My Own Home: Filipina entrepreneur lives with her mother in Dh750,000 Dubai Sports City apartment

Giebeth Laxamana is keen to inspire other Filipinos to buy their own properties in the UAE

Giebeth Laxamana owns a one-bedroom apartment in Dubai Sports City. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National

The view from the balcony

The living room with a Christmas tree

The dining area

The kitchen is semi-closed

The kitchen

The bedroom

The bedroom has an en suite bathroom

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

Filipina entrepreneur Giebeth Laxamana, who runs a short-term property rental company, has been living in the UAE for 12 years. After her mother moved in with her, she decided to take the plunge and buy their own one-bedroom property in Dubai Sports City in January.

At Dh750,000 ($204,000), Ms Laxamana says she got a great price on the apartment, as it’s already worth at least Dh50,000 more. But she doesn’t plan on going anywhere for at least three years, since she believes her investment will only continue to appreciate.

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The National takes a look around.

Please tell us about your home

This is a four-year-old building in Sports City. It’s still not a congested community, like other similar communities. It’s a high-storey building, so my view is great as I’m on the 21st floor and I see The Els Club golf course and I can see both the sunrise and sunset from my apartment.

I have a very small balcony and the place has a good vibe. The layout is spacious, the kitchen is semi-closed. The bedroom is also huge, so you can work in there and hang out in there for a longer time. There’s an en suite bathroom and we have a washroom.

Why did you choose this property?

I bought the house earlier this year, in January − I knew the owner. When my parents moved here back in 2024, I had been living in a studio apartment in JVC for the previous four years. We couldn’t fit, so I said, 'let’s move to a one-bedroom'.

The view from the apartment. Antonie Robertson / The National

This property was for short-term rent at the time because it’s fully furnished. When we moved in I said I’ll rent for a year, but give me six months and − I don’t know how I’ll do it − I’ll buy the property.

So, I rented it first for Dh60,000 for four cheques. We made a draft contract, then got the pre-approval and I bought it in January after six months.

Why did you decide to buy?

As a Filipina worker who’s been here for 12 years, one of my goals was to have my own property, because I know for sure that rent is increasing. It is my way of trying to build assets. I mean, when I rented it out at Dh60,000, it was Dh5,000 monthly. When I shifted to a mortgage, even though the duration is 25 years, I’m just paying Dh3,000 to Dh3,500 a month.

My other goal is also to let Filipinos know that we are able to buy property here because most of us are not aware of that. In the next three years, when you’re calculating the rent, that’s the equivalent of the downpayment and in the long run it will give you a better financial return because you’re using it. When you’re renting, it’s like throwing your money away. Yes, you’re using it, but if you plan to use it for some time, at some point you want to build wealth and it will come back to you later on as your asset.

You don't need to start from Dh1 million. You can start small. If you’re single or a couple, start in a studio and those prices start from Dh600,000. In real estate, you just need to start now. There’s no perfect timing because at some point there will be ups and downs in the market, but if you’re going to use it for yourself, you don’t bother what the price is doing.

How much did you buy it for?

I bought it for Dh750,000, which is a great price. In the prior contract I told him let’s set the price because I knew for sure in the next six months, it’ll go up.

Right now, in my building, sellers are selling their properties from Dh800,000 to Dh850,000 and my unit size is way bigger, it’s 943 square feet. I could easily sell it for a minimum of Dh800,000 after six months of living in it.

What facilities do you have?

It has basic amenities, like a swimming pool, gym and children’s playground.

Have you done any renovations?

I haven’t but I’m planning to early next year. The colour of the walls is a bit yellow, so I want to change the paint completely.

The open-plan living and dining area. Antonie Robertson / The National

I want to have mini divisions between the living and dining room areas. I also want to change the kitchen and put a wardrobe in the bedroom.

Why did you choose Sports City?

Sports City is an older community and quiet. It’s a mix of villas, there isn’t so much construction. I think as far as I know there are nine to 10 new projects, which is less compared to other communities like JVC and Arjan.

It’s a good community when it comes to access to roads – we have three exits here, with access to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Hessa Street and towards the Tilal Al Ghaf area.

Another thing I considered when I bought this property was whether it was easy to sell. That’s one of the first things you need to look at. This community has a diverse mix of people, so that means it should be easy to sell.

How would you describe your interior design?

It's pretty basic. It’s not luxurious. I bought it furnished already and because I’m living with my mum, you know mothers put small things here and there. I have a dog as well. That’s another good thing about the building – it’s pet-friendly.

We’ve just made some tweaks here and there. I have my coffee machine area, so that’s my thing. We also have a Christmas vibe going on right now, because Filipinos start celebrating Christmas in September.

How long do you plan to stay here?

If my father and sister come back, then we’ll need a bigger space. I’m looking at this from an investment perspective as well, so I’m looking at like three to five years staying in this building.