Tell us about your bargain find. How did you come across it?
We live in a 4,000-square-foot bungalow in the Green Community West. It has four en-suite bedrooms plus a guest bathroom, with a living room, family room and separate dining room. We also have a large yard with lots of space for our three children, aged 15, 12 and 11.
I first looked at Motor City and, although I loved the style of the townhouses, it wasn't very different from apartment living. Then I came across the Green Community West in Dubai Investment Park — I liked it straight away and knew that was where I wanted to find our next family home.
Coming from the US, I'm used to real estate agents offering all the possible listings that are available in one state. But here I learnt that agents only offer specific listings. I also had very particular demands; for instance, I didn't want the villa to back onto a busy road. So instead of going to an estate agency and selecting from what they had to offer, I found vacant homes in the Green Community and called up the advertised phone numbers myself. This meant I was able to ensure that everything would fit our requirements. I eventually found the size and feel I wanted in our current home for Dh170,000. We managed to retain this rate when we renewed the lease this June for the second year.
How did you get such a good deal?
The really good deal was retaining the rental price on the renewal of our lease and it required some negotiation. Initially, it looked like our landlord was going to increase the rate. We explained to him that, as things stood, if he did put the rent up, then it wouldn't be covered by our housing allowance and we would be forced to leave. Fortunately, he relented, so we're still here, paying Dh170,000 annually through two cheques. This is a great deal considering we have friends in the community who rent a similar bungalow for Dh220,000. There are others who rent a bungalow for Dh160,000 as well, but their homes back out onto a mosque or a busy road, whereas ours backs onto a cul-de-sac.
What is the best thing about this property?
Everything about the house fits our family very well. A big plus is the neighbourhood. The Green Community is a place where you know your neighbours and your kids can ride their bikes around with their friends. It feels very safe and the kids have a lot to do. We also organise games nights and barbecues; we are starting a dinner club now that the weather has cooled.
Sounds great. Is there a catch?
The only catch for our home is it doesn't have a garden. But, we are lucky to have a wonderful landlord who is willing to split the cost of putting grass in the yard. This adds to the good bargain.
Where were you living previously? What made you decide to look for another place?
We lived on the Palm Jumeirah in a Shoreline apartment when we first got here in 2009. It was a three-bedroom home, for which we were paying Dh220,000. The Palm is a great place to start off for people moving to Dubai. It's centrally located and the restaurants are easy to walk to. But we missed the feel of a neighbourhood for the children. Also, the traffic is very bad so your kids can't play out in the front as it's not safe. Plus, an apartment was just too small for our family. We wanted to find somewhere that fitted our requirements better.
What is your dream home?
My dream home is in the Caribbean waiting for me to find it. I'd have a long dock covered with a palapa where you could sit and watch the sun set or spend the day fishing. The house would have plenty of room for guests and a kitchen where I could cook fantastic meals.
Deal of the month
What A four-bedroom bungalow in Green Community West, DIP
Market rate Dh190,000-Dh220,000
Danielle pays Dh170,000
Best bit Landlord shares landscaping costs, bungalow backs onto a quiet cul-de-sac
