Gail Thompson's love for nature is reflected in her five-bedroom villa in Victory Heights, where she lives with her kids Stuart, 21, Tom, 16 and Isabella, 6. From the backyard she has views of the fairways, greens and landscaped areas of the Els Club golf course, designed by South African golfing legend Ernie Els. Then in the evenings she can watch the sunset fade, giving way to night skies.
"I prefer views to facilities," says Gail. "Waking up in the morning and looking at something beautiful is far more important than having a gym around the corner."
The move
Gail, from the UK, has a small portfolio of properties in the UAE in addition to her home at Victory Heights. Prior to moving here in January, she was renting a villa in The Meadows. "My landlord in The Meadows asked me to pay rent for three years in advance. So I thought of buying that property instead of paying this sum in advance. Then he came back with a ridiculous price, which forced me to go and look for other properties," she says.
She fell in love with the villa after her first viewing. "The moment I saw it I knew I was going to buy it. I liked everything about it. I liked the fact that there is a golf course close by, and the access to the villa was also pretty good. I actually did not look at any other property."
Gail was looking for a five-bedroom detached house with a reasonably sized garden because, she says, "I wanted toput a pool in the garden for my children." Since she often invites friends over for a party or a get-together, she also wanted a spacious house with an open layout. "As soon as I walked through the door I knew it met all of my requirements. I wanted a nice, open, airy feel to the property."
She considers herself lucky to have invested after property prices had plummeted. "It was a pretty good deal actually. Also, I bought it directly from the developer and not from a real estate agent so I saved a little bit of money there as well."
Although she's not prepared to disclose the sales price, a five-bedroom villa currently fetches Dh4.9 million, according to developers Arcadia and Dubai Sports City.
Sporting chance
While work on most of the facilities is under way, the community is relatively established, says Gail. "It's still developing, but what I like about it is how nice and wide the streets are and the fact that there is a lot of greenery around. The community is already quite mature. When you are driving in, you don't feel like it is a brand new development. They worked really hard on the common areas. We also have Dubai Sports City close by, which has a tennis stadium and an Irish Village coming up soon."
Aside from the cricket stadium and the Els Club, most sports facilities at Dubai Sports City have not yet been completed. Stuart plays golf at the Els Club courses while the proposed tennis academy will be a plus for Isabella. "It will be good when it comes up, because my little girl loves playing tennis," says Gail. "She used to play tennis when we were in The Meadows."
The fact that the property overlooks a golf course has two benefits, says Gail. "Firstly, there is never going to be anything built behind the house so the views will always be good. Secondly, my kids enjoy playing golf."
For shopping, she usually visits Spinneys in Motor City, a five-minute drive away. Victory Heights also has a small grocery shop which offers home delivery services. "Dubai Mall, a 20-minute drive away, is another option," says Gail.
"I go to the golf club at Arabian Ranches. Since you are on Emirates Road, driving Dubai bound is not an issue at all. You can get to town in 10 minutes and the airport in 25 minutes." Children's facilities are a work in progress. Of the two community pools being completed this year, one will be close to their home and is due to open in July.
That said, getting into Victory Heights during rush hour is a nightmare, Gail says. "Access is not that good coming into Victory Heights because you have to go up to Al Khail roundabout and take a U-turn, which is not ideal with all those trucks [there].
"Something that has to be addressed is the construction of a road that runs around the periphery of Victory Heights so you will have access straight on to the roundabout. When the flyover is open... it will make a massive difference."
Family friendly
From a family point of view, Victory Heights is a great option. "There are a lot of little parks in between the houses and lots of green areas. Developers also organise get-togethers for the residents which help us get to know each other very well, which, in turn, promotes the community spirit."
