1. Al Reef Villas<br />Why a modern Abu Dhabi villa has become a home from home for British expats Paul and Dawn Cartledge.<br />What drew you to Al Reef Villas?<br />Paul: Before here we lived for almost one year on the corniche, somewhere I think is really convenient for a first-time move as you get to know where everything is in the city, like the malls and facilities. Once that’s done though we felt it would be nice to move out of town and into the suburbs. We rented the property through Better Homes and our landlord is fantastic so it was an easy transition to make. We instantly felt a sense of community here so it soon felt like a home from home for us. It’s also good value for money when you compare rentral prices to those in the city itself.<br />Is there much to do onsite?<br />Dawn: We do have a pool ourselves but there are communal facilities here too, including a pool, gym and tennis courts – and they’re just producing more and more as the development progresses. At the back of the houses you’ll also notice there’s grassy areas where local children go and play of an evening.<br />How are the local facilities?<br />Paul: The development itself is still being completed so unfortunately there’s not a local shop just yet, which is a shame as it would be nice to get day-to-day bits like fresh bread and milk. That said though, Etihad Plaza is just a five-minute drive down the road. Dawn: I always head there – it has a few shops, a supermarket, and cafes like Mugg and Bean, a Hippy Chic boutique – there’s really something for everybody. I go there for a basic grocery shop and for a bigger shop I’ll go further afield to Mussafah – an up-and-coming area with larger centres like Dalma Mall. The local shopping’s definitely improving, and some are starting to do food deliveries too.<br />How is the 'sense of community' here?<br />Paul: It’s an element that’s evident as soon as you walk through the neighborhood; people say hello and children play outside. There’s also an Al Reef Facebook page where residents share ideas, problems and solutions to things that go on in the area as well as adverts for local quiz nights and the like, which is really handy.Dawn: The type of people here are very varied too; from singles and couples to families and all nationalities but everyone gels and if there’s anyone in need there’s always someone there who will help.<br />
