Neighbourhoods

Al Barari: The Green Heaven

Al Barari: The Green Heaven

The environment and quality of Al Barari sets a benchmark for Dubai

Words by Sophie McKinley in Neighbourhoods · Apr 3rd, 2014

Al Barari might not be as high profile as other high-end villa projects such as The Palm Jumeirah, but our target audience knows it well - all of my clients are owner- occupiers, and 95 per cent are already based here in Dubai and looking to up- grade. I'd liken Al Barari to the exclusive Surrey commuter belt in the UK. Eighty per cent of my clients work in DIFC and, while Al Barari feels a world away from the city, it's only a 10 to 15 minute drive to the financial district, and around 20 minutes to Dubai Marina.

When you buy in Al Barari, you are buying into a complete community lifestyle. Only a fifth of the land is being developed; the rest is set aside for landscaping. Six botanical gardens are already complete, with a seventh under way. They're all themed: there's the Woodland garden planted with European species, the Asian- influenced Balinese garden, and the Contemporary garden, which is my personal favourite. Work on the swimming pool and gym area is very near to completion, and a running track is currently being installed around the development: it will lead through all of the botanical gardens. Al Barari is a beautiful environment to live in, especially at this time of year. It feels very different from everything else in Dubai.

Villa prices at Al Barari stabilised over the summer and are holding steady compared with the general upward trend in Dubai, with available properties ranging from about AED11 million to AED20 million.

Al Barari is small, with the focus on exclusivity. There are only 189 villas in Phase 1, with plots sized from 11,000-16,400 sq ft, while Phase 2, The Reserve, launched officially this month, will deliver properties 'shell and core' on plots from 20,000-60,000 sq.ft This means that buyers at The Reserve will be able to fully customise their homes within the 'footprint' of the property, as well as customising the landscaping of their grounds. With four exterior styles to choose from, they'll be able to convert existing balconies into workable interior space, for example, and we have one client who is planning to adapt his six-bedroom villa into one with three huge suites.

In terms of build quality, Al Barari is the best developer-built villa project in the UAE. Nothing else compares. Both the workmanship, and the quality of the mate- rials used, are second-to-none. You have only to view a property to see the difference - the floor-to-ceiling height is three metres, the doors are solid oak, and the flooring material is also of superior quality.

Al Barari is also Dubai's very first 100 per cent 'Smart Home' project. Residents can easily connect to their home from wherever they are in the world - viewing CCTV, adjusting the air conditioning, even turning on appliances. At the build stage, owners can even opt for sensors to be placed throughout their homes' pipes, which would alert the smart system to any problems such as leaks. It is the next generation of home maintenance