Egyptian expat Rasha Ibrahim came to the UAE in 2007 to work as cabin crew for a monthly salary of Dh6,000. However, life had other plans for her, and she found herself becoming a real estate agent. Last year, she closed nearly Dh2 billion in total sales volume.
Uzbek expat Ahmedov gave up a promising law career to move to Dubai to become a real estate agent. In 2023, he made the biggest sale of his career — a villa costing Dh205 million.
Ahmedov and Rasha are among a group of elite real estate agents who earn millions of dirhams in commissions as they navigate the real estate boom in Dubai. While some work around the clock to ensure their clients are happy, others choose to specialise to make the best use of their resources.
Russian real estate agent Vladimir Minaev has been working in the UAE since 2015. Last year, he rented out an apartment for Dh4.4 million — one of the most expensive apartment leases in the city’s history. Arriving here with no knowledge of English, Vladimir worked hard for years to master the language so he could reach more clients. Today, he is the top agent at Metropolitan Real Estate agency, a spot he has striven hard to keep over the last four years.
One of the things all these agents have in common is that when they got a good commission, they bought themselves properties. And some went all-out to splurge on luxurious gifts for themselves. With one of his biggest commissions, for example, Artur from Espace real estate bought his dream car, a Mercedes Benz G-class. In fact, he bought two. “I bought a matte finish G-wagon for myself and a glossy finish one for my wife,” he said. “It was both mine and my wife’s dream car so we decided to buy one each.”
Meanwhile, Vladimir prefers to spend his money on good cars, clothes, and watches. “When you are in the luxury property market, the people you meet are one of a kind,” he said. “It means you have to dress well and carry yourself in a certain manner. It should not be a way to show off or be loud but simply an expression that you know how to get business done. One time I was with a client, and he noticed my Patek Philippe watch. We started talking about watches and it was an instant connection.”
When she got her biggest commission, a whopping Dh2.5 million, Rasha invested it in property. “I bought a car, but the big purchase was a three-bedroom beachfront property,” she said. “It cost me Dh6.7 million. Currently, it is valued at almost double and rented out for Dh550,000. This is why I believe real estate is the best steady investment as it’s tangible and safe.”
Vitaly Gamayunov, a broker at Whitewill, closed his biggest deal in 2024 by selling a penthouse on Bluewaters Island for Dh84 million. He rewarded himself with a vacation. “We took a dream trip to the Maldives and stayed at JOALI Being,” he said. “It was an experience in luxury and tranquility, and really helped me disconnect from the world.”
Rasha’s interest in real estate began when she invested in a property for the first time and was unhappy with her broker. “I had studied everything I could about the project, and I was more knowledgeable than the agent,” she said. “I thought I could do so much better. When I bought my first apartment, I had a salary of Dh11,000, of which Dh8,200 would be deducted towards the loan for four years. I struggled a lot at the time, but God was always by my side. That is why after all these years, I still haven’t sold it because it is so dear to my heart.”
For almost a decade, she worked in real estate as a side gig. “There were days when I flew 12 to 13 hours and upon returning, I would head out straight for viewings,” she recalled. “After viewings, I would head back to the airport and change into my uniform in the car.”
In 2018, she made the switch and joined a developer as a full-time real estate agent. Just as she became successful, her plans were derailed by Covid-19 when she was laid off. “Those were hard times,” she recalled. “I remember going out during peak Covid, risking my health to meet a buyer and closing a deal.”
Indian agent Himanshu Sharma, who works for A1 Properties, made the switch from being an automobile engineer to a real estate agent in 2006. Two years later, when the 2008 recession hit, he was left counting his losses. “I had just purchased a Dh3.6 million apartment in Dubai Marina for myself,” he recalled. “I still don’t know how I survived that time.”
The biggest setback for him at the time was how many of his clients lost their money. “Many developers left the country and projects were canceled,” he said. “Some of my clients had invested their life savings in it. I tried my best to help them, but it was hard. Since then, I only sell units on the secondary market. Something that buyers can walk into and physically see. I still prefer not to sell off-plan properties.”
Today, he manages a portfolio of over 3,000 investors and specialises in the DIFC area.
Artur specialises in Palm Jumeirah properties, an area he refined during the pandemic. “I cemented my reputation during that time, selling mostly to Emirati clients. Within just two-three years, I managed to triple the investments of most of my clients. I managed to use a tough time to my advantage.”
Going the extra mile
The key for all the agents was to specialise in certain areas or fields. For Vladimir, it was the luxury market. Last year, he sold two adjacent Bvlgari villas in Jumeirah Bay village for Dh160 million. The first thing he did after getting his commission was to stay in a Bvlgari resort in Bali. “I believe that if you want to sell to clients, you should know what you are selling,” he said. “If I don’t experience a villa of the brand and know what its amenities are, how can I convince my buyers to invest in it?”
He said he always makes an effort to get to know the client and their interests before heading for a meeting. “I have one client who invested heavily in Tesla stocks and another one who loved football,” he said. “So, before a meeting with them, I will always scan the news on the latest in their field of interest. We are not just selling units, we are creating relationships.”
Rasha said she is well known among her circles for picking up a client’s call even at 3am. “If I am not available when the client needs me, then who will do it?” she said. “I feel responsible for them. So, I am available around the clock and even while I am on vacation. Sometimes, you work really hard for a property for months and then the client closes with some other agent. That is very common in our industry, but you can’t let it affect you. I still keep in touch with such clients and help them with other properties.”
Artur’s biggest sacrifice is family time. “Sometimes, I am watching a movie with my son and wife at night when I get a call,” he said. “By the time I finish my call, the movie is over, and my son is asleep. And that is why I always splurge on my wife. She sacrifices a lot so I can go out there and do my job. Both of us make it together.”
With plenty of ups and even more downs, these agents work hard to succeed in a highly competitive industry. Although they make big commissions, some of them have gone months without a sale in the early days of their career. “One of the biggest mistakes rookie real estate agents make is that they think this field is easy and they can easily make money,” said Rasha. “However, this is a stressful field with no proper schedule or downtime. People who are switching to this career have to be prepared with funds for at least six to eight months because it takes them that long to find a footing in this industry. And even when they make their first sale, they never know when or where their next sale is coming from.”
