Properties advertised as unfurnished come with no furnishings. This differs from some other countries where unfurnished relates specifically to "furniture" only like beds, sofas, dining table etc. In Qatar when a property advert is listed as unfurnished this means that there are no appliances in the kitchen (only fitted kitchen cabinetry), or air conditioning units fixed and sometimes there are no fitted wardrobes in the bedrooms. It is important to consider this when searching for a home as these are costs that must be taken into consideration when budgeting for rental accommodation. Although the monthly rental on unfurnished properties often cheaper than properties with furnishings, once the cost of furniture is factored in, one can sometimes end up paying more overall per month. 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 families prefer to buy their own furniture that meets their needs and suits their taste or when they move to Qatar, they may be moving permanently in which case they may decide to bring their furniture with them. Sometimes properties are advertised as unfurnished but for an increased monthly rental the landlord or real estate company is prepared to provide furniture. One thing to bear in mind is that if an unfurnished property is rented and furniture is bought, once the rental duration comes to an end the furniture will be an extra thing to take care of that one would not have to worry about otherwise, so this may not be the most ideal option for rentals of short or unknown duration.
A villa is a property/house that is usually set out over two or more floors. A standalone villa is defined as a villa that has boundary walls and stands on its own private land. It is not attached to any other building so it is detached, private and literally "stands alone". Standalone villas are not commonly found in Central Doha including most of the districts within the C-Ring Road as they mainly contain residential and office blocks. However, as you travel further out of Doha and beyond the C-Ring Road it become increasingly common to find standalone villas.
The amenities offered by standalone villas vary depending on the price, size and location. It is much more common to find a standalone villa with a private swimming pool in West Bay Lagoon than it is in Al Khor. Standalone villas are good for large families wanting their own private grounds or for companies looking to house their staff. It is quite common to see standalone villas advertised as suitable for bachelor accommodation. If you are specifically looking for a standalone villa, check the details advertised with the agent as sometimes compound villas are advertised as being standalone when they are in fact not standalone but instead the agent refers to the villa being detached from its neighbouring villa as such.
Doha is the highest populated municipality in Qatar which shares its borders with Al Daayen municipality to the north, Al Rayyan to the west and Al Wakra to the south. With a population of around a million people it is home to approximately a third of Qatar's population. Al Doha gets its name from the Arabic word "Dohat" which means "roundness", and is named as such due to the rounded bays along its coastline.
The municipality is located in a central position on the east coastline of Qatar and is home to the majority of the residential areas, business districts and administrative centres of the country. Hamad International Airport, Hamad Medical City and the financial district of Al Dafna and West Bay are all located in the far east of the municipality near the coast. There are two districts namely the Industrial Area (Zone 57) and Wholesale market area (Zone 58) belonging to Doha municipality but located outside the boundaries of the municipality as two enclaves within the Al Rayyan municipality. Central Doha is home to the historic Souq Waqif and the Presidential Amiri Diwan. The beautiful Corniche Promenade runs along the east coast of Doha and serves as one of the major roads linking Doha to the northern and southern parts of Qatar.
Doha is probably most famously known for the luxurious reclaimed land development of The Pearl spanning over 4 square kilometres, an area that offers all types of homes available for rent to suit any requirement from large luxurious standalone villas with pools and private beaches to waterfront apartments by the marina in beautiful towers offering the best facilities to its residents.