My Own Home: Couple’s first Dubai property surges in value by Dh1 million in a year


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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

Imran Ahmed, who works for British research firm YouGov in the UAE, and his wife Neelofar Rafique-Ahmed, a former legal business manager turned freelance children’s illustrator, moved to Dubai from London six years ago after visiting the city on their honeymoon.

Now, they can’t see themselves going anywhere else any time soon.

The couple bought their first property for Dh2.35 million ($626,000) last year after renting in The Greens for five years, and they couldn’t be happier with their decision to buy in Dubai South.

They only moved in last October, but already they’ve been receiving offers that are nearly Dh1 million over their buying price.

The National takes a look around.

Please tell me about your home

Imran Ahmed: We bought a three-bedroom corner villa in The Pulse Villas, in Dubai South.

As it’s a corner unit, it affords a bit more land in the back, which is one of the main reasons why I bought it – we wanted some outdoor space.

It’s also got three en suite bedrooms and a nice little mezzanine upstairs.

Neelofar Rafique-Ahmed: It has a closed-off kitchen, which was one of our criteria.

We have a nice living space where we can have a large dining table and a larger sofa, so we can have lots of gatherings, and also a lovely garden.

Having a good-sized back garden was an attraction for Imran Ahmed and Neelofar Rafique-Ahmed. Pawan Singh / The National
Having a good-sized back garden was an attraction for Imran Ahmed and Neelofar Rafique-Ahmed. Pawan Singh / The National

Why did you decide to buy?

Neelofar: We moved here in 2018 and we decided to go for a two-bed apartment in The Greens, and we really enjoyed it there. But I think when it came to covid time, we just lacked that open space.

We had a balcony, which was lovely, but that was the precursor for us going and trying to get a new property, in particular a villa.

Imran: We thought, we’ve been here five years and we're really enjoying our time here, we can see ourselves staying here for a bit longer as well. So, why not invest?

In terms of finances, it just made a lot more sense to own than paying someone else's mortgage.

How much did you buy the property for?

Imran: We got it for Dh2.35 million. In terms of investments, it has been fantastic.

Obviously, since they announced [the major expansion of] Al Maktoum International Airport, the area has seen massive appreciation.

We’ve already had offers in excess of Dh3.2 million, so it’s been great.

Why did you choose Dubai South?

Imran: We knew that, longer term, it was the plan to build up this area and that the UAE generally delivers on their promises, so we were confident they were going to build this airport, and it was going to become the hub.

It's going to be very convenient when it's finally built for us as well, because we like travelling, so we're looking forward to an easier commute to the airport.

Dubai South received a boost from the announcement of the expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport, scheduled to be complete by 2030. Pawan Singh / The National
Dubai South received a boost from the announcement of the expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport, scheduled to be complete by 2030. Pawan Singh / The National

It is a bit further out from the hustle and bustle … but I think we felt like a bit of a change. We wanted somewhere a bit quieter and they built a really nice little community here.

It’s around 350 villas only at the moment, but everyone has moved in. They've come from all sort of backgrounds. We've really got to know our neighbours.

Neelofar: It’s just very, very pleasant. It's nice to settle down somewhere where you have a variety of people.

We've also got good shops here, we're getting some transport links here soon.

Imran: For me, the commute and connectivity is great. We’ve got the E 611 and Expo Road as well.

My commute to work is about 20 to 25 minutes and it’s all against traffic.

What facilities do you have access to?

Imran: We’ve got a large LuLu Hypermarket really close by.

They've also got communal football, basketball, tennis and padel courts that you can very easily access within walking distance.

There’s a skate park and then we’ve also got our own community centre, which has got a swimming pool and a really nice gym.

What renovations have you done?

Imran: We built a barbecue and outdoor kitchen right in front of the sliding doors from the living area, so we've got sort of an indoor-outdoor living situation.

We actually just finished our utility room.

Neelofar: We’ve put in a bookshelf upstairs on the landing as we had this little nook in the corner. You can go upstairs and it’s so quiet, and you can have a read in the reading corner.

The couple have put in a reading nook on their landing upstairs. Pawan Singh / The National
The couple have put in a reading nook on their landing upstairs. Pawan Singh / The National

Imran: We added some workspace in the kitchen, some extra units and a bit more storage. We’ve spent probably another Dh100,000.

Now we just want to do some further decorating. We’ve still got some paintings we want to put up and a few pieces on order that we’re waiting to arrive.

What was your experience with your contractors like?

Imran: We’ve used a mixture of contractors and the most recent one was an absolutely brilliant experience. They came in, did the work within a week, most of it was done off site. They brought it in and installed everything in one day and cleaned up after themselves.

We’ve been very fortunate in terms of the recommendations that we’ve had.

Neelofar: Because we were first-time buyers, it can be hard to know where to go and what type of help we need. But it’s worked out for the best and we’ve made some good friendships with people and the workers and we’ll continue with them.

Imran: The other thing is we feel comfortable spending on the house. When we were renting, we hardly touched the place we lived in for five years. Now we’re spending on it and really making it our own.

How would you describe your interior style?

Neelofar: Stylish, but minimalist. The palette for the colours is very minimal.

We've gone for a neutral grey, with marble on the wall, which is grey and white. There are splashes of brown in places. We just wanted it to be fresh.

Imran: It’s a bit more modern, we’re not really into all the old stuff.

Neelofar: It just matches the style of the house, so something simple and basic.

How long do you see yourself living in this house?

Imran: I guess as long as we're in Dubai. Unless something big happens, I can't see us wanting to move any time soon.

If a good offer comes in that we can’t refuse, then we could potentially get moving, but for the moment we’re really enjoying it.

Neelofar: With so many developments in the area coming up, it’s nice to just stay.

Imran: And I think it’s only going to get better. They’re building a mall here soon. There’s a whole bunch of stuff that’s going to come here that’s going to make it even more liveable.

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Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi

From: Dara

To: Team@

Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT

Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East

Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.

Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.

I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.

This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.

It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.

Uber on,

Dara

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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Who was Alfred Nobel?

The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

  • In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
  • Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
  • Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs

Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor

Power: 843hp at N/A rpm

Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km

On sale: October to December

Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)

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Cricket World Cup League Two

Teams

Oman, UAE, Namibia

Al Amerat, Muscat

 

Results

Oman beat UAE by five wickets

UAE beat Namibia by eight runs

Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs

UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets

 

Fixtures

Saturday January 11 - UAE v Oman

Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia

Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

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Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

Wicked: For Good

Director: Jon M Chu

Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater

Rating: 4/5

Results

Stage seven

1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 3:20:24

2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1s

3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 5s

General Classification

1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 25:38:16

2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 22s

3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 48s

We Weren’t Supposed to Survive But We Did

We weren’t supposed to survive but we did.      
We weren’t supposed to remember but we did.              
We weren’t supposed to write but we did.  
We weren’t supposed to fight but we did.              
We weren’t supposed to organise but we did.
We weren’t supposed to rap but we did.        
We weren’t supposed to find allies but we did.
We weren’t supposed to grow communities but we did.        
We weren’t supposed to return but WE ARE.
Amira Sakalla

White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogenChromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxideUltramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica contentOphiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on landOlivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

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Living in...

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Squid Game season two

Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk 

Stars:  Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun

Rating: 4.5/5

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FIGHT CARD

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Catchweight 80kg​​​​​​​
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Lightweight
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Updated: September 04, 2024, 3:00 AM