Falconcity, anyone? Tucked away on Dubai's Emirates Road, this gated community of town houses and villas has been steadily attracting both rental and sales interest. And it's not simply because it proposes to offer life-size replicas of the seven wonders of the world, but because its enormous villas are pegged at unbelievably attractive prices.
Falconcity of Wonders, as it is widely known, has another factor driving up occupancy levels: its proximity to prominent educational institutions. This makes this development very popular among families. There is Jumeirah English Speaking School in Arabian Ranches, Repton School and Dubai Modern High School in Nad Al Sheba, and Dubai English Speaking College at Academic City only a few minutes away by car.
The school factor pulls in families
"A lot of kids in Falconcity are Reptonians. This has influenced several families to move to Falconcity from Jumeirah Islands, The Meadows and the Palm Jumeirah," says Raj (prefers to use only first name), director, Top Class Real Estate. The impending opening of a GEMS school in adjacent Silicon Oasis is likely to further enhance the appeal of this community.
With 320 villas handed over in phase one, there are a number of unit specifications prospective tenants and buyers can choose from — two-bedroom town houses going all the way up to five-bedroom detached villas (see table for details).
Small plot sizes
"The four-bedroom town houses are the most popular because of their sheer size. There is also a demand among end-users for large detached villas. Those who purchased in Falconcity were mostly investors from Iran, UK, India and Pakistan," Raj explains. While the built-up area of villas has earned praise, the homes have come under scrutiny for their small plot sizes.
Meanwhile, robust occupancy levels have helped to foster camaraderie among the residents; a few women have taken the initiative to launch a community portal for Falconcity residents.
Good communal spirit
Louise Grenville, a Falconcity resident says, "There is a good vibe. We have been to two parties in Falconcity and met lots of neighbours. I've befriended an Afghan family next door and have Indian friends down the road. Our German neighbours often wish us ‘guten morgen'. It's not a typical expat community but with a little effort, my experience is that everyone wants to be friends, regardless of where they come from."
At the same time, some residents feel Falconcity exudes a sense of isolation because of its location. Sanjay Keswani, one of the first few residents to move into the community, says, "It is definitely secluded because it's 20km away from the city centre. However, we really don't feel it once we are inside this residential community because it is almost fully occupied."
Not in the middle of nowhere
On the other hand, there are others who insist that the development is not as cut off as people perceive it to be. Good access to both Emirates Road and Al Ain Road brings all major destinations — the Dubai International Airport, Downtown Dubai, Jebel Ali and Sharjah — within a 15-minute radius, they claim.
"Mirdif City Centre can be reached in 15 minutes. I can drive down Al Ain Road and be in Wafi [Mall] in 15 minutes too. It's actually a great location if you don't mind driving," says Louise.
However, the main approach road from Emirates Road is yet to open to the public and residents currently use the temporary entry gate. Also, with the absence of street signage, it's a tad difficult for visitors to locate the villas.
Retail not accounted for
As is typical of a new neighbourhood, Falconcity has its fair share of teething problems. The developer, Salem Al Moosa Enterprise, is yet to make provisions for retail in the community. As a result, residents drive to Le Marche Supermarket in Arabian Ranches, Spinneys in MotorCity, Carrefour in Mirdif City Centre or the new Spinneys in Cedre Villas, Silicon Oasis to shop for essentials. Mobile supermarket operator Early Bird also delivers supplies in Falconcity between 8am and 9pm on Wednesdays.
Community too small to sustain retail?
"A small grocery outlet would be very useful and is probably the number one facility most residents would like to see here soon," says Louise.
However, an argument is gaining ground that 320 villas would not generate sufficient business to sustain a well-entrenched supermarket brand in Falconcity. Raj, who's also a Falconcity resident says, "The developer doesn't want to go in for a basic brand and change it later. The community is currently too small to sustain a supermarket. It's a necessity, but it's not feasible as yet."
The same logic is also being applied to justify the absence of a community centre. While online community discussion forums look at the possibility of the show villa being converted into a community centre featuring a swimming pool and a gym, this is not likely to happen under current rules. "As per the municipality regulations, you cannot convert a show home into a community centre. The size of the pool in the show villa is not sufficient for the general public," clarifies Raj. He insists a separate community centre will be built once the infrastructure work on phase two is complete.
Children's play areas not built yet
Another pet peeve of Falconcity residents is the absence of children's play areas. As a result, children and their nannies have to make do with the sundry green patches dotting the project. Louise says, "There are certainly a lot of children here, as evidenced by the number we see riding bikes, playing football and roller-blading in the quiet streets. Some of the communal areas have been set aside for children's playgrounds but sadly have not yet been built."
The community, however, scores on areas of safety and security. Speed bumps on the roads ensure disciplined driving. With families moving in, gates that were earlier open to construction workers have now been closed and there is round-the-clock security to man the gates. "The only access to Falconcity for visitors is through the security guards," says Raj.
The absence of public transport is a matter of concern. Louise says, "Cabs, however, now know where we are, so they come as quickly as anywhere else. Hailing one on Emirates Road is not advisable though."
Residents complain about the lack of a permanent mosque as well as medical services within the community. Al Wasl Hospital, American Hospital and clinics in Silicon Oasis and Arabian Ranches are the closest.
Noise of trucks from Emirates Road
Villas facing Emirates Road are bound to be affected by the noise of the truck traffic whereas those far inside the compound have no such problem. "It's very nice and peaceful here," says Louise describing her home. The land gap between Falconcity villas and Emirates Road also helps to cut out noise to a certain extent. "Our windows are air-tight and the soundproofing is good," Raj adds. Both villas and town houses come with a double garage and three free parking spaces outside for visitors.
While the current average sales price in Falconcity is Dh625 per square foot, it could vary depending on the villa location. Units located next to the entrance gate and facing the upcoming lake would fetch a premium. While the service charge specified in the Falconcity sales contract is Dh600 per month, the developer is yet to start levying it owing to the undelivered communal facilities. The development is not serviced by district cooling; instead, all villas run on split air conditioners.
"The quality of maintenance is above average. The community is kept very clean and is still under warranty," says Sanjay. Concurring with him, Louise adds, "The maintenance team comes quickly, often within minutes. Admittedly, we do have to call them very often but that is to be expected during the first year of residence in any new villa, to iron out problems."
A few eateries that cater to Falconcity households include Le Succes French Bakery & Pastries in Uptown MotorCity, Brit Balti at International City and Lucky's Pizza in MotorCity.
