I can't hear you......

One reason I can think of is the huge difference in maintenance charges - At the Springs it is AED 7,200 p.a., whereas it is AED 50,000 at the Lakes.

Could it also be that the Lakes is perceived to be more "upmarket" compared to Springs?

Oh ...........

I personally prefer it to the Springs, smaller, nicer feel etc but those prices are crazy! Zulal was about 85 when they first rented them.

Yeah, I wish! Sadly (for the landlords) tenants don't really care how much your mortgage is and won't pay 260K a year just because that is what you need to cover your costs. They will pay as little as they can get away with and landlords will charge as much as they can get away with. Somewhere in the middle lies the market rate. If 260K is too much then, regardless of the size of the landlord's mortgage, they won't get it. We won't really know the market rate for the Lakes villas for a couple of months yet. Personally, if I was going to rent there I would hang on a couple of months because, compared to the Springs or Ranches, the rents you have quoted seem a little on the high side. I could be wrong though. Snobbery is a wonderful thing if you can afford it!

50K a year for maintenance You sure?

i thought that was a tad excessive

yes I heard that it was that for a 4 bed Deema, a 3 bed Zulal won't be that price, it is all rumour though.

You're right - but the 50k was at the lower end of the scale, and apparently Emaar were quite shifty when they were asked for the exact maintenance charges for 2008 and were unwilling to quote it to some potential buyers.

But the 50k figure is true.....

Guess the rent for this one then - just received in my email box. They must be really stupid, if they think they're going to find buyers

AED 18,768,000 Dubai Marina, Le Reve Ref. # AP 57706
4 Bedrooms 6100 sq.ft.

Apartment

The 15m high podium, of this amazing structure, accommodates the recreational facilities at deck level including the swimming pool and health club as well as access to the children's play area and the car parking and drivers' accommodation are in the three storeys below. A supermarket is located at the ground floor of the building. The Garden Level provides privacy and relaxation and offers amazing views over The Palm, Jumeirah. This building, with the high quality and standard gives all you are asking for- a GREAT lifestyle.

or this one's even more hilarious



AED 37,000,000 Dubai Marina, Le Reve Ref. # AP 56333

6 Bedrooms 13400 sq.ft. Apartment

A rare opportunity to own what has to be the most sought after piece of real estate in the region. Unhindered views of the sea, Burj al Arab and Palm Jumeirah. 13,400 sq ft of Luxurious living at its best. 6 bedrooms all with ensuite. Fully fitted Milan kitchen.Finishings are second to none.Living accomodation for chauffeur at parking level. All residents of Le Reve benefit from secure private valet parking with separate living accommodation for chauffeurs on parking floors access to the temperature-controlled pool and landscaped gardens, a fully-equipped gymnasium and 24-hour concierge service. Call for more information on this Presidential Apartment. Ready now!

*Cough*

Hey, there's a sucker born every minute!

And I think you'd *have* to be a sucker to pay that much to live at the Lakes. 260K would get you a large villa with private pool and mature garden (and a well, so you wouldn't have to pay to water it) in Jumeirah or Umm Suqeim. Hell, we've got friends who are getting all that for 110K at the moment, next door to Park'n'Shop.

Seriously, if I had that much money to spend on rent, no way would I live in the Lakes - I'd want somewhere *much* better.

I can only assume that the people buying these places and thinking they're going to get those sorts of rents genuinely don't have a clue about typical earnings here... but then, Dubai PLC doesn't exactly go out of its way to inform the world that the overwhelming majority of the population earns less than 3000 dhs per month.

Oh, and EB... if *I* cough a few times, will you ever actually answer all the questions you've been asked recently? If you like, I can collate them into a single thread. I don't mind spending a bit of time doing that - I could call it "Expat Brat's Great Unanswered Questions Thread", or something along those lines. And I'd even let you ask Border Reiver for help.

What do you think?

Lets not play innocent Gareth. You've dodged and refused to answer a few questions yourself.

Even though both areas are nearer to the top end of the snobbish, 'postcode' factor, I think people think of the Lakes as more desirable over the Springs and Meadows for a number of reasons.

1. Its older and the landscaping is more mature and thorough
2. Better location
3. Better quality. Emaar definitely spent more money on the Lakes, perhaps because they used it to sell houses in other developmeents.
4. Smaller community, more exclusive. The total number of houses in the Lakes is equivalent to those in a few Springs or Meadows communities put together.

Whether this justifies a price differential of almost 80k extra for the Lakes, I doubt it. That ad was probably put up by an investor to test the market and see what he could get. At current rates, I can't see the Lakes being any more than Dhs 20-30k more expensive than the same property in the Springs or Meadows.

Ah, at least you're now admitting to dodging questions. We're making progress!

But seriously, if you want to collate the questions *I've* supposedly avoided, please do - I'll happily answer them (and I mean that). I don't recall failing to answer any real questions; diablo came out with some fairly irrelevant bollocks, but if there's anything of moment that I missed, feel free to highlight it.

And after that... will *you* finally come up with some answers? Pretty please? I know you don't really want to, but go on... just for us!