My Own Home takes you inside a reader-owned property to ask how much they paid, why they decided to buy and what they have done with it since moving in
Corporate office manager Jessica Richardson and her business owner husband Kyle have spent all year renovating their golf course-facing villa in The Turf at Damac Hills in Dubai, which they bought in November for Dh8.3 million.
The couple have been living in and renovating houses to sell in Dubai since 2019 and now they’ve listed this property for Dh17.4 million, a price they realise they’re not going to realise overnight, but they’re enjoying what they’ve created as they wait for a sale to go through.
The 7,423-square-foot, four-bedroom home has a focus on entertainment and well-being.
The National takes a tour.
Tell me about your home
Jessica Richardson: We've tried to incorporate a holistic lifestyle, so we have a 12-metre infinity pool, we have the Jacuzzi and we have a spa, which includes a sauna, steam room and rain shower. They all have inbuilt music and smart home speakers in them.
We also have the bathtub by a picture window looking out on to the golf course. And we have a Nebula luxury ice bath being delivered this week.
We like to entertain quite a lot, so that's why we have put in the bar there, which is the entertaining hub of the home.
We both enjoy playing golf and we have the golf course views here. We're on the ninth tee.
Kyle Richardson: We've built a house that we really enjoy living in.
There’s a downstairs guest bedroom, so if family or friends are coming across, they've got somewhere to stay, and it's completely separate to the living arrangements of the family upstairs.
With the entertainment side of things, it’s open-plan living, so the open-plan kitchen keeps everybody together. When you are entertaining, friends and family are all in the large living area, and then with the bi-folding doors, which opens up the back of the house, you get the indoor-outdoor feel.
There is a quite a big emphasis on entertaining and keeping the family together so that we can all enjoy each other's company.
What other changes have you made?
Kyle: We sacrificed the maid’s room to create the steam room, sauna and plunge area. The beauty of that villa is that it also has an outdoor driver’s room.
Jessica: It has all the smart home features as well, so lighting, ACs, motorised curtains, blinds and the fires all work on Alexa commands.
We’ve got the starry lights in the spa that come on through the mobile application. We can use all this through our phones and have a safe, smart lock on the front door.
What have you done to the garden?
Kyle: There’s the front garden and the back garden. In the front, there’s a double carport, but then you have an area for plants.
We created a garden area with a five-metre ficus tree. At the sides of the villa, there are banana palms and coconut palms, so it does give a very tropical, sort of Balinese theme.
Jessica: It’s Bali meets LA style.
Kyle: Then the back garden: we’ve got a large weatherproof and waterproof outdoor TV and seating area, so anyone who wants to sit in the pool or enjoy the garden can be sitting and watching sports outside.
There’s an outdoor Jacuzzi, so you can sit in it as sun is going down and watch TV with a fire on at the same time. We’ve spent a lot of time and effort on getting the landscaping done correctly.
What do you love most about living here?
Kyle: Our daily routine is we wake up early, we go downstairs as the Sun’s coming up. The golf course is very quiet, it’s very tranquil. You’ve got lots of birds, which sounds very nice. Then we sit in the steam room and sauna with the spa music on, then go for a swim in the pool, which is chilled.
The first two hours of the day really encapsulates everything you need to set yourself up for a good day.
Why did you choose Damac Hills?
Kyle: The community has something for everybody. Obviously, you've got the Trump Golf Course, which is good. You've got the Par 3 course, which is entertaining, and you've got a good clubhouse.
You've got unreal sports facilities now. There are padel courts, tennis courts, basketball courts and football pitches.
They've got very good lakes, with ducks and geese and flamingos. There is a riding stable as well, an equestrian centre, cricket pitch.
The supermarkets they've got are really good. And then you've got the Radisson Blu hotel.
Jessica: The Damac Mall, which just opened a few months ago, has been a game-changer, really, because now, rather than just having a convenience store within the area, we have a huge Spinney’s where you can do your full weekly shop. There’s a Fitness First upstairs and eateries, chemists, hair salons and all that.
You just don't need to leave the area on the weekends any more.
Kyle: The location as well. You’ve got Hessa Street, Umm Suqeim, Al Khail Road and Emirates Road. Wherever you want to be, you’re always going to be around 20 minutes away.
And Damac is still very good value for money for what you get.
Where will you go next?
Kyle: Damac Hills ticks all of the boxes, but from an investment point of view we would look at pretty much all areas.
Jessica: It’s just the high ceilings of Damac and that modern feel to the villa and what we can actually buy for our money in this area.
Right now we’re in a VD one unit type, which is a 7,500-square-foot plot size, so the next step up for us would be into a VD two unit, which is 8,400 square foot and an 11,500-square-foot plot size. So that would be a bigger project for us.
At some point we do have to settle, but we're just continuing to go with the market while it's still strong.
Titan Sports Academy:
Programmes: Judo, wrestling, kick-boxing, muay thai, taekwondo and various summer camps
Location: Inside Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Telephone: 971 50 220 0326
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
THE SPECS
GMC Sierra Denali 1500
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Price: Dh232,500
Four-day collections of TOH
Day Indian Rs (Dh)
Thursday 500.75 million (25.23m)
Friday 280.25m (14.12m)
Saturday 220.75m (11.21m)
Sunday 170.25m (8.58m)
Total 1.19bn (59.15m)
(Figures in millions, approximate)
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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THREE
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CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
%3Cp%3E%0DElena%20Rybakina%20(Kazakhstan)%20%20%0D%3Cbr%3EOns%20Jabeur%20(Tunisia)%20%20%0D%3Cbr%3EMaria%20Sakkari%20(Greece)%20%20%0D%3Cbr%3EBarbora%20Krej%C4%8D%C3%ADkov%C3%A1%20(Czech%20Republic)%20%20%0D%3Cbr%3EBeatriz%20Haddad%20Maia%20(Brazil)%20%20%0D%3Cbr%3EJe%C4%BCena%20Ostapenko%20(Latvia)%20%20%0D%3Cbr%3ELiudmila%20Samsonova%20%20%0D%3Cbr%3EDaria%20Kasatkina%E2%80%AF%20%0D%3Cbr%3EVeronika%20Kudermetova%E2%80%AF%20%0D%3Cbr%3ECaroline%20Garcia%20(France)%E2%80%AF%20%0D%3Cbr%3EMagda%20Linette%20(Poland)%E2%80%AF%20%0D%3Cbr%3ESorana%20C%C3%AErstea%20(Romania)%E2%80%AF%20%0D%3Cbr%3EAnastasia%20Potapova%E2%80%AF%20%0D%3Cbr%3EAnhelina%20Kalinina%20(Ukraine)%E2%80%AF%E2%80%AF%20%0D%3Cbr%3EJasmine%20Paolini%20(Italy)%E2%80%AF%20%0D%3Cbr%3EEmma%20Navarro%20(USA)%E2%80%AF%20%0D%3Cbr%3ELesia%20Tsurenko%20(Ukraine)%3Cbr%3ENaomi%20Osaka%20(Japan)%20-%20wildcard%3Cbr%3EEmma%20Raducanu%20(Great%20Britain)%20-%20wildcard%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results
2-15pm: Commercial Bank Of Dubai – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (Dirt) 1,400m; Winner: Al Habash, Patrick Cosgrave (jockey), Bhupat Seemar (trainer)
2.45pm: Al Shafar Investment – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Day Approach, Ray Dawson, Ahmad bin Harmash
3.15pm: Dubai Real estate Centre – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Celtic Prince, Richard Mullen, Rashed Bouresly
3.45pm: Jebel Ali Sprint by ARM Holding – Listed (TB) Dh500,000 (D) 1,000m; Winner: Khuzaam, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
4.15pm: Shadwell – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Tenbury Wells, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.45pm: Jebel Ali Stakes by ARM Holding – Listed (TB) Dh500,000 (D) 1,950m; Winner: Lost Eden, Andrea Atzeni, Doug Watson
5.15pm: Jebel Ali Racecourse – Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,950m; Winner: Rougher, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
