How to Decide Where to Live in Dubai
This, of course, is a very broad topic and a lot of the decision will be based on your own personal taste- but here we try and break the decision into factors based on our experience over the years and give some handy advice too:
TRAFFIC
Dubai is not really that a big a place but due to the traffic flow and other circumstances choosing the correct area to live in is key to your happiness living in Dubai.
Rush hours in Dubai run from 7am till 9am and 5pm till 7pm and the general rule is in the mornings the traffic jam will be from Sharjah direction into Dubai and reversed in the evenings on all major roads. So in the mornings the jam is from north to south and in the evenings south to north. This is due to an extremely large number of people living in Sharjah, due to cheaper rents in that Emirate, and working in the Jebel Ali direction. The congestion is made up of both work and schools traffic.
So you need to take a good look at where you will be working and where if you have kids they will be going to school and try and get a happy medium. There are a lot of road improvements happening continually to try and ease the flow of traffic so things can improve overnight sometimes!
PAYMENT
In the past all accommodation had to be paid with one annual cheque- so you were paying up front for a year. Due to the recent economic crisis, a lot of banks are not lending this money anymore and a lot of people cannot put/ are not willing to put such a large amount on a credit card. Landlords are now, luckily, becoming more flexible and you can pay in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and even in some cases 12 cheques- you may have to pay a bit more rent, the more cheques you give, but it can be a saving grace not to have to pay the whole lot at once. This means you give the cheques for the whole year in advance to your landlord and have to make sure the money for your next cheque due date, is in your bank account, on the date of the cheque. (Of course if your company is paying for your rent you will not have any of this worry- but even that is becoming more rare these days!)
FLAT OR VILLA?
The dream for most people is to live in a lovely villa with a pool and beautiful garden but we have to be realistic too! For most people who come here it will be for a 2 to 3 year period so as tempting as it is to go for a beautiful big villa, you need to be really practical with your finances based on the above. We look at the main points of difference below to help you in your decision:
VILLAS
The plus side to a villa is privacy, it feels more like a proper “home” more like what you may have been used to in your country of origin, you have a garden to take advantage of the beautiful weather here, more space, some come with a pool and more car parking.
The down side to a villa is much higher bills for electricity and water, maintenance charges are higher, more expensive to furnish, if you are not in a gated community or compound you can feel isolated, gardens and pools are expensive and sometimes difficult to maintain and as some villas are very huge and we all have a constant battle with dust here- housework can be a mammoth task, prompting many expats to hire maids.
FLATS
The plus side to a flat is it is much more economical, easier and cheaper to furnish, you can control your service bills, a lot of towers and apartment blocks come with a shared pool and gym and sometimes shops too, you don’t feel isolated, easier to clean and most have 24 hour security.
The down side to a flat is you may not be used to living in such close proximity to other people, you may get one parking space included with your flat or even have to pay for one, less space indoors, no garden- although most do have balconies, it is harder to bring in heavy and larger shopping items and you may be disturbed by noise from other flats (top tip- go and see a flat in the evening when people are more likely to be home so you can test out the thickness of the walls!)
Of course, everyone has their own personal preference in what type of place they would like to live in, whilst they are in Dubai, but it makes good sense to weigh up all the options- unless you are buying- you have to remember you are renting and it is never going to be your actual “home” so choose what fits your lifestyle and your budget.
WHERE TO START?
Some landlords employ an agency to run their building especially for apartment blocks and with the increase in expats buying properties there seem to be more direct with landlord dealings too. If you are dealing with an agency you will also have to pay them a fee if you take your home from them- this can be from 5- 15% of the annual rent so be careful and find out in advance- although fees have come down recently.
Online property searching has become easier in the past years- try our own property listin to see what is out there. You can search by budget, area, number of bedrooms etc. We also have the EW property guide if you need further info on specific areas.
You can also approach an agency yourself to employ them to find you what you are looking for. There are good ones and bad ones out there but just trust your instincts and you should be fine.
There are many recommendations on our information board and feel free to ask questions on there to get the latest up to date information and people’s actual recent experiences
Also you can take a drive round the area you are looking at- vacant properties quite often have a sign with a phone number for you to call to make enquiries.
WHICH AREA?
This is quite a varied subject, so here we try and list the main characteristics of each popular expat area, from north to south, to try and help you pin point the ideal place for you.
At the time of writing this, August 2010, rental prices are still coming down and most areas are coming back into the levels of relative affordability. We have also put what circumstance of living situation is popular in these areas- this is not a hard and fast rule of course just a guideline.
Mirdif - Families, couples & singletons
Once a million miles outside of Dubai, now well connected suburbia, with shops, its own super mall and schools. It is a more affordable area for people looking to live in a villa with a garden. Apartments are also available here so it is a good mix. Watch out for the flight path though- check out the aircraft noise before you move in!
Garhoud - Families, couples & singletons
Despite being on the wrong side of the new Dubai, those that live in Garhoud are thankful of it. One of the nicer places in Dubai to live, and surrounded by admittedly a large number of older Dubai landmarks. The Irish Village will become your local haunt- not a bad thing! There are older villas and a mix of old and new apartments available in this area.
International City - Couples & singletons
This area is starting to mature with an expanding range of shops and restaurants now open. Prices are genuinely cheap for Dubai standards, making this one of Dubai's few low cost options. Beware it is very close to a sewage treatment plant and you can sense that in some places, traffic in and out during rush hours is trying and there are recent reports of companies using it to house workers- too many to a flat- but it is a very big development. So, check out the many different clusters to find one to suit you and visit in the evening to see how busy it really is.
Jumeirah & Um Sequiem - Families & couples
Older, more established and can be quite beautiful and peaceful, once you get behind Jumeirah Beach Road. Houses on one side are on the beach - or almost. On the other side, it is quiet and about as green as Dubai gets. Jumeirah 1 and 2 used to be the most expensive - closer to the old centre of town, plus Palm Strip and Mercato Shopping Malls.
Barsha - Families, couples & singletons
Once desert, now one of the more popular areas for expats, Al Barsha starts behind the Mall of the Emirates and heads out towards Emirates Hills. Not cheap, but cheaper than Dubai Marina, and very close to the Mall of the Emirates. The Tecom area within Barsha has many new apartments at really reasonable prices. There are also private villas tucked away in this area too.
Al Sufouh - Families, couples & singletons
Al Sufouh includes the Palm Jumeirah, along with Dubai Media City and Dubai Internet City- it is bordered by Emirates Hills and Al Barsha. There are many villas old and new style and apartments available- apartments on The Palm Island are no longer incredibly expensive so it’s definitely worth a look.
Lakes, Meadows & Springs - Families & Couples
Various gated communities featuring anything from 2 bedroom town houses up to 6 bed room luxury villas. There is a community centre for shopping and a health club available, as well as shared pools and recreation areas.
Emirates Hills - Families & rich people (apparently!)
Emirates Hills is a luxury gated community of villas, which is home to some of Dubai's richer expatriates. It overlooks the Montgomerie, an 18-hole Championship Golf Course and has some truly amazing villas!
Dubai Marina - Couples & singletons
Dubai Marina is at the heart of what has become known as 'New Dubai'. The Marina Walk feels like one of Dubai's better planned developments, with lots of shops and restaurants around the man- made marina. The development is populated by many, many freehold waterfront apartment towers- this is definitely high rise living. It’s the area of choice for the young, affluent expat singleton or couples.
Jumeirah Lake Towers - Couples & singletons
The name is somewhat misleading- it is nowhere near Jumeirah- we hasten to point out! Jumeirah LakeTowers is across the other side of Sheikh Zayed Road from the Marina. Plenty of towers have been built and rented out to those who can't quite make the rents of the Marina. What they save on rent, however, they pay for in dust and noise- it is getting better though!
Motor City - Families, couples & singletons
Situated around the race track development, are many villas and apartments that are also quite reasonably priced- shops and services are also available. You’ll get the noise from the race track maybe 6 times a year- but it all adds to the excitement of living there! It’s close to Arabian Ranches and more affordable.
Arabian Ranches - Families
A beautiful, residential gated community located on the Emirates Road. The project consists of different kinds of villas and townhouses. The project includes a Golf Course, Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club, a community shopping centre and Jumeirah English Speaking School.
Jumeirah Village - Families, couples & singletons
A very new and unfortunately delayed community- it is nowhere near finished yet and has no services- but- great villas with lots of space and large gardens and there are bargains to be had here- so if you don’t mind dusty roads and some quite close by electricity pylons you can snap up a bargain here. There are town houses and villas starting from 2 beds at great prices. It has easy access to Emirates and Al Khail Road and is about a 20 minute drive to Mall of the Emirates to put it in perspective- and it’s really quiet right now too. (Also not in Jumeirah so don’t be fooled by the name again.)
The Gardens - Families, couples & singletons
The Gardens consists of low and high rise apartment blocks all surrounded by well established gardens and community areas including swimming pools. It is behind Ibn Battuta Mall- so excellent for shopping. There are some access problems with road works at the moment but once these are completed it will be smooth sailing. Not too expensive an area although you will find the “old” Gardens apartments more expensive than the “new” Gardens.
The Green Community - Families & couples
Still considered a bit too far away by many, the residents of this community don’t seem to care. The villas are beautiful and there is a real feeling of peace and serenity in this well planned gated community. There are plenty of services and living there is a great experience. There are also apartments available. It is very close to Jebel Ali and handy for those who commute to Abu Dhabi.
PETS
Dubai, sometimes, is not the most pet friendly place - so you will have to consider this when deciding where to live. Most villas are ok with pets, although you will have to check with the landlord. Most apartments say no pets- although many people do ignore this rule. If you have a nice quiet cat that is not going to cause any trouble you will probably get away with it - a yappy, barking all night dog that disturbs your whole building- not so much!
Check your lease for details or ask your agent or landlord in advance to solve any issues.
IN SUMMARY
Dubai is a constantly changing Emirate- areas that were once considered too far away are now in the new centre of Dubai. Places that currently have no services can develop the most amazing ones in six months and become very desirable locations. So don’t necessarily let the way something is today put you off- have a look at their future plans.
We hope this guide has helped you and you are very happy in your new home - be it a flat or villa- old or new- near or “far”!
TRAFFIC
Dubai is not really that a big a place but due to the traffic flow and other circumstances choosing the correct area to live in is key to your happiness living in Dubai.
Rush hours in Dubai run from 7am till 9am and 5pm till 7pm and the general rule is in the mornings the traffic jam will be from Sharjah direction into Dubai and reversed in the evenings on all major roads. So in the mornings the jam is from north to south and in the evenings south to north. This is due to an extremely large number of people living in Sharjah, due to cheaper rents in that Emirate, and working in the Jebel Ali direction. The congestion is made up of both work and schools traffic.
So you need to take a good look at where you will be working and where if you have kids they will be going to school and try and get a happy medium. There are a lot of road improvements happening continually to try and ease the flow of traffic so things can improve overnight sometimes!
PAYMENT
In the past all accommodation had to be paid with one annual cheque- so you were paying up front for a year. Due to the recent economic crisis, a lot of banks are not lending this money anymore and a lot of people cannot put/ are not willing to put such a large amount on a credit card. Landlords are now, luckily, becoming more flexible and you can pay in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and even in some cases 12 cheques- you may have to pay a bit more rent, the more cheques you give, but it can be a saving grace not to have to pay the whole lot at once. This means you give the cheques for the whole year in advance to your landlord and have to make sure the money for your next cheque due date, is in your bank account, on the date of the cheque. (Of course if your company is paying for your rent you will not have any of this worry- but even that is becoming more rare these days!)
FLAT OR VILLA?
The dream for most people is to live in a lovely villa with a pool and beautiful garden but we have to be realistic too! For most people who come here it will be for a 2 to 3 year period so as tempting as it is to go for a beautiful big villa, you need to be really practical with your finances based on the above. We look at the main points of difference below to help you in your decision:
VILLAS
The plus side to a villa is privacy, it feels more like a proper “home” more like what you may have been used to in your country of origin, you have a garden to take advantage of the beautiful weather here, more space, some come with a pool and more car parking.The down side to a villa is much higher bills for electricity and water, maintenance charges are higher, more expensive to furnish, if you are not in a gated community or compound you can feel isolated, gardens and pools are expensive and sometimes difficult to maintain and as some villas are very huge and we all have a constant battle with dust here- housework can be a mammoth task, prompting many expats to hire maids.
FLATS
The plus side to a flat is it is much more economical, easier and cheaper to furnish, you can control your service bills, a lot of towers and apartment blocks come with a shared pool and gym and sometimes shops too, you don’t feel isolated, easier to clean and most have 24 hour security.
The down side to a flat is you may not be used to living in such close proximity to other people, you may get one parking space included with your flat or even have to pay for one, less space indoors, no garden- although most do have balconies, it is harder to bring in heavy and larger shopping items and you may be disturbed by noise from other flats (top tip- go and see a flat in the evening when people are more likely to be home so you can test out the thickness of the walls!)
Of course, everyone has their own personal preference in what type of place they would like to live in, whilst they are in Dubai, but it makes good sense to weigh up all the options- unless you are buying- you have to remember you are renting and it is never going to be your actual “home” so choose what fits your lifestyle and your budget.
WHERE TO START?
Some landlords employ an agency to run their building especially for apartment blocks and with the increase in expats buying properties there seem to be more direct with landlord dealings too. If you are dealing with an agency you will also have to pay them a fee if you take your home from them- this can be from 5- 15% of the annual rent so be careful and find out in advance- although fees have come down recently.
Online property searching has become easier in the past years- try our own property listin to see what is out there. You can search by budget, area, number of bedrooms etc. We also have the EW property guide if you need further info on specific areas.
You can also approach an agency yourself to employ them to find you what you are looking for. There are good ones and bad ones out there but just trust your instincts and you should be fine.
There are many recommendations on our information board and feel free to ask questions on there to get the latest up to date information and people’s actual recent experiences
Also you can take a drive round the area you are looking at- vacant properties quite often have a sign with a phone number for you to call to make enquiries.
WHICH AREA?
This is quite a varied subject, so here we try and list the main characteristics of each popular expat area, from north to south, to try and help you pin point the ideal place for you.
At the time of writing this, August 2010, rental prices are still coming down and most areas are coming back into the levels of relative affordability. We have also put what circumstance of living situation is popular in these areas- this is not a hard and fast rule of course just a guideline.
Mirdif - Families, couples & singletons
Once a million miles outside of Dubai, now well connected suburbia, with shops, its own super mall and schools. It is a more affordable area for people looking to live in a villa with a garden. Apartments are also available here so it is a good mix. Watch out for the flight path though- check out the aircraft noise before you move in!
Garhoud - Families, couples & singletons
Despite being on the wrong side of the new Dubai, those that live in Garhoud are thankful of it. One of the nicer places in Dubai to live, and surrounded by admittedly a large number of older Dubai landmarks. The Irish Village will become your local haunt- not a bad thing! There are older villas and a mix of old and new apartments available in this area.
International City - Couples & singletons
This area is starting to mature with an expanding range of shops and restaurants now open. Prices are genuinely cheap for Dubai standards, making this one of Dubai's few low cost options. Beware it is very close to a sewage treatment plant and you can sense that in some places, traffic in and out during rush hours is trying and there are recent reports of companies using it to house workers- too many to a flat- but it is a very big development. So, check out the many different clusters to find one to suit you and visit in the evening to see how busy it really is.
Jumeirah & Um Sequiem - Families & couples
Older, more established and can be quite beautiful and peaceful, once you get behind Jumeirah Beach Road. Houses on one side are on the beach - or almost. On the other side, it is quiet and about as green as Dubai gets. Jumeirah 1 and 2 used to be the most expensive - closer to the old centre of town, plus Palm Strip and Mercato Shopping Malls.
Barsha - Families, couples & singletons
Once desert, now one of the more popular areas for expats, Al Barsha starts behind the Mall of the Emirates and heads out towards Emirates Hills. Not cheap, but cheaper than Dubai Marina, and very close to the Mall of the Emirates. The Tecom area within Barsha has many new apartments at really reasonable prices. There are also private villas tucked away in this area too.
Al Sufouh - Families, couples & singletons
Al Sufouh includes the Palm Jumeirah, along with Dubai Media City and Dubai Internet City- it is bordered by Emirates Hills and Al Barsha. There are many villas old and new style and apartments available- apartments on The Palm Island are no longer incredibly expensive so it’s definitely worth a look.
Lakes, Meadows & Springs - Families & Couples
Various gated communities featuring anything from 2 bedroom town houses up to 6 bed room luxury villas. There is a community centre for shopping and a health club available, as well as shared pools and recreation areas.
Emirates Hills - Families & rich people (apparently!)
Emirates Hills is a luxury gated community of villas, which is home to some of Dubai's richer expatriates. It overlooks the Montgomerie, an 18-hole Championship Golf Course and has some truly amazing villas!
Dubai Marina - Couples & singletons
Dubai Marina is at the heart of what has become known as 'New Dubai'. The Marina Walk feels like one of Dubai's better planned developments, with lots of shops and restaurants around the man- made marina. The development is populated by many, many freehold waterfront apartment towers- this is definitely high rise living. It’s the area of choice for the young, affluent expat singleton or couples.
Jumeirah Lake Towers - Couples & singletons
The name is somewhat misleading- it is nowhere near Jumeirah- we hasten to point out! Jumeirah LakeTowers is across the other side of Sheikh Zayed Road from the Marina. Plenty of towers have been built and rented out to those who can't quite make the rents of the Marina. What they save on rent, however, they pay for in dust and noise- it is getting better though!
Motor City - Families, couples & singletons
Situated around the race track development, are many villas and apartments that are also quite reasonably priced- shops and services are also available. You’ll get the noise from the race track maybe 6 times a year- but it all adds to the excitement of living there! It’s close to Arabian Ranches and more affordable.
Arabian Ranches - Families
A beautiful, residential gated community located on the Emirates Road. The project consists of different kinds of villas and townhouses. The project includes a Golf Course, Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club, a community shopping centre and Jumeirah English Speaking School.
Jumeirah Village - Families, couples & singletons
A very new and unfortunately delayed community- it is nowhere near finished yet and has no services- but- great villas with lots of space and large gardens and there are bargains to be had here- so if you don’t mind dusty roads and some quite close by electricity pylons you can snap up a bargain here. There are town houses and villas starting from 2 beds at great prices. It has easy access to Emirates and Al Khail Road and is about a 20 minute drive to Mall of the Emirates to put it in perspective- and it’s really quiet right now too. (Also not in Jumeirah so don’t be fooled by the name again.)
The Gardens - Families, couples & singletons
The Gardens consists of low and high rise apartment blocks all surrounded by well established gardens and community areas including swimming pools. It is behind Ibn Battuta Mall- so excellent for shopping. There are some access problems with road works at the moment but once these are completed it will be smooth sailing. Not too expensive an area although you will find the “old” Gardens apartments more expensive than the “new” Gardens.
The Green Community - Families & couples
Still considered a bit too far away by many, the residents of this community don’t seem to care. The villas are beautiful and there is a real feeling of peace and serenity in this well planned gated community. There are plenty of services and living there is a great experience. There are also apartments available. It is very close to Jebel Ali and handy for those who commute to Abu Dhabi.
PETS
Dubai, sometimes, is not the most pet friendly place - so you will have to consider this when deciding where to live. Most villas are ok with pets, although you will have to check with the landlord. Most apartments say no pets- although many people do ignore this rule. If you have a nice quiet cat that is not going to cause any trouble you will probably get away with it - a yappy, barking all night dog that disturbs your whole building- not so much! Check your lease for details or ask your agent or landlord in advance to solve any issues.
IN SUMMARY
Dubai is a constantly changing Emirate- areas that were once considered too far away are now in the new centre of Dubai. Places that currently have no services can develop the most amazing ones in six months and become very desirable locations. So don’t necessarily let the way something is today put you off- have a look at their future plans.
We hope this guide has helped you and you are very happy in your new home - be it a flat or villa- old or new- near or “far”!
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