Need Advice looking for places to live in Abu Dhabi
Jul 27th 2011, 3:51 am
#17
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Re: Need Advice looking for places to live in Abu Dhabi
Anyway back to original post, I would try Al Reef. We stay with friends there and never heard the aircraft overhead. Its a bit like coronation street in the sun, can be dodgy for car traffic in front of the houses and the gardens are small but they do have gardens which is a plus.
Did your friends enjoy it generally?
Jul 27th 2011, 4:53 am
#18
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Re: Need Advice looking for places to live in Abu Dhabi
Thanks for the reply, aircraft noise was going to be a concern of mine. As was location, not for myself as my work is going to see me in Abu Dhabi and Dubai at least 3 days a week but more for my wife. I do not want her to feel too isolated, but it sounds like despite being out in the middle of nowhere there is a community there.
Did your friends enjoy it generally?
Did your friends enjoy it generally?
We have some other friends moving back out to AD in Sept and they are moving there as well. Only 5 mins to Yas hotels for a beer which is a plus
Jul 27th 2011, 11:03 am
#19
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Re: Need Advice looking for places to live in Abu Dhabi
Al Reef is not without it's issues... there are a few FB pages for the various 'villages' but if you look for 'Al Reef Arabian Village' on FB you'll get a good oversight of what life is like there....
I have a friend in a 3 bed Al reef property, the 3 bedded houses don't have a maids room..... They are generally happy there, but would like a bigger space (but then they are expecting their 3rd child and have a live in maid....) If they could have a 4 bed they would be happy and I *think* they're going for about 150,000dhs....
Edited to add that my friends kids go to BISAD too......
I have a friend in a 3 bed Al reef property, the 3 bedded houses don't have a maids room..... They are generally happy there, but would like a bigger space (but then they are expecting their 3rd child and have a live in maid....) If they could have a 4 bed they would be happy and I *think* they're going for about 150,000dhs....
Edited to add that my friends kids go to BISAD too......
Last edited by mummy2dolly; Jul 27th 2011 at 11:08 am.
Jul 27th 2011, 12:41 pm
#20
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Re: Need Advice looking for places to live in Abu Dhabi
Dunno if you've looked at Sas Al Nakhl it's a good compound for kids, green areas and places for them to mess around on bikes etc. Rents start at 180K for a 3 bed villa with average utilities 1K winter and 2K summer, a bit more than you plan to spend but it includes a good pool/gym/tennis court cafe area in the complex with supermarket, pharmacy, drycleaner, nailpainting shop attached. There's a good expat community spirit. 10-15 minutes to BISAD
Nov 18th 2011, 12:06 pm
#21
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Re: Need Advice looking for places to live in Abu Dhabi
Hello
I have been working in Abu Dhabi for a while but looking to go Native with a local contract. My housing allowance will be 135000AED so I am now at the point where I am looking for a place to live. So I am going to set a limit to 140 000 as the point of coming here is to save money and not to end up topping up the living costs too much out of my salary.
My child is booked in at Nord Anglia School on highway 22, (it was the only one with spaces) so it seems logical to be be out of town. However I do have some requirements.
1 I know I cannot afford a place near the beach without cutting into the salary too much, but a compound with a pool would be nice. However we do not want a private pool in the garden (don't think I could afford one anyway) but one of my children is a 2yr old who cannot swim yet and that is just asking for trouble.
2 I want to be somewhere with strong expat community. I will have a network as I have work, my 8 yr old will have school, but my Wife will not. I do not want her to be out here and feeling isolated. So it is important to me that she has an opportunity to grow her own social network.
3 Communal place where the kids can go wild without having to be escorted to the park every time, sometimes you just want them to be able to run out the door and get out from your feet.
I have experienced this before and it was a compound in KSA so I have been searching on dubizzle and rental band is picking up KCA, KCB, MZB and Al Reef a lot, driving around KCA and KCB today it seems a bit isolated - in that they seemed independent villas rather then compound life. It is hard to tell from the outside.
But I would be interested to hear from people who live here and also Al Reef as it seems to be ticking the boxes to whether is fits the bill or not. I am particularly interested in hearing from the Ladies who are at home. I want to find out what life is like out there. Also are there other options other then compounds I am overlooking.
Also trying to find out about prices in AL Raha but the website seems to be more focused around sales not rental, so if anyone can tell me about prices it would be good - we need 3 bedrooms at least.
Thanks for your help.
Matt
I have been working in Abu Dhabi for a while but looking to go Native with a local contract. My housing allowance will be 135000AED so I am now at the point where I am looking for a place to live. So I am going to set a limit to 140 000 as the point of coming here is to save money and not to end up topping up the living costs too much out of my salary.
My child is booked in at Nord Anglia School on highway 22, (it was the only one with spaces) so it seems logical to be be out of town. However I do have some requirements.
1 I know I cannot afford a place near the beach without cutting into the salary too much, but a compound with a pool would be nice. However we do not want a private pool in the garden (don't think I could afford one anyway) but one of my children is a 2yr old who cannot swim yet and that is just asking for trouble.
2 I want to be somewhere with strong expat community. I will have a network as I have work, my 8 yr old will have school, but my Wife will not. I do not want her to be out here and feeling isolated. So it is important to me that she has an opportunity to grow her own social network.
3 Communal place where the kids can go wild without having to be escorted to the park every time, sometimes you just want them to be able to run out the door and get out from your feet.
I have experienced this before and it was a compound in KSA so I have been searching on dubizzle and rental band is picking up KCA, KCB, MZB and Al Reef a lot, driving around KCA and KCB today it seems a bit isolated - in that they seemed independent villas rather then compound life. It is hard to tell from the outside.
But I would be interested to hear from people who live here and also Al Reef as it seems to be ticking the boxes to whether is fits the bill or not. I am particularly interested in hearing from the Ladies who are at home. I want to find out what life is like out there. Also are there other options other then compounds I am overlooking.
Also trying to find out about prices in AL Raha but the website seems to be more focused around sales not rental, so if anyone can tell me about prices it would be good - we need 3 bedrooms at least.
Thanks for your help.
Matt
I see that your original post was in July so am now wondering if you guys are settled, what compound you moved into and how your wife and kids are finding live in AB? I am married with 3 small kids and husband has been offered a job in AB so we're just looking at all the options. BISAD school has places for them so i guess I want to be fairly close to the school but most importantly in a good expat compound where the kids can get out and play. I have lived in Bahrain and Saudi for 20 years so am aware of how important it is to live in the right compound. Any advice would be gratefully received.
Thanks, Lisa
Nov 21st 2011, 1:27 am
#22
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Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Abu Dhabi
Posts: 200
Re: Need Advice looking for places to live in Abu Dhabi
Anyway back to original post, I would try Al Reef. We stay with friends there and never heard the aircraft overhead. Its a bit like coronation street in the sun, can be dodgy for car traffic in front of the houses and the gardens are small but they do have gardens which is a plus.
Nov 21st 2011, 3:14 pm
#23
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,125
Re: Need Advice looking for places to live in Abu Dhabi
i know of some villas that will be coming up for rent one perhaps in the next month, 1 month later when did you want to move in this is in kcb, but the rent is 150k very easy to get to bisad, a 5 mins drive up al ain road easy peasy, it can be more complicated and longer commute from kca and even from parts of mbz
Nov 21st 2011, 3:15 pm
#24
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Joined: May 2008
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Re: Need Advice looking for places to live in Abu Dhabi
Yes they are quite happy there. Dont get me wrong, if they had the bucks to get a big place on island close to the amenities then I think they would move there but its about cutting cloth accordingly and for them they like it.
We have some other friends moving back out to AD in Sept and they are moving there as well. Only 5 mins to Yas hotels for a beer which is a plus
We have some other friends moving back out to AD in Sept and they are moving there as well. Only 5 mins to Yas hotels for a beer which is a plus
Nov 21st 2011, 4:38 pm
#25
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Re: Need Advice looking for places to live in Abu Dhabi
Al Reef....you must be joking!
There's **** all out there but houses, nothing in the way of a decent food store....
There's **** all out there but houses, nothing in the way of a decent food store....
Jan 3rd 2012, 2:34 am
#26
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Joined: Jan 2012
Location: Al Raha- Abu Dhabi
Posts: 7
Re: Need Advice looking for places to live in Abu Dhabi
just moved to Al Raha, 200k nice 3 bedroom, not pool near buy, son will luckily get one with school, (Al Raha) definitly place to live if you do want easy school run to Al Raha Gardens,,,there is gate inside of compound, so kids are free to go themself) few small shops inside of compound,,,we will see how they charge our utilities.
Al Raha Beach hotel beach is 10 mins away, had look to it (through shopping centre window), mmm don't know local standards yet, but looked reasonably good, but hey there were pretty gals in bikinis
Al Raha Beach hotel beach is 10 mins away, had look to it (through shopping centre window), mmm don't know local standards yet, but looked reasonably good, but hey there were pretty gals in bikinis
