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.
AGL AWARDS
Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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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
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday Athletic Bilbao v Celta Vigo (Kick-off midnight UAE)
Saturday Levante v Getafe (5pm), Sevilla v Real Madrid (7.15pm), Atletico Madrid v Real Valladolid (9.30pm), Cadiz v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday Granada v Huesca (5pm), Osasuna v Real Betis (7.15pm), Villarreal v Elche (9.30pm), Alaves v Real Sociedad (midnight)
Monday Eibar v Valencia (midnight)
Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Fixtures
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
PAKISTAN v SRI LANKA
Twenty20 International series
Thu Oct 26, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
Fri Oct 27, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
Sun Oct 29, 3rd T20I, Lahore
Tickets are available at www.q-tickets.com
BMW%20M4%20Competition
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Specs%20
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The biog
Nickname: Mama Nadia to children, staff and parents
Education: Bachelors degree in English Literature with Social work from UAE University
As a child: Kept sweets on the window sill for workers, set aside money to pay for education of needy families
Holidays: Spends most of her days off at Senses often with her family who describe the centre as part of their life too
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
More coverage from the Future Forum
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
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.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
