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
Marketing director Lucy Holmes and her husband Lee, who works for the Walt Disney Company in Dubai, have been living in the UAE for 14 years but bought their first home here in 2021 after a decade of living on Palm Jumeirah.
They had been living in their villa in Sustainable City for four months when they got the opportunity to buy it for Dh3.4 million ($930,000).
Now they live there happily with their son Barney, 15, and daughter Daisy, 8, and plan to stay put for at least another decade.
The National takes a look around.
Why did you decide to buy?
We were given the opportunity after about four months of living in our villa to buy it, so we did. We were really lucky that we were able to figure out how to get it.
We had probably lived in about eight apartments on the Palm already and I was fed up of moving. I wanted my children to have something that they knew was their home, that we can make memories in as a family, that we felt would give them a stable environment.
We were so sick of being given notice by landlords and just wasting money on rent, and after 10 years, we realised we'd spent an awful amount of money on rent.
Why this neighbourhood?
We fell in love with the community. I said to my husband, 'if we ever get the opportunity to buy, this is now where I want to live.'
I love the safety aspect for the kids. There are no cars. I wanted them to have the freedom to go around on their bikes.
The sustainable lifestyle is also really appealing to us. We are eco-minded, I’ve always recycled, and we were really intrigued by the whole solar panel idea.
We just felt that it was such a beautifully landscaped community, it's set back from the road and it's really quiet, you can't hear any cars or anything at night, just birds. And we thought that it would really be a difference from living on the Palm. We needed a change.
It ticked every box for us and eventually we even moved our children to the school. They cycle or walk to school or get on the golf buggy every single day. It means I have no school run.
How much is your house worth?
We paid Dh3.4 million and now I think it's worth Dh4.3 million or Dh4.4 million.
What renovations have you done?
We completely redid the garden, the landscaping, the tiling. We've done a few more bits of decorating stuff inside but we haven't renovated inside that much because we're happy with how it is.
After we bought it, we actually had to do quite a big renovation on our British home that we rent out. It's a really old Victorian house and it needs a lot of work, so we had to invest in that rather than our home in Dubai. But that's fine, because it's super-modern here and we love it anyway.
We could redo the kitchen, or I could redo the bathrooms but actually I'd rather go on holiday.
How would you describe your interior design style?
Very beach house style, very clean and white, with lots of wood.
A lot of my pieces have been made to order by The Garden Concept carpentry and I'm really happy. They made my rabbit huts, they made the furniture in my bedroom, they made my dresser. I like to have a lot of colour among the white and wood, and it's quite modern.
How has your experience of Dubai changed since moving from Palm Jumeirah?
It has changed massively. We've gone from being able to go everywhere at night and on the weekends, doing a million things because we were so central and going to the beach all the time and having a sea view, to having more of a quieter life. And that suits us. It suits our children. We have more barbecues, more dinners with neighbours, have friends over.
I'm not zooming around Dubai all weekend like we used to on the Palm because it takes too long to get anywhere. Although we are busy and I do a lot of stuff, we have a more wholesome existence.
It’s just really nice to have your own space and to feel that you don't have to leave Sustainable City if you don't want to. It's become more of a lifestyle for us. We’ve gone from that city lifestyle with the beach on our doorstep to a suburban lifestyle because the kids were at an age where they needed it.
What facilities do you have?
We have pools, a gym. We've got a Zen garden now, which is lovely. There's a running track, a cycling track. There are the shops and cafes, there's a yoga studio. There's a horse-riding school.
We also have our own golf buggy. You can access the community ones but it's great to have your own.
We make good use of everything. My son's playing football at the pitch every single night because we can book it through the app. My husband plays football three times a week. I'm part of the running club. Even my daughter comes on a Monday night.
We’re very much part of the community here, we get involved and we have a nice time.
How long will you stay in this property?
Until Daisy finishes school, so probably another 10 years, all being well. I know I could get a bigger house for my money, but I would really struggle now to live on a road where there are cars and I don't know anywhere else in Dubai that's got a no-car zone like we've got.
If went to Arabian Ranches 2 or Dubai Hills, for example, I would love it, I'd have more house, but my kids wouldn't have the freedom they've got here.
Now I’ve had the opportunity to buy after 10 years in Dubai, it makes me think I should have bought earlier but everything happens at the right time.
I firmly believe Dubai is a very excellent, perfect, exciting place to live and very safe. And that's definitely what Sustainable City is. It's super, super safe and we love it.
Read next: How to plan your finances for buying a home
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Zayed Sustainability Prize
CREW
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
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The nine articles of the 50-Year Charter
1. Dubai silk road
2. A geo-economic map for Dubai
3. First virtual commercial city
4. A central education file for every citizen
5. A doctor to every citizen
6. Free economic and creative zones in universities
7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes
8. Co-operative companies in various sectors
9: Annual growth in philanthropy
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BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP
Group A
Paraguay
Japan
Switzerland
USA
Group B
Uruguay
Mexico
Italy
Tahiti
Group C
Belarus
UAE
Senegal
Russia
Group D
Brazil
Oman
Portugal
Nigeria
The%20US%20Congress%20explained
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Top%2010%20most%20competitive%20economies
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The five pillars of Islam
The 12 breakaway clubs
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3EFounder%3A%20Hani%20Abu%20Ghazaleh%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20with%20an%20office%20in%20Montreal%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%202018%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Virtual%20Reality%3Cbr%3EInvestment%20raised%3A%20%241.2%20million%2C%20and%20nearing%20close%20of%20%245%20million%20new%20funding%20round%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2012%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
MATCH INFO
Red Star Belgrade v Tottenham Hotspur, midnight (Thursday), UAE
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
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Brief scoreline:
Burnley 3
Barnes 63', 70', Berg Gudmundsson 75'
Southampton 3
Man of the match
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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Name: Colm McLoughlin
Country: Galway, Ireland
Job: Executive vice chairman and chief executive of Dubai Duty Free
Favourite golf course: Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
Favourite part of Dubai: Palm Jumeirah
The specs
Engine: 8.0-litre, quad-turbo 16-cylinder
Transmission: 7-speed auto
0-100kmh 2.3 seconds
0-200kmh 5.5 seconds
0-300kmh 11.6 seconds
Power: 1500hp
Torque: 1600Nm
Price: Dh13,400,000
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Company%20Profile
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
TRAINING FOR TOKYO
A typical week's training for Sebastian, who is competing at the ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon on March 8-9:
- Four swim sessions (14km)
- Three bike sessions (200km)
- Four run sessions (45km)
- Two strength and conditioning session (two hours)
- One session therapy session at DISC Dubai
- Two-three hours of stretching and self-maintenance of the body
ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon
For more information go to www.abudhabi.triathlon.org.
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
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3.5/5
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Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
Company%20profile%20
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
