My Dubai Rent takes you inside a reader's home to have a look at what they pay each month, see who they live with and ask what they like and don't like
Business owner Joy Buckner launched an education consultancy 18 months ago and recently renewed the lease on a two-bedroom apartment, which is also her workplace.
Located in Dubai’s popular Jumeirah Village Circle, the unit is within one of the three standout Bloom Towers beside Al Khail Road, with easy access to the rest of the city.
The 43rd floor apartment has two bathrooms and views of Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah.
Single and originally from the US state of Colorado, Ms Buckner, 44, moved to Dubai from Washington for a leadership role with Gems Education in August 2013.
Here, she invites The National into her home for a look around.
How did you discover your apartment and this area?
I was looking to find a larger apartment, large enough to accommodate an office space. I was living in a one-bedroom unit running a business from my couch and a small desk at the foot of my bed and it was taking a toll. I was already living in JVC and I wanted to stay here.
I found this apartment through propertyfinder.com and viewed several units in the building. The rent is reasonable and it is fairly centrally located. The community is planned well.
I enjoy the parks sprinkled throughout the neighbourhood; I love to walk and they all have walking tracks, lots of trees and flowers and provide a nice escape from the sand and concrete you often deal with in Dubai.
Where did you live before?
I was in Taraf Residence, about three minutes from my current building.
How much do you pay for the apartment?
My rent here was initially Dh69,000 and it just increased to Dh72,000.
Tell us about the features of your home
The first thing that stood out about this property were the floor to ceiling windows. There is so much natural light and the views are stunning, especially at sunset. When you work from home, it is nice to see a view that you enjoy, especially since you look at it most of the day.
The units also have large balconies and I have a view of Barsha Heights, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, the Marina and The Palm, so essentially, it’s an ocean view, if you know where you are looking.
I started my business, Buckner Education, in October 2020 and moved to this apartment in July 2021, literally because I needed more office space. I’ve turned my second bedroom into that.
What are the advantages of living in this building?
There are several gyms and two pools, a lap pool and a leisure pool, which makes it feel like a resort in a way. There are also quaint little grassy spots in which to read or relax near the pools and an amphitheatre-looking area.
It really comes down to quality of life. My unit is 1,300 square feet, so it's a good amount of space for the money.
What have you done to make your apartment a home?
I love to collect items for my home when I travel. I want it to be a reflection of my life experiences. You will see artwork, trinkets and textiles from my travels.
I’m particular about the furniture. If I don’t find something I love, I will just go without until I find exactly what I want. I have a kitchen table and no chairs and all of my books are in boxes right now because I haven’t found chairs or a bookshelf I like. I also love candles, plants and fresh flowers.
I have put a day bed in my office so I have a place for company to stay. It is nice not to have to put people on the couch when they come visiting.
Is it a sociable neighbourhood?
I am a bit of a homebody so I don’t do a tonne outside of my unit. I use the pool every now and again, but that’s really it. That said, I know all of my neighbours, so have no issue with finding people to water my plants when I travel and it is not uncommon to have great conversations in the hall or be invited over for a drink and catch up on my neighbour’s balcony.
Another advantage is location: I am directly off Al Khail Road, 15 minutes from Downtown Dubai, 10 minutes to The Palm or Marina and five minutes to Motor City. There are malls and shops throughout the community, which makes life easy.
Do you plan to stay in the property?
I am happy in Bloom. I feel the rent is fair and I have had no major issues with my unit. I plan to continue to make the space feel more like home. I will get the furniture pieces I am looking for, maybe paint the wall. If I move, it will be because a new phase of my life requires it.
Old Jumeirah villa is perfect for this family — in pictures
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
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UK-EU trade at a glance
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Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
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F1 drivers' standings
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 281
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 222
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 177
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 138
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 93
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 86
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 56
What is the Supreme Petroleum Council?
The Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council was established in 1988 and is the highest governing body in Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas industry. The council formulates, oversees and executes the emirate’s petroleum-related policies. It also approves the allocation of capital spending across state-owned Adnoc’s upstream, downstream and midstream operations and functions as the company’s board of directors. The SPC’s mandate is also required for auctioning oil and gas concessions in Abu Dhabi and for awarding blocks to international oil companies. The council is chaired by Sheikh Khalifa, the President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, is the vice chairman.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Coal Black Mornings
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England Test squad
Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Keaton Jennings, Dawid Malan, Jamie Porter, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes.
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
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
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Bitcoin is the most popular virtual currency in the world. It was created in 2009 as a new way of paying for things that would not be subject to central banks that are capable of devaluing currency. A Bitcoin itself is essentially a line of computer code. It's signed digitally when it goes from one owner to another. There are sustainability concerns around the cryptocurrency, which stem from the process of "mining" that is central to its existence.
The "miners" use computers to make complex calculations that verify transactions in Bitcoin. This uses a tremendous amount of energy via computers and server farms all over the world, which has given rise to concerns about the amount of fossil fuel-dependent electricity used to power the computers.
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
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Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)
Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)
West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)
Sunday
Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)
Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)
Everton v Liverpool (10pm)
Monday
Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)
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- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
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The struggle is on for active managers
David Einhorn closed out 2018 with his biggest annual loss ever for the 22-year-old Greenlight Capital.
The firm’s main hedge fund fell 9 per cent in December, extending this year’s decline to 34 percent, according to an investor update viewed by Bloomberg.
Greenlight posted some of the industry’s best returns in its early years, but has stumbled since losing more than 20 per cent in 2015.
Other value-investing managers have also struggled, as a decade of historically low interest rates and the rise of passive investing and quant trading pushed growth stocks past their inexpensive brethren. Three Bays Capital and SPO Partners & Co., which sought to make wagers on undervalued stocks, closed in 2018. Mr Einhorn has repeatedly expressed his frustration with the poor performance this year, while remaining steadfast in his commitment to value investing.
Greenlight, which posted gains only in May and October, underperformed both the broader market and its peers in 2018. The S&P 500 Index dropped 4.4 per cent, including dividends, while the HFRX Global Hedge Fund Index, an early indicator of industry performance, fell 7 per cent through December. 28.
At the start of the year, Greenlight managed $6.3 billion in assets, according to a regulatory filing. By May, the firm was down to $5.5bn.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
