teapot44

Hi, we're a family with 2 kids aged 4 and 7 and have moved to Dubai in the last 3 weeks.

Our kids go to school near Um Al Sheif (near Umm Sequim) and hubby works in Festival City. As we don't know many people here we'd like to live somewhere where it would be easy to meet people/make friends etc, so somewhere with pools, playgrounds would be great. And budget is up to about 140K so unf I think areas like Meadows and Lakes isn't as option.

People don't seem to talk too highly about Springs at the moment - does anyone have any experience of Springs? I hear lots of good things about Arabian Ranches however, but my concern is that it's fairly far from school/beach etc. The only options in the Ranches at the moment in our budget seem to be in Al Reem 1. Again, does anyone know much about this community?

Thx v much x

hnd

Are you thinking of a villa or an apartment? Will you have two cars - one for you to take children to school (which school?), go shopping etc and the other for husband to go to work?

Millhouse

As HND has implied, you will probably need two cars due to the school and work being reasonably far apart. If you have two cars then the Ranches could be great for you (sort of half way between the two places).

There is nothing "wrong" with the Springs as such (apart from the powerlines, small houses and general urban decay that is happening) but if it works for you go for it (many do). However, the Ranches is way nicer and much better value. That said, it is 'further out' - although my view is that it you are in the car 15 minutes to get to the beach then another 10 isn't going to make any difference.

Any of the Reems (1,2 or 3) will be in budget as the housing is basically the same (I'm in Reem 2 and we have a great pool & park area).

Do also remember, there are other places to live than Emaar master planned communities...!

teapot44

Thanks for your replies so far...

I'm very happy to look at other areas as long as I'll be in a 'community' as such - I understand it's probably easier to meet others when you have communal playgrounds, pools etc, but please correct me if that's not people's experience! As the kids are at school in the Um Al Sheif/Umm Sequim area, would people recommend a compound in that area, preferably with a predominance of families with young kids?

hnd

Arabian Ranches isn't really that far out any more (unlike 5 half years ago when taxi drivers used to look at you as if you had two heads) and has great access to Emirates Road and the Bypass Road therefore the rest of the UAE.

15 minutes (or so) to Mall of the Emirates and Mirdif City Centre, maybe 20 minutes to Dubai Mall, Festival Mall and Ibn Battuta Mall.

Golf Club on site if that's your thing and the Polo Club just up the road which seems to be getting more popular with people with families (which we don't) of a weekend when they get together for lunch/late lunch and just relax.

Friends have also been looking at Motor City (next to AR) - an apartment with large balcony - and thinking about this as an alternative to a villa as the Polo Club is so close with pool, gym, spa etc with reasonable rates for membership. Only drawback there is the noise from the race track but that can also be heard at AR depending upon the wind direction.

Blue Cat

try Umm Sequim

lionheart

Just been told that the super dooper pool complex at AR Al Reem 1 is presently out of commission and likely to remain so for another 4-6 weeks. The pipes were leaking and the whole place has to be relaid.

MataHari

I personally think that the 'community feeling' in places like the Springs is a bit of a myth...the fact that you all live in endless streets with the same houses doesn't automatically make it a 'community'...
You have small kids, so you'll be likely to start meeting up with the parents of the kids yours get friendly with through having playdates at eachothers houses or at kids birthday parties. You will probably find that they won't all be living in your neighbourhood so it will be important to have a car.
Meeting people at the pool or playground is an option but you'll have to be outgoing and assertive so to speak cause most people tend to mind their own business, seeing that just about everybody here in Dubai is an expat it's not an instant bond unlike in other places with less expats where you tend to stick together...
Perhaps the chances of meeting people are bigger in a smaller compound as opposed to the massive housing developments, but your budget really is a bit low for Jumeira/Um Sequim, although a few weeks ago I saw a really nice villa on The Terraces Compound in Jumeirah that went for 140,000 dhs so if you search hard and get a good estate agent you can find something nice.

Millhouse

I get a play date offer every time I take mini to the Park... Oddly, my wife doesn't. Maybe it is just me

MataHari

lucky you...

well, there you go, just send mr Teapot out and that's that part of the problem sorted...