DAVIMA / LIFE & HOMES
Samantha’s practical guide to living in Dubai
Small details can change how a home feels every day. These short guides help you check them before you choose an apartment, sign a lease or move in.
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THE GUIDES
Useful checks for home and everyday life
Moving into a Dubai apartment? Set up these services before the boxes arrive
A practical sequence for DEWA, gas, cooling and home internet, with official application links and deposit checks.
Read the guideFive checks before you fall in love with an apartment
A quick everyday-life test for the things listing photos cannot show.
Read the guideSame size. Very different home.
Why usable space matters more than a single square-foot figure.
Read the guideVisit the neighbourhood twice
A second visit can reveal the journeys and sounds you will live with.
Read the guideThe balcony test
Will you actually enjoy using the balcony you are paying for?
Read the guideRead beyond ‘chiller-free’
Ask what cooling costs are included before signing a lease.
Read the guideKeys in hand does not mean move-in ready
Three confirmations to get before the moving truck arrives.
Read the guideTest the commute, not the map
The distance that matters starts at the front door at your usual hour.
Read the guideWill your furniture actually fit?
Measure the home for the things you own, then leave room to live around them.
Read the guideTry the lift at the busy hour
A lobby visit is not the same as a normal morning or evening trip.
Read the guideLook beyond today’s view
An empty plot may change the view you are paying a premium for.
Read the guideCan you park without a three-point puzzle?
The assigned space should work with your car and your daily route.
Read the guideWhich rooms get the afternoon sun?
Match the pattern of light and heat to your actual daily routine.
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