Job Discussion Forums

dubaibound · Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 2

Hi all. I'm moving to Dubai in the next month and our housing allowance is 60,000 AED per year. We would like to be near the airport since my husband works there. I'm having a really difficult time finding places to rent on the net. They only seem to advertise super-high-priced accomodations.

Is there a web sit I can check out for this? I know word of mouth is the best method, so maybe some of you can recommend places for us.

Thanks.

adorabilly · Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 430 Location: Ras Al Khaimah

From what I understand, finding housing in dubia or even sharjah is pretty expensive. (I don't live there.. I'm in RAK where that 60,000 can get you a nice large 3 to 4 bedroom villa)

But have you tried
www.dubizzle.com (they have a housing/flat for let section)

or

http://www.gnads4u.com/

I wish you luck though.

kiefer · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 268

A word in your ear based on experience. Ads on the Internet are generally bait and switch. If you call about a 60,000 flat, you will more than likely find out that it's just been rented, however, since the agent is aware of your allowance, they will just happen to have something in to 75,000 to 80,000 range betting that you are worn out from house hunting or desperate to get into a place quickly. and won't mind paying out of pocket.

The same goes for ads in the Gulf News. "Sorry, we just rented that today, but if you can come up with another 15,000 they will show you something.

Prepare yourself to be laughed at when you mention your housing allowance--it's an intimidation tactic.

Who will you be working for? Do they have someone on staff who has his or her ear to the ground and can steer you in the right direction?

Try Rashidiya, Khawaneej, Mirdif or even Sharjah near the airport or Ajman. All or 20- 45 minutes from the Dubai airport.

If you don't mind the commute and judge the timing of Emirates Road or the 611 bypass, Um Al Qawain will certainly have a nice place in the price range.

Good luck!

Afra · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 389

At 60,000, the only place you are likely to get anything is Al Qusais, which would not be most people's first choice. However, there are some largeish apartments in the area and it's fairly easy to get to the airport, depending which terminal you are talking about.
Doesn't your husband's company have an HR department to help with accommodation?

like2answer · Joined: 21 Sep 2006 Posts: 154

delete

dubaibound · Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 2

adorabilly · Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 430 Location: Ras Al Khaimah

dubiabound...

alot of what you find here is by word of mouth. You know someone, who is renting a nice villa for a cheap cost and you speak to them.. etc..

Here is another website for property in dubai
http://www.dubaidonkey.com/

and this one
http://www.expatwomanproperty.com/

from here there is one property listed at 50,000 a year in international city
http://www.expatwomanproperty.com/PropertyDetails.aspx?pid=170

and according to dubizzle.com they have properties at international city for as low as 40k a year.

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

I don't know if it still works, but the system we Gulf vets used to use was to take an Arabic speaking friend and drive around the neighborhoods that we were interested in and look for signs. Also the boards in the supermarkets...

That was how one found the nice affordable flats. Has Dubai outgrown this system?

VS

007 · Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:18 pm Post subject:

ardiles81 · Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Posts: 71

...good luck, and hard in some areas though it may be, make sure you are well away from a Mosque unless of course you like disturbed sleep.