My Own Home takes you inside a reader-owned property to ask how much they paid, why they decided to buy and what they have done with it since moving in
After more than a decade of living in Ras Al Khaimah, stay-at-home-mum Shraddha Bhandari and her paediatrician husband finally decided they were here for the long haul – and bought a house for them and their two children to live in.
They moved into the Dh2 million four-bedroom villa in Mina Al Arab in October last year and can see themselves living there for at least another eight to 10 years, perhaps even more.
The outdoor space, the light and airy interiors, as well as the safe neighbourhood are what drew them here.
The National takes a look around.
Please tell us about your home
It has four bedrooms plus a maid’s room and three separate outdoor spaces – the backyard, a courtyard and a small garden in the front of the house.
This is the main thing that attracted me to this house, because I personally love gardening and growing food, fruits and flowers.
The minute I walked into the house, I was thinking about how I was going to use this open space.
Why did you decide to buy?
The first house we bought was in our home country, because originally the plan was to stay here for a while and then go back.
But eventually, after seven or eight years, as the kids were also growing up, we got comfortable, and the moving-back-to-our-home-country plan was always delayed.
When Covid hit, we just realised we are never going back. We are here for the long run.
I love this country. It is safe. And for my kids, this is home. India is no longer their home. They really long to come back to the UAE when they are there.
Before buying this house, we were looking at buying properties for at least two years. Sometimes the price wasn't right, sometimes the location wasn't right, sometimes it was too small, sometimes it was too old.
We instantly liked this house; it is really airy, open, there is a lot of light coming in, which makes it feel even bigger.
Why did you choose Mina Al Arab?
The two main areas where people end up buying properties in Ras Al Khaimah are Al Hamra and Mina Al Arab.
Al Hamra was the first area developed purely with the view of selling to expats. So, those are the older properties and you can see it when you go and have a look around the houses.
The community is also not as green as in Mina Al Arab and the houses are smaller.
Those were a couple of factors that brought us to Mina Al Arab as compared to Al Hamra, although we do have friends living there and they love it.
For me, it was the looks and the layout and the size of the house, and also because I want to do a lot of gardening.
What facilities do you have access to?
This is a gated community, so there's security 24/7 and we've got access to swimming pools and a clubhouse. We have a walking and cycling track throughout the community from one end to the other.
We also have a complimentary buggy service because the community is really big, so sometimes it is not possible for you to walk from point A to point B, especially if it’s hot.
We also have a lot of cafes and supermarkets and places to chill in the area.
Each block of houses has their own playground for the kids to play in. The same goes for the swimming pools.
What renovations have you done?
We have done very minor adjustments. One of the walls in the living room we had painted in a bright blue colour, just to bring some colour into the house. We did the same for the kids’ rooms.
The garden was one area that needed major renovations as it was overflowing with weeds and dead plants. It needed a lot of care and work and attention.
In the kitchen we turned some of the cupboards into a pantry and got more shelves built.
Originally the kitchen was an open kitchen, but we designed it in a way so that it became a closed-off area using a sheet that gives the appearance of a wall. We now use that as a picture wall.
Overall, we’ve spent about Dh50,000 on renovations.
How would you describe your interior design?
It is a very functional house, with no unnecessary stuff. It’s very open, very minimalistic.
When my kids were young and really small, there was a lot of stuff that I accumulated. In the past two or three years, I'm in this mood or mindset where I don't really buy anything unless it’s going to be useful in two or more ways.
I'm actually giving away or throwing away a lot of stuff, just decluttering my house.
How long do you think you'll stay in this house?
I think at least for the next eight to 10 years.
My younger child is nine years old, so I think until she moves to university and for higher education, definitely we are going to be here that long, probably even longer.
List of alleged parties
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May 20, 2020: They attend 'bring your own booze party'
Nov 27, 2020: PM gives speech at leaving party for his staff
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Roll of honour
Who has won what so far in the West Asia Premiership season?
Western Clubs Champions League - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens - Winners: Dubai Exiles; Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons
West Asia Premiership - Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership Cup - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Dubai Exiles
West Asia Cup - Winners: Bahrain; Runners up: Dubai Exiles
West Asia Trophy - Winners: Dubai Hurricanes; Runners up: DSC Eagles
Final West Asia Premiership standings - 1. Jebel Ali Dragons; 2. Abu Dhabi Harlequins; 3. Bahrain; 4. Dubai Exiles; 5. Dubai Hurricanes; 6. DSC Eagles; 7. Abu Dhabi Saracens
Fixture (UAE Premiership final) - Friday, April 13, Al Ain – Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
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Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
MANDOOB
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More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
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Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
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Founder: Abdulla Almoayed
Based: UAE
Founded: 2017
Number of employees: 35
Sector: FinTech
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Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
