My Rent takes you inside a reader's home to have a look at what they get for their money, how much they pay in rent and asks them what they like and don't like
Estate agent Rimsha Naz, 28, has invested in apartments in Ras Al Khaimah but last summer decided to rent a large villa for her family so they could be under one roof.
Originally from Pakistan, she has been living in the emirate since 2015 and opted for a spacious house in Al Dhait South after marrying her partner, Farhan Naseem, last summer.
Now Ms Naz can continue having her mother living with her while being well-placed to run her business, Pacific Homes, serving the booming RAK housing market.
She took The National on a tour of the house which she pays Dh65,000 a year for.
What are the details of your rented property?
We are currently staying in a five-bedroom villa, with a living room, dining room, kitchen, six washrooms, and a compound area. The total size is almost 10,000 square feet.
We have a parking space so we can park as many cars as we like. There is space to walk or to do some outdoor activities within the compound.
There are four people in the villa, including our housekeeper, Shahid.
Privacy was our main concern before renting a villa and the best part is that every room has a separate entrance that opens towards the compound.
Where were you living before?
I have been staying with my mother in Ras Al Khaimah for nine years.
It is the perfect example of a city that combines modern urban life with proximity to nature. It’s renowned for its tranquillity thanks to the relaxed atmosphere, small population, hassle-free commuting, affordability and better business opportunities.
My mother and I have rented different properties like full ocean view apartments on Al Marjan Island and Mina Al Arab, and villas in Al Hamra.
After my marriage in July 2023, we decided to move into a villa so everyone would have their own space and privacy.
It is located in an affordable area. Most people I come across are worried about bills and think twice before renting villas due to high consumption.
In our experience, we are paying the same bills as we used to in apartments.
Why did you choose this area?
We chose to stay in the Al Dhait South area because the houses over here are large, compared with other projects.
The area offers an affordable style of living and a well-developed road system. The Al Dhait area is also 15 minutes away from my office, which is located in Rakez Towers in Al Hamra.
Since I am running a real estate business, it’s always easier for me to find the right accommodation.
Is it a sociable place to reside?
Our neighbourhood is pretty friendly, safe and secure.
There are families around us carrying a positive ambience with them.
I'm not a social person, I rarely mingle with people apart from those I conduct business with.
I stay quite engaged in my work and this is also one of the reasons I moved to this area, so as not to be in crowded or busy areas.
I can say that the people are helpful in times of need.
That’s the best part of having people around us … during emergencies, they can support us.
What benefits are there to renting in that area?
One of the biggest advantages of living in Al Dhait South is that we have a mosque near us, supermarkets and restaurants. It’s a hub of well-known schools, colleges and universities.
It’s five minutes from Sheikh Mohammed bin Salem Road (E11) and Al Manama.
We also have one of the best restaurants that deliver food to our doorstep.
Al Dhait South is in the centre of RAK, which means we are 10 minutes away from Al Nakheel [waterfront location] and exactly 10 minutes from Al Hamra.
So far during my stay, I have not come across any downsides to this area.
Have you added anything to the home?
When we moved in I decided to change a few things, such as paint the ceilings and add ceiling lights.
We decided to repaint the entire house since the existing paint made the house look a bit dull and dark.
We also converted one of the majlis rooms into a bedroom for me and my husband, as it was by the main entrance of the front gate and easier for us to enter and access.
We also added some ceiling fans since these were not provided by the landlord.
All the changes have made the house look much better and brighter.
Since this was a bigger space compared to our previous apartments we had to buy and add more furniture.
Do you think living here offers value for money?
The house we are staying in currently, or any others previously, can never be evaluated in terms of money.
I go with the flow and like to live where I find peace of mind, a sense of stability and calmness.
Compared to Al Hamra or Mina Al Arab, areas like Al Dhait and Al Riffa are cheaper.
So you think you’ll be there for a while?
I plan to stay in this house as it feels like a perfect home … spacious and modern.
I have bought a few small studio apartments on Al Marjan Island, which are mainly for investment purposes. This investment also helps me to pay my bills and rent for the current house in which we are staying.
I came to the UAE from Pakistan with my mother in 2015 and we decided to move to RAK without giving it a second thought. We never stayed in any other emirates as we feel like this is our home.
Suggested picnic spots
Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes
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
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Canada
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Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test Thursday-Monday at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
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
From exhibitions to the battlefield
In 2016, the Shaded Dome was awarded with the 'De Vernufteling' people's choice award, an annual prize by the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for the most innovative project by a Dutch engineering firm.
It was assigned by the Dutch Ministry of Defence to modify the Shaded Dome to make it suitable for ballistic protection. Royal HaskoningDHV, one of the companies which designed the dome, is an independent international engineering and project management consultancy, leading the way in sustainable development and innovation.
It is driving positive change through innovation and technology, helping use resources more efficiently.
It aims to minimise the impact on the environment by leading by example in its projects in sustainable development and innovation, to become part of the solution to a more sustainable society now and into the future.
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
T20 World Cup Qualifier, Muscat
UAE FIXTURES
Friday February 18: v Ireland
Saturday February 19: v Germany
Monday February 21: v Philippines
Tuesday February 22: semi-finals
Thursday February 24: final
Abu Dhabi card
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 2,400m
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 2,200m
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
The National selections:
5pm: Valcartier
5.30pm: AF Taraha
6pm: Dhafra
6.30pm: Maqam
7pm: AF Mekhbat
7.30pm: Ezz Al Rawasi
Selected fixtures
All times UAE
Wednesday
Poland v Portugal 10.45pm
Russia v Sweden 10.45pm
Friday
Belgium v Switzerland 10.45pm
Croatia v England 10.45pm
Saturday
Netherlands v Germany 10.45pm
Rep of Ireland v Denmark 10.45pm
Sunday
Poland v Italy 10.45pm
Monday
Spain v England 10.45pm
Tuesday
France v Germany 10.45pm
Rep of Ireland v Wales 10.45pm
BAD%20BOYS%3A%20RIDE%20OR%20DIE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Adil%20El%20Arbi%20and%20Bilall%20Fallah%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWill%20Smith%2C%20Martin%20Lawrence%2C%20Joe%20Pantoliano%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results
2pm: Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (Dirt) 1,200m, Winner: Mouheeb, Tom Marquand (jockey), Nicholas Bachalard (trainer)
2.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Honourable Justice, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
3pm: Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Dahawi, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
3.30pm: Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Dark Silver, Fernando Jara, Ahmad bin Harmash
4pm: Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Dark Of Night. Antonio Fresu, Al Muhairi.
4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Habah, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
Results
International 4, United States 1
Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods (US) beat Marc Leishman and Joaquin Niemann (International) 4 and 3.
Adam Hadwin and Sungjae Im (International) beat Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay (US) 2 up.
Adam Scott and Byeong Hun An (International) beat Bryson DeChambeau and Tony Finau (US) 2 and 1.
Hideki Matsuyama and C.T. Pan (International) beat Webb Simpson and Patrick Reed (US) 1 up.
Abraham Ancer and Louis Oosthuizen (International) beat Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland (US) 4 and 3.
Why%20all%20the%20lefties%3F
%3Cp%3ESix%20of%20the%20eight%20fast%20bowlers%20used%20in%20the%20ILT20%20match%20between%20Desert%20Vipers%20and%20MI%20Emirates%20were%20left-handed.%20So%2075%20per%20cent%20of%20those%20involved.%0D%3Cbr%3EAnd%20that%20despite%20the%20fact%2010-12%20per%20cent%20of%20the%20world%E2%80%99s%20population%20is%20said%20to%20be%20left-handed.%0D%3Cbr%3EIt%20is%20an%20extension%20of%20a%20trend%20which%20has%20seen%20left-arm%20pacers%20become%20highly%20valued%20%E2%80%93%20and%20over-represented%2C%20relative%20to%20other%20formats%20%E2%80%93%20in%20T20%20cricket.%0D%3Cbr%3EIt%20is%20all%20to%20do%20with%20the%20fact%20most%20batters%20are%20naturally%20attuned%20to%20the%20angles%20created%20by%20right-arm%20bowlers%2C%20given%20that%20is%20generally%20what%20they%20grow%20up%20facing%20more%20of.%0D%3Cbr%3EIn%20their%20book%2C%20%3Cem%3EHitting%20Against%20the%20Spin%3C%2Fem%3E%2C%20cricket%20data%20analysts%20Nathan%20Leamon%20and%20Ben%20Jones%20suggest%20the%20advantage%20for%20a%20left-arm%20pace%20bowler%20in%20T20%20is%20amplified%20because%20of%20the%20obligation%20on%20the%20batter%20to%20attack.%0D%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CThe%20more%20attacking%20the%20batsman%2C%20the%20more%20reliant%20they%20are%20on%20anticipation%2C%E2%80%9D%20they%20write.%0D%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CThis%20effectively%20increases%20the%20time%20pressure%20on%20the%20batsman%2C%20so%20increases%20the%20reliance%20on%20anticipation%2C%20and%20therefore%20increases%20the%20left-arm%20bowler%E2%80%99s%20advantage.%E2%80%9D%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
