Inside a Tenant's Neighbor-Free Dh155,000 Reem Island Apartment Rented Sight Unseen

Guillaume Nassif feels completely at home in Abu Dhabi's Reem Island, to the extent that he moved into an apartment in the area without even viewing it first. The French citizen, who heads the legal department at Modon Holding Hospitality, lived in the popular community when he first arrived in the Emirates in 2016 – and jumped at the chance of making a return years later.

Mr Nassif was living in Dubai when a job offer in Abu Dhabi prompted him to switch emirates again in 2023. He took The National on a tour around his three-bedroom apartment on the top floor of Parkside B Residence on Reem Island, which he shares with his wife, and two children, aged three and five.

The apartment has three bedrooms plus a maid’s room, and is situated on the top floor of the building with only one apartment on this level. Key unique features include having no neighbors, making it ideal for gatherings, alongside a massive 100-square-meter terrace directly attached to the home used for hosting parties, barbecues, and play dates.

The family pays Dh155,000 annually in rent and moved into the property in May 2023, staying there for more than three years so far. Prompted by a job change from Dubai, a friend of Mr Nassif's wife recommended the Shams area on Reem Island, leading the family to sign the lease without a prior visit.

The area offers state-of-the-art amenities including two swimming pools, a relaxation area, large terraces, a barbecue area, a gaming zone with a PlayStation, a huge communal garden, and a playground with slides. Additionally, Reem Park is located only four minutes away.

Reflecting on what makes the space a home, Mr Nassif credits his children, family, and friends who fill the apartment with joy and laughter. The family has also purchased a future home in a neighboring development expected to be handed over in a year's time.