MrBAH

A friend of mine who lives out ghere has recommended that I look at Al Barsha as a good place to live. I've ewually researched on the internet and found some Community Guides on YouTube and it looks ok, geographically speaking anyway.

I'm likely to be based at DIFC so the commute doesn't seem too bad either.

However, another friend has warned me off, stating that many Emiratis own villas in Al Barsha and wont do anything to them before move-in or during the lease. I've also been advised that some villas don't even have roads constructed in/around them?

Grateful for any advice on the place and whether or not there is work ongoing/slated to take place there which creates a better infratrsucture?

Also, any advice on which part of Al Barsha is best for a family of four 2 kids under 5) would be appreciated.

MrBAH

A friend of mine who lives out there has recommended that I look at Al Barsha as a good place to live. I've equally researched on the internet and found some Community Guides on YouTube and it looks ok, geographically speaking anyway.

I'm likely to be based at DIFC so the commute doesn't seem too bad either.

However, another friend has warned me off, stating that many Emiratis own villas in Al Barsha and wont do anything to them before move-in or during the lease. I've also been advised that some villas don't even have roads constructed in/around them?

Grateful for any advice on the place and whether or not there is work ongoing/slated to take place there which creates a better infrastructure?

Also, any advice on which part of Al Barsha is best for a family of four (two kids under 5) would be appreciated.

Meow

Al Barsha is a very big area. Much of Al Barsha 1 is apartment blocks. Al Barsha 2 and 3 are villas, all locally owned as non GCC nationals cannot buy property in that area. Most of Barsha South is still a building site.

Interesting that Barsha was recommended as that's not often the case and most people seem to be 'advised' to live in The Springs estate or among The Marina high rises.

Ethos83

The rule of thumb is that you tell us what your housing budget is. Then we can provide advice on where to live.

Barsha is fine. The villas tend to be on the big side. It's conveniently located but parts of it is still a construction zone so it's not common to find unpaved streets here and there.

If you have a healthy budget look into Jumeira or Umm Suqeim. Best places to live in Dubai due to character, location, proximity to beaches and amenities. Villas do range from the luxurious to modest compound villas.

Kix

And don't worry about no roads being built yet, just drive across the sand....

Kim67

I lived in a villa compound in Al Barsha (not far from Mall of the Emirates) for 12 months with three small children. The villas themselves had heaps of maintenance issues and we moved to Al Safa rather than renew our lease. We would have stayed though had there been no issues with the villa itself and the landlords unwillingness to bring down rents to market value at the time. The kids loved the compound style of living, 46 other villas sharing a couple of pools and a gym, heaps of room to ride their bikes and scooters and generally play with their mates. The villas are nice and big and it doesn't feel as lego land as the springs etc.

A good option for (if you can get your kids into JESS) might be the Arabian Ranches. Nice big villas and a British school that would probably suit your needs for the kids.

Personally I was happiest in Al Safa, nice and close to Horizon school (British primary school where the kids ended up after shopping around and attending another school for a year). It felt more like a "real" place to live than the newer "expat" communities. We still lived in a compound so the kids could have their friends around to hang out with as most of the stand alone villas were local families.

Good luck, get your name down at every school you can and as others have said in your school thread, move them if you have to. The kindergarten years are the hardest to get your kids into and more places seem to come up as they get a little older.

AppleMac

Barsha is a big area with loads of choice, some good, some not so. It is reasonably priced compared to the master planned communities (AR, Lakes, Springs, Meadows etc) - it is also better located than the Villa, DSO etc.

All depends on your budget.

ukfb

We're moving back to Al Barsha after 3yrs in a 'gated' community and can't wait!

Al Barsha South is at the moment about 10-20% cheaper than Al Barsha 1,2 and 3 - can use the saving to pay for your car suspension repairs

aloha123

that's impressive

MrBAH

A silly question perhaps, but are any areas more "dog-friendly" than tohers? I'm guessing Lakes / Meadows would be best as it is mainly expat and a bit more tolerant??

ukfb

We're currently in The Villa and all dogs have to be kept on a lead whilst outside your villa. Dogs left outside barking all day and night are likely to upset your fellow community members and I think it's also compulsory for your maid to walk them every day

In Al Barsha you should replace the dog with a goat, chicken or rooster

Meow

I'm in Umm Sequim and loads of my neighbours have dogs, judging by the vast number of maids I see walking them around 6pm every evening...


NB Some 85-90% of Dubai is made up of expats...

Kim67

My neigbours in Al Safa used to walk their Cheetah!!

Patsy Stoned

I live in Al Barsha I have a neighbour who walks his 2 monkeys ..1 of which has a nappy on.

Kim67

My kids hounded me for a monkey the whole time we were there - someone posted on the "other site for women" that they'd found a lost monkey in the Springs or somewhere just after we arrived and they pleaded with me to say it was ours.