What is different about real estate in the United Arab Emirates
Dubai real estate runs through RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Agency) and the Dubai Land Department, and every broker on a deal needs a valid RERA card while off-plan sales sit in an escrow account tied to the project's DLD registration. Abu Dhabi listings instead fall under the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre. A pipeline that does not separate off-plan from ready secondary units, or track Ejari tenancy registration for leasing deals, will misrepresent how close a deal actually is to closing.
Buyers overwhelmingly first make contact through Property Finder or Bayut listings, then move straight to WhatsApp for viewings and negotiation, so a lead's originating portal is worth capturing at intake. Commission invoices need a TRN and 5% VAT, and overseas buyers add a currency and remittance step banks handle separately. Ramadan slows viewings and site visits sharply, while the cooler months from October to April are when most physical walkthroughs actually happen, and listing copy needs to run bilingually in Arabic and English.
Set up your CRM for UAE real estate teams
- Capture the originating portal (Property Finder, Bayut, referral) on every new lead record.
- Add an off-plan-vs-ready pipeline branch with an escrow/DLD registration status field.
- Store each broker's RERA card number and its renewal date against their user profile.
