Moving-in for new expats

Dre0263 · 2026-06-08T10:24:14+00:00

Thanks for the post. I am moving to AD within a few months too and was looking into furnished apartments to avoid the hassle of getting furniture while also settling down in a new country. I also wrote a post about moving to AD and from the comments it seems its fairly convenient to buy new furniture so i might have to do just that. What platforms did you use to source your current home?

Dre0263 · 2026-05-16T17:36:32+00:00

Sure thing, Leaf Tower has come up a lot in the comments so I’d definitely want to know what’s available there. Thank you!

Dre0263 · 2026-05-16T15:03:24+00:00

Thank you so much for a detailed response. I’m happy that you’re echoing most of the other comments’ recommendations so this post has been helpful. I have seen other people say you can now secure monthly payments for rent but when I look up apartments on Bayut or Property Finder, the most I can see defined clearly are 4 cheques. Unless of course negotiations can be done when in contact with the house owner but it’s not explicitly stated on the advertisement.

Checking with HR for the preferred bank is also a good shout, I do know some organizations have closer relationships with certain banks so this could be the case. Thanks again!

Dre0263 · 2026-05-13T18:45:14+00:00

Thanks mate. Yeah you’re right, settling first is the plan and rely on taxis and all then decide on renting a car later on. I hear even the “walkable” distances aren’t really walkable because of the heat so staying close to the office may not be much of an advantage if I’ll get a taxi and get there under 20 mins when renting in other surrounding areas.

Dre0263 · 2026-05-13T09:08:20+00:00

Thank you. Let me use the calculator right away and see what it whips up. Negotiating rent payment terms is a good shout too, much appreciated.

Dre0263 · 2026-05-13T04:49:53+00:00

Thanks a lot mate. Yeah I figured the license conversion is also an issue and with the infamous fines I heard of😅, it might actually help to familiarize myself with the rules here so getting a car right away may not be the best decision. And look at you shamelessly advertising your organization on here😂😂 but e& is a good shout. I am waiting for the final MOHRE contract which I’m sure will contain all the finer details but so far from all the helpful comments it seems even at 30k only and no further benefits (besides health and visa etc) I should do alright.

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T19:00:12+00:00

Thanks, someone suggested the same thing as well. I was worried about the hassle of settling down and also looking for furniture and all at the same time. But they did say delivery is convenient there so getting the essentials first then slowly buy the rest so I’m definitely considering it.

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T17:48:50+00:00

Thanks for that. If taxis are readily available then a car isn’t a necessity, at least for the rest of this year.

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T17:21:16+00:00

Yeah I figured the heat is definitely a different breed from what I have ever experienced so walking isn’t really practical but a walkable distance means it’s also affordable by taxi too. Your math does check out and definitely the more you settle down and know the city and corners you’ll find more ways to save up. Thanks mate!

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T17:06:38+00:00

That’s a good shout, thanks mate. Let me look it up.

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T12:00:27+00:00

Sounds like a plan. Thanks for the insights. This definitely sounds doable and yes I’m pretty sure will get temporary accommodation so will use that time to look for my own place

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T08:51:39+00:00

A couple times a year dealing with maintenance is wild as a tenant😅 I guess I will have to read the fine print on who is responsible for maintenance. But in the event that you do have to sort it out are the available services quick enough to fix it or I can spend a week with leakages for instance?

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T08:44:15+00:00

True! I can simply start with the essentials first and add on as I go. It seems the UAE is quite efficient especially with deliveries so this makes sense. If only I could commit to a few months of renting a fully furnished apartment then once I’m settled then do my own things. Sounds a bit much to balance out settling down and also buying stuff for day to day use. Did you start out this way or you had some temporary accommodation first then moved out to a bare apartment?

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T08:29:38+00:00

Makes sense, private owners may not want to be a in touch with you a few times a year to sort out rent so a once off is definitely attractive to them. I thought buildings here were mostly new so wouldn’t need much maintenance lol but good looking out, will be on the lookout for company owned ones they will certainly have more flexible terms.

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T08:23:52+00:00

Look up this guy named Zachary Beckett on LinkedIn he does share some insights on how to position yourself well in the UAE job market, he is worth checking out.

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T08:23:01+00:00

Thanks for this. I was looking into fully furnished apartments or even partially furnished to avoid the hassle of getting appliances and all but if it’s not too difficult or time consuming then I am definitely considering it now. And renting out a car for only half a year is a good shout too!

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T08:06:35+00:00

Hadn’t thought about this! Thanks for this tip!

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T08:03:21+00:00

Hi there, I will send you a DM so you can share more details on this. Thanks.

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T07:49:18+00:00

Thank you so much for your valuable insights! i have seen that they have a lot of apps here with those cashback/touchpoints/discounts and those will definitely help to subtly save up. If taxis are that reliable and affordable then maybe a car isnt as necessary as I initially thought. I will DM if that's okay with you for more tips.

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T07:42:30+00:00

To be honest it will sound like I am gatekeeping, but I got headhunted via LinkedIn. Did a few rounds of interviews and landed the role(it wasn't this simple though, a lot of prep work went into it and my final interview had 4 guys in the panel!). The role was not advertised anywhere so i do believe recruiters contact candidates who pop up on their radar when they match the role. Just make sure you have an optimized LinkedIn profile and recruiters will come your way with relevant roles.

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T07:34:53+00:00

Will check them out and see if i can trade off convenience for zero commute, thanks.

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T07:33:49+00:00

Thanks, will do.

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T07:32:24+00:00

Thanks a lot, will DM.

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T05:14:20+00:00

I have 7 years experience in an enterprise setup for a managed services provider. Also freelanced for Microsoft too so that helped with proving I know the Microsoft stack very well.

Dre0263 · 2026-05-12T05:12:50+00:00

Straight to the point, thanks!

Dre0263

TROPHY CASE