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
French national Celia Ouali recently bought and moved into a two-bedroom apartment in Dubai’s Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC).
The home in Reef Residency is her second property purchase since moving to the UAE six years ago, having previously lived in Al Ghadeer at the border between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Ms Ouali, who is single and came to the Gulf 12 years ago, is a French professor at Sorbonne University, in the UAE capital.
She says her new home has more space to entertain friends.
Ms Ouali, 36, showed The National around the apartment.
Tell us about your home
It's on the 33rd floor and has two bedrooms plus a maid’s room, with floor-to-ceiling windows… I bought it mostly for the view. It’s extremely spacious.
It is 156 square metres with three bathrooms and a guest toilet. The building is five years old and I paid Dh1,160,000 (about $315,800).
What made you buy your own property?
I prefer being a home owner. It’s not necessarily just that it makes financial sense, even if I think that long term it does make sense. It’s more about the feeling that it gives.
I was lucky, it was the first one I saw and I liked it. After that, I saw others and didn’t like them as much. This apartment was rented short term so was already decorated and colourful.
I could see myself in it, it was already very welcoming. And the view I have means I can see Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai Marina, Burj Al Arab, and Burj Khalifa from the apartment.
Why choose this area?
For the price. I trust Dubai’s future, but also my feeling is, the higher the cost of the property, the higher the risk of losing in case it devalues.
Also JVC is still close (enough) to Abu Dhabi.
Choosing where we live is the most important decision in life, so I don’t necessarily choose from a rational point of view. Even if it’s far from work, this is where I feel good.
How did you discover this home?
There were not many apartments for sale on the higher floors. People (tend to) buy and keep them. I think the last two-bedroom apartment sold was two years ago, so when I saw the opportunity, I took it. I thought it was a good deal and a good moment to buy.
I’ve always browsed property portals on the internet, keeping track of the market. I was not necessarily looking, but I was browsing until an opportunity came. This one had everything I wanted so I came to visit on March 8, and signed for it on April 30. I got the keys on June 10.
Where were you living before?
I was in a terraced apartment in Al Ghadeer, between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Very quiet, very calm, a lot of nature.
But for maybe eight months I had been feeling that I had outgrown it and I wanted to go back to the city. It had one bedroom, I needed more space and a bit more energy. I hesitated between renovating, making it new, or moving somewhere else.
Technically the rent I get from that apartment covers my fixed fees here; the service charges, electricity and everything, are more expensive because it’s bigger.
How do you find the purchasing process?
Because I’m a single woman it can be quite challenging to deal with estate agents, they tend to sometimes infantilise me as if I don’t understand things. Buying my first apartment… I feel more empowered to negotiate on my own terms. At the end I’m the one in a position of power, the one who wants to buy.
I don’t have a loan, I bought with cash. I always had nice salaries and always saved.
I negotiated and managed to knock Dh50,000 off the asking price to cover the expenses, but it took two months to close the sale, so I lost two months of rent from the other apartment. In property, time can be money.
What are the benefits of owning rather than renting?
There is a big mental benefit, to have a sense of home when we live in cities like Dubai; to feel that we belong, to feel grounded, that we don’t need to change houses every year if we get evicted.
If there is a problem with maintenance, the AC, there’s more control, I fix it myself, I don’t wait for someone. French people are very into DIY - when we know how our environment works, we feel more at home.
The second benefit, of course, is that I can have an investment, although the choice of property needs to make sense financially. I haven’t taken risks, because this money would be thrown at rent anyway.
What upgrades are you planning?
For me, lifestyle is a lot about what you do inside the home. The neighbourhood does not matter as much.
I have a budget of Dh45,000. I will redo the kitchen, some projects, hire someone to do decorative plaster mouldings to make it look a bit like a Parisian apartment. And a built-in library in the living room.
I bought some furniture from the other place, but was also lucky because this apartment came with furniture that I liked and each bedroom came with a TV. If I need extra cash, I can rent the other bedroom on Airbnb.
Are there advantages to living in JVC?
I like the convenience, that it’s growing, it’s very close to the motorway. I am new so I don’t spend much time in the area, I always drive to Downtown or to Abu Dhabi.
Any disadvantages?
The traffic in the morning can be quite heavy, but it depends on at what time you leave. And living in big towers is noisy. The insulation is not that good, so I hear my neighbours.
Will you stay in this property?
I buy to redecorate, to create projects, not just from an investment perspective.
I will take care of it and I will outgrow it. It’s just a stepping stone. Also, I’m planning on meeting the love of my life, getting married and choosing a property with him.
My big dream is to renovate a castle in the south of France, so I’m getting some training on Dubai apartments.
How to vote
Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.
They'll then be sent a special ballot voting kit by mail either to their address, the Consulate General of Canada to the UAE in Dubai or The Embassy of Canada in Abu Dhabi
Registered voters mark the ballot with their choice and must send it back by 6pm Eastern time on October 21 (2am next Friday)
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
Squads
India (for first three ODIs) Kohli (capt), Rohit, Rahul, Pandey, Jadhav, Rahane, Dhoni, Pandya, Axar, Kuldeep, Chahal, Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar, Umesh, Shami.
Australia Smith (capt), Warner, Agar, Cartwright, Coulter-Nile, Cummins, Faulkner, Finch, Head, Maxwell, Richardson, Stoinis, Wade, Zampa.
FIGHT CARD
Sara El Bakkali v Anisha Kadka (Lightweight, female)
Mohammed Adil Al Debi v Moaz Abdelgawad (Bantamweight)
Amir Boureslan v Mahmoud Zanouny (Welterweight)
Abrorbek Madaminbekov v Mohammed Al Katheeri (Featherweight)
Ibrahem Bilal v Emad Arafa (Super featherweight)
Ahmed Abdolaziz v Imad Essassi (Middleweight)
Milena Martinou v Ilham Bourakkadi (Bantamweight, female)
Noureddine El Agouti v Mohamed Mardi (Welterweight)
Nabil Ouach v Ymad Atrous (Middleweight)
Nouredin Samir v Zainalabid Dadachev (Lightweight)
Marlon Ribeiro v Mehdi Oubahammou (Welterweight)
Brad Stanton v Mohamed El Boukhari (Super welterweight
MATCH INFO
FA Cup final
Chelsea 1
Hazard (22' pen)
Manchester United 0
Man of the match: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
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Saturday's results
West Ham 2-3 Tottenham
Arsenal 2-2 Southampton
Bournemouth 1-2 Wolves
Brighton 0-2 Leicester City
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool
Everton 0-2 Norwich City
Watford 0-3 Burnley
Manchester City v Chelsea, 9.30pm
South Africa squad
Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wicketkeeper), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
THE BIO
Ms Al Ameri likes the variety of her job, and the daily environmental challenges she is presented with.
Regular contact with wildlife is the most appealing part of her role at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.
She loves to explore new destinations and lives by her motto of being a voice in the world, and not an echo.
She is the youngest of three children, and has a brother and sister.
Her favourite book, Moby Dick by Herman Melville helped inspire her towards a career exploring the natural world.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Bah
Born: 1972
Husband: Emirati lawyer Salem Bin Sahoo, since 1992
Children: Soud, born 1993, lawyer; Obaid, born 1994, deceased; four other boys and one girl, three months old
Education: BA in Elementary Education, worked for five years in a Dubai school
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
QUALIFYING RESULTS
1. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1 minute, 35.246 seconds.
2. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Mercedes, 1:35.271.
3. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Mercedes, 1:35.332.
4. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.497.
5. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1:35.571.
6. Carlos Sainz Jr, Spain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.815.
7. Daniil Kvyat, Russia, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:35.963.
8. Lance Stroll, Canada, Racing Point BWT Mercedes, 1:36.046.
9. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 1:36.065.
10. Pierre Gasly, France, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:36.242.
Eliminated after second session
11. Esteban Ocon, France, Renault, 1:36.359.
12. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, Renault, 1:36.406.
13. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Ferrari, 1:36.631.
14. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:38.248.
Eliminated after first session
15. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.075.
16. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.555.
17. Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas Ferrari, 1:37.863.
18. George Russell, Great Britain, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.045.
19. Pietro Fittipaldi, Brazil, Haas Ferrari, 1:38.173.
20. Nicholas Latifi, Canada, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.443.
Profile box
Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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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
The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
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Brief scoreline:
Wales 1
James 5'
Slovakia 0
Man of the Match: Dan James (Wales)
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Gulf Men's League final
Dubai Hurricanes 24-12 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
The specs
Engine: 4 liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous electric motors placed at each wheel
Battery: Rimac 120kWh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power: 1877bhp
Torque: 2300Nm
Price: Dh7,500,00
On sale: Now
