My Dubai 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. Click here if you would like to take part in the series and show us why your home is so special.
Events company owner Catherine McEvoy lives in a four-bedroom villa in the Dubai suburbs within easy distance of her office and her daughters’ school.
She and her husband Ian, 51, who runs a beverage consultancy, moved to the UAE 14 years ago before relocating to Dubai in 2014, and continue to rent because of the flexibility it offers.
They now lease for Dh200,000 ($54,4540) a year in Layan, a Mediterranean-themed residential gated community in Dubailand, having moved everything including the mature trees from their previous garden.
Ms McEvoy, 43, also shares their home with daughters Orla, aged 14, and Ayda, 10, plus nanny Misiel, who has been with the family for 12 years, and their four pets.
She showed The National around.
Please tell us about the villa
It has four bedrooms, plus maids' room and four bathrooms. There’s an open living room/dining room and an upstairs living area opening on to the balcony. We have an open, double garage.
The villas here offer a huge amount of space, with generous gardens, while the community itself is relatively small. That means the facilities, including the pool and gym, are rarely busy.
Our outdoor space is particularly important to us, especially because we have our rescue dogs, Lucy and Mabel, and two rescue kitties, Sprocket and Smudge.
How long have you lived here?
We moved to Abu Dhabi in 2012 and lived in an Etihad Towers apartment, then moved to Dubai in 2014.
We were incredibly lucky to live in the same rented villa in Dubai for 10 years before moving. two years ago, into an almost identical property in the Layan community. While we’ve changed villas, we’ve definitely found the type of home that works for our family.
Why did you choose this area?
We had lived in Al Waha and absolutely loved it. When that villa was sold, we were fortunate enough to be at the top of the waiting list for Layan, so it felt like a very natural move.
The community landscaping is beautifully maintained, maintenance and service contracts are included, and the team is based on site, which makes life incredibly easy.
We had also recently decided to move our children to Fairgreen International School, which is just a three-minute bike ride away, so the location was perfect.
Even better, most of our children’s friends now live within cycling distance, which gives the community a wonderful old-fashioned feel.
The kids can jump on their bikes and go to each other’s houses, and we actually have children knocking on our door asking if ours are free to play – something that feels increasingly rare these days.
I run an events company and our office is nearby. Dubai’s infrastructure is constantly improving, particularly with new roads and projects such as the Umm Suqeim flyover, so we can get around the city very quickly.
What do you pay?
We had an amazing deal in Al Waha because we had been there for so long. In fact, our rent actually decreased over the 10 years we lived there.
Moving to Layan brought an increase, but for essentially the same type of property we now pay Dh200,000 a year. There are some significant benefits, though.
We have brand new AC units, which have made a noticeable difference to our Dewa bills, and all maintenance is included without question.
Because Layan is part of Dubai Properties, we don’t have a private landlord so we don’t have the same uncertainty around the property potentially being sold.
As renters, Layan gives us a real sense of security, which is hugely important when you’re putting down roots and treating a rental property as your family home.
How have you made it your home?
Sustainable shopping is something I'm very passionate about. Our home reflects that.
Almost all of our furniture we either bought new 14 years ago and have continued to use – re-covering pieces when we moved to Layan – or furniture we’ve found second-hand.
Dubai has an incredible second-hand market, with so many high-quality pieces available if you know where to look.
Our outdoor sofas, for example, were originally from Marina Home and were given to us for nothing. With some new wood stain and reupholstered cushions, they look fantastic.
When we moved to Layan, we actually brought our entire established garden with us, including five large trees that had been growing for 10 years. It was a slightly crazy undertaking but it made the new house feel like home almost immediately.
What amenities do you have?
We have a padel court, small football pitch, 25-metre swimming pool and very well-equipped gym.
There’s also a small but extremely well-stocked Choithrams supermarket and a little beauty spa within the community. We’re also very lucky with what’s immediately around us.
About 300 metres in one direction is a Spinneys, along with a few other shops, while 300 metres in the other direction is Sustainable City, with several lovely cafes, shops and restaurants.
Anything you would you change about living there?
I really love being able to walk or cycle everywhere, so I’d love to see a few more restaurants or bars open nearby. It would be fantastic to be able to walk out in the evening and meet friends without having to get in the car.
Are you planning to stay there?
We’ll stay in this villa until we eventually leave Dubai. It really is the perfect place for our family.
Considering the current market, I think it’s very good value for money. And although we don’t own the property, it genuinely feels like our home, which is ultimately what you want from somewhere you’ve chosen to live for the long term.
Have you thought about buying property?
We did consider buying in Dubai about six years ago, but ultimately decided to continue renting here and invest in a property in the South of France instead.
For us, it has been the best decision. We now have a beautiful place to escape to during the holidays, with enough space for friends and family to come and stay. It means we don’t have to spend our summers moving between people’s spare rooms.
We love renting in Dubai because it gives us the flexibility to live in a home and community that works perfectly for our family, while our property in France gives us that sense of long-term investment, and somewhere that is truly ours.
