For Shekar Sheshadri and his wife, expatriates working in Dubai, the prospect of renting an apartment in the city seemed unrealistic just about a year back. This meant that they lived in Sharjah and travelled to Dubai daily. However, with rents falling, the Sheshadris have not only moved out of Sharjah but also upgraded their home and lifestyle.
"We moved to Al Khail Gate from the Abu Shagara area because the daily drive from Sharjah to Dubai was becoming unbearable. Besides, we were worried about the power cuts that we suffered last year," says Shekar.
"We now pay about Dh43,000 for a two-bedroom unit in four cheques, Dh10,000 more than what we paid in Sharjah, but our lifestyle is so much better."
It now takes Shekar only 30 minutes to reach his office in Deira, compared witha one- hour commute from Sharjah.
Similarly, for former Sharjah resident, Parvez, travelling from his home in Al Qasimiah to work in Jebel Ali was hectic. "I had to leave my residence by 5.50am to reach the office at 8.30am. The evenings were a nightmare as I used to reach home only by 8pm. Moreover, my daughter had to get up as early as 5.15am to be ready for her school bus which arrived at 6.15am."
Today, Parvez is a happy man as hehas moved to a one-bedroom unit in Al Qusais. He now pays Dh43,000 in rent — Dh10,000 more than he paid for a similar place in Sharjah, "but at least now, I am not tired and frustrated as I used to be. I reach home by 6.30pm and I have enough time to spend with my family," he adds. And for his daughter there are no more early morning hassles as her school is right across the road.
For many such residents, paying that extra amount has not been a deterring factor in comparison with the comforts of living and working in Dubai. "Travel time will always be a contributory factor in any decision pertaining to residential location. The time we spend in our cars is often looked on as time wasted, which could be better spent with the family," says Paul Musson, manager at Better Homes.
Easy road access, proximity to schools and the perks of an improved lifestyle are some of the main factors that residents consider when relocating. Also, with summer approaching, the fear of facing another bout of power cuts is pushing many tenants out of Sharjah to Dubai.
"The traffic situation definitely is one of the deciding factors in people choosing to move to Dubai. In recent months, due to the increasing number of new tenants in the Al Nahda and Al Tawuun areas, the main Sharjah to Dubai road (Al Ittihad Road) is as busy during rush hour as it used to be," confirms Lesley Preston, director, Cluttons.
Migrant hot spots
So what is available in Dubai as Sharjah residents consider convenience versus price? Paul observes that areas such as Al Qusais, Deira, Al Nahda (Dubai), Mirdif and Discovery Gardens are high on the list for these families. Average rentals in these areas, range from Dh30,000 to Dh35,000 for a one-bedroom and from Dh45,000 to Dh60,000 for a two-bedroom unit, according to Better Homes, A three-bedroom apartment can be leased for Dh75,000 to Dh95,000, something unimaginable in the boom days.
Additionally, new affordable communities such as Al Khail Gate in Al Quoz, Samari Residences in Ras Al Khor and Ghoroob in Mirdif are popular hot spots among many migrants from Sharjah. Al Khail Gate Phase I comprises one-and two-bedroom units with balconies, while Phase II comprises one to three-bedroom apartments without balconies. The rentals for a studio start from Dh25,000, while one-bedroom units range from Dh30,000 to Dh34,000. Currently, a two-bedroom apartment could be leased for as little as Dh41,000, while three-bedroom units are available for Dh52,000.
More than just location
But do these homes have something more to offer than their convenient geographic location?
For the Sheshadris, their home in Al Khail Gate is not only spacious, it is also well lit. Additionally, the development has ample parking spaces. In terms of facilities, currently Al Khail Gate has one small grocery store that offers home deliveries. However, residents could consider Lulu Hypermarket in Al Barsha or Carrefour at Mall of the Emirates, just a ten-minute drive away. For dry-cleaning services, Al Khail Gate residents depend on laundry men who function from outside the community. "You just need to call them and they come and pick up your laundry," says Shekar. The community has Du telecom connectivity. While its residents feel Al Khail Gate is conveniently located, you do need a car as it can feel as though it's in the middle of nowhere.
Looking ahead
While these new areas will need some time to develop into fully fledged communities, Lesley feels the prices are very attractive, "The more affordable areas of Dubai are certainly offering people a wider choice of accommodation, and the added attraction of moving into a brand new apartment is often very appealing to tenants."
However, experts say it remains to be seen what happens when the property market settles and starts recovering. "The trick is judging when that will be; until then, residents [could] enjoy what is, [currently] a tenants' market," says Paul.
Two-bedroom rentals
- Al Khail Gate: Dh41,000
- Samari Residences: Dh40,000 - Dh42,000
- Ghoroob: Dh51,500 onwards
You get:
- Parking
- A brand new home
- Spacious and well-lit apartments
- Less time on the road; for example Sharjah residents working in Dubai reduce the time they spend driving to work from around 1.5 hours to 30 minutes, approximately.
