Area to look to live? | ExpatWoman.com
 

Area to look to live?

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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 April 2015 - 21:18

We will be moving there in August. Family of 5. Husband will be working in Al Quoz 1 (I think) and hopefully my big kiddo will be going to school at ASD. What areas would be good to look at for family environment? Our housing allowance is 100AED/yr. We need at least 3 bedrooms...and can pay a little over housing allowance if we have to.

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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 20 April 2015 - 13:19
My best point of advice is: Forget about giving people the benefit of the doubt. I am Canadian and learned this the hard way. Take everything people tell you (**cough **cough** real estate agents, companies, contracts), and pretend its a lie until proven to be the truth. Unfortunately usually its a lie here :(
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 19 April 2015 - 16:20
Thank you cherry ripe and dogntow, I think all that I wanted to ship is 240v. Obviously with small/older things I'm not bothered with replacing them but there's something's thst I know if I don't have or may have to buy to replace will frustrate me and I don't want that to happen :)i have had a couple of shipping quotes. We may only have half a container. I'm having to sell furniture which I am ok with. I don't want to get things there to find it's too big or not suitable. Im focusing on necessities. Long term storage here is so expensive so selling and putting the money towards something if we need it is a better option. Thank you for your help ladies!
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EW GURU
Latest post on 19 April 2015 - 14:46
Oceanview, All your Australian stuff will work fine here, either with an adaptor or change the plug fittings. If you are shipping stuff here the items you mention are small and I would put it all in. I regret not bringing my tumble dryer, eventually found a vented one here but not cheap. The only issue I can think of is DVDs. We are a different zone but if you have a multizone player this is not a problem either. It's all these little purchases you have to re-buy here that can make a move expensive. You always sell it at a loss and then have to buy again. Of course, if you are not sending a container it is a totally different scenario.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 19 April 2015 - 13:36
OceanView - if you are from Australia aren't your appliances 220-240V? They will all work here without a transformer, you'll just need the plug adapters which are just a few dollars each. If they aren't Australian electronics then just look at the back of the power supply and see what the voltage range is. Dual voltage items will say 110-240V and you those are ok here with just the plug adapter. If it says 110-120V that means you'll need the transformers and I'd leave those behind.
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EW GURU
Latest post on 19 April 2015 - 12:54
Ocean view, yes! And you can't buy k-kips here so unless you have access to US mail (APO, DPO etc) leave the Keurig behind too! Thank you dogntow, I was just discussing this with my husband. He moves to Dubai in June and me and 3 children later in the year. We are from Australia. Can you tell me if I bother with the following electrical items; Hair dryer, tv's, lamps, DVD player, Xbox, wii and I have particular favorites in the kitchen; food processor, mixer, blender and pressure cooker. I have completely turned my house upside down to work out what to bring with us. Sorry to butt in but personally my advice is sell it and bring the funds. Hair dryer definitely no. Straightener yes. Tv, Xbox and wii somebody else probably knows for sure but if you have pal discs and settings it'll probably work. Pressure cooker I'd maybe bring just because I never found a great one here either. The rest of the appliances I'd leave and buy here, you might be able to find the same or even better. Stand mixers can cost an arm and leg tho <em>edited by Cherpie on 19/04/2015</em>
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 19 April 2015 - 12:45
Ocean view, yes! And you can't buy k-kips here so unless you have access to US mail (APO, DPO etc) leave the Keurig behind too! Thank you dogntow, I was just discussing this with my husband. He moves to Dubai in June and me and 3 children later in the year. We are from Australia. Can you tell me if I bother with the following electrical items; Hair dryer, tv's, lamps, DVD player, Xbox, wii and I have particular favorites in the kitchen; food processor, mixer, blender and pressure cooker. I have completely turned my house upside down to work out what to bring with us.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 April 2015 - 07:54
Ocean view, yes! And you can't buy k-kips here so unless you have access to US mail (APO, DPO etc) leave the Keurig behind too!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 April 2015 - 01:11
Why would you bring a US washer and dryer here...it would have to go on a transformer and a very large one at that which will add significantly to your electricity charges. And unless your TVs are brand new and work on PAL you either need to leave them behind or ship NTSC/PAL converter boxes too. Recommend you leave non dual-voltage electronics/appliances stateside! Is for all appliances such as kitchen appliances? Mixers etc
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 April 2015 - 19:00
The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion is currently at 97K. The way it works is that if you make 150K, you deduct 97K from your taxable income. However, you still pay taxes on the remaining 53K at the 150K tax bracket, not the 53K tax bracket. You can also deduct a percentage of your housing expenses on top of the exclusion. But be aware that if you have income generating investments in the US, property and so forth, it becomes complicated. You still have to pay full income tax on those incomes and you lose most of your standard deductibles once you elect to use the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. That's where a proper tax expert steps in. Someone told me that the first 97K you make overseas isn't taxed and is considered you made $0. Ahhhh! Okay - I gotcha. Thank you for that! I've got to find a CPA that is versed in Foreign Income.
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 16 April 2015 - 10:51
OP, before you start panicking, of course there are dryers here. You don't need one and in the warmer months clothes dry quicker outside than in a dryer but plenty of people still have them. I dry clothes outside but bed linen and towels in our dryer. We plan on bringing our washer and dryer with us. I have 3 kids and a husband! No way in the world I'm hang drying clothes. You should see how crazy dirty my house is WITH a HIGH CAPACITY washer and dryer - much less NO dryer! lol. I loathe laundry. A maid is sounding better every day! You don't need to bring your washer and dryer here! I have a washer dryer in one machine bought in first place I looked at - Carrefour supermarket! The electric sockets are "English" type. I never use the dryer part of the machine - because weather is so hot most of time you don't want more added heat to your house and electricity is expensive!
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EW GURU
Latest post on 16 April 2015 - 08:59
The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion is currently at 97K. The way it works is that if you make 150K, you deduct 97K from your taxable income. However, you still pay taxes on the remaining 53K at the 150K tax bracket, not the 53K tax bracket. You can also deduct a percentage of your housing expenses on top of the exclusion. But be aware that if you have income generating investments in the US, property and so forth, it becomes complicated. You still have to pay full income tax on those incomes and you lose most of your standard deductibles once you elect to use the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. That's where a proper tax expert steps in. Someone told me that the first 97K you make overseas isn't taxed and is considered you made $0.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 April 2015 - 08:43
Why would you bring a US washer and dryer here...it would have to go on a transformer and a very large one at that which will add significantly to your electricity charges. And unless your TVs are brand new and work on PAL you either need to leave them behind or ship NTSC/PAL converter boxes too. Recommend you leave non dual-voltage electronics/appliances stateside!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 April 2015 - 21:43
Maybe the lack of a dryer option is the make or break... Lol... People in Texas have outdoor clothes lines, believe me. I was told all kinds of crazy things before I came like people ride donkeys to school and you can't shower everyday due to water shortages... I was also told Dubai has gold covered hotel lobbies and indoor water parks.... So truths can be stranger than fiction! LOL! Oh I remember the days as a kid with a clothes line. I remember it sucking really bad! haha. I just imagine sandy, sun faded clothes. I mean, doesn't everyone there wear Armani and Gucci ;).
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 April 2015 - 21:42
OP, before you start panicking, of course there are dryers here. You don't need one and in the warmer months clothes dry quicker outside than in a dryer but plenty of people still have them. I dry clothes outside but bed linen and towels in our dryer. We plan on bringing our washer and dryer with us. I have 3 kids and a husband! No way in the world I'm hang drying clothes. You should see how crazy dirty my house is WITH a HIGH CAPACITY washer and dryer - much less NO dryer! lol. I loathe laundry. A maid is sounding better every day!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 April 2015 - 21:40
you'll feel worse off compared to staying in the US and your tax savings is wiped out. Unless you have a very special situation you will have to pay US taxes. Take it from another American, you will be taxed on everything you get in cash. Unless the company pays the fees directly you will even be taxed on school fees but there are ways to get around that. Just be very careful here because it looks like a big pile of money until you have to start using it, ALL of it. Dubai is a great place to live for many reasons but coming here with any plan of really saving is in the past I fear. It can be done but one needs to be careful and plan wisely. Someone told me that the first 97K you make overseas isn't taxed and is considered you made $0.
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EW GURU
Latest post on 15 April 2015 - 12:21
Maybe the lack of a dryer option is the make or break... Lol... People in Texas have outdoor clothes lines, believe me. I was told all kinds of crazy things before I came like people ride donkeys to school and you can't shower everyday due to water shortages... I was also told Dubai has gold covered hotel lobbies and indoor water parks.... So truths can be stranger than fiction!
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 15 April 2015 - 11:58
OP, before you start panicking, of course there are dryers here. You don't need one and in the warmer months clothes dry quicker outside than in a dryer but plenty of people still have them. I dry clothes outside but bed linen and towels in our dryer.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 April 2015 - 09:58
Nope, no dryers here! It is very annoying not having one but you will get used to it. It is so hot here that once you hang your clothes outside they dry fast. But the sun will fade your clothes. I miss a dryer. Make sure your new place has a balcony or backyard to dry to clothes. Doing it inside takes a long time. Yes, you have to file US taxes. Now, we didn't have to pay this year but we have only worked here half the year. So we will see next year what the damage is. Yes, it is hot during the summer and not very pleasant. And Ramadan is during the summer which makes things even worst. No food or drinks in public during the day. (Ughhh) Most people take their vacations during this time.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 14 April 2015 - 22:00
you'll feel worse off compared to staying in the US and your tax savings is wiped out. Unless you have a very special situation you will have to pay US taxes. Take it from another American, you will be taxed on everything you get in cash. Unless the company pays the fees directly you will even be taxed on school fees but there are ways to get around that. Just be very careful here because it looks like a big pile of money until you have to start using it, ALL of it. Dubai is a great place to live for many reasons but coming here with any plan of really saving is in the past I fear. It can be done but one needs to be careful and plan wisely.
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EW GURU
Latest post on 14 April 2015 - 21:35
I don't have a dryer. I have a maid. She spends most of the day fanning the wet clothes with a peacock fan :) It's so warm year round that most people dry their clothes on drying racks. In the summer months you can dry an entire rack of clothes in a hour. Dryers are becoming more and more common, but the old fashioned drying method is more environmentally friendly and doesn't drive up your utilities bill. The other upside is that your clothes last longer as dryers are harsher on the fabric. The downside is that you don't get that soft feel and fresh smell you get with a dryer and dryer sheets and clothes dried on a rack can be a bit stiff, although a maid with a iron can take care of that problem. I love my freshly ironed sheets. I have read that they don't use DRYERS in the UAE? WHAT IN THE WORLD? How do you dry your clothes? :biggrin::biggrin:
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 14 April 2015 - 20:24
I have read that they don't use DRYERS in the UAE? WHAT IN THE WORLD? How do you dry your clothes? People generally have clothes drying lines attached to the back of their cars. It's a good idea to bring pegs with you as there is often a shortage of them here and if you don't peg your pants securely they can end up on the windscreen of the Bentley behind you. Most embarrassing. Some of the less adventurous people use clothes racks or lines in their garden or balcony. ;)
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 14 April 2015 - 19:25
Reading this post make me feel hopeful that there could be employers who could offer such salaries to people to REALLY FIT THE DUBAI lifestyle but I also feel sad that if you are not a western expat, you just have a mediocre salary, crappy flat and neighborhood and a low end car. Thinking that in terms of talent and delivery of work many could have the same level of excellence, irregardless of race or passport nationality. Anyway, for the OP, i hope that you could settle here smoothly with your family. Dubai is a nice place, a little crazy on rents etc..but overall, you can enjoy here :) I am pretty excited to move! We are awaiting receipt of a passport in the mail and then we have to send copies to the employer and we wait for the contract! I'm scared about the heat but I'm from Texas so hopefully it's not TOO big of an adjustment to the heat.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 14 April 2015 - 19:23
I wasn't aware appliances are included in villas - we've never viewed any that included them..our previous villa had cooker and fridge left behind by the previous tenant (along with a hideous dining table that we asked the landlord to take away !! ) but I didn't think it was the norm.. I have read that they don't use DRYERS in the UAE? WHAT IN THE WORLD? How do you dry your clothes?
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 12 April 2015 - 12:37
Reading this post make me feel hopeful that there could be employers who could offer such salaries to people to REALLY FIT THE DUBAI lifestyle but I also feel sad that if you are not a western expat, you just have a mediocre salary, crappy flat and neighborhood and a low end car. Thinking that in terms of talent and delivery of work many could have the same level of excellence, irregardless of race or passport nationality. Anyway, for the OP, i hope that you could settle here smoothly with your family. Dubai is a nice place, a little crazy on rents etc..but overall, you can enjoy here :)
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EW GURU
Latest post on 11 April 2015 - 18:15
We can't find a decent 2 bedroom for 100k! You would need at least 180k budget for a decent 3 bedroom, 200k+ for a really good one.
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 11 April 2015 - 16:07
I wasn't aware appliances are included in villas - we've never viewed any that included them..our previous villa had cooker and fridge left behind by the previous tenant (along with a hideous dining table that we asked the landlord to take away !! ) but I didn't think it was the norm..
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EW GURU
Latest post on 11 April 2015 - 16:05
I dont know if you have mentioned your children's ages but they start school a lot younger here, usually age 3. So factor in school fees for the other 2 shortly as well. Some companies dont pay for any schooling until the child is 4 and nursery can be just as pricey as school fees. As everybody says, check very carefully what is covered and when it is covered.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 11 April 2015 - 16:02
I Ask you husbands employer if the 16000USD salary is inclusive of housing,insurance etc. or exclusive? Sometimes the companies are sneaky and they offer big salary but they dont tell you its inclusive meaning when all the other things are deducted your basic take home salary isn't all that much. Read ALL the small print. Take care and good luck. Absolutely agree with Asti, salary seems high with a very low housing allowance... get it all stated in an offer/contract letter. I have previously worked in HR and we had to state: broken down monthly - basic salary, allowances, school places, medical insurance etc in the contracts. DH's offer and contract had it all listed, basic, allowance, school fee amount, utilities, transport, mobile phone, medical, flights, relocation allowance, furniture allowance (every 3 years), end of service gratuity etc. If you've just got your 57k AED a month as one bucket of cash you will need to budget wisely - and if it does include housing, or even not, make sure you get housing in advance rather than in 12 instalments, the same properties have various prices, as others have mentioned, depending on how many instalments you pay. It's a big move, and from my own personal experience it's getting very costly to live here - no increase in allowances for housing or school fee allowance for us in 6 years, yet the costs have increased every year - just do your homework before you jump in x <em>edited by cymraes on 11/04/2015</em>
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 11 April 2015 - 15:28
I would also say around Al Barsha would be best as most of the American schools are in that area or close driving distance. Ask you husbands employer if the 16000USD salary is inclusive of housing,insurance etc. or exclusive? Sometimes the companies are sneaky and they offer big salary but they dont tell you its inclusive meaning when all the other things are deducted your basic take home salary isn't all that much. Read ALL the small print. Take care and good luck.
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EW GURU
Latest post on 11 April 2015 - 13:33
You would probably want to live somewhere around barsha (closer to ASD) or umm suquiem/jumeirah (closer to manara road). Al quoz (the residential area) is not very nice, it's also really close to the industrial/warehouse al quoz areas. Budget is a bit low for housing if you are a family. You could get a nice one bedroom apartment with that budget. It helps that the salary is quite high. It seems like you might want to live in a gated community with parks nearby like the springs/ meadows / arabian ranches
 
 

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