What long-term buyers look for in a Dubai home
Afra Al Basti
Community, upkeep and the next buyer: how patient buyers choose a home they will keep for years.
Some of our calmest clients are the ones who plan to keep a home for ten years or more. They rarely rush, and they look at a property as a place to live first and an asset second.
They start with the community rather than the unit. How far is the school run at 7:15 in the morning? Is there a mosque, a clinic and a supermarket within walking distance? Is the master developer still building nearby, and what will that mean for views and traffic?
They ask about running costs early. Service charges in Dubai are published per square foot in the Dubai Land Department's service charge index, and a villa with a large garden or a pool costs more to keep than the brochure suggests.
They also think about the next buyer. A good floor plan, natural light, parking and a quiet side of the building will matter when it is time to sell, whatever the market is doing.
None of this needs a large budget. It needs time, honest numbers and an agent who will tell you when a home is not right for you.