P18PPS

Can anyone give me some info on this compound? What it's like? Commute time to the Al Reem area? Etc. thanks in advance

GolfGardener

Now there's a subject I know about!
It's very nice. Good size, well laid out villas, with great communal facilities (playground, pool, restaurant, gym, squash court, tennis court etc.) hence excellent for families.
It's around 6 years old now and showing a little wear and tear, but still probably one of the best compounds in Abu Dhabi. The fact that it's walkable to the bars and restaurants of the golf club/Westin resort is also a bonus.
Al Reem is about a 20 minute commute.

iggle

At what time of the day? Traffic on Salam street is a nightmare going and coming back from work.

archie159

Golfgardner has given you the upsides... downsides are it is one of the more (most?) expensive compounds, and I very much doubt you'll get to Al Reem in 20 minutes in the middle of the rush hour - especially if you have to pass Glenelg School at drop-off time. If you are a keen golfer I accept that being next to the golf course will be good (check the prices though...), but if your evening activities are likely to be based up in town then you're getting to spend a lot of time in taxis also.

GolfGardener

Good point about Glenelg. You've got to be on the road before 7.00 or after around 8.30 to avoid that chaos or it'll add at least 10 mins onto the journey. Otherwise 20 or maybe 25 mins to Al Reem is doable.

archie159

There are lots of decent compounds these days. If you state what your budget and key criteria are (size? work? schools? gardens? nightlife? etc), happy to list some suggestions.

P18PPS

Thanks for the feedback. We have a budget of up to 600k a year, must have a private pool and gardens. We're a family of 6 so need a fair bit of space and we do a lot of entertaining so need space and privacy to ensure we don't become nuisance neighbours! We've not done 'compound' living before, choosing standalones instead, but would welcome some ideas......

TGFKASE

Hahahahaha...

I'll apologise now for the lack of posts since your update this morning. Unfortunately, many are either having to purchase a new keyboard / laptop, whilst others are in A&E having a tracheotomy performed..

But, what golfgardener said, Im along the road from in a private compound in Khalifa City. I leave the house at 6.30am, and am knocking up on the Corniche by 7am. If your commute time coincides with school timings, start your commute earlier.

With that budget you dont have an issue affording something, its getting it to fit everything else you will need. Private villa is probably the way to go....

archie159

In my case, I dislocated my shoulder when I fell off my chair reading about that allowance...

I don't think I have ever met anyone with more than 300-350k allowance, and most are far less than that. I certainly have no idea of places where you'll need to spend that amount of money, and nor are 6 bedroom villas much on my radar. If the OP didn't have 900-odd posts already, I'd guess this was a wind-up. But on the assumption that it is not... if they are giving you that amount of allowance, do they not also pay for a flunky to take you around and look at places? I'd also agree that you are probably looking for a stand-alone villa (or palace) rather than a compound.

P18PPS

thank you for your helpful and sarcastic comments!!! I must point out that this is not our "allowance" though it's our "budget" we've set ourselves after living in Doha and having a large private villa with a pool - knowing that property is more expenisve in AD we knew we needed to up the budget in order to secure a similar style of living - hence the big budget to do so. though we are finding that bigger villas offering private gardens and pools are limited stock - hence the post to those able to offer comments. We've also looked at Saadiyat and Marina Village, but if anyone has any other suggestions on areas we should look we'd be very grateful. Any positive help gets an invite to the first shin-dig!!!

GolfGardener

I'm still reeling like everybody else...
For that kind of cash though, with a bit of negotiation you could maybe think about something in Corniche Al Qurm (https://www.propertyfinder.ae/en/ren...m-2723652.html) rather than slumming it in Golf Gardens.
Or you could take your pick of any villa in Khalifa City, where there are any number of enormous places with private pools, and still have enough change left over to buy a decent second hand 911 for the daily run into town.
If you want to be closer to downtown, Al Bateen and Al Nayhan also have lots of large villas with pools available.

archie159

We weren't exactly being sarcastic... we were pointing out that you have probably come to the wrong place if you are looking for advice on 600k properties. I was being serious when I said that I know no-one even approaching spending that amount (and most of the people I know are MDs, COO/CFOs, Big-4 partners etc, and not exactly living in the slums), and I am not sure if there are any compounds which are that expensive. As 2 of us have said, if you need accommodation for 6 (plus 1 or 2 maids?), and gardens, and pools etc, then you are almost certainly looking for very large standalone villas, and for that you need a decent agent who specialises in very large properties - these places come and go, but are by their nature unique and not something most of us could help you with. I don't think Golf Gardens goes bigger than 5 beds, and the rent there (as I said, this is one of the most expensive compounds) is usually 300-350k. The Hills is similar. Ditto Mangrove. Liwa. Palms Oasis. etc... all are 4 or 5 beds, and though most do have gardens, not of the size you are implying you need (ie out of earshot of neighbours).
Best advice - google for some high-end agents.

GolfGardener

There are a few 6 beds in Golf Gardens overlooking the golf course, but as with all compounds, even these only have small gardens.
As archie159 says, standalone is probably the way to go.

archie159

Here's another idea for you (came in an email today...)
5 bedroom villas in Al Forsan Village (that's in KC(A), with good access to both motorways into the city), but they also have a "ladies majlis" (as well as family rooms, future use rooms [whatever that is]), so should fit a family of 6. Swimming pool and garden, apparently. 4 parking spaces, maids room, cooks room, drivers room, etc "Only" starting from 450k, and "going fast". Available from January (ish).
For details, contact this person: Mobile 050 558 7551 or email [email protected] [she has put her contact details on the internet, so I'm not publishing private info, and I don't know her from Adam (or Eve)...]