My Dubai Rent takes you inside a reader’s home to find out what they get for their money, how much they pay in rent, and what they like and don’t like
Sangeeta Bora is new to Dubai, having only arrived in the UAE but has already found what she describes as her perfect home. She chose the one-bedroom apartment as she felt it offered a home from home in a vibrant Indian community, as well as being in close proximity to everything she could possibly wish for.
The 30-year-old Indian, who works in the PR sector, pays Dh60,000 for the home she shares with her seven-year-old son and husband. She invited The National into her home to show readers what makes it so special to her and her family.
Why did you choose to live here?
It's close to my son's school and there are two metro stations beside us, one to the left and one to the right. There is a strong Indian community with a lot of families around here too. It feels like the world is around a 10-metre radius from us.
My son has kids to play with and everything is nearby. Like you walk out of this place and you have your Pizza Hut, you have your Dominos, you have lots of restaurants, you have so many options. You just go out and you have it. You feel warm and positive because it's such a happening, family-orientated place.
Do you feel like you are getting value for money?
I definitely feel it's a little bit on the higher side. If it was around Dh50,000, I'd be very happy. This was the best option at that point of time though.
I'm pretty new to Dubai. We came in in April and spent three months in a serviced apartment. We viewed a lot of houses but this was the one that we loved because of the location and the light that comes in to our room.
What personal touches have you made to your home?
What we've done is we've made it a combination inside of white, black and grey. Those combinations make it livelier. We don't have a balcony, but we have a space in the hall, where the door opens out and we have put some plants there. Our hall is something that we love and we spend a lot of time there. We have a kid, so there's a lot of chaos and a lot of toys.
Do you see yourself moving home any time soon?
I want to stay here because of the location. I am not sure I could find anything similar for around the same price because the prices are going so high right now. I would like to own my own space maybe three years down the line. We are very happy right now. If we leave this place we would miss the location.
What about access to other parts of the city?
Because the metros are near, and you have two of them, you can avoid traffic when it's heavy. It feels like traffic has increased a lot but with the metros it's not actually that big a deal. I love Dubai so much but wherever I go, I know I want to return to this place.
Is there any downside?
It's expensive for a one-bedroom apartment and the building is quite old, it must have been here for at least 20 years.
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The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh12 million
Engine 8.0-litre quad-turbo, W16
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch auto
Power 1479 @ 6,700rpm
Torque 1600Nm @ 2,000rpm 0-100kph: 2.6 seconds 0-200kph: 6.1 seconds
Top speed 420 kph (governed)
Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
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Semi-final, first leg
Barcelona 1 (Malcom 57')
Real Madrid (Vazquez 6')
Second leg, February 27
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Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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The biog:
Languages: Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, basic Russian
Favourite food: Pizza
Best food on the road: rice
Favourite colour: silver
Favourite bike: Gold Wing, Honda
Favourite biking destination: Canada
Bio
Age: 25
Town: Al Diqdaqah – Ras Al Khaimah
Education: Bachelors degree in mechanical engineering
Favourite colour: White
Favourite place in the UAE: Downtown Dubai
Favourite book: A Life in Administration by Ghazi Al Gosaibi.
First owned baking book: How to Be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson.
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Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
The bio
Favourite vegetable: Broccoli
Favourite food: Seafood
Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange
Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania
Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.
Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
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MATCH INFO
England 241-3 (20 ovs)
Malan 130 no, Morgan 91
New Zealand 165 all out (16.5ovs)
Southee 39, Parkinson 4-47
England win by 76 runs
Series level at 2-2
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1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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