# apartments



## sgoldie1983

Hi All,

I am a new member of the site but have seen a few posts and I'm very pleased to see so many people helping others with there problems.

I realise that this is a Dubai forum but was hoping to get some info on Abu Dhabi if possible.

I will be moving there next year and have been looking at accommodation. I have seen some threads about certain places and would just like some opinions. I have seen a few apartments in Al Reem Island, mainly the Marina Bay, a lot of people have said not to go near these apartments because of all the problems with them and was just hoping to get more peoples opinions. Also I have seen a few in Oceanscape, does anyone know what these are like?

Also, is it possible to pay for the rent on these apartments on a monthly or quarterly basis instead of yearly?

thanks


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## nafets

I am in Marina in Al Durrah Tower, all is fine and no issues, I am happy there


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## sgoldie1983

nafets said:


> I am in Marina in Al Durrah Tower, all is fine and no issues, I am happy there



Thanks. 

I seen another thread and it didn't make the marina bay look too good. It could be certain buildings though.


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## dzey

just meet with a real estate agent and check it yourself - each tower on Reem Island is different - but they all are good quality and it's getting very hard to find apartments there - prices has risen up by 20-30% since beginning of the year but there are still more people willing to live there then available units..


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## sgoldie1983

dzey said:


> just meet with a real estate agent and check it yourself - each tower on Reem Island is different - but they all are good quality and it's getting very hard to find apartments there - prices has risen up by 20-30% since beginning of the year but there are still more people willing to live there then available units..


thanks dzey,

which towers would you recommend in Marina?


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## dzey

Al Durrah is big & good, same with RAK Tower - rest is cheaper (10-20k aed less) but smaller (and by smaller I really mean 30% less space)
but like I've said before - it will be a pain to actually find any empty unit as there is more demand than available flats, and because of that prices are going up every month.. also forget about Sky and Sun towers as they are also 95%+ occupied


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## sgoldie1983

dzey said:


> Al Durrah is big & good, same with RAK Tower - rest is cheaper (10-20k aed less) but smaller (and by smaller I really mean 30% less space)
> but like I've said before - it will be a pain to actually find any empty unit as there is more demand than available flats, and because of that prices are going up every month.. also forget about Sky and Sun towers as they are also 95%+ occupied



Thats great.

thanks for the info. thought I was on to a winner when I found the ones in Marina heights until I seen this thread.

I'm sure I'll find something though.

thanks again


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## nafets

sgoldie1983 said:


> Thats great.
> 
> thanks for the info. thought I was on to a winner when I found the ones in Marina heights until I seen this thread.
> 
> I'm sure I'll find something though.
> 
> thanks again


al durrah still has space and are great big apartments, I have seen at least 6-7 different towers in the past months and all are small and some even tiny. there is this great looking cascading building next to Sun/Sky they have great terraces but super tiny flats they dont even fit a dining table and 2 seat sofa.. :behindsofa:


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## dzey

if you're looking for apartment there is nothing better in Abu Dhabi than Reem Island.. 

city center is cheaper and spacious, but flats are old (20-30 years old) so quality is bad and there are no amenities (parking space, pool, gym), so you will pay for that extra.. plus you won't have any Western expats for your neighbors - rather think about labor workers from Asia.. 

there are few new apartment blocks in the city (ie Nations tower, or Etihad towers), but they are located near the Corniche, so view is great, but price is high (really high..), and they are quite small..

suburbs are villas mainly - so we're talking about big money and big houses.. and it's far everywhere as it's 20-30mins drive to the city (from Khalifa city A/B, Yas island, Al Reef etc)

so you're back to Reem Island where you have only apartments, and new towers being built every month.. quality varies from OK'ish to 'wow' - price too.. but they are all new buildings (oldest one is maybe 3 years old), all with underground parkings, with pools, gyms etc.. and there is Waitrose there with pork section (in Sky tower, ground floor) and Geant is opening soon (next month as there are already products on shelfs?) in Marina Square.. plus you just cross the bridge and you're in the city center, so even when using taxi's you won't pay more than 10-20 aed per trip..


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## sgoldie1983

dzey said:


> if you're looking for apartment there is nothing better in Abu Dhabi than Reem Island..
> 
> city center is cheaper and spacious, but flats are old (20-30 years old) so quality is bad and there are no amenities (parking space, pool, gym), so you will pay for that extra.. plus you won't have any Western expats for your neighbors - rather think about labor workers from Asia..
> 
> there are few new apartment blocks in the city (ie Nations tower, or Etihad towers), but they are located near the Corniche, so view is great, but price is high (really high..), and they are quite small..
> 
> suburbs are villas mainly - so we're talking about big money and big houses.. and it's far everywhere as it's 20-30mins drive to the city (from Khalifa city A/B, Yas island, Al Reef etc)
> 
> so you're back to Reem Island where you have only apartments, and new towers being built every month.. quality varies from OK'ish to 'wow' - price too.. but they are all new buildings (oldest one is maybe 3 years old), all with underground parkings, with pools, gyms etc.. and there is Waitrose there with pork section (in Sky tower, ground floor) and Geant is opening soon (next month as there are already products on shelfs?) in Marina Square.. plus you just cross the bridge and you're in the city center, so even when using taxi's you won't pay more than 10-20 aed per trip..



thanks again.

I think if I could get something in Sun Towers i'd be quite happy but just need to hope something is available. I do like the sound of the pork section too haha.


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## Aquariu5

Hello everyone, I'm currently living with my cousin on Reem Island in Maha Towers. Sadly I have to move out soon. My question is do people share apartments usually on reem island? I can't really afford to take an apartment by myself. If so please let me know who to talk to and which tower. Thanks


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## dzey

sharing flats is illegal - so there is no official method of doing that
unofficial method is simply one person to take whole flat under his name, and sublet it to rest


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## rsinner

dzey said:


> sharing flats is illegal - so there is no official method of doing that
> unofficial method is simply one person to take whole flat under his name, and sublet it to rest


Not sure if it is illegal per se - perhaps a breach of contract because the tenant is subletting in violation of his contract with the LL, but not illegal I would think.


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## dzey

it's illegal - Abu Dhabi has introduced anti-subletting law this Summer


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## busybee2

dzey said:


> it's illegal - Abu Dhabi has introduced anti-subletting law this Summer


you are not allowed to sublet. the rule has always been there in tenancy contracts so its definately not new, what is new is that now you have to produce a tawtheeq which proves that the house is only occupied by 1 family etc you have to produce this to renew your visa/s. if you are in company provided accommodation then there are rules that you can share ie one person per bedroom etc, but you cannot rent off a friend etc which a lot of people do.


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## Jumeirah Jim

BB clearly hasn't been to a labour camp where 10-20 to a room is the "norm" 

It's not illegal to sublet just most leases don't allow it, so it would be a breach of the lease (meaning theoretically the landlord could terminate if he found out - most just turn a blind eye in practice)

As BB says you will need a Tawtheeq lease in your name or a spouse/close family member's name for visa renewal so you can only get away with subletting in years when you have just renewed your visa/just go your first visa


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## busybee2

Jumeirah Jim said:


> BB clearly hasn't been to a labour camp where 10-20 to a room is the "norm"
> 
> It's not illegal to sublet just most leases don't allow it, so it would be a breach of the lease (meaning theoretically the landlord could terminate if he found out - most just turn a blind eye in practice)
> 
> As BB says you will need a Tawtheeq lease in your name or a spouse/close family member's name for visa renewal so you can only get away with subletting in years when you have just renewed your visa/just go your first visa


actually i have seen the labour camps so , and as i have said if its provided company accommodation it is allowed, we are not talking labour camps we are talking sharing..... there are rules for same sex sharing, but only now because of the new rules for the tawtheeq company provided... you will come into problems otherwise. it is illegal to sublet its in the tenancy law etc if you wanted to go and look, it has always been there, they just havent really enforced it.


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## AlexDhabi

Jumeirah Jim said:


> It's not illegal to sublet just most leases don't allow it, so it would be a breach of the lease (meaning theoretically the landlord could terminate if he found out - most just turn a blind eye in practice)


Complete rubbish. It is illegal to sub-let in Abu Dhabi and always has been. Enforcement is a different issue.


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## busybee2

AlexDhabi said:


> Complete rubbish. It is illegal to sub-let in Abu Dhabi and always has been. Enforcement is a different issue.


exactly complete tosh, always has been illegal to sublet, only allowed in company provided accommodation etc etc. enforcement is a different issue yes indeedy just the traffic rules amongst other things. its not a problem until it is. the new tawtheeq has been brought in to stop the illegal subletting and splitting of villas, also making sure that expats are only renting in proper places, ie not in local housing areas where its always been illegal!


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