Monday, February 26, 2007

Land, mans trophy of sand

For all those expats out there...

How do you think locals get those chunks of free land you keep hearing about? Well, they apply for it at a government program obviously. But What you probably didnt hear about was the gruelling process to get the said land. Ive heard stories of people waiting years to get their land (which incidentally usually comes with some start-up money to get things going, if you want).

So recently Im sitting with family and they are talking about land in Warqa... Government built homes for sale to the average local. Shaikh Mohamed apparently has commisioned homes to be built and sold to locals at fairly cheap prices. This is intresting, cause locals can either wait years for their land, Or buy this one... Depends on their patience I suppose.

But I hope this doesnt mean a gradual phasing out of the free land.

Nickelback - If everyone cared

8 comments:

ADinamorato said...

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i*maginate said...

LOL adinamorato - why do these people post such stupid things about web browsers?

-3lo g, I didn't quite know about the full process. But surely free land will have to be phased out in one form or the another as land in Dubai will one day all be built on, and/or sold?

F said...

Land is becoming scarce... not that I condone what is being done.. However, it is a reality... One day there will be no lands left... Or had no one else noticed how much further free local lands are being located? Outskirts of the city?... Arent we supposed to be the heart and soul of this country?... Funny how the expats live right smack in the middle while we get pushed further out...

Maybe... I'm just being over paraniod... Don't get me wrong.. I love interculturalism... However, my sense of belonging/localism frets over issues as such... Maybe I shouldnt worry my "pretty lil head" about it eh..

Good post though :)...

Taunted said...

Bloody locals, they're getting stuff given to them for nothing and they still complain...

lol

3li said...

@ taunted : Oi, In Saudi they get oil wells for every family,,, We are suffering here! :-)


@ blondie: Weeell, the expats do pay for it. Y7lailna, we get free land w the first thing we do is pack up n move, not knowing its prime camel breeding ground.

F said...

Lol... yes i realise they pay for it... but that opens up another can of worms... hmmm... many expacts are becoming richer and richer by the day... sure im all for equality and all that... but local rights are slipping in the hopes of creating an international hub... is it worth losing our culture?... Hmmm...

secretdubai said...

Funny how the expats live right smack in the middle while we get pushed further out...

Believe me that many expats would love to live further out, in more quiet, peaceful areas, but there is very limited opportunity for us to do so.

And many expats cannot afford villas any more, so they have to live in apartments, and apartments tend to be built in inner-city and central areas.

A third issue is the traffic, it is so bad now that there is pressure for everyone to live centrally to cut down on commuting time.

Also do note that the majority of non-Emiratis buying property are not expats living here, they are foreign investors that are not resident here. Only a very small percentage of expats is rich enough to be able to afford to buy here.

Anonymous said...

Great post but what about those locals married to non locals ? we will wait 12 years !!