# Where to find a place for living in AD?



## sleepy_fish (Jul 30, 2013)

Hi guys! I hope you could really help me out :fingerscrossed:
We are moving to Abu Dhabi from Doha, Qatar. My husband already moved few days ago and now staying in hotel. I am planning to come with touristic visa for 10-14 days to help him finding an apartment and buying furniture. 
So the thing is our allowance is limited 120K per year including housing and schooling. Our 4 years old daughter got a place in school on Al Reem Island (which is too expensive for us) and cheaper school located in Baniyas area near MBZ city. 
My husband's idea was to find some cheap 2 bedroom apartment for 85-90K and the rest to spend on schooling. Idea is good but the only place to find 2bed for that money is Al Reef which I already hate without visiting it.
Is it possible to find a 2 bedroom villa in a small compound with swimming pool and gym for 110K in MBZ or Khalifa B? 
Al Reem would be perfect place for us as it has pool and gym but we wouldn't be able afford 61K schooling per year and Baniyas school is too far from Al Reem.
I really liked Al Sana buildings in Al Muneera but I guess there is nothing less than 130 :-(


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## fahdfaisal (Sep 12, 2011)

Schooling and rents are the 2 most expensive things here in Abu Dhabi. Al Reef isn't that bad and quite a few European expats living there as well. Unfortunately, you can't have your cake and eat it too. MBZ is a difficult area to live in. Cheaper acomodation, but its a dead area. No shops or activities in the area. Closest form of any life is in Musaffah and Dalma Mall or Mazyed Mall. You will most definitely need a separate car to get around as taxis are a nightmare there as well. Another issue is a lot of fraud rentals are happening in MBZ and Khalifa B. One of the requirements for residency visa is an tenancy contract (WHICH HAS TO HAVE AN AUTHORIZED DOCUMENT CALLED TAWTHEEQ). Most of these "affordable" rentals dont have this and you have to be careful not to get caught out. Make sure you go through a reputed agency (many of them have inexperienced staff as well) and make sure all documents are in place. You will get a lot of papers in Arabic that you will not understand. Don't sign anything or part with money before having it translated by a legal translator as many people have been caught out. I am one of them and had to suffer for 5 months due to this. I have lost AED 20000 in the process. There are plenty of schools in Khalifa A, Abu Dhabi City, etc. The average fees are between 25K-35K per year for a top end school.


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## busybee2 (Aug 8, 2013)

if you are going to be going to the new cambridge international school have you looked at the new apartments that are just beside the mall? if not then look at kcb and mbz. make sure that you have a tawtheeq as thats a must now, you will not get issued a visa without it.


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## Sher12 (Aug 8, 2013)

Advice on apartments and schooling would be tough as I have long left Abu Dhabi.... but I could save you a lot of money on tourist visas.......

I have a contact who does them v v v cheap...let me know if interested i can hook u up....

cheers


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