Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 15 May 2021: It is safe to say that the pandemic times changed our relationship with our living spaces forever and there is no going back. Thanks to more than a year of working and doing almost everything else from the confines and safety of our homes, we now have a better understanding of what to look for in homes. Another interesting realization during this period is our need for an open terrace, some greeneryand a backyard of our own, where kids can play while we unwind, breathing in some fresh air and have a cup of coffee.

Yet another factor that contributed to our new-found aversion to high-rise buildings is of course the heightened focus on health and hygiene. High-rises wereprimarily designed to organize as many people as possible in one place without any special emphasison the residents’ health and hygiene (at least until 2020) However, in the wake of the pandemic, we have become less ‘touchy-feely’ and do not want to touch everything that is used in multi-storey buildings – yes you guessed it - elevator buttons, door handles, common facilities and surfaces with a 10-foot pole.

Apart from serving as an escape from urban chaos, homes are now seen as the epitome of safety and comfort. It is where we are forced to spend most of our lives right now and therefore, it is only natural that we expect more out of our living spaces these days. The changes in this sentiment is apparent in the UAE – one of the most preferred destinations by many expats to live and work in – as well. Affirming this sentiment, UAE-based vacation home rental company Keys Please has been witnessing a spike in demand for town houses and villas in Dubai as more residents now wish to leave their high-rises for individual houses.

“Much like its impact on the real estate and hospitality sector, COVID-19 has brought about significant changes to the holiday homes industry as well. Following the implementation of large-scale sanitization and cleaning measures and protocols, domestic staycations emerged as the top short-term rental trend in 2020. After spending long periods of time at home due to the restrictions, it is only natural for people to long for a change of scene, which is translating into bookings. Due to the uncertain nature of the current circumstances, this trend is likely to continue into a foreseeable future,” says Hasan Morcel, Founder of Keys Please Holiday Homes Rentals Dubai. Browse https://keysplease.ae for more info.