Please help, don't know where to start

[Andyshiv]

My husband and I are thinking or relocationg to Dubai.

In short he has had an offer of 40,000 per month plus health care. This is non negotiable, ie they will not be paying an accomodation/school allowance etc.

Can you please advise if this is a good ish salary?

Also, they have advise us to look for property in Sharjah and Ajman. I have looked on the internet and there doesn't seem to be any properties for rent in either area!

I just don't know where to start!

Any advice would be very welcome.

Many thanks,

Siobhan

[sgilli3]

Originally Posted by Andyshiv

My husband and I are thinking or relocationg to Dubai.

In short he has had an offer of 40,000 per month plus health care. This is non negotiable, ie they will not be paying an accomodation/school allowance etc.

Can you please advise if this is a good ish salary?

Also, they have advise us to look for property in Sharjah and Ajman. I have looked on the internet and there doesn't seem to be any properties for rent in either area!

I just don't know where to start!

Any advice would be very welcome.

Many thanks,

Siobhan

Hi Siobhan,
Welcome to the forum.

The offer is doable, but again, it depends on many factors...ie:
where you live
how many children you need to school
how often you eat out/what you eat etc...

Is the employer based in Sharjah or Ajman, or have they suggested those areas as they have cheaper housing compared to Dubai?

There are places to rent in both areas...probably more in Sharjah as it is bigger than Ajman.
We moved to Sharjah this week, after years in Dubai.

[Andyshiv]

Many thanks for your reply.

We have small children so probably won't be eating out too much.

Sharjah is where employer is based so that's why there has been recommended.

We will have to fund a car with salary also.

I have had a loot a bhomes website but they don't have any properties listed for rent?!

Can you recommend any property websites?

Also, what is Sharjah like?

Thanks again,

Siobhan

[sgilli3]

I agree with the employer...if you are working in Sharjah, best to live close by.
If you were to live in Dubai, Mirdiff would be the best bet, as you would be going against the traffic- but the traffic can still be a nightmare.
Also, if they suggested that Ajman may also be a suitable place to live, perhaps they are based in the heart of Sharjah- in that case, I would certainly live there.

For a 4wd, you should budget between 1500 - 2000 dhs per month.

You can try Sweet Homes
+971 4 295 5640
+971 6 746 5661


Northern Emirates Properties
+971 6 573 6183
+971 50 626 1275 (mobile)

Im not sure who we used, as a friend found the villa for us.
We have only been here for a few days (we were in Dubai)
You tend to get more for your money, in regards to housing.

Sharjah is more of a traditional emirate.
It is a dry emirate (no alcohol), and as a woman, you will need to cover your shoulders and make sure your shorts/skirts/dresses go past your knee)

So far so good.

[Andyshiv]

Oh God I will never get all this, there is so much to take in!!

Are there different rules for different emirates??

Thanks again for the info.

Do you mind me asking how much you pay for your villa and how many bedrooms?

[sgilli3]

Dont panic- its more about respecting where you live- Dubai is the most liberal of the Emirates, and the other emirates are more traditional.

We paid 100,000 dhs for this villa ( which looks like a fort..haha)It is a traditional Arabic style home as it has separate majis + kitchen...


It has 3 bedrooms (main with ensuite)
1 bathroom inside
large majlis inside (which we use as a lounge room)
a huge entrance room (which we use as a school room- we home school)
Then outside, we have another huge majlis- with bathrooms, which will become a home office and guest room,
and also outside we have a kitchen, + maids room + maids bathroom (we use it as a laundry)
We have stairs to the roof, which we will set up with chairs etc
We have a medium sized courtyard, and it is fully fenced, so kids can play happily.

edited to add: originally the LL wanted 115,000 dhs, paid with 2 cheques, but we got him down to 100,000 paid with 1 cheque.

[Andyshiv]

So you have bought your villa?

[sgilli3]

No- thats rent per year !!!

In Dubai for the same size etc- it would be nearly 3 times that amount!!

[Andyshiv]

crikey!! Seems a lot but I suppose I'm still thinking in euros.

I just don't know where to start?

Assuming your married, did your husband go out there before you to find a property?

Is there a website I can look at that will answer all these silly questions so that I don't have to bother you!!

[sgilli3]

Don't panic- that's what we are here for to answer questions you may have.
Its normal to be apprehensive and worry about the move.

I'm happy to see people research the move 1st. So many come here without doing their homework and it doesn't end up working out...so please, ask away.

Believe me, 100,000 dhs is CHEAP for the Emirates. In Dubai, you would be lucky to get a studio or 1 bed apartment for that.

Yes, Im married.
It is a little different for us, as we started a business here.
The 1st time we moved here, my hubby worked for someone else, and he was here for 3 months, while kids and I stayed in Oz.
Then we all returned to Oz a few years later...but hubby returned again.
That time, kids and I stayed home for 10 months, before we returned here again (as he was setting up business, and I wanted to have bubs in Oz...)