Five hundred Emiratis were given a first glimpse of their villas in the newly developed Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed City, a Dh1.9 billion housing community in Fujairah.
Families were given their villa number this week and can expect the keys in the coming weeks.
The 2.2 sq km district in Al Hail near Fujairah city was recently completed on the orders of the President, Sheikh Khalifa, to improve local residents' quality of life.
Ali Al Dhanhani received a text message last week to come and pick up his villa number.
“I was at work when I received the message. I couldn’t believe my eyes and I’m surprised,” said Mr Al Dhanhani, who has waited 10 years to hear the news.
“I didn’t tell anyone, not even my wife until I made sure that it is 100 per cent true."
Mr Al Dhanhani currently pays Dh55,000 a year in rent for a three-bedroom apartment with his wife and four children and is looking forward to having much more space.
He visited the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development on Wednesday to complete the final paper work.
He picked a villa number at random from a glass bowl.
“I was granted a five-bedroom villa,” said Mr Al Dhanhani, a 31-year-old who works for the military.
“I’m planning to surprise my family by taking them to see the villa.
“Our rulers and leaders always think about us and our needs and we are very grateful for that."
Several government committees including Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Court assigned the villas to eligible Emirati families.
Sulaiman Al Dhanhani, who also works for the military, was invited to pick his villa number.
“I have waited for so long for this moment and I still can’t believe it,” said Mr Al Dhanhani, 41, who applied for a housing grant in 2015.
“We will finally move to a place that we can call home and leave the apartment that we are renting now,” he said.
Mr Al Dhanhani lives with his three children in a three-bedroom apartment and pays Dh52,000 rent. He was granted a five-bedroom villa.
“The process was smooth. I can’t wait to take my family to see the city and our new house; they will love it,” he said.
Emirati brothers, who have been granted villas at Mohamed bin Zayed City, were given the option to pick adjoining villas.
Owners can also ask to swap homes under committee rules.
Umm Abdullah, a 43-year-old divorced Emirati mother of seven, was granted a villa at the housing complex.
“I applied for a housing grant in 2012 and I’ve been granted a four-bedroom villa. I am thankful to our government’s efforts,” said Ms Abdullah.
Adel Al Dhanhani came with his wife to pick the number of their five-bedroom villa.
“It is going to be our big family house and my children will be excited to live in the city,” said Mr Al Dhanhani, a 44-year-old Emirati father of seven.
The completion of the community - which has 20 public parks - was announced on February 11. It will be home to 7,000 Emiratis.
Schools, mosques, shops, a cultural centre and majlis are due to open in the near future.
