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
HR professionals Nadeem and Roopa Sharma Hasan have kept their feet firmly planted on the property ladder over the past 25 years, setting up home in several areas of Abu Dhabi and Dubai with their son, daughter and three cats.
They have bought a number of houses over the years, but are now living in a home they own for the first time. Two months, ago they bought the four-bedroom villa in Qourtaj, Al Furjan they had been renting for six years.
Roopa, who works for Dubai Electricity and Water Authority and is a published author of self-help books, said it was an emotional decision, as much as a financial one, as the family is attached to it after so many years.
The National takes a look around.
Please tell us about your home.
Nadeem Hasan: It’s about 6,600 square foot, a four-bedroom villa, which has got a room downstairs, a maid’s room, a driver's room, a garage, three rooms upstairs and a terrace.
Why did you decide to buy?
Roopa Sharma Hasan: For investment, plus emotional attachment to this locality. We've been here forever. It was my dream house. In 2009 I started my life coaching and neuro-linguistic programming process, and I visualised a house like this.
I never knew that Nadeem had actually manifested this house. About a year or so ago, he put the address on Google Maps, saying "Roopa and Nadeem’s house". He showed me the day we bought the property.
Nadeem: It was an emotional decision. We put in all our money and everything to buy this house, and we are happy to have it.
How much did you buy it for?
Nadeem: We bought it for approximately Dh6 million.
We did the deal with the owner a long time ago, while the market was still moving up. We signed the agreement. So, now, it is worth even more than that, somewhere touching around Dh7m.
Why did you choose this neighbourhood?
Roopa: We have a circle of friends, so there's lots of networking. We are both very social, and my best friend lives nearby. There is community living here.
You’ve got access to the major roads, like the 311, Sheikh Zayed Road, 611. It takes about three to five minutes maximum, and you will be on any of these roads. We’ve got the Etihad Rail station coming up here, right next to us. We can walk down to that probably in 15 to 20 minutes.
Nadeem: We’ve got two metro stations right next to us as well. Infrastructure-wise, I reckon this is the best community in the whole of Dubai.
It’s also quite green, there is lots of parking, the community roads are quite wide.
What do you love about this house?
Nadeem: It's full of light. Every room, nook and corner of the house has a light airiness. It's very special.
Roopa: It’s a very peaceful area. My folks, who are from Delhi, asked when they visited if we live in the jungle – I said, "No, it’s called peace".
What facilities do you have access to?
Nadeem: We’ve got a children’s park and a walking track. The mosque is within walking distance. All the religious centres for Christians, Sikhs and Hindus are nearby, about a five or 10-minute drive from here.
You’ve also got a club here which has got different coffee shops, lawn tennis, padel tennis, an Olympic-sized swimming pool and gym.
What renovations have you done?
Nadeem: Since it was rented, we haven't done any renovations yet, but we have got plans to have one outhouse, which will have a television and an A/C, so my friends can come from outside without disturbing Roopa.
We will do wooden flooring on the terrace and a patio where you can sit and have friends come over, and a jacuzzi. We have just finished the maintenance, so we have done all the painting and everything. We have also got a fire pit in the garden.
Roopa: I’m planning to have fencing that allows you to have a gate, so a pet cannot go outside, and we will get a dog.
How would you describe your interior design style?
Nadeem: It’s classical mixed with modern colours. Our dining table is solid stone and needs about five people to lift it. We have this sofa that was made in Turkey and we imported it about 10 years ago.
We were looking for a low coffee table and going around furniture shops in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, then we went to a shop in Sharjah and found this giant table from Kashmir, and Roopa said why don’t we chop off the legs. That’s how we got our coffee table and it fits in so well in this place – it has more of a royal look.
Roopa: He said the highlight of this house is not the house, but this coffee table.
My house help was complaining we have too much stuff. I like to pick pieces from here and there when we travel, but also my daughter is not very happy with it and says that we should just minimise more. My artefacts are clutter for them, so now I'm just not buying anything any more. In fact, I'm trying to give it away.
How long will you stay in this property?
Nadeem: We will be staying here as long as we can, until we get bored because it's too big a house for us.
Sometimes Roopa gets scared to enter the house if I'm not there in the night. So, we'll see how it goes. We are still contemplating.
Roopa: In the UAE, we will be here as long as we shall live.
Nadeem: Dubai is more than a home to us. It has given us respect and a career. It has given us everything we were looking for. And with all the pro-resident policies being introduced, like the golden visa, that sense of insecurity has gone.
When we retire, we will have one house which we will rent that will help us earn money and go around the world, and one house we will stay in. We’ll choose at that time which one is which.
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Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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Picture of Joumblatt and Hariri breaking bread sets Twitter alight
Mr Joumblatt’s pessimism regarding the Lebanese political situation didn’t stop him from enjoying a cheerful dinner on Tuesday with several politicians including Mr Hariri.
Caretaker Culture Minister Ghattas Khoury tweeted a picture of the group sitting around a table at a discrete fish restaurant in Beirut’s upscale Sodeco area.
Mr Joumblatt told The National that the fish served at Kelly’s Fish lounge had been very good.
“They really enjoyed their time”, remembers the restaurant owner. “Mr Hariri was taking selfies with everybody”.
Mr Hariri and Mr Joumblatt often have dinner together to discuss recent political developments.
Mr Joumblatt was a close ally of Mr Hariri’s assassinated father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri. The pair were leading figures in the political grouping against the 15-year Syrian occupation of Lebanon that ended after mass protests in 2005 in the wake of Rafik Hariri’s murder. After the younger Hariri took over his father’s mantle in 2004, the relationship with Mr Joumblatt endured.
However, the pair have not always been so close. In the run-up to the election last year, Messrs Hariri and Joumblatt went months without speaking over an argument regarding the new proportional electoral law to be used for the first time. Mr Joumblatt worried that a proportional system, which Mr Hariri backed, would see the influence of his small sect diminished.
With so much of Lebanese politics agreed in late-night meetings behind closed doors, the media and pundits put significant weight on how regularly, where and with who senior politicians meet.
In the picture, alongside Messrs Khoury and Hariri were Mr Joumbatt and his wife Nora, PSP politician Wael Abou Faour and Egyptian ambassador to Lebanon Nazih el Nagari.
The picture of the dinner led to a flurry of excitement on Twitter that it signified an imminent government formation. “God willing, white smoke will rise soon and Walid Beik [a nickname for Walid Joumblatt] will accept to give up the minister of industry”, one user replied to the tweet. “Blessings to you…We would like you to form a cabinet”, wrote another.
The next few days will be crucial in determining whether these wishes come true.
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Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
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Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
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- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
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Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
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Day 1, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dimuth Karunaratne had batted with plenty of pluck, and no little skill, in getting to within seven runs of a first-day century. Then, while he ran what he thought was a comfortable single to mid-on, his batting partner Dinesh Chandimal opted to stay at home. The opener was run out by the length of the pitch.
Stat of the day - 1 One six was hit on Day 1. The boundary was only breached 18 times in total over the course of the 90 overs. When it did arrive, the lone six was a thing of beauty, as Niroshan Dickwella effortlessly clipped Mohammed Amir over the square-leg boundary.
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Other simple ideas for sushi rice dishes
Cheat’s nigiri
This is easier to make than sushi rolls. With damp hands, form the cooled rice into small tablet shapes. Place slices of fresh, raw salmon, mackerel or trout (or smoked salmon) lightly touched with wasabi, then press, wasabi side-down, onto the rice. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.
Easy omurice
This fusion dish combines Asian fried rice with a western omelette. To make, fry cooked and cooled sushi rice with chopped vegetables such as carrot and onion and lashings of sweet-tangy ketchup, then wrap in a soft egg omelette.
Deconstructed sushi salad platter
This makes a great, fuss-free sharing meal. Arrange sushi rice on a platter or board, then fill the space with all your favourite sushi ingredients (edamame beans, cooked prawns or tuna, tempura veggies, pickled ginger and chilli tofu), with a dressing or dipping sauce on the side.
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SCORES IN BRIEF
New Zealand 153 and 56 for 1 in 22.4 overs at close
Pakistan 227
(Babar 62, Asad 43, Boult 4-54, De Grandhomme 2-30, Patel 2-64)
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Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
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The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
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MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
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The specs: 2018 Maxus T60
Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder
Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm
Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km
