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Al Reef Villas Abu Dhabi

Al Reef Villas Abu Dhabi

Old Mar 13th 2009, 3:45 pm
  #31  
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Default Re: Al Reef Villas Abu Dhabi

Gosh, off come the gloves. Here are some pictures. Please judge for yourselves.
Attached Thumbnails Al Reef Villas Abu Dhabi-dsc00104.jpg   Al Reef Villas Abu Dhabi-dsc00118.jpg   Al Reef Villas Abu Dhabi-dsc00115.jpg  
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Old Mar 13th 2009, 3:58 pm
  #32  
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Default Re: Al Reef Villas Abu Dhabi

Gosh, freddie; the pictures of the meadows and springs looks great also, 4 years on, they are beginning to crack, sag and in grave need of an uplift...like your average Jumeriah Jane

So you've bought? Or work for one of the 2 mentioned earlier,
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Old Mar 13th 2009, 4:32 pm
  #33  
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Default Re: Al Reef Villas Abu Dhabi

Hi - neither actually, I walked in last week and had a look until the security guard ushered me away. I took the pictures to show my wife, but it's probably to far out for us. We're new in town, so wanted to see whether it was worth buying. They are definitely budget buildings with corners cut.
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Old Mar 13th 2009, 4:46 pm
  #34  
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Default Re: Al Reef Villas Abu Dhabi

I did exactly the same thing. Turn up have a look round. I thought they were shite for the money they are asking. If the top end one was going for around 100K GBP then fair enough (I still would NEVER buy here though)
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Old Mar 13th 2009, 4:55 pm
  #35  
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Default Re: Al Reef Villas Abu Dhabi

I agree - someone who commented on this forum earlier stating that Al Reef were initially designed as budget outfits is definitely telling the truth.

You will not find any "grohe" taps, but just the cheap and nasty stuff.

However, in its defence I will add that an engineer friend (from Germany(!) - and no, he's not Polish), who accompanied me on my visit to Al Reef, did say that, from a purely structural perspective, the building looked rather sound.

Seriously though, I was just trying to answer that ultimate question when we first arrived - is it better to buy or rent?
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Old Mar 13th 2009, 5:07 pm
  #36  
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Default Re: Al Reef Villas Abu Dhabi

Rent rent rent. In my opinion of course, too many unknowns. Buy a house, you NEVER own the land its built on. You have an accident or an incident with someone with serious Wasta, and you lose your visa (I.e you get banned) so you have a house that you can't visit.

Your always a visitor here, ALWAYS
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Old Mar 13th 2009, 5:14 pm
  #37  
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Default Re: Al Reef Villas Abu Dhabi

Hey man (I presume you are!)

Thanks - that's true and given the chances of being thrown in jail for defaulting on mortgage payments (or loosing your job) the stakes, in my view, are very high.

We will rent for now, but it's extremely tempting to want to buy after seeing the new shiny villas of our friends in Dubai's Arabia Ranches. Knowing that they're housing allowances are going to pay off a mortgage as opposed to going to a greedy landlord (or lady, in our case) who doesn't want to do any maintenance and simply wants rent.
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Old Mar 13th 2009, 5:24 pm
  #38  
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Default Re: Al Reef Villas Abu Dhabi

Arabian ranches, yea I'd have loved to have bought one of the lake view villa's only to find that the lake got filled in....

I see your point regarding using the housing allowance. Still I've had chances to buy over the last 5 years and I haven't.

Prob explains why I'm not rich though!!
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Old Mar 13th 2009, 7:06 pm
  #39  
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Default Re: Al Reef Villas Abu Dhabi

Originally Posted by commander
Arabian ranches, yea I'd have loved to have bought one of the lake view villa's only to find that the lake got filled in....

I see your point regarding using the housing allowance. Still I've had chances to buy over the last 5 years and I haven't.

Prob explains why I'm not rich though!!
hey join the club, but as i keep saying would we buy, nope....!
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Old Mar 14th 2009, 5:49 am
  #40  
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Default Re: Al Reef Villas Abu Dhabi

Originally Posted by commander
Rent rent rent. In my opinion of course, too many unknowns. Buy a house, you NEVER own the land its built on. You have an accident or an incident with someone with serious Wasta, and you lose your visa (I.e you get banned) so you have a house that you can't visit.

Your always a visitor here, ALWAYS
Totally agree - it's best to travel light here. No debts, return ticket in your drawer and the key to your own front door back home.
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Old Mar 14th 2009, 4:48 pm
  #41  
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Default Re: Al Reef Villas Abu Dhabi

Originally Posted by commander
i think the build kwality is rank rotton even for ME (lack of) standards. I think the location couldnt possibly be worse, lodged between the main road and the bloody airport.

unless they are dirt cheap peckham price, i wouldnt bother
This is when your brutal honesty is particularly valuable!! I received some other worthwhile advice today which means that I don't have to waste my time going for a viewing.
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Old Mar 14th 2009, 5:09 pm
  #42  
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Default Re: Al Reef Villas Abu Dhabi

The other issue is that we're expected to put down at least 40% (and other conditions paying salary into bank a/c etc.) before getting any finance secured. That's far too many eggs in one basket for my liking.
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