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.
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
The biogs
Name: Zinah Madi
Occupation: Co-founder of Dots and links
Nationality: Syrian
Family: Married, Mother of Tala, 18, Sharif, 14, Kareem, 2
Favourite Quote: “There is only one way to succeed in anything, and that is to give it everything.”
Name: Razan Nabulsi
Occupation: Co-founder of Dots and Links
Nationality: Jordanian
Family: Married, Mother of Yahya, 3.5
Favourite Quote: A Chinese proverb that says: “Be not afraid of moving slowly, be afraid only of standing still.”
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Stormy seas
Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.
We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
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If you go
Flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.
The stay
Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Avengers: Endgame
Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Josh Brolin
4/5 stars
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)
Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Spare
Profile
Company name: Spare
Started: March 2018
Co-founders: Dalal Alrayes and Saurabh Shah
Based: UAE
Sector: FinTech
Investment: Own savings. Going for first round of fund-raising in March 2019
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- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
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Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
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RACE CARD
6.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh82.500 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.05pm Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
7.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (Turf) 2,410m
8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,900m
8.50pm UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm Dubai Trophy (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (T) 1,200m
10pm Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,400m
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Manchester City 4
Otamendi (52) Sterling (59) Stones (67) Brahim Diaz (81)
Real Madrid 1
Oscar (90)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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LEAGUE CUP QUARTER-FINAL DRAW
Stoke City v Tottenham
Brentford v Newcastle United
Arsenal v Manchester City
Everton v Manchester United
All ties are to be played the week commencing December 21.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
