# What is International City really like?



## ZeeKhan (Nov 13, 2012)

Hi everyone - Never been past International City but looking for apartments these seem to be so much cheaper, the question is Why?

How far is the commute to Mall of Emirates ?

Thanks in Advance?

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum...Have a great day ... Zee


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## m1key (Jun 29, 2011)

Just search for the name on here. Plenty of opinions already posted...mostly not good.


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## ZeeKhan (Nov 13, 2012)

m1key said:


> Just search for the name on here. Plenty of opinions already posted...mostly not good.


Thanks for that

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum...Have a great day ... Zee


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## M.A.K (Sep 14, 2011)

Well you get what you pay for.... Its got a weird mix of people... but not a good idea if you dont have a license or car... my first year in dubai i spent there becuz of the lower cost of living but i left the apartment a month before the tenancy was supposed to end cause i couldn't take it anymore...


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## ZeeKhan (Nov 13, 2012)

M.A.K said:


> Well you get what you pay for.... Its got a weird mix of people... but not a good idea if you dont have a license or car... my first year in dubai i spent there becuz of the lower cost of living but i left the apartment a month before the tenancy was supposed to end cause i couldn't take it anymore...


So I think I will give international a miss I have a heard a few tales about the place but by your reply it definitely sounds like a place I would not like to reside in - I will probably look at sports city the rents there aren't too bad ....would you recommend sports city

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum...Have a great day ... Zee


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## m1key (Jun 29, 2011)

Sports City is ok, but it is a massive sandpit and building site. Not somewhere you can walk around. Have you looked at Skycourt towers in DSO? Not sure on current prices, but they were very cheap a while back. A few more facilities in the general area.

One thing you need to take into account when looking at apartments is district cooling. It can add quite a bit to your monthly costs in some places. Sometimes this is why something can seem cheap.


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## M.A.K (Sep 14, 2011)

I agree. Skycourts is a good option if you want to save on rent and have at least a grocery and a few restaurants in the building. Sports City has no real commercial or retail close by plus some buildings are on emicool which is the worst district cooling company.


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## Grt1 (Nov 7, 2012)

If you are coming with your family definitely give it a miss.. too many bachelors, no community parks, no good and reasonable schools nearby.. besides other drawbacks mentioned in the previous posts about international city...!!


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## ZeeKhan (Nov 13, 2012)

Thanks for the info initially I will be with a friend family hopefully will follow in August wife's a teacher so she's applying directly from the UK for positions in schools that's the main reason I don't want to commit to a long term lease I need it to be flexible when he gets a job accommodation will be provided, seriously I can't be doing with weirdos living in the same building I like to associate myself with a good interesting crowd ... Discovery gardens are showing 1 beds or 6000 - 7500 dhs but I keep thinking the deal I'm getting at Premier inn for £720 a month is a good deal they will clean my room give me towels and I could try sweet talking them into breakfast ...I will give it a go you got go ask ...lol I know it's 15-20 min from Marina etc but a car at 1700 dhs through Diamondlease which I have negotiated will get me around and fuel at not £5 a gallon in UK bur do much less I might actually be smiling when I fill up in Dubai ..at the moment it's costing me £85 a week in fuel crazy money ..any of you guys seen any cheaper monthly car deals advertised lately ?

Well it's raining in the UK I believe you had some yesterday but ours will last for 3 months  but April is approaching  if anyone as stayed or visited the premier inn at DIP and if you have any advice or comments I would love to hear from you ...in the meantime have a good day

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum...Have a great day ... Zee


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## m1key (Jun 29, 2011)

ZeeKhan said:


> Thanks for the info initially I will be with a friend family hopefully will follow in August wife's a teacher so she's applying directly from the UK for positions in schools that's the main reason I don't want to commit to a long term lease I need it to be flexible when he gets a job accommodation will be provided, *seriously I can't be doing with weirdos living in the same building* I like to associate myself with a good interesting crowd ... Discovery gardens are showing 1 beds or 6000 - 7500 dhs but I keep thinking the deal I'm getting at Premier inn for £720 a month is a good deal they will clean my room give me towels and I could try sweet talking them into breakfast ...I will give it a go you got go ask ...lol I know it's 15-20 min from Marina etc but a car at 1700 dhs through Diamondlease which I have negotiated will get me around and fuel at not £5 a gallon in UK bur do much less I might actually be smiling when I fill up in Dubai ..at the moment it's costing me £85 a week in fuel crazy money ..any of you guys seen any cheaper monthly car deals advertised lately ?


I absolutely guarantee that you will not find a weirdo free apartment building anywhere in Dubai. No matter the price bracket.


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## M.A.K (Sep 14, 2011)

Weirdo is a relative term... so its impossible to completely filter out the kind of a person/personality your would consider as a weirdo from your life... specially in dubai where people from very different backgrounds, up-bringing and cultures come to earn a livelihood...


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## ZeeKhan (Nov 13, 2012)

m1key said:


> I absolutely guarantee that you will not find a weirdo free apartment building anywhere in Dubai. No matter the price bracket.


Haha ....

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum...Have a great day ... Zee


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## msbettyboopdxb (Mar 22, 2009)

I used to live there back in 2008. After the recession, prices started crashing and really really weird people started moving there. After someone got murdered in the building next to mine in 2009, I hightailed it out of there faster than the road runner. I heard it's pretty much gone downhill since then.


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## M.A.K (Sep 14, 2011)

lafani said:


> I used to live there back in 2008. After the recession, prices started crashing and really really weird people started moving there. After someone got murdered in the building next to mine in 2009, I hightailed it out of there faster than the road runner. I heard it's pretty much gone downhill since then.


Whats the story behind that?


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## rsinner (Feb 3, 2009)

lafani said:


> I used to live there back in 2008. After the recession, prices started crashing and really really weird people started moving there. After someone got murdered in the building next to mine in 2009, I hightailed it out of there faster than the road runner. I heard it's pretty much gone downhill since then.


if you look like your avatar picture then I am sure you had a few problems in International City 

There were some crazy stories about the place. One I read about was some customers being killed by sword wielding pimps.


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## ZeeKhan (Nov 13, 2012)

rsinner said:


> if you look like your avatar picture then I am sure you had a few problems in International City
> 
> There were some crazy stories about the place. One I read about was some customers being killed by sword wielding pimps.


On that note I have crossed international city off my list .....

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum...Have a great day ... Zee


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## Roadworrier (Jul 3, 2012)

rsinner said:


> if you look like your avatar picture then I am sure you had a few problems in International City
> 
> There were some crazy stories about the place. One I read about was some customers being killed by sword wielding pimps.


There were reportedly gang issues there for years and it looked like (and still looks like) a slum was basically created where for all practical purposes none had existed before except perhaps in parts of Deira.


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## msbettyboopdxb (Mar 22, 2009)

M.A.K said:


> Whats the story behind that?


Seems some people opened an illegal drinking joint and a fight broke out one night then one of them waited in the stairway for the person he was fighting with and stabbed him. This is the story I heard. Didn't wait around long enough to confirm its veracity.


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## M.A.K (Sep 14, 2011)

lafani said:


> Seems some people opened an illegal drinking joint and a fight broke out one night then one of them waited in the stairway for the person he was fighting with and stabbed him. This is the story I heard. Didn't wait around long enough to confirm its veracity.


I have actually heard rumors of there being a Gang Fight in a building and the whole building was covered with Blood once they were done.... don't know if its true or not... apparently a lot of brothels have set up shop there and people running them are obviously criminals and not afraid to stab a guy or two so they can insinuate fear into people... Triads?


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## Laowei (Nov 29, 2009)

On a positive note there is a decent chinese supermarket, a hot pot restaurant and of course Brit Balti (which does deliver!)


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

M.A.K said:


> Triads?


You watch too many movies.


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## M.A.K (Sep 14, 2011)

hahaha... yea... when i was there i used to notice how many tattoos they had and guess how many people they must have killed cause its linked to the tattoos and all...


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## blazeaway (Sep 28, 2011)

ZeeKhan said:


> Thanks for the info initially I will be with a friend family hopefully will follow in August wife's a teacher so she's applying directly from the UK for positions in schools that's the main reason I don't want to commit to a long term lease I need it to be flexible when he gets a job accommodation will be provided, seriously I can't be doing with weirdos living in the same building I like to associate myself with a good interesting crowd ... Discovery gardens are showing 1 beds or 6000 - 7500 dhs but I keep thinking the deal I'm getting at Premier inn for £720 a month is a good deal they will clean my room give me towels and I could try sweet talking them into breakfast ...I will give it a go you got go ask ...lol I know it's 15-20 min from Marina etc but a car at 1700 dhs through Diamondlease which I have negotiated will get me around and fuel at not £5 a gallon in UK bur do much less I might actually be smiling when I fill up in Dubai ..at the moment it's costing me £85 a week in fuel crazy money ..any of you guys seen any cheaper monthly car deals advertised lately ?
> 
> Well it's raining in the UK I believe you had some yesterday but ours will last for 3 months  but April is approaching  if anyone as stayed or visited the premier inn at DIP and if you have any advice or comments I would love to hear from you ...in the meantime have a good day
> 
> Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum...Have a great day ... Zee


Stayed at the Premier Inn a couple of times when just visiting factory from UK. It is fine but it is abit far out and in a big industrial park. Rooms were big but they are hotel rooms with no sofa etc etc. Friend stayed they for a month before he sorted an appartment - thought he was mad but he liked it.

You could look around Al Barsha or Tecom for serviced apartments, some are not badly priced and you have a lot of restaurants, shops etc nearby


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## blazeaway (Sep 28, 2011)

M.A.K said:


> I have actually heard rumors of there being a Gang Fight in a building and the whole building was covered with Blood once they were done.... don't know if its true or not... apparently a lot of brothels have set up shop there and people running them are obviously criminals and not afraid to stab a guy or two so they can insinuate fear into people... Triads?


Are you sure you've not confused that with "the Raid", good film by all accounts...


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## M.A.K (Sep 14, 2011)

Just got a version dubbed in english. Will watch in a few days... 
heard its all bang bang splurt bang splurt boom... noooo!!! Bang bang bang bang... ratatttattattttttt...


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## blazeaway (Sep 28, 2011)

M.A.K said:


> Just got a version dubbed in english. Will watch in a few days...
> heard its all bang bang splurt bang splurt boom... noooo!!! Bang bang bang bang... ratatttattattttttt...


Well I have English version but fell asleep in first 15 mins! Will watch soon


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## M.A.K (Sep 14, 2011)

First break... nap... second break... gym... third break... tried to watch how i met your mother... fourth break... dinner....

Come to think of it got a lot done. Now contemplating if i should continue or not.


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## ZeeKhan (Nov 13, 2012)

blazeaway said:


> Stayed at the Premier Inn a couple of times when just visiting factory from UK. It is fine but it is abit far out and in a big industrial park. Rooms were big but they are hotel rooms with no sofa etc etc. Friend stayed they for a month before he sorted an appartment - thought he was mad but he liked it.
> 
> You could look around Al Barsha or Tecom for serviced apartments, some are not badly priced and you have a lot of restaurants, shops etc nearby


Thanks for that after all the blood and killings and murders in international city I think I will go back to the premier in. and lock myself in ..lol well I've just booked in for two months I didn't want the hassle of looking around for an apartment as well as a job ..now I can focus on finding myself a suitable position but the first weekend we think we are on the town having a blast if anyone wants to meet up or if there are any good nights out on the weekend on the 10th April we arrive late Wednesday night and looking forward to the weekend in Dubai 

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum...Have a great day ... Zee


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## M.A.K (Sep 14, 2011)

Its not that bad. These just stories that come out and have a far more greater effect owing to the fact that it is a low income group community. Generally no one bothers anyone else. Plus now thatbthe other areas are getting expensive even some middle income families are moving back to international city. I know that because our office handles quite a few properties in IC.


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## ZeeKhan (Nov 13, 2012)

M.A.K said:


> Its not that bad. These just stories that come out and have a far more greater effect owing to the fact that it is a low income group community. Generally no one bothers anyone else. Plus now thatbthe other areas are getting expensive even some middle income families are moving back to international city. I know that because our office handles quite a few properties in IC.


It sounds like your into property do you work for someone or is it your own? I really want to hit the ground running I have made an initial contact with SPF I have not applied for anything as yet, this was based on your previous advice regarding SPF as a good company...have you got any contacts or further advice 

Thanks M.A.K for your help

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum...Have a great day ... Zee


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## M.A.K (Sep 14, 2011)

I think the best way is to just call the companies up and set a meeting as thats what they are looking for in their agents... almost every agency is looking to hire the right candidate at the moment so just get your hands dirty and go set up meetings with these companies after all that would be just a trailer of the movie ur about to watch... haha...


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## pspman992 (Mar 6, 2013)

hey what means England complex of buildings, France,Russia?

peoples from that countries live there or?

thanks


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## m1key (Jun 29, 2011)

pspman992 said:


> hey what means England complex of buildings, France,Russia?
> 
> peoples from that countries live there or?
> 
> thanks


Just the names of the clusters/buildings.


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

pspman992 said:


> hey what means England complex of buildings, France,Russia?
> 
> peoples from that countries live there or?
> 
> thanks


It's supposed to relate to the style of building design.

Having said that, China block is full of Chinese people (and excellent Chinese restaurants).


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## pspman992 (Mar 6, 2013)

in which block is most for England peoples,French,Russians?  i want with them!


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## canadianbilal (Mar 3, 2013)

M.A.K said:


> Just got a version dubbed in english. Will watch in a few days...
> heard its all bang bang splurt bang splurt boom... noooo!!! Bang bang bang bang... ratatttattattttttt...


lmao wth


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

pspman992 said:


> in which block is most for England peoples,French,Russians?  i want with them!


You're not going to find many white faces in International City.


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