Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

Hello all,

This is my first post!

I will be moving to Dubai next month for a 2 year secondment with my company (Head office in London). Very excited and can't wait. I have been there 2 times in the last 2 years and love it !

My company is a legal services provider and the Dubai branch is located on Sheikh Zayed Road, near the Fairmont Hotel.

I have been given an allowance of AED13,500 per month which basically needs to cover everything, apartment, car, furnishings etc etc. Generally, I am happy with my package, my salary gets converted into Dirhams and the allowance seems quite generous. I am single.

Ideally I'd love to stay on SZR but since I am going to be based there for 2 years, I have been recommended Springs or Green developments. I know these are quite popular. My question is why do all the adverts I see either describe the flat in 1 or 2 sentences and hardly ever come with pictures?!

Flat hunting is time consuming enough already. I get hotel accomodation for the first 2 weeks but then I need to find my own place.

I understand that the traffic from Springs/Greens in the morning should be ok, how long is the commute to my office on an average day? I need to be in the office for 8am.

I will finish work at 8pm too - is the commute ok on the way home duration wise? Ideally I would not want to commute for more than 30 min either way.

My plan is to get a 2 bed for AED120,000 per year (got lots of friends visiting) and use the rest to rent a car. Hopefully I can find a decent 2 bed apartment.

I understand that AED2000 per month can get you a Lancer or similar from Hertz? Can someone confirm?

Anyway, lots of things to sort out before I arrive, but I am so looking forward to the experience. Any comments gratefully received and thanks!

Springs are villas, Greens are flats, whatever you prefer. Spirngs are decent if not great quality, shared pools in only some of the developments. Greens places have shared pools in places too, often bigger than Springs.

Other option out that way is Dubai Marina, same commute, newer flats and better amenities. Might be a bit more expensive though.

Commute is say 20 mins from Greens, 25 from Springs that time of day, same on the way back.

Lancer is about 1700-1800 dirhams a month.

Lovely thanks for your input !

Is it worth investigating Burj Dubai? From what I can tell its still a construction site but I really like the location.

I have seen Dubai Marina. Looks lovely and will look into it further.

Can you or anyone give me a rough indication of how much a taxi ride will be to Fairmont, SZR from Greens/Springs or Marina?

Thanks!

About AED55 each way for taxis, it is roughly 25kms from the Marina/Springs to the Fairmont.

If you are based in the GReens?Spring?Marina side of town, you will be going against the rush hour traffic flow, so it will take you around 20-25 mins. Which coming from London is nothing, you won't be getting too far in 20 mins anywhere in Central London anyway!

Of course, the fastest and easiest way to go to the Fairmont is through SZR. But be advised that from July there will be tolls and you will be charged 4 Dhs each way. Unfortunately, this won't make much difference on your journey time, as there is no much traffic in the direction you'd be going anyway. So the only difference would be in your pocket! But again, compared to the stupid congestion charge in London (such a rip-off!) this is peanuts!

turbo_tamago wrote:Lovely thanks for your input !

Is it worth investigating Burj Dubai? From what I can tell its still a construction site but I really like the location.

I have seen Dubai Marina. Looks lovely and will look into it further.

Can you or anyone give me a rough indication of how much a taxi ride will be to Fairmont, SZR from Greens/Springs or Marina?

Thanks!

Apartments at "Old Town", Burj Dubai won't be finished until at least mid 2007. But going by the selling price, they will be probably be too expensive anyway.

I can't see the attraction with "the greens". The marina is much nicer, and without the ignorant tenants.
But why move away from the action?

Shk Zayed road is where I would start looking, and work your way out from there.

Why Springs/Greens? That's "too far" considering your office is on SZR (near Fairmont). If you prefer tall buildings, there are plenty of them in SZR itself. Probably you can go to office by walk. Else, there are many nice apartments in Mankhool residential area, very close to hapennings (downtown) but not very crowded. It's only less than 5 km to Fairmont (10-15 AED by taxi). Need more life? Golden Sands area is nice as well.