Al Ghaf, which it calls its flagship mixed-use community. Almost every Majid Al Futtaim home on the resale market sits inside it, so understanding the community's neighbourhoods is the key to understanding the developer.

Majid Al Futtaim should not be confused with the separate Al-Futtaim group, which is a different company.

Portfolio and locations

Tilal Al Ghaf is arranged around Lagoon Al Ghaf, a recreational lagoon with sandy beaches and water sports such as kayaking and paddleboarding, and a central park with trails, lakes and an amphitheatre. Cycling and walking routes run through the community, and the Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai operates on site. See the Tilal Al Ghaf area guide.

Neighbourhoods named by the developer and seen in DPF listings include:

• Harmony – four- to six-bedroom villas, each paired with a bespoke Garden Suite that buyers can configure from a choice of layouts, set among parks, pools, a yoga pavilion, tennis courts and Japanese-inspired landscaping. DPF listings include Harmony 2 garden-suite villas.
• Alaya – grand villas with a choice of Modernist or Mediterranean façades and extended Zen Suites. DPF also carries listings in Alaya Gardens.
• Elysian Mansions – customisable five- and six-bedroom waterfront villas.
• Serenity Mansions – a mansion neighbourhood that appears among DPF's off-plan pages.

Property types

Tilal Al Ghaf is a villa and mansion market rather than an apartment one. The configurable spaces are a recurring theme: Garden Suites at Harmony and Zen Suites at Alaya let owners choose a layout, and the mansion neighbourhoods offer façade and interior options. That means two homes with the same bedroom count can differ a lot inside, so a buyer should check exactly which options were chosen and paid for.

What buyers should verify

1. Neighbourhood and phase. Harmony, Alaya and the mansion collections each have their own phases and timelines. Confirm the neighbourhood, plot and villa number on the Oqood or title deed.
2. Chosen options. Ask for the contract schedule showing the Garden Suite or Zen Suite layout and any façade selection, and check that the price reflects them.
3. Completion status. The developer targeted completion of Alaya and Elysian Mansions around 2026. Check the registered progress with the Dubai Land Department.
4. Payments outstanding. Request the developer's statement of account showing what has been paid under the payment plan and what is still due.
5. Community charges and rules. For completed villas, ask for the latest owners' association statement and the community rules.

Finding distressed and below-market Majid Al Futtaim properties

Large villas carry large instalments, and that is where much Tilal Al Ghaf distress begins. A buyer who signed up for an off-plan villa may face a construction payment they would rather not make, or may want to release capital for another project. Owners of finished villas sometimes need to sell for relocation or refinancing reasons. In each case the owner is a motivated seller, and the property may be listed as an urgent sale. If the asking figure is under the original contract price with the developer, it is described as below original price, or below OP; below market value compares it with recent sales of similar villas in the same neighbourhood.

For a villa still under construction, the buyer takes over the contract in an off-plan resale, or assignment, along with the remaining payment plan. For a completed home, it is a standard title transfer. Both need the developer's NOC before the Dubai Land Department will register the new owner. Cash buyer deals avoid mortgage delays on high-value homes but still need every clearance. DPF brings these listings together for comparison and does not appraise them or set their prices.