Not everybody gets to see his or her new villa or apartment taking shape. Faruk Roked, the first resident to move into Al Barari, ensured he did. He was personally there every week to witness the construction of his five-bedroom villa in the upscale community off Emirates Road in Dubailand.
Having bought the property off-plan in early 2007, Faruk was expecting the villa to be delivered by the end of 2008. But then the downturn struck the market, and understandably he became perturbed about the future of the project.
"I used to hear horror stories about projects getting cancelled and developers disappearing. A lot of projects were put on hold as well. So obviously, I was concerned because by then I had already paid about 50 to 70 per cent of the value of the villa," says Faruk.
That's when he decided to visit the construction site every week to see for himself if the work was progressing steadily.
During such visits, Faruk would often bump into Zaal Mohammad Zaal, the chief operating officer of Al Barari (just as he does even today during his daily walk) and discuss his concerns with him. "But after a while I was convinced that the project was on track because there were so many workers on site. What Al Barari did was to increase their workforce during the crisis, maybe because of the excess availability of labour, which enabled them to deliver my villa in November 2009, nine months later than the original completion date."
House hunt
Faruk, who moved to Dubai from London five years ago, always wanted to live in his own house. He has a small portfolio of properties in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah, but was prepared to wait until he found his dream home.
"I was looking for something which my family, comprising my wife and sons, Afzal, 16, and Samir, 13, would really love," says Faruk.
He considered a number of developments such as The Meadows, Jumeirah Islands, Palm Jumeirah and Emirates Hills before buying this villa in Al Barari.
"Basically what they had presented, attracted me - big quality homes out in the desert surrounded by a lot of greenery. When I saw the computer graphics of the project featuring waterways and greenery, I immediately liked it. Coming from England, you sort of miss the greenery in this part of the world," says Faruk.
"What Al Barari has to offer is much more than just the facilities. It's got peace and tranquillity. You are surrounded by amazing gardens. I usually go for a walk at the newly opened Mediterranean garden featuring lovely fountains and benches. My sons sometimes accompany me on their bicycles. The evenings are beautiful; you hear the birds chirping and see the grasshoppers and butterflies. It's all very nice and peaceful."
The villa has excellent build quality and is extremely spacious, something which Faruk really admires. Besides, the emphasis on security impressed him. "The security at Al Barari is extremely good. Without proper checking, nobody is allowed to enter the community," he says.
Faruk moved in as soon as his villa was ready, even though most of the facilities in the development were still under construction. "Since I was staying in a rented accommodation in Umm Suqeim, I was ready to move in even before all the facilities were in place," he says.
"It feels great to be the first resident of Al Barari. I've got used to the idea of having nobody around," he says with a smile. "Maybe six months down the line, my half an hour walk will turn into a much longer one because I will have many people to talk to in the park. Even in the first two months when nobody was around, we didn't feel the loneliness mainly because we had just got our own home and we were feeling so good [about it]. My children love this place too. They love the pool and enjoy riding their bicycles around the area."
Facilities? Not yet
Most of the facilities in Al Barari are expected to be ready by the end of the year. "Our villa has a pool where my children spend a lot of time, and then there are communal gardens. My favourite areas in the villa are the TV room and the basement which has a pool table and a home theatre system," says Faruk.
What particularly delights him is the location of the community. He points out how close are retail facilities such as Mirdif City Centre, Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates.
"For day-to-day requirements, we have the [retail outlets in] Arabian Ranches and Spinneys at MotorCity," says Faruk.
Besides residents don't have to look far for leisure facilities either. An avid golfer, Faruk is a member of the Els Club at Dubai Sports City, which is about ten minutes away. Then there is the Arabian Ranches Golf Club, as well. He expects the shops, community centre and restaurants within the development to be completed by the end of the year.
Access? Pretty good
Located just off Emirates Road, access to Al Barari is good, says Faruk. "It doesn't get congested very often, unless of course a major accident takes place. Al Barari has much better accessibility compared to Umm Suqeim, where I was living earlier. Shaikh Zayed Road and Al Wasl Road used to get gridlocked in the evenings. But Al Barari is only a 25-minute drive to and from my office in Jumeirah Lakes Towers. The Repton School, where my kids are studying, is also close by and easily accessible. Access to areas such as Downtown Burj Khalifa is pretty good through Al Ain Road, as traffic is free flowing all the time."
Maintenance? No problem
Although most of the villas are yet to be occupied, Faruk says the development has an excellent maintenance team in place.
"Al Barari has a very good 24-hour facility management team. Within 15 to 30 minutes of your call, they will be at your doorstep to sort out the issue. I call the manager personally for all my problems now, but soon there will be a dedicated number for all the residents. Zaal told me they would increase the strength of their team as more people move in." For now Al Barari appears somewhat deserted as many residents are yet to move in. Faruk says once all the villas are occupied and facilities completed, it will be a different scene all together - a vibrant community with a difference.
