Caroline Stanbury Explains Why “Buying a House in Dubai Is a Whole ’Nother Ballgame”

Caroline Stanbury and Sergio Carrallo are creating an incredible new home, but as The Real Housewives of Dubai cast member explained on the show’s June 8 episode, the process of doing so in Dubai comes with some unique challenges.

“We’re building our dream house in Al Barari, which is where we’ve always lived, and I love it,” Caroline explained in an interview. “Buying a house in Dubai is a whole ’nother ballgame. You can’t get mortgages here if you’re self-employed, so you have to put 30 to 40 percent down — cash. So it’s not as easy to buy here as it is anywhere else in the world.”

While chatting about the home, the Ladies of London alum shared, “It’s gonna be ready by the end of next summer,” adding it’s “on water...I look out of my window, and I’ve got a river.”

Although Caroline has had multiple gorgeous houses throughout her years in Dubai, it turns out she never initially expected to make it her permanent residence. “When you move here, you don’t think you’re going to live in Dubai for long,” she said. “I rented for so long because I owned a house in England, and I was like, 'I’m not going to stay here.’”

However, staying in Dubai has been an incredibly positive experience for her. “Since I moved here and changed my life, I’m an utterly different person,” Caroline shared on the June 1 episode. “I’m much freer, so much more fun. I’m softer.”

Watch new episodes of RHODubai Wednesdays at 9/8c and streaming on Peacock. Plus, catch up with the Bravo app.