The Woods Retreat

By Sobha Realty in Sobha Sanctuary, Dubai

Price from: AED 1,200,000; about £246K or $327K
Payment plan: 20/40/40; 60% before handover
Handover: Q4 2029
Status: Under construction

Render of a landscaped podium garden and glass-fronted amenity pavilion between apartment buildings at The Woods Retreat

Render at dusk of a couple picnicking beside a lake with apartment buildings beyond

Render of an outdoor fitness area with exercise equipment beside an apartment building

Render of a food court building with outdoor planting and a footpath beside apartment towers

Render of a pergola walkway through a landscaped garden

Render of residents walking through a landscaped park with mature trees

Render of a shaded outdoor plaza with sail canopies, seating and planters

Payment plan

20/40/40

60% due before handover

Down paymentOn booking20%AED 240,000
During construction40%AED 480,000
On handoverQ4 2029 ()40%AED 480,000
Paid before handoverAED 720,000

As listed by Property Finder.

Amounts are worked on a 1-bedroom apartment at its starting price of AED 1,200,000. Change home type

Model your own price How payment plans work

For 1-bedroom apartments

Homes and prices

The Woods Retreat offers 1-bedroom apartments and 2-bedroom apartments. Open a home type for its payment schedule, buying costs and the nearest alternatives.

1-bedroom apartmentsFrom AED 1.2M546 sq ft, AED 2,198 per sq ft, Sobha's listing price on 12 November 2026. The FAQ on Sobha's own page and Property Finder still quote AED 999,000 for The Woods.2-bedroom apartmentsFrom AED 1.6M864 to 965 sq ft, AED 1,852 per sq ft, Price from Property Finder.

Some starting prices are Property Finder listings, as noted against each home type; the others come from the sources listed on this page. Checked 12 November 2026. Sterling figures are indicative conversions. Ask for today's availability before relying on any figure.

Apartments
1 to 2 bed
546 to 965 sq ft
Freehold

Developer: Sobha Realty
Location: The Woods, Sobha Sanctuary, Dubai
Sales launched: May 2026

Overview

Stepped apartment buildings with garden courts and water features in The Woods at Sobha Sanctuary. One- and two-bedroom flats from AED 1.2 million, 20/40/40 plan, completion listed for December 2029.

The Woods Retreat is an apartment release in The Woods, the apartment cluster of Sobha Sanctuary, the master community Sobha Realty launched in 2026 in Al Yufrah, off Al Ain Road. Sobha describes stepped residential buildings arranged around formal garden courts and water features, linked to the wider community's parks by shaded walkways. Its own FAQ gives road access from both the Dubai to Al Ain road and the Jebel Ali to Lehbab road.

Sobha publishes two layouts per type: a 546 sq ft one-bedroom and two-bedroom layouts of 864 and 965 sq ft, balconies included. The developer's listing card quotes 650 to 1,130 sq ft, so the full range of units may be wider than the plans online; confirm the plan for the unit you are offered.

Prices need care. Sobha's listing showed AED 1.2 million to AED 2.09 million on 12 November 2026, subject to availability, while the FAQ on the same Sobha page and Property Finder both still quote the AED 999,000 launch price for The Woods. We use the listing figure as current. Property Finder shows two-bedroom flats from AED 1.6 million.

The payment plan listed by Property Finder is 20% on booking, 40% during construction and 40% on handover, with completion in December 2029 and construction recorded from August 2026. Sobha's page does not give a date.

Retreat suits a buyer who wants a smaller new home with a green, low-rise feel at a lower price than Sobha's projects closer to the centre, and who is happy to wait for the surrounding community to take shape. The facilities lean towards wellbeing and families: a pool deck, yoga and meditation deck, outdoor fitness areas, a nursery and a library.

The main risks are timing and supply. Sobha Sanctuary has no completed homes, its schools and shops are still on the plan, and The Woods is a group of buildings with almost the same unit mix due within about a year of one another. Sobha gives about 30 minutes to Downtown Dubai by car; there is no metro.

Buying costs

Government fees are paid on top of the purchase price. This is the position for the entry-level home; costs scale with price. In Dubai the registration authority is the DLD.

Purchase priceEntry 1-bedroom apartment at The Woods RetreatAED 1,200,000

DLD transfer fee (4%)Paid to the Dubai Land Department on registration. The department lists it as 2% from each party, but contracts almost always pass the full 4% to the buyer, so a developer's '50% DLD waiver' means the developer is paying its own listed half. Off-plan, it is paid when the sale is registered in the Oqood system.AED 48,000

Oqood registration admin feeOqood portal fee of AED 1,000 plus knowledge and innovation fees, for registering the off-plan sale contract.AED 1,020

Estimated total to completeAED 1,249,020about £256K

Developers may add their own administration charge on off-plan sales. It is set by the developer, not the land department, so it is not included in this estimate: ask for it in writing before you reserve. Adjust the assumptions in the buying cost calculator.

Golden Visa. Homes here are priced below the AED 2 million threshold for the 10-year visa, though properties can be combined to reach it. Check eligibility

Location

In The Woods apartment cluster of Sobha Sanctuary, Al Yufrah, Dubailand, with road access from the Dubai to Al Ain road and the Jebel Ali to Lehbab road according to Sobha.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Tiles Esri

View on map

Dubai Rugby Sevens: 5 min
Dubai Outlet Mall: 8 min
Downtown Dubai: 30 min
Al Maktoum International Airport: 30 min
Dubai International Airport: 35 min

Approximate drive times in normal traffic.

About Sobha Sanctuary

A single developer that positions itself on in-house design, construction and finishing quality
Large planned park and green corridors, with schools, a hospital and a community mall in the master plan
Villas and apartments sold in the same community, from AED 999,000 for a one-bedroom flat at launch
Direct access to Al Ain Road

Sobha Sanctuary area guide

Amenities

Pool deck
Yoga zone and meditation deck
Serenity garden
Outdoor fitness zones
Co-working space
Nature-themed children's play area
Reflexology path
Submerged seating
Sun loungers
Nursery
Seating nooks
Library

Developer: Sobha Realty

Private luxury developer that designs, manufactures and builds in-house; best known for Sobha Hartland in Dubai, now also in Abu Dhabi and Umm Al Quwain.

Founded: 1976
Headquarters: Dubai, UAE
Ownership: Privately held. Part of Sobha Group, founded by PNC Menon; Ravi Menon is group chairman.

Sobha Realty profile and track record

Adviser's view

What works

Stepped, garden-court design with water features and shaded walkways, according to Sobha
New Sobha apartment from AED 1.2 million, with in-house construction and finishing
Access to two main roads: Dubai to Al Ain and Jebel Ali to Lehbab, per Sobha
Family and wellbeing facilities, including a nursery, library and outdoor fitness areas
No post-handover instalments

What to weigh

Sobha's own sources disagree on price: AED 1.2 million on the listing, AED 999,000 in the page FAQ
Listing card sizes (650 to 1,130 sq ft) differ from the published floor plans (546 to 965 sq ft)
Completion listed for December 2029 by Property Finder; not stated by Sobha
The Woods adds several towers of similar flats at the same time, which may weigh on early rents
40% due at handover; no metro and about 30 minutes to Downtown Dubai

Questions buyers ask

What is the starting price at The Woods Retreat?

Sobha Realty's listing showed prices from AED 1.2 million to AED 2.09 million on 12 November 2026, subject to availability. The FAQ on Sobha's page and Property Finder still quote the AED 999,000 launch price, so confirm the current figure with the developer.

When is The Woods Retreat due for completion?

Property Finder lists December 2029. Sobha's page does not state a completion date.

What is the payment plan?

20% on booking, 40% during construction and 40% on handover, as listed by Property Finder.

What unit types are available?

One- and two-bedroom apartments. Sobha's plans show a 546 sq ft one-bedroom and two-bedroom layouts of 864 and 965 sq ft.

Who is the developer of The Woods Retreat?

The Woods Retreat is being developed by Sobha Realty. About Sobha Realty: Private luxury developer that designs, manufactures and builds in-house; best known for Sobha Hartland in Dubai, now also in Abu Dhabi and Umm Al Quwain.

Can foreigners buy at The Woods Retreat?

Yes. Sobha Sanctuary is a designated area where buyers of any nationality can own freehold property, whether or not they live in the UAE. The purchase is registered with the DLD.

Does buying at The Woods Retreat qualify for a Golden Visa?

Not on its own at current prices: the 10-year Golden Visa needs property worth AED 2 million or more, and homes here start from AED 1.2M. Two or more properties can be combined to reach the threshold. See our Golden Visa guide.

What fees are payable on top of the price at The Woods Retreat?

The main cost is the DLD transfer fee (4%). On the entry price of AED 1,200,000 that comes to about AED 48,000, plus small administration charges. There is no stamp duty, no annual property tax and no tax on rental income for individuals in the UAE, though your home country may tax you. Our buying cost calculator itemises it.

Sources and verification

Facts on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026. Prices, availability and payment plans are set by the developer and can change without notice; treat them as a guide until you have a current offer in writing.

Start your enquiry

Starting prices are from the developer and from Property Finder, as each home type notes, checked 12 November 2026.

Choose a home type

1-bedroom apartments

20/40/40 plan

Due on booking: AED 240,000
Paid before handover: AED 720,000 (60%)
Registration fees, estimate: AED 49,020
Total to complete: AED 1,249,020

Fees are the published registration charges. Developers usually collect them at or soon after booking and can add their own administration charge. Every stage