My Sharjah Rent: Air Arabia pilot loves Dh40,000 Aljada apartment so much, he plans to buy

Jordanian resident Laith Mazen moved to Sharjah from Dubai last year, and now wishes he did it sooner

Laith Mazen pays Dh40,000 annually for a one-bedroom apartment in Solo 1 in Aljada, Sharjah. All photos: Pawan Singh / The National

The building Mr Mazen lives in

The living room

The kitchen

The bedroom

The TV area

One of two bathrooms

The view from the balcony

The gym near Solo 1

The swimming pool

The community is one of many by Arada in Sharjah

It's a very green neighbourhood

The playground

One of many restaurants in the area

The skate park

View of the restaurants near Solo 1

My Sharjah Rent takes you inside a reader's home to have a look at what they get for their money, how much they pay in rent and asks them what they like and don't like

Even though Laith Mazen has been working as a pilot for Air Arabia since 2017, he spent the first few years commuting for work to Sharjah airport from his home in Dubai – something he now says was a bad idea.

Last August, he moved from Dubai, where he’d been for 11 years, to a one-bedroom apartment in Aljada by Arada, which he loves. Today he says that, for as long as he is in the UAE, he has no plans to live anywhere else – and plans to buy a property in the area soon.

The National met Mr Mazen, from Jordan, to explore his apartment and discover what makes it so special.

What do you love about this apartment?

I live by myself in a one-bedroom flat. I have two bathrooms and one balcony, which is great. I don't have a view of any park, but there's a lot of greenery and trees around, in between the buildings. I can also see a swimming pool from here.

Why did you choose to live in this area?

At first I didn't know any specific place in Sharjah, but when I wanted to move because of the traffic in Dubai and because I fly from Sharjah airport. I started asking colleagues – pilots and cabin crew – about nice places to live. A lot of them recommended Aljada.

The Aljada community is filled with greenery. Pawan Singh / The National

I hadn't been here before, but when I went to look around, I loved it. That’s when I started asking for places to rent over here.

I was the first tenant to move in on the fourth floor. It wasn't really populated, but it's really nice. I like the people, they're decent people, and it’s quiet. It gets a little busy over the weekend when you go to the restaurants and stuff, but it’s interesting.

What do you love most about the neighbourhood?

I like the architecture and the vibe of the whole area, not just the house. Aljada is comforting.

When I have friends over from Dubai, as I’ve mostly lived in Dubai, at first they think it’s too far away and don’t want to come, but when they do they really love it. They don't realise there's something like this in Sharjah.

Seeing is believing, as they say, but Aljada you’ve got to see it, to feel the vibe. For example, during Ramadan, the decorations in the streets and the lights, it’s really amazing. It’s something to look forward to.

How have you put your personal stamp on the property?

When I moved in, I decided to get rid of my old furniture and bought everything new. So I have my own touch in the furniture, but otherwise the design is nice and not much needs doing.

Laith Mazen bought all new furniture for his apartment. Pawan Singh / The National

I love it. It's pretty. When I'm sitting in the living room and the sun is in my face, it has got a good vibe.

What facilities do you have access to?

I've got the gym and the swimming pool. There’s an underground car park and, of course, there are a lot of shops and stores, restaurants and so on.

You’ve basically got everything you need here. You don’t need to go out.

Would you consider buying a property in Aljada?

Definitely. Even two of my friends who came to visit loved the place so much, they bought apartments here because of me.

I’ve actually started the process of buying. I’m still just deciding which area I like best – which building to buy in.

Do you miss Dubai?

Dubai is a little busier, it has a lot of different communities, but for me the commute was pretty long. I like it here because it’s close to the 311, so even if I want to go to Dubai, it’s a couple of minutes and then I’m on the motorway.

But I rarely go to Dubai now since I moved to Aljada, probably just once every month or two to meet some friends. Most of the time I don’t even go to downtown Sharjah – I just work and hang out in Aljada. I usually walk around the whole area every night.

How long do you plan on staying in this property?

In this apartment, until I buy, but as long as I’m in the UAE, I’ll probably be in Aljada.