Beans-on-Toast Britain

Seen a few 3-bedders advertised at 160-200k range, which is why I was curious about offered versus actual prices.

Maybe I’ll just find an empty office block and live in that. Reckon I'll get me whole block to myself!

Ethos83

To be fair our patch of grass is about 2.5 x 3.5 meters! The rest is paved.

The gardener does a decent job keeping the grass and the various plants trimmed. I can't even tell you how much we pay him (it's that dirt cheap), but the water bill is bundled with the villa water and it's a minimal share of the overall bill.

I doubt it cost a lot to keep a garden in Dubai unless you have a large planted grass area and a pool. Most of our neighbours survive with a tiny green patch, large patio areas, and lots of standalone plants in pots.

Hello.Kitty

You laugh, but you can actually get several different types of astroturf for domestic use... although you'd have to vacuum the dust off it once in a while!

I was just putting the maintenance costs into the mix, cos I think it's easy to get caught in the dream of lush garden, sunny all year and private swimming pool without fully considering it. Of course it's all possible - anything is possible - but at a [currently unknown] price. The beauty of an apartment (on that front, at least) is that pool, gym, greenery, whatever and all included in your rent.

As Meow said - come and see first. Try not to hold too many hopes or preconceptions because you may need to be flexible and you may surprise yourself.

You will also need to consider your wife and family in all this - accessibility can be a big issue if she's still wielding a buggy. Would you need a second car for her to get around (Arabian Ranches certainly!)? It all adds up...

Roadking

We live in Jumeirah 1 and are renogotiating our rent on a fairly large 4 bed villa with pool and good size private garden. Our rent is dropping by over 45% compared to last year...or we're moving. Yeah, we over paid last year, but not repeating that.

We've had a look round and there are loads to choose from. Some brand new villas with private garden and shared pool near Park n Rob asking at 180'000 for 4 bed. I know they would come down a but not a lot of storage space she tells me.

I have a number of agents looking in case our LL doesn't play ball and we don't think we'll struggle to find something within our budget for a large 4/5 bed...and we are very fussy (well Mrs RK is!)

Finding one within a month of arrival shouldn't be a problem.

Good luck.

Patsy Stoned

Al Barsha is a lovely area and the villas tend to be huge, large gardens and private pools.
I moved in Aug to a bigger villa round the corner from my old place (same LL)
I got a 4 bedroom 2 sitting room blah blah villa reduced by over 120K.
Although my dewa bills are still a bit erratic it works out about 2500 per month in the summer ( more a/c, watering and pool cleaning) and about 800 in the winter but I am not using the pool so don't put the heater on.
I defo think you get more villa for your money in Al Barsha.
I have heard of people getting a 3 bed villa here for 150/180k with multiple cheques.

Beans-on-Toast Britain

I’ve been out of the UK for a few years, so I’m not the boy-scout type arriving with bucket and spade and expecting life to be one long holiday by the beach. Would be nice though, but unfortunately I need to work for living.

From what I’ve seen in 5-6 visits, I actually don’t think much of Dubai… so I figure if I go in with low expectations, I won’t be disappointed.

I got some career and financial reasons for going and so long as you’re in a secure job (which I am, I think), Dubai will be as good a place as any to ride out the rest of the global financial sh!t storm for the next couple of years.

I’m actually quite looking forward to it and I’m sure I can grow to love Dubai. Well maybe tolerate it.

It’s probably some of the ‘types’ Dubai attracted that put me off but with the loadsamoney chavtastic thickos hopefully fukking off some place else, I’m sure it will be much more pleasant. I know a few decent people in Dubai, so I know it’s not just the second-lifer types who go there to reinvent themselves as international business kingpins (ie, ‘got lucky punting property with the banks' money’)

Yay Dubai!

Beans-on-Toast Britain

Very encouraging – music to my ears.

I'll break my smilie ban for that one

Beans-on-Toast Britain

Thanks, looks interesting, will add that one to the list of places to see. Sounds like it’s a fairly new development, so is there still a lot of construction going on?

Fairydust

Our DEWA bill for June 2008 - June 2009 was over 50k dhs that is for a 4 bed villa with a smallish garden and a 10m pool (with heater used in winter). There is only 3 of us living here but I admit we did have the a/c on permanently and weren't too careful with what we were using. Since the company put a cap on the DEWA bills we have been more careful so will be intresting to see if there has been a reduction

Hello.Kitty

funnily enough, I haven't actually met any chavtastic wannabes here - or maybe I just don't move in those circles. Saying that, I have seen a few cases of "when Botox goes wrong"

I think you're coming at it with the right attitude. It took Mr Kitty a while to have his rose-tinted glasses dulled... me? S'OK...

Roadking

Holy crap, thats a lot. Ours has never been above 2'000 in a month but we do have a bore hole which services most of the water needs. Might be worth considering...for the company I mean!

Roadking

Holy crap, thats a lot. Ours has never been above 2'000 in a month but we do have a bore hole which services most of the water needs. Might be worth considering...for the company I mean!

Beans-on-Toast Britain

Over 50k dhs, wtf !!

Is it the water or power that’s so expensive in Dubai – or both.

Fairydust

Thought this was illegal in compound type villas? Also living at DSO we have to get permission from them for any alterations so can't see them agreeing to one as it would mean less money for the money-go-round!!


Ours appears to be both about the same each month and this amount also doesn't include any municipality fee!!

Jeeper

Are you sure you meant 50,000dhs? per month?

I would have thought Dewa would have to provide a full time rain cloud over your villa to generate that sort of cost.