Dubai Apartments... A scam?

Dubai Apartments... A scam?

Author
Discussion

Chilli

Original Poster:

17,318 posts

236 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
Hiya.
Started to look seriously for somewhere to live and have found something that looks pretty good.
It's a 2 bed apartment, fully furnished in Dubai Marina. The only "problem" is that it's AED4k a month.
Seems a bit cheap eh? The lady (currently in the UK)is prepared to fly over to meet me at the apartment, so it all sounds good. Should I be asking for proof of ownership or such? Her email to me was badly written, and banged on about how she got the apartment years ago, her parents fatal road accident etc, etc....Smelt fishy, but I can't see it!

Any advice?

Cheers.

Asterix

24,438 posts

228 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
48k a year does sound a little cheap for the Marina.

Regardless, she'll have to provide you with a Tenancy Contract which if it isn't kosher, so to speak, will become apparent when you have to sign on for DEWA and Etisalat etc...

Mattt

16,661 posts

218 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
Have you got the job yet, or still waiting to hear?

I find it amazing how much cheaper Dubai is (even without possible scams) than Abu Dhabi. Last 2 Apartments we got for our guys were 300,000Dhs/yr for 2 beds - but decent spec. Still seems a hell of a waste though.

dictys

913 posts

258 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
I'm looking at 3 Br Villa's for 120-150k, each time I go on dubizzle there seem to be more and more with the price dropping each week.

Chilli

Original Poster:

17,318 posts

236 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
Cheers all.
Yeah, Got offered the job, but still awaiting the HR phonecall/contract.

Thing is, she is asking for a 6k deposit (no problem) and 4k a month. So, if I shell out 10k then find out it's not even her place, I'll be gutted! Is there such a thing as an electoral role I can check a name to an address?


I've also been told that prices are dropping. I guess there's simply loads of available places.

Cheers.

Mattt

16,661 posts

218 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
First Q for me is - where did you find it?

Electoral Roll sounds too organised for this place. We don't even have proper addresses, or mail deliveries.

Harris_I

3,228 posts

259 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
Be very careful Chilli. When I arrived in Dubai several years ago, I almost got duped by a gang who regularly conned unsuspecting tenants by claiming to have low rates on properties as a result of preferential relationships with landlords.

When I smelt a rat and asked for ownership docs, they looked genuine but ultimately turned out to be forged.

Go back to basics and demand to see original ownership docs and meet the owner directly (verify his/her identity - don't be embarrassed to ask for their passport and utility bills). And don't hand over any money upfront until you are totally satisfied.

Chilli

Original Poster:

17,318 posts

236 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
Ah, I see. I saw it in a load of classifieds I googled....forget the page name...I guess it was a gumtree equivalent.
I just got p!ssed off with all of the real estate websites a) demanding I register, then not replying to my emails, and b) sending me dozens of spam emails about a load of old rubbish I don't want.

Mattt

16,661 posts

218 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
Pissed off? Sounds like they're being helpful in UAE terms!

Honestly, you really have to lower your expectations. Prepare to be amazed if anything gets done, even if you're paying handsomely for it.

Chilli

Original Poster:

17,318 posts

236 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
Mattt said:
Pissed off? Sounds like they're being helpful in UAE terms!

Honestly, you really have to lower your expectations. Prepare to be amazed if anything gets done, even if you're paying handsomely for it.
Oh God, really??!!
And these are people I'm paying, I guess anyone doing me a favour is out of the question!

Hitch78

6,107 posts

194 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
If this one falls through Dubizzle is your friend mate, though you need to wear your bullst detector and have it programmed for full alert.

48k sounds cheap, but if it's not in a sexy block, is not directly on the marina and has views of SZR or DEWA you might not be far off. There's a lot of very average stock in the Marina and that's still about 8k in real english money remember.

I have a friend who's just renewed on a decent enough two bed in JBR for 70k...he paid 135k last year! Property here is on a downward spiral; the population appears to have stabilised now (I work with a govt agency so we get monthly pop figures) but there are more new villas and apartments under actual physical construction in Dubai than there are existing, so in the next couple of years supply will double and demand will stay fairly flat.

Bring it on.

Chilli

Original Poster:

17,318 posts

236 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
Thanks for that mate, appreciate it. I'll have a look..

VAG1

784 posts

189 months

Sunday 27th September 2009
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Hi chilli, sorry for the late reply. The rent on that apartment seems waaaaaay too low, it's like a car advert con I think - if it's too good to be true, it usually is. My dad has an apartment in the marina and the rent on that is around 20k in AED a month so that one sounds too good to be true.

Edited for typo

Edited by VAG1 on Sunday 27th September 18:41

Chilli

Original Poster:

17,318 posts

236 months

Monday 28th September 2009
quotequote all
VAG1 said:
Hi chilli, sorry for the late reply. The rent on that apartment seems waaaaaay too low, it's like a car advert con I think - if it's too good to be true, it usually is. My dad has an apartment in the marina and the rent on that is around 20k in AED a month so that one sounds too good to be true.

Edited for typo

Edited by VAG1 on Sunday 27th September 18:41
Thanks mate. Pretty much discounted that, and have contacted some agencies to get on the case....Getting exciting now.

Hitch78

6,107 posts

194 months

Tuesday 29th September 2009
quotequote all
[quote=Chilli][quote=VAG1]Hi chilli, sorry for the late reply. The rent on that apartment seems waaaaaay too low, it's like a car advert con I think - if it's too good to be true, it usually is. My dad has an apartment in the marina and the rent on that is around 20k in AED a month so that one sounds too good to be true.

There's a massive choice of good and bad in the marina. I've seen real prices recently from 55k for a studio/1 bed.

VAG1 - when did your Dad last lease his place? Prices have plummeted in the past 6-8 months. Hopefully he's got one of the nicer places so won't be too badly affected.

VAG1

784 posts

189 months

Tuesday 29th September 2009
quotequote all
Hitch78 said:
Chilli said:
VAG1 said:
Hi chilli, sorry for the late reply. The rent on that apartment seems waaaaaay too low, it's like a car advert con I think - if it's too good to be true, it usually is. My dad has an apartment in the marina and the rent on that is around 20k in AED a month so that one sounds too good to be true.

There's a massive choice of good and bad in the marina. I've seen real prices recently from 55k for a studio/1 bed.

VAG1 - when did your Dad last lease his place? Prices have plummeted in the past 6-8 months. Hopefully he's got one of the nicer places so won't be too badly affected.
Hi Hitch78, yep it's one of the better places. He's just started advertising it as the last tennant just moved out.

Chilli

Original Poster:

17,318 posts

236 months

Tuesday 29th September 2009
quotequote all
VAG1 said:
Hitch78 said:
Chilli said:
VAG1 said:
Hi chilli, sorry for the late reply. The rent on that apartment seems waaaaaay too low, it's like a car advert con I think - if it's too good to be true, it usually is. My dad has an apartment in the marina and the rent on that is around 20k in AED a month so that one sounds too good to be true.

There's a massive choice of good and bad in the marina. I've seen real prices recently from 55k for a studio/1 bed.

VAG1 - when did your Dad last lease his place? Prices have plummeted in the past 6-8 months. Hopefully he's got one of the nicer places so won't be too badly affected.
Hi Hitch78, yep it's one of the better places. He's just started advertising it as the last tennant just moved out.
Note, I didn't say that!

VAG1

784 posts

189 months

Tuesday 29th September 2009
quotequote all
Ahhh somethings gone wrong, we all know what I meant lol