Picture yourself relaxing in the grounds of your rustic villa surrounded by fauna under the warm sunshine. The only sound piercing the silence is the birds chirping away in the trees. This could easily be a scene from one of those long and lazy summer holidays in the Italian countryside when the whole world feels as though it is at rest and the only thing to do is put your feet up, eat, drink and enjoy the surroundings. If Italy is out of reach because you are located in the UAE, then these kind of scenes are possible closer to home, just minus the rolling hills (and freezing cold winters). It isn’t unusual to come across rows of houses with bright stucco facades, sloped tiled roofing and ornate wrought-iron railings in Dubai, but while many prefer the modern take on Italian architecture, there are some that prefer to go heavy on the rural charm. This property is located within Jumeirah Golf Estates (JGE) which happens to have an abundance of homes that wouldn't look out of place in the Abruzzo. Set within the Lime Tree Valley enclave, it is developed by Chi-Sol Investments - the company behind the Hillside community at JGE which has a very different, more modern aesthetic The six-bedroom home, priced at Dh12.75 million with <a href="https://www.luxuryproperty.com/">LuxuryProperty.com</a>, has sections of rough stone and brickwork on the exterior and dark wood framing inside to accentuate the white walls. Spread across 10,200 sq ft, it has a triple height entrance hall, open plan living spaces and a huge kitchen complete with integrated appliances. One of the standout features is the basement that is divided into three rooms, with each containing a skylight, while one of them has portholes looking into the swimming pool which bathes the room in blue light. Outdoors there's a spacious lawn and a sizeable patio deck surrounding the pool that backs on to one of the main attractions - the Earth golf course. When you're looking out from the balcony or the multitude of windows at the rear of the house you can see straight out across a lake to the 16th green of the world-renowned course. Aside from the occasional cry of "fore", there shouldn't be anything to break the peace. <strong>Has there been an uptick in interest from buyers in this price bracket after long-term visas were announced?</strong> Yes, the long term visas have definitely piqued interest in both people looking to move into Dubai for the first time and those looking to move from rental to ownership. We've closed a number of deals where conversations around long term visas have definitely added to the client's confidence. <strong>Are you expecting to see a boost for Jumeirah Golf Estates on the back of its proximity to the Expo 2020 site?</strong> Yes, the beauty of Jumeirah Golf Estates is it is unique in terms of the style of the properties across the communities and the wide range of price points. New visitors to Dubai can sometimes be overwhelmed by the vast array of property available across expansive developments. In contrast, Jumeirah Golf Estates is a place where new visitors quickly feel at home due to the unique and relatively small communities. <strong>Is there considerable value for money to be had from these developments on the outskirts of the city? </strong> I would not consider Jumeirah Golf Estates to be on the outskirts of Dubai. The community enjoys good arterial road links to key areas of Dubai - along both Al Khail Road and Mohammed Bin Zayed Road - placing Dubai Marina, Downtown Dubai and Palm Jumeirah less than a 20-minute drive away. The quality of construction, coupled with the design aesthetic and the unassailable quality of living that JGE offers contributes towards value for money in my opinion.
