Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Accommodation in Dubai

I'm about to start looking for rented accommodation in Dubai for me and my family (wife and baby), and have a few questions.

1) How easy is it to rent direct from the landlord (i.e. cut out the agent and therefore the agent's commission).

2) When I see prices in Gulf News etc, are these generally negotiable or not?

3) I am budgeting up to about AED180K and need a three-bedroom place, preferrably a villa rather than an apartment, but don't need anything too fancy. Is it realistic to hope that I might be able to find a place in Jumeirah/Umm Suqeim for this budget?

4) Assuming I can't afford Jumeirah, I'd be interested to hear people's opinions of Satwa and Al-Barsha as places to live. I hear mixed things about both of them, but obviously they're more affordable.

Would very much appreciate any helpful comments on the above.

1. Its easier to go through an agency, saves you the trouble of paperwork, etc

2. All prices are negotiable... you just have to bargain and show them that you are serious. But with increasing demand the amount that you can bargain for is relatively slim

3. 180K is a good budget and you will be able to find what you are looking for.


4. I'd recommend Al Barsha as an ok place to live in, but just a few minutes drive away and you could get something in the Springs or Meadows which is excellent

Hi,
we live in Al Barsha in a 3 bed villa, (Semi). in answer to your questions and hopefully to help from experience....

1. try Gulfnews.com daily as some landlords do try to go direct. also drive around, we see a few signs in Al Barsha with 'direct with landlord' outside new villas. Al Barsha now seems to be a fast growing place (what with Mall of the Emirates) and prices are getting high.
we pay AED115K but the others owned by the same landlord are now going for AED160K as people move out.

2. definitely negotiate, on our last place we got a AED5K reduction, doesn't sound a lot, but i believe there is still room to haggle.
unfortunately AED180K is a good budget, but anything in the Springs & Arabian Ranches or properties over 250K seem to be the majority of what is available.

3. the trick, i believe is speed.....if you can pounce upon anything that becomes available do it quickly. we used to live on Beach Road, Umm Suqiem 3 and were troubled by traffic noise as our bedroom was at the front. Our friend has just got a place by the beach in Umm Suqiem for AED90K and it is old but lovely, so honestly, it is a case of being out daily for weeks looking and you WILL get something nice.

4. Al Barsha is good, if you do not mind the constant digging up of roads (ours has been closed off 5 times in one year) for laying of pipes etc...
If you can try to get jumeirah or Umm Suqiem (or even around Safa Park), i would recommend there. Satwa is OK, but traffic not the best.

the NUMBER ONE priority we have found is getting a really good maintenance crew from the landlord, here is great but on Beach Road was awful and we were constantly waiting weeks to get things fixed.

good luck!