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Bromelia Villa in Al Barari comes with all of the trimmings expected in the Dh50m price. Mona Al Marzooqi/ The National
Bromelia Villa in Al Barari comes with all of the trimmings expected in the Dh50m price. Mona Al Marzooqi/ The National

Dubai villa fit for an episode of Footballers’ Wives



Whoever buys this secluded mansion, surrounded by lush gardens on the outskirts of the city, can have all of the trappings needed for a Dubai magnate.

The completely rebuilt six-bedroom, 11-bathroom villa in Al Barari, a private housing complex aimed at the super wealthy, is on the market for a cool Dh50 million.

For the right price, property broker Luxhabitat says the seller will also throw in a Range Rover, a Porsche and a Rolls-Royce Ghost.

The house also comes with all of the trimmings necessary to set up as a Dubai magnate.

Certainly, a stroll across the silk carpets, the marble floors and past the purple velvet-covered seats and gold sofas of the reception rooms, study and library makes one feel a little bit like walking across the set of the once-popular British TV series Footballers’ Wives.

The villa includes a large swimming pool and deck, a private Jacuzzi, three balconies, three kitchens (one main one and two back kitchens for staff) as well as a maid’s room, driver’s room, dry pantry and storage room.

Having been completely stripped down and rebuilt over two years, the seller, a British national who lives in Monaco, has set about rebuilding and furnishing this villa with the latest technology and the most opulent fixtures and fittings possible.

The villa comes with what its brokers claim to be the most comprehensive home control system in the UAE, where you can remotely switch on lights, security systems, air conditioning, water heating, fountains, blinds, TVs and sound systems in every room of the house or garden via iPads or from your mobile phone anywhere in the world.

The house is also fully wired for new technology.

The basement includes a six-seater home cinema with snazzy special effects including integrated 4DX, meaning that your seat vibrates along with the action of the movie. Each seat includes an integrated drinks cooler.

Elsewhere, the master bedroom has its own 200-inch projector screen with surround sound while the gym and living room also include 100-inch and 65-inch television screens with surround sound. Even the maid’s room has a 55-inch TV.

Q&A

Luke Jones of luxury broker Luxhabitat, tells Lucy Barnard more about the Dh50 million villa:

Why is this villa on the market for so much money when others in Barari are going for about Dh15m?

There are 189 villas in Al Barari and most of them are valued at between Dh15m and Dh15.5m. But there are a handful of trophy villas – perhaps only four to six – which have been built on an extended plot and are not standard. Moreover, this villa has been modified and rebuilt so it really is a one off.

Who lives in a house like this?

The owner is a British national who lives in Monaco and has a design background. He bought the property from the developer in October 2014. His idea was to set a new benchmark in luxury living.

What sort of buyers are you expecting?

This house would be suitable for someone with a high disposable income. Perhaps it would suit someone who has a pre-existing property portfolio but needs to be in Dubai for tax reasons.

With house prices in Dubai falling, why is now a good time to buy?

Transaction volumes are certainly down in Dubai and the market is always slow in the summer but for a Dh50m villa the market doesn’t really affect the sort of people who would be in the position to buy a villa like this.

What else should we know about this house?

This villa really does have all the mod cons. It has automatic, in-house fingerprint and facial recognition. It has 19 security cameras, to ensure there are no blind spots.

Luke Jones of the luxury broker Luxhabitat tells Lucy Barnard more about the Dh50m villa:

Why is this villa on the market for so much money when others in Barari are going for about Dh15m?

There are 189 villas in Al Barari and most of them are valued at between Dh15m and Dh15.5m. But there are a handful of trophy villas – perhaps only four to six – which have been built on an extended plot and are not standard. Moreover, this villa has been modified and rebuilt so it really is a one off.

Who lives in a house like this?

The owner is a British national who lives in Monaco and has a design background. He bought the property from the developer in October 2014. His idea was to set a new benchmark in luxury living.

What sort of buyers are you expecting?

This house would be suitable for someone with a high disposable income. Perhaps it would suit someone who has a pre-existing property portfolio but needs to be in Dubai for tax reasons.

With house prices in Dubai falling, why is now a good time to buy?

Transaction volumes are certainly down in Dubai and the market is always slow in the summer but for a Dh50m villa the market doesn’t really affect the sort of people who would be in the position to buy a villa like this.

What else should we know about this house?

This villa really does have all the mod cons. It has automatic, in-house fingerprint and facial recognition. It has 19 security cameras, to ensure there are no blind spots.

lbarnard@thenational.ae

HEADLINE HERE
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  • That's about it
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances

All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.

Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.

Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.

Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.

Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.

Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.

The Perfect Couple

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor

Creator: Jenna Lamia

Rating: 3/5

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WHAT%20IS%20THE%20LICENSING%20PROCESS%20FOR%20VARA%3F
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Our legal consultants

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

ESSENTIALS

The flights 
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes. 
Where to stay 
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.

Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
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Virtuzone GCC Sixes

Date and venue Friday and Saturday, ICC Academy, Dubai Sports City

Time Matches start at 9am

Groups

A Blighty Ducks, Darjeeling Colts, Darjeeling Social, Dubai Wombats; B Darjeeling Veterans, Kuwait Casuals, Loose Cannons, Savannah Lions; Awali Taverners, Darjeeling, Dromedary, Darjeeling Good Eggs

Kill%20
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Company%20Profile
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989

Director: Goran Hugo Olsson

Rating: 5/5

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The biog

Favourite hobby: taking his rescue dog, Sally, for long walks.

Favourite book: anything by Stephen King, although he said the films rarely match the quality of the books

Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption stands out as his favourite movie, a classic King novella

Favourite music: “I have a wide and varied music taste, so it would be unfair to pick a single song from blues to rock as a favourite"

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home. 

Company profile

Name: Thndr

Started: October 2020

Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: FinTech

Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000

Funding stage: series A; $20 million

Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC,  Rabacap and MSA Capital

Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas

Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa

Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong

Rating: 3/5

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MATCH INFO

Watford 1 (Deulofeu 80' p)

Chelsea 2 (Abraham 5', Pulisic 55')

Company%20Profile
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The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable
Amitav Ghosh, University of Chicago Press