We’ve settled into our temporary housing at Chelsea Tower (‘temporary hotel apartments’) on the 20th floor. We were supposed to have a 1-bedroom apartment, but since one was not available, they gave us 3 bedrooms (+ maid’s room), and locked 2 of them. This leaves us with a long walk down the hallway from our living room to our master bedroom. It also means we have 4 bathrooms, which is perfect for those times when we have another couple over and all four of us need to go at the same time.We started the search for our apartment. PwC has a relocation consultant (Simone) that is available to us to help us through the apartment search, as well as about anything else we need to get settled in. She’s also the wife of one of Jon’s colleagues, which makes it more personal. We’ve spent about a day and a half last week looking at apartments in a few different areas. We’re starting to know where we want to be, and now it’s getting down to the specific building and apartment. Some of the key factors include:
Location: The location is of course important, especially with the amount of traffic. A lot of cities’ traffic patterns roughly go from outside the city into the city in the mornings, and vice versa in the evening. Dubai’s layout is more of a long stretch along the coast, and since Dubai rents are so high, most people live in the neighboring emirate, Sharjah. So in the morning, traffic goes from Sharjah to Dubai (south) and vice-versa in the evenings.
Location: The location is of course important, especially with the amount of traffic. A lot of cities’ traffic patterns roughly go from outside the city into the city in the mornings, and vice versa in the evening. Dubai’s layout is more of a long stretch along the coast, and since Dubai rents are so high, most people live in the neighboring emirate, Sharjah. So in the morning, traffic goes from Sharjah to Dubai (south) and vice-versa in the evenings.
Cost: The costs for renting and buying in Dubai are outrageous. There is of course a wide range, but in general, we are looking at renting a 1 or 2-bedroom apartment in a desirable location in the range of 140-200K Dirhams per year ($38,000-$55,000 per year, or $3,100-$4,500 per month). Renters also have to provide a year’s worth of rent up front in 1 check. Fortunately, companies provide a living allowance that covers or mostly covers these costs. They also provide an interest-free loan equivalent to your living allowance to cover this payment, and then deduct money from your monthly paycheck so the loan is paid off in 1 year. It is definitely not a renter’s market. In many cases, you are not guaranteed the right to renew after 1 year. Also, places go quickly, so if you like an apartment, you have to be ready to pay within a few days and the contract will likely start within a week. Most buildings are only partially occupied (maybe 20%), yet the owners are not renting the units.
Quality: Almost everything is new. Most places are in good condition and spacious (especially coming from Amsterdam), and kitchens often include washer/dryer, refrigerator, freezer and oven.
Construction: Another factor in the search is the amount of construction nearby. The whole city is being built. It’s hard to get a feel for what that means without seeing it, but literally, construction is everywhere. Some areas are mostly completed, with just a little construction remaining, but most of the popular areas have major projects nearby. There are apartment buildings with 40 floors being built all over the place. Two big malls (including, of course, the largest mall in the world) are under construction and expected to be completed within a few months.
Quality: Almost everything is new. Most places are in good condition and spacious (especially coming from Amsterdam), and kitchens often include washer/dryer, refrigerator, freezer and oven.
Construction: Another factor in the search is the amount of construction nearby. The whole city is being built. It’s hard to get a feel for what that means without seeing it, but literally, construction is everywhere. Some areas are mostly completed, with just a little construction remaining, but most of the popular areas have major projects nearby. There are apartment buildings with 40 floors being built all over the place. Two big malls (including, of course, the largest mall in the world) are under construction and expected to be completed within a few months. 
1 comment:
Wow, I can't believe they want a whole year's rent up front! Thanks for writing up the blog, Jon & Simi. Good stuff! Keep it coming. Miss you lots in (sunny for the next two days) Amsterdam!
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