Tell us about your bargain deal.
We pay an annual rent of Dh215,000 for our four-bedroom villa in Meadows 1, which also covers general maintenance and pool upkeep. This is a big reduction from our first contract for this villa signed in August 2008, in which we were paying Dh350,000 plus additional charges for all the maintenance.
How did you manage to get this deal? Any tips for negotiating with landlords?
The global economic downturn is one of the biggest reasons we were able to get this deal. From being landlord-driven, the Dubai property market is much more reasonable now, with room for tenants to negotiate. However, remember that there is always an element of risk in negotiations with your landlord because you have to be prepared to move if you are unable to agree on the rent you are aiming for.
What is the best thing about the property you currently live in?
The location: we're near our youngest daughter's school and have easy access to Shaikh Zayed Road, Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) if we want to go out for dinner or to visit the beach. We can easily go for a game of golf at Emirates or Montgomerie golf courses. Besides, we have grocery shops such as Spinneys in close proximity. The Meadows is a great place to live in many ways, especially if you like to be outdoors or have children. We have different recreation areas to choose from — parks, playgrounds and community pools. It's safe, ideal for a walk or jog. The Meadows reminds us of Sweden because of its greenery and the lakes. We also have a magnificent garden where we entertain friends with barbecue parties. And it's a real luxury to have a private pool in our garden.
Why did you pick this community over others? Did you ever consider moving elsewhere?
When our eldest daughter moved to the Wellington International School we were planning to move house as well. We were looking for an apartment in either JBR or Dubai Marina. But we couldn't find an apartment with a big enough balcony at an affordable price. We were also reluctant to move because we love hanging out in our villa garden with friends and having barbecues. Plus, we go to Sweden every summer and only return a few days before our contract renewal in August.
How was your experience of arriving in Dubai during the peak of the property boom when rents were going through the roof?
We have been living in this villa since September 2008. In June the same year, my husband paid a short visit to Dubai to find a villa. From a Swedish perspective, it was a shock to realise that a property market could be so focused on the short-term. When my husband returned to Dubai later — two weeks before the rest of the family — he resumed the house hunt. A relocation company was involved as well but their services didn't impress at all. Since we knew beforehand that our eldest daughter, Lovisa, had secured admission to the Emirates International School in Meadows, we wanted to find a villa in the same area. But the property market was even more frenzied in August 2008. The prices were ridiculous; you had to take a decision immediately, and had to pay the annual rent as a lump sum in a couple of hours after you had found an interesting property. My husband finally zeroed down on the villa we currently live in.
What is your dream home?
In Dubai, my dream home would be a villa on one of the fronds of the Palm Jumeirah or a JBR penthouse with a sea view. On top of my wish list in Sweden would be a villa within walking distance to the sea. In winter, we could go cross-country skiing and ice-skate on the frozen sea, and during summer, we could go windsurfing.
What we probably won't be able to get there, however, is a beautiful skyline and a mix of multi-cultural neighbours.
