WFPSONS

Blogs etc all new to me so not too sure if Im on the right track here. My fiancee and I are currently in Dubai and he is negotiating terms for a contract starting in September through to May next year but we have to find our own accommodation and a car and I wanted to get an idea of the costs of these things and also the best place to start looking. We are looking to say during our time in Dubai so obviously a top end luxury villa is not in our budget but at the same time we want a nice place. One bedroom would be enough but 2 would be better and as the job in in Bur Dubai we want to stay in that area. Someone also mentioned share villa as a possibility...what does this involve..do you have your own kitchen and bathroom. Thank you for any help you can give us.

Blue Cat

Hi and welcome, you have to have a residency visa before you can do anything, so get that sorted first. Then you can look at leasing an apartment and buying a car. Satwa is a nice area, but be warned everything is pricey these days, your looking at least a 100 for a one bed apartment. Cars- depends what you want. Get a copy of Gulf News and go through their classifieds section, or you could come on our night out this thursday and pick our brains in person

IndieG

What's your budget?

Blue Cat

great your on line, how much was stuff when you were looking??? there is a new building next to the organic cafe that had a sign on it a few weeks back.

WFPSONS

I think the residency visa will be provided by the company but thats another question to add to the list when he goes back to see them on Wednesday. Our budget is about 6,000 aed a mt for accommodation and 2,000 for a car. We dont want a flash sports model (well we would love it but again not in the budget) so maybe a little ford focus or peaugot as long as its got good air con. John would actually like a MX5 haha. I know I have to see about getting a work visa for myself too so I will be able to work here also.

arbroath_abroad

for 2000 you can rent out a 1.6 Peugeot 306 with A/C etc from most places. If you are only staying a short while that is your best option. Tell hubby to speak to his work about organising that for your arrival. That way you have no issues regarding visa's etc

I note you are only staying for around 9 months, is there a chance of extending?

For nine months there is always an option of house sharing but that again depands on what your personal circumstances/standards are (if you know what i mean)

for 6000AEd a month im pretty sure you can pick up something decent on a short term lease in Bur Dubai area.

What are the prices for Golden Sands apartments?? anyone??

Blue Cat

hiya the company will give him a visa - it is the law, he has to have a visa to get a labour card to be legal, so that isn't an issue at all. You can then get him to sponsor you on his visa, they should sort that out via his office so no worries there. 6000 dhs for accomodation is not going to get you anywhere so you may well have to look for a villa share. Try www.dubizzle.com, and the noticeboards at the supermarkets. Also try www.expatwoman.com - classifieds section. As for the car, 2000 a month should you get you a good little motor

Blue Cat

furnished apartments are going at about 18k a month! madness I know.

IndieG

Same as elsewhere in the area (Mankhool). AED 120-130 for a 2 bed and AED 150-160 for a 3 bed.

But there is nothing available. Short term rentals are very expensive - fine for a month until you find a long term rental.

I'm afraid you won't find anything for 72k in Mankhool - pretty sure, as I did a lot of hunting for someone on the look out for a 2/3 bed recently.

Blue Cat

you might get a one bed in an older building though???

arbroath_abroad

That is not an issue i agree, but what is an issue in my personal experience is that companies sometimes wait for a probation period prior to processing the residency visa.

At my last job, i was paid in cash and didnt get a visa for nearly 6 months and just done visa runs. Eventually i got a visa.

If the guy is on a 9 month contract, im not too sure if they will process a visa or just send him on visa runs

i can guarentee you that (only in the oil construction sector) there are absolutely loads and loads of short term contractors here in Dubai that are not on residency visa's and do visa runs.

The difference is that there employers provide them with rent cars and accommodation

WFPSONS

Oh dear so good news on the car front defo not so good on the accommodation. Good to find all this out now though before we go back to sign the papers. So once he gets his visa from them they can organise a visa for me so thats all good. I cant believe what you said they are looking for for furnished apartements... We are both a bit too old to go back to the horror of sharing an apartment again but maybe a share villa would not be so bad. In this case what rooms exactly are you sharing and what are you getting to yourself

IndieG

All taken BC.........the cheaper ones are full with wait lists.

Not sure if saw my reply to your post above

Blue Cat

you get the bedroom to yourself and everything else is shared. I will call my cousin now, she has a 6 bed in satwa that she rents rooms out, let me see if she can help

arbroath_abroad

the big villa's in Jumeriah Islands were offering rooms for 5000AED per month a while back iirc

Are you sure that they are going to immediately process his residence visa??