Job Discussion Forums

hassnen · Joined: 29 Dec 2006 Posts: 8 Location: London

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone could give me names or send me links to any estate agents in Kuwait please as I will be taking up a position there soon.

Thanking you in advance.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

If you are a teacher and thus have a limited budget, the best way to find affordable flats is the old fashioned way... you go around and look for signs and ask the Harass (watchmen). Rental agents tend to only have high end stuff.

Find out where other teachers are renting, check if their buildings have openings, and move out from there. I have never moved into a new department that one didn't get plenty of assistance from the other teachers to find a place. Within a week of my arrival I had moved into my place - one teacher referred me to the building of another teacher... etc... etc...

VS

hassnen · Joined: 29 Dec 2006 Posts: 8 Location: London

Thanks for the reply VS. However, I would like to know if you or anyone else could highlight the areas which are good to live in. My monthly budget is about 200-300 per month for a furnished or unfurnished apartment, including all bills. Is this a fair estimate or not?

Thanks again.

sharko · Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 29

I pay 250 KD a month for a small-sized (65m2) unfurnished apartment in a new building in Salmiya. Water and an erratic internet connection are included, but electricity is not. I am walking distance to supermarkets and malls, and enjoy beautiful views of the Gulf, when there aren't any sandstorms... With a 200-300 KD housing allowance, you will be able to find something decent. Other neighborhoods you might want to explore are Jabriya and Salwa. But that depends on where your job will be, so that you can avoid a steamy commute back home.

hassnen · Joined: 29 Dec 2006 Posts: 8 Location: London

Thanks for the information Sharko. I will be working in Safat and as I do not know where everything is in relation to this area, I would be grateful if you could let me know which areas are close to it. I tried Google but didn't really get any decent maps of Kuwait City. Thanks again.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

I wouldn't worry too much because you can't do much about this until you get there anyway. You want to find out where your work is and then work out from there for your flat search. Avoiding a long commute is a good idea.

Safat may only be the mailing address...

VS

miski · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 298 Location: Kuwait

There's really no such thing as a long commute in Kuwait, and often living near where you work, it might take you longer to drive there than if you lived 10KM away! For example it takes me 12-15 minutes on a good day to drive from Fintas to Salwa but it takes my friend just as long to get from Rumaithiya to Salwa ( traffic lights, jams etc).

Don't choose a real estate company to rent as they charge a finding fee. Best idea is just to drive around and look for 'for rent' signs. In the mean time you can get part time lets through agents for a daily fee (Q8 expats ).

Good luck.

15yearsinQ8 · Joined: 17 Oct 2006 Posts: 462 Location: kuwait

try getting a friend who can read arabic to scan the little classified papers for 'mhohawks'
which are the 2/3 rooms on the back of most kuwaiti houses - normally used for storage/kitchen and a room for maids to chill out...
they're cheaper and i sense you want a deal

miski · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 298 Location: Kuwait

15years

Do you really think a mulhaq is such a good idea? I think nwadys you can probably get a small flat for 150-220. Years ago mulhaqs were quite a good deal ( a friend I know had one in Slawa and loved it )but there is so much more out there now-especially south of messila.