Properties advertised as fully furnished come with most or even all the furnishings that one would typically require in their home. This includes all the large kitchen appliances like cooker, fridge-freezer, oven, microwave etc. Some properties even provide smaller kitchen appliances like a kettle and toaster etc. The bedrooms would have wardrobes, beds with mattresses, dressing tables etc. and the living areas would have furniture like sofas, dining table and chairs, television, etc. In some cases, fully-furnished homes are also dressed with wall hangings, frames, mirrors etc, so that the home is ready to move into with little else being required to start living in straight away. This is a great convenience for many, especially those who are staying for a limited time or their tenure here in Qatar has not yet been fixed and their long-term situation is unknown.
The monthly rental on fully furnished properties as would be expected is more than other options where some or no furnishings are included and once the cost of furniture is factored in, one could end up saving overall as there are no extra costs to include. Of course, there are many things one must take into account like the duration of the tenancy, the condition of the furniture and the difference in the monthly/annual rental price.
Sometimes properties are advertised as fully furnished but if one really likes the property and has their own furniture etc., it is possible to try and negotiate a reduction in the monthly rental with the landlord or real estate company. The greatest convenience is that with a fully furnished property, once the rental duration comes to an end, there is no furniture to worry about when moving out and it is a lot easier to relocate.
2-bedroom properties are those that have two allocated bedrooms. They are sometimes referred to as 2 bhk, meaning 2 bedrooms, a hall and a kitchen. This type of property would suit a couple or small family. There are 2-bedroom properties, mainly apartments that are advertised as having a separate office or maid/driver room within the apartment, some have their own attached bathroom too. It is advisable to check the facilities being offered and also the layout of the property as some agents do not always list all the amenities fully. It is possible to find 2-bedroom properties in the form of an apartment in an apartment block or tower, a penthouse, a section of a villa, a townhouse or serviced apartment in a residential block or hotel.
A villa is a property/house that is usually set out over two or more floors. In Qatar you can find two kinds of villas: either standalone villas or compound villas. A standalone villa is defined as a villa that has boundary walls and stands on its own private land as a detached and separate entity. A compound villa is defined as a villa that is located within a residential compound or "neighbourhood/society". Compounds vary in size and can be anything from a handful of villas to hundreds in the much larger compounds. Both have their benefits and drawbacks for example, standalone villas offer more privacy for their occupants and compound villas usually benefit from many more amenities, security and maintenance. There is a wide variety of villas available in Qatar with varying amenities and suitable for most budgets.
Qatar, officially known as the State of Qatar or "Dawlat Qatar" is a country occupying a small desert peninsula, spanning 11,627 square kilometres that extends northward from the larger Arabian Peninsula. It is precisely located on the west coast of the Persian Gulf, sometimes referred to as the "Arabian Gulf". The state is an independent emirate with the current Head of State and Government being Emir Tamim bin Hamad al Thani. Qatar has a population of approximately 3,000,000 (est. 2020) of which around 10% are local Qataris and the remainder are expatriates. Qatar has the highest GDP per capita in the world and not only is it officially recorded as the world's "Safest Country" (for low crime), but Doha the capital is ranked the second "Safest City" out of the 431 cities worldwide measured.
Only 1% of Qatar's population is rural with 99% being urban and coastal with a modern daily life. The recent leaders have sought to increase Qatar's presence worldwide and provide greater "civil liberties" and one example of such is through the establishment of one of the freest press agencies in the region. Qataris pride themselves on being a tolerant and accepting nation towards others and their beliefs, despite being a conservative and religious nation themselves. They are a welcoming nation and supportive of their large expatriate population and it is easy to see why Qatar appeals to so many.