For Chris Saad, who spent years away from his native Brisbane, working in San Francisco’s Silicon Valley, the homecoming that began in 2017 is now all the sweeter, as he exchanged his posh, inner-city digs for a new home in Fig Tree Pocket.
Before coming back to Brisbane, the self-described product & startup builder, serial entrepreneur, strategic advisor, angel investor, and podcaster had made quite a name for himself amidst Silicon Valley’s highly competitive tech environment.
Mr Saad was the Head of Product at Uber. He is also a co-founder of the DataPortability Project. “I build strategies, products, messages, brands, ecosystems, standards and startups,” is how he describes what he does.
He and his wife Aliya closed the deal in May 2020 on the purchase of a $2.42 million retreat situated on a quiet, leafy cul de sac in River Park Place.
The sprawling 1,358-square-metre property, listed by Alex Jordan of McGrath Estate Agents and designed by Tabrizi Home Builders, embodies the laid-back, family-oriented lifestyle that Mr Saad and his wife Aliya have envisioned for their family.
“I think we had this inkling that we wanted to go to a leafy area we were ‘umming’ and ‘ahhing’ and we loved our apartment that we were in but when COVID hit it solidified the idea in our mind about having our own sanctuary. I think, trend-wise, that urbanisation of people moving into the cities will reverse now,” Mr Saad said.
As people used to high-rise apartment living, the couple said that the coronavirus pandemic has given them fresh insights about their priorities in life.
“My whole career I had been living in these high rise apartments … but we realised our priority was about our family and creating a sanctuary where family can come and enjoy a special place,” Mr Saad said.
“Sanctuary” is certainly the vibe of his new home, with luxury features that include an outdoor entertainment area with a fire pit, Instagram-worthy gradens, a gourmet kitchen, and other amenities that give the home the qualities of a luxurious, urban retreat.
Both Mr Saad and his wife work remotely so the daily commute to an office that most people deal with was not an issue.
Their new, elevated abode is located metres from riverfront parks, the boat ramp, city express buses, and in the catchment of excellent private and public schools.
Three years after moving back to Brisbane, Chris and Aliya Saad are finally home.
