Relocating to a new country can be a daunting task and once you’ve arrived, trying to find the perfect home, in the perfect location, that fits your budget can be even more daunting! Try to secure a serviced apartment prior to arrival for when you first land in Dubai. This sure beats hotel living – whilst initially, the thought of 5 star accommodation seems great, it wears off very quickly.
Living in a serviced apartment really helps you get a feel for the city but without the initial stress of a normal home. Your first step (even before you have landed) however, will require the input of a professional who understands both the local real estate market and the specific needs of you, the client.
At Move One Relocations, they represent you and not the landlord. They screen all potential homes and arrange all visits and appointments. Additionally, they are able to assist the assignee with contract negotiations, document translation and inventory and inspection on moving-in day.
Move One will make sure that the landlord has all required papers/documents before advising you to proceed with renting a property (including mandatory Title deed and/or Affection plan needed for DEWA connection and Ejari lease registration).
If you’re relocating with children, it would be advisable to find out initially which school the children will be accepted to, as it is not ideal to have the children at a school at one end of the city and live at the other. You will want to avoid the need to driving in rush hour, in the heat of the summer, as this can be exhausting – not to mention stressful. Schools in Dubai are in high demand so applying to schools should be done well before you arrive in Dubai.
Consider where your office is going to be located. For example, if you are working in Jebel Ali or Abu Dhabi, as many Dubai residents do, then you do not want to be living in Deira and stuck in traffic jams each direction to and from work. If you do need to live far from your office, then try to choose a location where you will be traveling against the traffic.
Try to think beyond all the palatial villas with swimming pools and large gardens. They may seem like dream living at first but wait till you see the water and electricity bills which can be enormous. Check your housing budget and your utility budget. A great option to consider is compound living where the garden of the villa may not be big but there may be a communal pool and park area which can be great places to meet people, not to mention cutting down on your utility bills and the upkeep of a swimming pool.
Think carefully whether you need to spend the cost of renting a villa, as Dubai now has a great choice of apartments, sometimes at a fraction of the cost with facilities such as swimming pools, gyms, play parks and many are very centrally located. Apartments are ideal for young single expats, young couples or even families with teenage children or children away at boarding school.
Dubai is a relatively short flight from many expats’ home countries so expect lots of visitors. If your budget permits, allow for a guest bedroom as you may find that for the first few years of your assignment, your home will be busier than the local Hilton!
When viewing the accommodation, visit it in the day and the night and check the level of noise coming from outside. For example, is the road used as a race track at night, is there a pack of howling dogs next door or a cockerel and put the air-conditioning on to listen for any odd noises – trust us, all these noises can become so annoying and many are very hard to fix.
It also worth confirming if the landlord will accept pets if you plan to bring one or get one here.
Even before you land on these sandy shores, try and make contact with some of the social clubs or expats you may already know, who are living here and get their informed opinion on areas to live in. Expat Echo Dubai have gone one step further and produced community guides with small videos which give an expat view of the local communities and informs the viewer of what services are on offer in that area.
Remember if you have any other questions about where to live in Dubai or Dubai in general – Ask Louise.
If you’re looking for a home, contact 1StepProperties
