Property Weekly meets two families who talk about the upside of owning a home in Dubai
Whether enjoying the view of a spectacular skyline from your high-rise apartment or the joy of landscaping your own garden, Dubai has something for every homebuyer.
Here are two families who tell us the reasons behind their investments:
Neha and Rahul Bhatia, Jumeirah Lakes Towers
High-rise perks
Rahul and Neha Bhatia moved to Dubai from Delhi in 2013 and could not resist the urge to put down roots here.
Five years later, their family has expanded to include two kids and Dubai most definitely is home for them — a fact that is evident when one steps into their vibrant two-bedroom apartment in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT).
The couple are no strangers to owning and plunged into the city’s property market in 2014.
While the apartment they bought then in Jumeirah Village Circle was purely for investment, with their second buy they were intent on finding a home and JLT fit the bill.
So why an apartment over a villa? For Neha it was the feeling of living in a bustling apartment tower that appealed to her the most.
As with most good things in life, the couple felt an instant connection when they first walked into their current home.
Green fix
Not a single element of the apartment is an afterthought, from the travel feature wall in a partially concealed alcove off the living room that showcases the countries they’ve visited, to a charming little reading nook with yellow wingback chairs that also give the family their green fix as it overlooks a verdant space in JLT.
As for advice for first-time buyers, Rahul has five stellar tips: “Be very clear about what you want, don’t stretch your budget just because you like something, don’t be in a hurry to buy, don’t buy in the first two years of moving and make sure you’re aware of the laws and regulations.”
Archi and Abhishek Gupta, Emirates Hills
Aspirational address
What do you do when you’ve lived in a city for more than 30 years? Find a beautiful space that reflects your connection to a place you truly consider home. For Dubai-raised Abhishek Gupta and his wife Archi, this was a key factor that governed their property hunt and drew them towards Emirates Hills.
“[It is] a community where you don’t just have to settle for a ready-made unit. You can incorporate different aspects of your personality while building your home,” the couple say, explaining their choice of the upscale community.
Options
Their search within Emirates Hills took a fair amount of time as most plots are pre-owned and built to specification by previous owners resulting in numerous options.
A major factor that dictated their checklist was having to take on board the preferences of Abhishek’s parents who live with them. Having two dogs meant the property also had to be pet friendly.
And as a new mother, Archi wanted features such as “cycling tracks and community pedestrian gates for children who study at the nearby Dubai International Academy”.
The outcome of their two-year search is a luxurious five-bedroom with a basement, gym and separate staff quarters.
The couple take pride in their garden dotted with banana, mango and pomegranate trees, all personally tended to by the couple. There is a gazebo overlooking a private pool and soothing fountains in the backyard.
Being in the real estate business has also given Abhishek an edge when it comes to making sound investments in Dubai.
Bullish on real estate
He describes himself as being very bullish about real estate in Dubai.
“Even if a person were to foresee being here for a six-year haul, I’d advocate buying,” he says.
For homebuyers, Abhishek also suggests enlisting the services of a real estate broker.
“Over the years, Dubai has a fairly mature agency network compared to what it was 10 years ago. There are specific agents for specific areas. These agents have their own skill sets and know the law of the land.”
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