Six months of research, three shortlisted properties, one decision, four weeks from first conversation to title deed.
Ifeoma had done her homework. She knew gross yield numbers for JVC, JLT, and Business Bay. She understood freehold ownership. She'd read about DLD fees. What she didn't have was a specific answer to: which property, in which building, at what price.
She'd been to three other agencies before us. Each one sent her a PDF of 20+ listings with no clear rationale. She needed fewer options, better explained.
We sent Ifeoma three properties. Not twenty. Three — each with a one-page breakdown covering net yield (not gross), service charge cost, average days to let in that specific building, and our honest view of which one we'd buy.
She pushed back on our first recommendation — the service charges were higher than she wanted — and we swapped it for an alternative in the same district with a better net yield profile. That's the version she bought.
The property was listed for rent 3 days after handover. First tenant signed within 6 weeks at AED 68,000/year — in line with what we projected. Ifeoma receives quarterly payments directly.
A comparable unit in the same building sold for AED 648,000 four months after Ifeoma's purchase — a 4.5% uplift on her entry price. She's not selling. But the direction of travel is right.
Nothing on the property side. She wishes she'd moved six months earlier — the same unit was available at AED 590K at the start of the year she was researching. The cost of waiting was AED 30K in purchase price and 6 months of missed rental income.
"Three properties, properly explained, with a clear recommendation. That's all I needed. Everything else I'd figured out myself — I just needed someone to turn research into a decision."
Ifeoma · Global buyerLocation: Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), Dubai
Type: 1-bedroom apartment, ready property
Purchase price: AED 620,000
Total acquisition cost: AED 669,200 (DLD 4%, agency 2%, admin)
Service charge: AED 8,400/year
Annual rental income: AED 68,000
Net yield: 8.9% after service charges
The building had a documented average of 18 days vacancy between tenants — significantly below the JVC average of 34 days. The service charge was below average for a 1-bed in JVC. The building management company had no outstanding maintenance claims at purchase.
Tell us your budget, your yield target, and whether you want ready or off-plan. We'll come back with three options, properly explained, with a clear view on which one we'd recommend and why.