My Own Home takes you inside a reader-owned property to ask how much they paid, why they decided to buy and what they have done with it since moving in
Laurie Fersing, a French entrepreneur who has her own facilities management company, has lived most of her life abroad, from Barcelona to Bahrain through London, New York and Paris. But it’s Dubai she’s been investing her money in when it comes to buying property.
The serial investor has multiple homes, including the Business Bay apartment she’s settled into. She arrived in the UAE in February 2020, a month before the Covid-19 lockdowns, and it was only a few weeks after that she made her first investment in the area – a one-bedroom apartment she sold after 18 months.
With the profit, she decided to buy her current property, another one-bedroom, in Churchill Towers, and she’ll only consider moving when her “dream home” – an apartment she bought off-plan – is handed over in 2026.
The National takes a look around.
Please tell us about your home
It’s a one-bedroom and I have 986 square feet. There’s one bathroom, one big kitchen, one very big living room and the balcony, which is a good dimension.
I'm living in Churchill Towers, Business Bay. It’s very well maintained, because it's a premium tower, and I'm quite happy here because it's well located.
Why did you decide to buy this home?
I decided I wanted to buy an apartment for myself. I had a deadline. I wanted to buy before the end of 2023 and that was my goal. And in mid-December, I had just a few days left before we were in 2024 and I needed to reach my goal. So, I said, this weekend, I'm going to visit one million apartments if I need to.
On Friday morning, I was looking at all the properties advertised that matched my criteria in terms of price, location and view. I organised like the military for my visits on Saturday and Sunday. I had one visit at 8am, 8.15, 8.30, 8.40.
This one was the first one I visited. The first one on Saturday morning, when I entered, I left, and I was like, OK, I'm 99.9 per cent sure I will make an offer, but let's see. I still saw the rest, as they were all in Business Bay and it was easy to go from point to point. Then on Sunday evening, I gave the deposit for this unit.
I was lucky to have the down payment and, for me, there is no point in giving money to a landlord and to be dependent on the price, which increases. Now, not only am I saving on my rent every month, but I can improve my apartment and sell it with a higher price later on. So it makes sense to invest wherever we can. I really have this mindset.
How much did you buy it for?
I bought it for a bit less than Dh1.1 million, which was Dh200,000 below market price, as it was a distress deal. Now I’ve also done some renovations, the value would be about Dh1.5 million.
What renovations have you done?
Not too much, because the apartment was in very good condition. It’s from a good developer, in a good tower and the material is very high quality, nothing was damaged. It was just about modernising it; changing the colours, making it more white.
I changed the countertops in the kitchen and I did the same in the bathroom. I also did all my bedroom, so I have a bed that’s a bit like hotel style.
Why did you choose Business Bay?
I was commuting for my work in Business Bay from JLT, which during the pandemic was fine, but then after Covid the traffic became insane, so it was no longer viable.
I moved to Business Bay and, initially, I was renting something, just to check the area and see if I felt like it suited my lifestyle. It’s the perfect place to be because I'm close to my work, and I’m close to everything when I go out. I’m always going out in Business Bay and Downtown. Even though there is a bit of traffic, it’s still far less than when I was in JLT or JVC.
Why did you choose this building?
Whenever I want to buy something, because I have some knowledge on the market, and it's not my first investment – I was also investing before in my own country – I have a checklist of things that I really want. I don't buy if all my checklist is not ticked. I even have a piece of paper in front of me when I look around the property.
I wanted to have a nice building with a nice reception, with a very nice entrance. I wanted it with security and to be clean and modern. I wanted to have an elevated floor. I wanted to have a building with potential for renovation, because I was thinking to make some capital appreciation.
I also wanted to have a very nice view. And honestly, I'm super lucky. The view is insane. From my bedroom, I can see the canal. From the swimming pool, I can see the Burj Khalifa.
I wanted to have something shiny. You know, when you enter the place, it's bright, the sun is coming in. And I wanted a balcony as well.
What facilities do you have?
There is a nice gym, which they just renovated. There is a pool, which is also under renovation. There’s a kids’ area, a sports court – I’m not sure which as I never go – and there is a supermarket downstairs.
I’m literally near Dubai Canal, so I can go running around the canal.
How would you describe your interior design style?
All white and brown, with rattan. I have a bit of rattan everywhere. I still have furniture to change, it’s on my to do list. I like natural materials, neutral colours.
How long do you plan to stay in this property?
I’m waiting for the new building to be handed over with the apartment I bought off-plan. I don’t know what I will do, so I will have to check which one is better for me at the time. For sure, I will keep them both and I will rent the one that I’m not using.
I'm still also planning to buy more properties, too.
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour Calendar 2018/19
July 29: OTA Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan
Sep 22-23: LA Convention Centre in Los Angeles, US
Nov 16-18: Carioca Arena Centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Feb 7-9: Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Mar 9-10: Copper Box Arena in London, UK
Managing the separation process
- Choose your nursery carefully in the first place
- Relax – and hopefully your child will follow suit
- Inform the staff in advance of your child’s likes and dislikes.
- If you need some extra time to talk to the teachers, make an appointment a few days in advance, rather than attempting to chat on your child’s first day
- The longer you stay, the more upset your child will become. As difficult as it is, walk away. Say a proper goodbye and reassure your child that you will be back
- Be patient. Your child might love it one day and hate it the next
- Stick at it. Don’t give up after the first day or week. It takes time for children to settle into a new routine.And, finally, don’t feel guilty.
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
Apple%20Mac%20through%20the%20years
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THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Company Profile
Name: JustClean
Based: Kuwait with offices in other GCC countries
Launch year: 2016
Number of employees: 130
Sector: online laundry service
Funding: $12.9m from Kuwait-based Faith Capital Holding
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
Top 10 most polluted cities
- Bhiwadi, India
- Ghaziabad, India
- Hotan, China
- Delhi, India
- Jaunpur, India
- Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Noida, India
- Bahawalpur, Pakistan
- Peshawar, Pakistan
- Bagpat, India
MATCH INFO
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
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Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
57%20Seconds
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Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
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Nancy 9 (Hassa Beek)
Nancy Ajram
(In2Musica)
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
match info
Union Berlin 0
Bayern Munich 1 (Lewandowski 40' pen, Pavard 80')
Man of the Match: Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich)
The bio
Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home
Company%20profile
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: nine-speed
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh848,000
On sale: now
Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
The biog
Age: 32
Qualifications: Diploma in engineering from TSI Technical Institute, bachelor’s degree in accounting from Dubai’s Al Ghurair University, master’s degree in human resources from Abu Dhabi University, currently third years PHD in strategy of human resources.
Favourite mountain range: The Himalayas
Favourite experience: Two months trekking in Alaska
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Results
Men's finals
45kg:Duc Le Hoang (VIE) beat Zolfi Amirhossein (IRI) points 29-28. 48kg: Naruephon Chittra (THA) beat Joseph Vanlalhruaia (IND) TKO round 2.
51kg: Sakchai Chamchit (THA) beat Salam Al Suwaid (IRQ) TKO round 1. 54kg: Veerasak Senanue (THA) beat Huynh Hoang Phi (VIE) 30-25.
57kg: Almaz Sarsembekov (KAZ) beat Tak Chuen Suen (MAC) RSC round 3. 60kg: Yerkanat Ospan (KAZ) beat Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) 30-27.
63.5kg: Abil Galiyev (KAZ) beat Nouredine Samir (UAE) 29-28. 67kg: Narin Wonglakhon (THA) beat Mohammed Mardi (UAE) 29-28.
71kg: Amine El Moatassime (UAE) w/o Shaker Al Tekreeti (IRQ). 75kg: Youssef Abboud (LBN) w/o Ayoob Saki (IRI).
81kg: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) beat Khaled Tarraf (LBN) 29-28. 86kg: Ali Takaloo (IRI) beat Emil Umayev (KAZ) 30-27.
91kg: Hamid Reza Kordabadi (IRI) beat Mohamad Osaily (LBN) RSC round 1. 91-plus kg: Mohammadrezapoor Shirmohammad (IRI) beat Abdulla Hasan (IRQ) 30-27.
Women's finals
45kg: Somruethai Siripathum (THA) beat Ha Huu Huynh (VIE) 30-27. 48kg: Thanawan Thongduang (THA) beat Colleen Saddi (PHI) 30-27.
51kg: Wansawang Srila Or (THA) beat Thuy Phuong Trieu (VIE) 29-28. 54kg: Ruchira Wongsriwo (THA) beat Zeinab Khatoun (LBN) 30-26.
57kg: Sara Idriss (LBN) beat Zahra Nasiri Bargh (IRI) 30-27. 60kg: Kaewrudee Kamtakrapoom (THA) beat Sedigheh Hajivand (IRI) TKO round 2.
63.5kg: Nadiya Moghaddam (IRI) w/o Reem Al Issa (JOR).
Command%20Z
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Meydan card
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 (PA) Group 1 US$65,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm: Conditions (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,400m
7.40pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (TB) $100,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,200m
8.50pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 (TB) Group 2 $350,000 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,900m
10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
