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
Lyn and Alejandro Helbling have lived together in nine countries across four continents but they chose to put down roots in Dubai.
Filipino travel and food content creator Lyn, a former restaurateur who trained as a chef in Paris, now lives in Jumeirah Park with her Argentinian husband, who pivoted from hospitality to health care, and daughter, Cami, 16.
After viewing dozens of houses, they purchased their three-bedroom villa nearly two years ago for Dh4.9 million. Following extensive renovations, they’ve now been told it’s worth as much as Dh8.7 million.
While they don’t plan to sell just yet, downsizing is on the cards when Cami follows in her brother Jerome’s footsteps and heads to university. In the meantime, however, the trio are very happy exactly where they are.
The National takes a look around their happy home.
Why did you decide to buy your home?
Lyn: We’d been serial renters and serial expats, so we just said to ourselves, we think it’s time to buy. We like it here in Dubai and the kids love it here.
When we arrived back here in 2017 – we also lived here for a couple of years in 2002 – we were going to rent. We first lived in Jumeirah Golf Estates and we stayed there for two years, but then it was too far to the school our kids were at and there was too much traffic.
We then moved to Emirates Golf Club, another rental, and we would have stayed there – we probably wouldn’t have bought, actually – but then in 2022 they evicted us. They gave us the one-year notice, but they basically took everybody out from one side because they were going to renovate.
The rents were very high at that time, so it didn’t make sense to rent. We figured we might as well buy, thinking it was a sign.
Why did you choose this neighbourhood?
Lyn: I think I looked at about 40 houses. We looked at Dubai Hills, the houses were very nice but they were much smaller and far from the school. We then looked at apartments in Vida, near Emirates Hills.
We tried The Meadows and The Lakes, but the prices were way too high, and then The Lakes were smaller than what we were looking for. It was actually my son who said, how about Jumeirah Park? I never thought about it. It was just not on my radar.
We started to look and we saw maybe five or six and we walked into this one, and we were like, “This is it. We're going to buy this one.” It took about two months and we finally bought in July 2023.
How much did you buy it for?
Lyn: We bought it for Dh4.9 million. We were told by the estate agent that if we sell now for the same one, a three-bedroom with a similar size garden, it would be about Dh8.7 million.
We were toying with the idea because our daughter's going to finish school in two years. Maybe next year we should start looking, because we're probably going to downsize when she goes, as there's really no point being in a big house with the maintenance and upkeep.
Alejandro: It didn’t just appreciate like that out of nowhere though, because we also did a whole renovation.
What renovations have you done?
Lyn: When we walked in, the house was exactly as it was when Jumeirah Park was launched 10, maybe 12 years ago. So, we changed all of the tiles, we changed the flooring. We blocked some windows, broke a wall to make a bigger window, redid the garden, changed all the bathrooms.
We broke walls in the kitchen as well, then put in a brand-new kitchen in the TV room. Then we transformed the upstairs landing into a TV room.
There was a little kitchenette up on the second floor, which we also took away to make the master bathroom and dressing area bigger.
We didn’t gut it for a renovation, to take everything down, but we did take down walls and change practically everything.
How was the renovation process?
Alejandro: There were fights and budget issues, but I have to say overall we did it pretty quickly. You can look back at a lot of different things in life and I have to say that overall it went very well.
What facilities do you have?
Lyn: Jumeirah Park is not a gated neighbourhood, but they do have community parks. We have a park with a tennis court and a football pitch, a playground, padel courts. There's a running track.
The funny thing, though, is that they didn't put in any pools. I suppose they thought everyone's going to have a pool, but they didn't put a community pool. There is a gym but I think you have to be a member.
How would you describe your interior design style?
Lyn: I wouldn’t say we have one theme. There are modern elements but it’s eclectic. A lot of the things we have are from our travels. We have art from when we were in Bali that we’ve taken with us everywhere we have been. And every place we move we try to buy something, whether it’s a piece of furniture or art or something.
With so many renovations going on now, I see a lot of these very white, nice interiors and it looks amazing, but I just don’t see how it could be workable for us, as we cook a lot, we eat a lot at home, we have a dog.
Alejandro: We have something like 300 books. There are books all over the place, which makes it very homely. And we have transported these books since we got married. So, that makes it very much who we are. It makes a difference.
We also always try to have flowers and buy them from the florists a lot of the time because, again, we feel that’s what our house is all about.
How long do you plan to stay in this property?
Alejandro: We’ve been here for a year now [a tenant was here until February 2024 and we renovated for three months and moved in June]. So, we’ll see, because Cami, our daughter, has two more years to go with school. Should we move in a year? Should we move in two years? We’ll have to see.
But we love our place for the moment. We're very happy.
Lyn: If we move after our daughter goes to university, just the two of us, I think we would probably either move to a townhouse or move a bit closer to the city. Maybe near Dubai Canal, going towards Jumeirah Beach. Because now we’re a bit far out and there is lots of traffic if we want to go out for dinner.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Biography
Her family: She has four sons, aged 29, 27, 25 and 24 and is a grandmother-of-nine
Favourite book: Flashes of Thought by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid
Favourite drink: Water
Her hobbies: Reading and volunteer work
Favourite music: Classical music
Her motto: I don't wait, I initiate
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
Need to know
The flights: Flydubai flies from Dubai to Kilimanjaro airport via Dar es Salaam from Dh1,619 return including taxes. The trip takes 8 hours.
The trek: Make sure that whatever tour company you select to climb Kilimanjaro, that it is a reputable one. The way to climb successfully would be with experienced guides and porters, from a company committed to quality, safety and an ethical approach to the mountain and its staff. Sonia Nazareth booked a VIP package through Safari Africa. The tour works out to $4,775 (Dh17,538) per person, based on a 4-person booking scheme, for 9 nights on the mountain (including one night before and after the trek at Arusha). The price includes all meals, a head guide, an assistant guide for every 2 trekkers, porters to carry the luggage, a cook and kitchen staff, a dining and mess tent, a sleeping tent set up for 2 persons, a chemical toilet and park entrance fees. The tiny ration of heated water provided for our bath in our makeshift private bathroom stall was the greatest luxury. A standard package, also based on a 4-person booking, works out to $3,050 (Dh11,202) per person.
When to go: You can climb Kili at any time of year, but the best months to ascend are January-February and September-October. Also good are July and August, if you’re tolerant of the colder weather that winter brings.
Do not underestimate the importance of kit. Even if you’re travelling at a relatively pleasant time, be geared up for the cold and the rain.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
South and West: From a Notebook
Joan Didion
Fourth Estate
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
The bio:
Favourite film:
Declan: It was The Commitments but now it’s Bohemian Rhapsody.
Heidi: The Long Kiss Goodnight.
Favourite holiday destination:
Declan: Las Vegas but I also love getting home to Ireland and seeing everyone back home.
Heidi: Australia but my dream destination would be to go to Cuba.
Favourite pastime:
Declan: I love brunching and socializing. Just basically having the craic.
Heidi: Paddleboarding and swimming.
Personal motto:
Declan: Take chances.
Heidi: Live, love, laugh and have no regrets.
Profile
Company name: Marefa Digital
Based: Dubai Multi Commodities Centre
Number of employees: seven
Sector: e-learning
Funding stage: Pre-seed funding of Dh1.5m in 2017 and an initial seed round of Dh2m in 2019
Investors: Friends and family
UAE squad
Ali Kashief, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdelrahman, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Mohmmed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammad Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Eisa, Mohammed Shakir, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Adel Al Hosani, Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah), Waleed Abbas, Ismail Al Hammadi, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai) Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Mahrami (Baniyas)
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Votes
Total votes: 1.8 million
Ashraf Ghani: 923,592 votes
Abdullah Abdullah: 720,841 votes
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The%20specs
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Sour%20Grapes
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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