Geeting Ready to join the IL gang in Abu Dhabi

Anubha · Jan 23, 2009

Hi Indus Ladies,

I am happy to share that I will be joining all of you in AD by middle of Feb with my hubby and 1 year old daughter.

Even though I have tried finding everything relevant about AD from the web still have lots of questions , lots of thoughts about AD and the life there - but first let me tell you that I am really impressed by the way all of you are helping each other specially the newcomers in solving problems.. Hats off to all of you .:thumbsup hope to be part of your family soon.

Now my questions

1, My husband's office is going to be in Hamdan Street , so which are the areas we should be looking for housing, my husband is ok to travel a bit. How far is Mussafah .. . is it a good areas .. any other ideas ?

2, Have the housing costs come down now ? How much should we expect to pay for a decent 2 bedroom appt. let me know for both situations - close to Hamdan street and say half an hour away from Hamdan St. ?
3, Will any of you be able to help in finding housing once we land up in AD since we will be staying in company acco for 1st month.

4, Is it easier communting within AD now with the new Bus service since it will take us a couple of months to get a licence and be able to drive ourselves

Will ask more later. Good luck for now ... Thanks in advance for your help

desertdiva · Jan 23, 2009

hi anuba,

welcome to abudhabi...

its a real good place to settle down.provided you have real good facilities.
it is very imp to find a suitable accomodation as per your budget. This thing about the low rent has not affected abudhabi till date. so dont go by that rumour. till date the rent is high here. for our 2 bhk we pay 100,000dhs. new rent in this area is real high. mabbe much higher than that. we stay in hamdan. you might get cheaper ones a lil far away from the main city centre. dont worry about it. but make sure that you get something in hand by the time you come here coz it is difficult to find a decent accomodation as per your buget.
dont worry about the transportation. buses are plenty & comparitvly cheaper. Taxis are also cheap.
mussafah is lil far from city. it is about 40 mins drive. it is the city outskirts. but there is quite an amount of affordable flats. i think you might get an affordable accomodation that side.
by the way wht is ur budget?

Anubha · Jan 23, 2009

Dear Desert Diva,

Thanks a lot for your revert , It will sure help in claming down some of the butterflies in my stomach. I am sure you and many others on this forum will identify with this feeling since all of you have moved from your homes.

Our budget is around 90,000 AED / yr and my husband doesn't mind having to commute for say 30 mints. one way (since he is alredy travelling for 2.-2.5 Hrs daily in Delhi).

I also thought it would be good to secure a place before we come in but my husband had called a few brokers from India (after looking at GNADS) and was told that we need to come there to finalise. Also we would like to see the place firsthand before we finalise the place.

Do you think one month would be enough to find a place within the above parameters as we will be having company accomodation for a month.

:thumbsupThanks in advance for your help
God bless

Arabudupi · Jan 23, 2009

Hello Anubha

Welcome to IL and to Abudhabi too. Its really nice to see more people joining the group and the place.

Rents havent really come down here and is still not that easy to find an accommodation. The cost of a 1 BHK starts from around 80,000 AED/year in the city and even in the suburbs too. Mussaffah is not very far but it will take at least an hour to reach the city after the traffic signals. You would be lucky if you can find a 2 BHK flat for 100,000 because I know few people who have taken flats recently, for rents starting from 1.2 to 1.4 lacs/annum. You could also contact the agents who would show you flats. I am sure in a month you will be able to find a suitable accommodation.

Taxis are cheap here. But there is scarcity of them during peak hours (office hours etc). Buses are few but cheap.

But Abudhabi is ancie place, I would say, small and beautiful . I'm sure you're gonna like it here.

All the best and feel free for any help required.

Anubha · Jan 24, 2009

Dear Arabudupi ,

Thanks for your kind help ; will forward to interacting with all of you more and more and then finally getting to meet you all.

Another thing which i wanted to check with Indus ladies

What are the things that you would need to carry from India - something which we indians are used to and that are not available easily in AD or priced very high ??

Anubha · Jan 24, 2009

:idea Pls read the first line as "will look forward " instead of "will forward "

Tks

roopanair123 · Jan 25, 2009

Hi Anubha,:hiya

Welcome to Abudhabi..:welcome. Regarding your query as to bringing items from India, i guess you get everything here in abudhabi i.e from food stuff to any item..for delhiites and indian items, there is an exclusive outlet called "Al-Adil" for items from A - Z...i guess abudhabi gals would agree with me.. (or correct me if i m wrong)..

Then there is always our LULU hypermarkets for veggies....

regarding prices, ya....if you convert dhs to rupees everytime you buy stuff, u will feel they are heavily priced...but i suppose its affordable...

Can refer additional inputs from other members also...

Rgds

Roopa..C u soon

Arabudupi · Jan 25, 2009

Yes, almost everything is available here. And about converting to INR, we all do it initially but will get used to paying once we get used to it..

geetanjali · Jan 25, 2009

dear ANUBA, AD is very small compared to delhi n no place is very far to trvl more then 1/2 an hour .secondly dont take pain to bring any thing from india each n every thing is aval. here u name it u get it .bye c u soon.

Anubha · Jan 26, 2009

Dear Roopa, Arab udupi and Geetanjali,

:thumbsup

Thanks a lot for your reverts... looking forward to joining you girls soon....

Will bug you all again if anything else comes to my mind .

Cheers