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
Tania Patel, an enterprise customer manager for a software company, stumbled across pictures of Sharjah’s Masaar mega project by Arada online and decided to view it the next day.
Within a month, she and her husband Ahmet and one-year-old daughter Zaya, as well as their two cats and two dogs, had moved into a four-bedroom villa.
They bought it for Dh2.7 million last November, and it is now worth Dh3.4 million without factoring in any renovations. Ms Patel says there is nothing like her community anywhere else in the UAE and she hopes to stay for another 20 years, possibly more.
The National takes a look around.
Tell us about your home
It's a semi-detached villa with four bedrooms, but also has a majlis that can be used as another [bedroom] because it has a bathroom right next to it. We use it as my husband’s office.
We have the kitchen, a maid’s room with its own bathroom and upstairs are the four bedrooms and three bathrooms. There's also a very reasonably sized backyard.
Why did you decide to buy?
I first heard about this Masaar project, and there's another one called Aljada, in 2021, but I never thought about moving to Sharjah. Now I really regret not buying back then, because the prices were way less.
But it was Covid time and we were thinking about whether we would stay or not. That's when I decided to just park this idea to buy a house. We were working from home and living in Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai with the sea view and nice apartment.
Then last year I had a baby in August and it happened to us twice where we had to leave the house earlier than expected because the landlord decided to sell. We were living in Green Community in Dubai Investments Park. It was very green and we loved it, but the prices had started increasing dramatically.
We made the calculations and if we kept paying this amount, it would be the price of a house, so why not just buy one? When you have a kid, you want stability.
Why did you choose this community?
One night when I was breastfeeding my baby at 3am I was just scrolling on Instagram and saw the project and how green it is. I woke up my husband and said we’re going to buy a house here. He checked and said we’d look tomorrow, and we did.
The only problem was they didn’t have anything to move into right away, there was nothing left in the first phase. Our contract was coming to an end in December and this was October, so I went to the resale market.
A friend of mine is a realtor and I told him I want something in this community. He suggested Sustainable City or something in Dubai that’s closer to my work, but I sai: “No, this is the one.”
My focus was on this community. I didn’t care how far it was, because there’s nothing like this in Dubai. I’m sure that if a lot of people from Dubai come, they’d fall in love with it. I’ve already brought a couple of friends of mine over.
What do you love most about this area?
It’s the greenery. It gives this forest vibe. When the sales guy told me “you feel like you live in the forest or like in a resort in the Seychelles”, I was like: this is over selling. But, it's true. I really feel so relaxed and peaceful.
I wanted a place where my daughter can really respect nature. There are so many play areas for children and it’s really family-oriented. The people here have good family values and respect for others and yourself. And I really appreciate that.
What renovations have you done?
I’ve just finished the landscaping in the garden and I want to make some changes in the kitchen. But I don't think the house really needs much as it’s brand new – maybe in the future.
What facilities do you have?
The pool just opened three days ago and we have a volleyball field, but the best is what we will have.
We will have a school, that is under construction. We'll have a shopping mall, supermarket and fitness centre. We will have basketball courts, football pitches, and I’ve heard about tennis and padel courts. There’s a nursery coming and a mosque.
We also have a cycle track that’s open to the public and brings a lot of cyclists here on weekends.
How would you describe your interior style?
I would say minimalist/industrial. We really wanted minimalist as we have so many dogs and cats, it would be a headache to clean this house if it was different. We cannot have carpets because it will be a mess.
But I also want a very minimalist style with only really what we need, because this is also how we want to raise my baby. My husband is an interior designer and he likes the industrial style, so our living room is very industrial with wood and iron, while our bedroom, for example, is more minimalist.
I really think that less is more and your space should give you peace of mind, so you can relax. I hate clutter.
How long will you stay in this house?
I would like to say forever. I definitely know I will not sell this house any time soon. I don't plan to move away from the UAE until I retire. Once I retire, maybe I'll go back to Portugal, but I really feel at home here.
Even if I live here 20 years, I think I’ll still keep this house as an investment because I really believe that this community will develop massively. I think it was a very good investment that we made.
Or maybe I will move to Saro, the last phase here, and upgrade for a five-bedroom villa with a pool and keep this one as an investment to rent out. Who knows?
Vikram%20Vedha
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Gayatri%2C%20Pushkar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hrithik%20Roshan%2C%20Saif%20Ali%20Khan%2C%20Radhika%20Apte%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
THE BIO:
Sabri Razouk, 74
Athlete and fitness trainer
Married, father of six
Favourite exercise: Bench press
Must-eat weekly meal: Steak with beans, carrots, broccoli, crust and corn
Power drink: A glass of yoghurt
Role model: Any good man
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3EFounder%3A%20Hani%20Abu%20Ghazaleh%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20with%20an%20office%20in%20Montreal%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%202018%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Virtual%20Reality%3Cbr%3EInvestment%20raised%3A%20%241.2%20million%2C%20and%20nearing%20close%20of%20%245%20million%20new%20funding%20round%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2012%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202-litre%204-cylinder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E153hp%20at%206%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E200Nm%20at%204%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6-speed%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6.3L%2F100km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh106%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Rain Management
Year started: 2017
Based: Bahrain
Employees: 100-120
Amount raised: $2.5m from BitMex Ventures and Blockwater. Another $6m raised from MEVP, Coinbase, Vision Ventures, CMT, Jimco and DIFC Fintech Fund
The 12 breakaway clubs
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
More from Mohammed Alardhi
RESULTS
4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Yulong Warrior, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer)
4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Jordan Sport, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Conditions $200,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner: Jungle Cat, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Kimbear, Patrick Dobbs, Doug Watson
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $300,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Blair House, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $400,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: North America, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 $250,000 (T) 2,410m
Winner: Hawkbill, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
UAE v IRELAND
All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi
1st ODI, Friday, January 8
2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10
3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12
4th ODI, Thursday, January 14
What is tokenisation?
Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
How it works
Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
