# Dubai Estate Agents



## whatsupdubai (Apr 10, 2013)

What is it with estate agents they open a door here and thats it, i have probably met one or two decent ones but majority are unbelievable, its now got to a stage where they sit on the phones saying yeah the place is open just go see it. Then the same agents have the same property and some freak tried playing me with the price 

What a flippin joke


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## w_man (Apr 16, 2010)

Welcome!

If you find a good one, stick to him/her.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Don't worry, after this you've only got to sort out your DEWA, phone/internet, visa, RTA, labour card, ID card, bank account ........


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## rutebrito (Jun 17, 2013)

Atfer one month in Dubai, I know one thing for sure: I will never again complain about customer service back home. 

And it's not only government/official/red tape matters... it's everywhere!

How is it that a city that has built an international reputation as a shopping destination has such low customer service standards? Shopping is a whole experience, it's not just about what you buy... 
As a marketer it makes me sick.


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## ACertainRomance (Jun 21, 2013)

ha ha, i'll be heading out in a couple of weeks, guess whats first my list...


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

rutebrito said:


> Shopping is a whole experience, it's not just about what you buy...
> As a marketer it makes me sick.


I look forward to your post after you've presented your boss and peers with a concise and detailed quarterly plan that takes in customer engagement, on and off line, reward schemes, offers, ROI, retention plans etc etc etc and it's all ignored because the local "ops manager" wants to blow your yearly budget on a billboard on Sheikh Zayed Road.


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## saraswat (Apr 28, 2012)

A lot of the customer service issues also have a lot to do with the meager wages paid to those types of roles. How can one expect an employee/individual to be motivated/dedicated towards their customer service job when it pays them peanuts ...


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## jk_1337 (Oct 25, 2012)

The guy I dealt with to get my place turned out to be dirty rotten scum. Initially, he was offering me drinks and food and even a chauffeur ride around town to various places on his books so I was like, wow, I got lucky - finally found a decent agent in Dubai!

Once I was keen (and even intimated I needed a few more days to get enough funds for the deposit and first cheque to which he was totally OK with), he got really nasty. Like threatening/blackmail sort of nasty. Even went as far as to harass my wife about the money and said if we didn't pitch up with the money on the same day at a set time, he would not refund the deposit and there would be problems for us! 

He also promised to get things signed off by the landlord but turns out, nothing got done and I was sort of left in no man's land!

I found most agents I dealt with to be fairly ok (in the beginning) but then as you say about playing you on price, these people have no ounce of dignity in them. One agent confirmed the price of an apartment about 6 times in her office and in the car on the way to this apartment (it was quite a steal at this price) but as we walked through the door, turns out, the price was misquoted and had suddenly jumped up 15k. Where on earth am I going to find an extra 15k??? And to top it off, I was told that this place would be snapped up within an hour if I didn't sign up there and then. Not sure if you've ever been threatened by 2 large hirsute Indian ladies but it's not pretty!

I thought real estate agents dealing with rentals were bad in Australia but the guys here, are without any equal. The words I want to use to describe these folks...are best left unsaid!


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## rutebrito (Jun 17, 2013)

This is becoming a bit offtopic but...

WOW I've only been here a month (haven't started looking for a job yet) but that just got me thinking if it was smart to quit a reporting-to-CEO job back home to go for a middle east experience... I've been very lucky throughout my career, I'm used to having autonomy to make decisions and can't imagine being stuck in stupid/complex corporate politics and short minded leadership. 

Well, let's see how it goes.



Mr Rossi said:


> I look forward to your post after you've presented your boss and peers with a concise and detailed quarterly plan that takes in customer engagement, on and off line, reward schemes, offers, ROI, retention plans etc etc etc and it's all ignored because the local "ops manager" wants to blow your yearly budget on a billboard on Sheikh Zayed Road.


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

i had a call from Smith & Ken yesterday.
I started looking for a place about 13 months ago.
I mistakenly looked at few places with these criminals.
I went with someone else, (Cluttons) and had a very easy ride.

Now, 13 months on, they call because i'm on their books.
Can we help you Sir?
I told them the reason they couldn't help me then, and why i didn't need help now.
Waste of time, but i thoroughly enjoyed 'venting'!


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## earthworm88 (Jun 14, 2013)

There is one specific agency I would not touch with a nine foot pole. The most annoying thing is that every single agent at that particular office would call constantly to ask the same darn question! There was even an incident where they promised the prospective tenants (ok to everything the tenants wanted) without even consulting us first and also used the same database (same photos) for other similar units. 

I am currently dealing with Edwards and Towers, and they seem to be more professional and responsive....just have to wait and see how it all pans out.

The point is not to let them bully or pressure you. If they get nasty, tell them you will take your commission elsewhere, chances are that unit is likely represented by another agency(s). There is plenty of supply out there contrary to all the scaremongering tactics played by the agents.


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

The really sad thing is that I get the impression that a decent estate agent could really do well in this market.
It just seems that, for some reason, the system here does not encourage the right type of people to get involved.
Big shame really!
Cheers
Steve


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## indoMLA (Feb 6, 2011)

Stevesolar said:


> The really sad thing is that I get the impression that a *decent estate agent could really do well in this market.*
> It just seems that, for some reason, the system here does not encourage the right type of people to get involved.
> Big shame really!
> Cheers
> Steve


No, they won't. The system is not set up that way and won't permit it. 

When this person does the right thing in taking pictures and following up with the customer, there will always be another agent ready to pounce because the landlord gave him/her the property as well for a different price (maybe lower). So when the unscrupulous agent approaches the customer with a lower price, the customer will try to bargain with the agent he/she initially saw the property with, but that agent cant do anything since he/she doesn't have the listing at that price. He will lose the customer to the other agent. Eventually, he/she will lower his/her standards and play in the shady game that they others do. 

Since the landlord gives the property to multiple agents, they may all be working with the same customer, but the landlord thinks that there is a lot of demand since 4 different agents came to him about the property. 

Real Estate in the UAE is not for the honest and straight arrow, it is for the shady, the cheats, and vulture types.

I remember reading in some magazine or newspaper where some real estate official stated that no change was needed in the RE market since everything was operating as intended. Yeah, it seems that way.....cause more complaints and stress = things working as planned.


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## rutebrito (Jun 17, 2013)

It's true... 

I made an offer on a studio apt with an agent (one that didn't bother to show us the place, we just went by ourselves) and the landlord turned it down (he wanted 2 cheques, we could only afford 3). 

But then, another agent texted me and wouldn't give up the nr of the apartment for anything (probably because he knew the owner had listed it with other agencies). When we went to see it with him, it was the same apartment! lol we made the same offer and the landlord asked for more 5K but ended up accepting 3 cheques.

This second agent was really nice, though. British guy, sorted all the paperwork, answered all our questions and it was a pleasure to work with him. I also had a good experience with a german agent from Better Homes.

The rest of them? I wouldn't give them my commission even if I had no other place to live!



indoMLA said:


> No, they won't. The system is not set up that way and won't permit it.
> 
> When this person does the right thing in taking pictures and following up with the customer, there will always be another agent ready to pounce because the landlord gave him/her the property as well for a different price (maybe lower). So when the unscrupulous agent approaches the customer with a lower price, the customer will try to bargain with the agent he/she initially saw the property with, but that agent cant do anything since he/she doesn't have the listing at that price. He will lose the customer to the other agent. Eventually, he/she will lower his/her standards and play in the shady game that they others do.
> 
> ...


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## haibinhle (Jun 1, 2013)

rutebrito said:


> It's true...
> 
> I made an offer on a studio apt with an agent (one that didn't bother to show us the place, we just went by ourselves) and the landlord turned it down (he wanted 2 cheques, we could only afford 3).
> 
> ...


Hi, Can you share with us the agents' contact. It would be very helpful for newcomers in Dubai in the house hunting course 

BR
haibinhle


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## rutebrito (Jun 17, 2013)

His name is Giles and he works for Fine&Country.
You can find his contact details on the company website fineandcountry.ae

Good luck!


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## jk_1337 (Oct 25, 2012)

rutebrito said:


> This is becoming a bit offtopic but...
> 
> WOW I've only been here a month (haven't started looking for a job yet) but that just got me thinking if it was smart to quit a reporting-to-CEO job back home to go for a middle east experience... I've been very lucky throughout my career, I'm used to having autonomy to make decisions and can't imagine being stuck in stupid/complex corporate politics and short minded leadership.
> 
> Well, let's see how it goes.


you'll be fine champ. I've had some rubbish moments here but have had plenty of great ones too.

I'm not ready to give up on Dubai yet! this place kinda grows on you..so I'm told!!


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## flaminglamborghini (Feb 20, 2012)

*Smith and Ken*

To put it nicely, Smith and Ken cannot be trusted. I have been waiting since FEB for the EJARI that I paid them to do. Oh well, it's only been 6 months....


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## whatsupdubai (Apr 10, 2013)

There all a bunch of ****s the sooner we an deal direct with landlords the better


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## haibinhle (Jun 1, 2013)

flaminglamborghini said:


> To put it nicely, Smith and Ken cannot be trusted. I have been waiting since FEB for the EJARI that I paid them to do. Oh well, it's only been 6 months....


I haven't seen any Smith or Ken mentionned in the previous messages. Who do you refer to? and for which RE agence they work?

BR,
haibinhle


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

haibinhle said:


> I haven't seen any Smith or Ken mentionned in the previous messages. Who do you refer to? and for which RE agence they work?
> 
> BR,
> haibinhle


The agency is called 'Smith and Ken'


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## Roxtec Blue (Jan 14, 2013)

haibinhle said:


> I haven't seen any Smith or Ken mentionned in the previous messages. Who do you refer to? and for which RE agence they work?
> 
> BR,
> haibinhle


I'd give up looking for individuals called Smith & Ken. It's the company name! I get regular calls from them chasing me for business. Pain in the *rse as I certainly have no interest in investing my hard earned cash into one of their "prime real estate investment opportunities".

It appears they pulled my number from a business card left after a meeting in a well known hotel. Can fault them for trying I suppose or can I? Must be going soft. :boxing:


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## Felixtoo2 (Jan 16, 2009)

Google has not been you're friend this fine morning, try looking up "Smith and Ken".


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