Real estate marketing questions from the UAE

Trakheesi is the Dubai Land Department's system for real estate advertising permits. DLD said in 2020 that advertising without the required permits brings progressive fines, so every property ad needs its permit before it runs. We prepare every property ad with its permit number in place, and the permit itself is issued by DLD. Confirm which permit your listing needs with DLD.

Dubai Land Department's Real Estate Ad Permit page, viewed on 7 November 2026, lists AED 1,000 for most permit types and AED 5,000 for a project launch event permit, with a further AED 20 knowledge and innovation fee. Fees change, so confirm the current figure with DLD before you budget, and remember the permit fee is separate from the cost of making and running the ad.

For the permit types DLD lists, a broker needs a marketing contract with the owner, according to DLD's Real Estate Ad Permit page (viewed 7 November 2026). Get it signed before any ad goes live and keep a copy with the listing. Which permit type applies to your listing is a question for DLD, so confirm it there before you apply.

Dubai Land Department said in October 2020 that advertising without the required permits brings progressive fines starting from AED 50,000 and can end with the licence being cancelled. That's a 2020 statement, and DLD's current permit page lists no penalty, so check today's penalties with DLD. The safe rule is simpler: no permit number, no ad.

Off-plan means buying a property from a developer before construction is complete, often before it starts. Emirates 24|7 reported on 20 July 2026 that off-plan sales made up 58,840 deals in Dubai in the first half of 2026. That's a press figure and outlets count deals differently, so check the Dubai Land Department for official totals.

Property Finder wrote in July 2026 that broker commission on off-plan sales ranges from 2% to 8% and is paid by the developer. That's a portal's guide, not a rule, so rates vary by developer and project. Confirm your rate in writing with the developer before you spend on marketing a project, because it decides how much you can afford to pay per lead.

Five things: a permit number for every ad, plus a project launch event permit if you're hosting one; the developer's agreement in writing; a landing page with price, payment plan and a WhatsApp button; a CRM or sheet that records each enquiry's source; and a named person who replies in minutes. If any of the five is missing, delay the ads, because paid traffic will expose the gap at your expense.

Start with both if the budget allows, then let your own numbers decide. Record every portal enquiry through to viewing and deal, and compare cost per qualified lead by portal over a full sales cycle. Cut the portal that can't show deals, whatever its enquiry count, because enquiries that never answer your reply cost as much to chase as good ones.

Within the hour at the very latest, and within minutes if you can. A 2011 Harvard Business Review study of US companies found firms that tried to contact leads within an hour were nearly seven times as likely to qualify them as firms that tried an hour later. It's old US data and shows an association, but UAE buyers answer on WhatsApp, which 84.1% of internet users aged 16 and over said they used in the past month, per GWI's Q2 2026 survey.

Only after a small paid test that you can trace to closed deals. Before paying, ask whether the lead is exclusive to you, where and when the person gave their details, and whether they agreed to be contacted: TDRA's FAQs say marketing text messages need prior explicit consent, and a list nobody agreed to join can't meet that. Prefer paying per qualified lead or per closing over a large upfront fee for volume.

Pick a narrow lane and become the obvious answer in it. Dubai had 32,294 registered brokers and 9,785 registered brokerage offices at the end of 2025, according to Dubai Land Department data reported by the Dubai Media Office, so general listings drown. Choose one community, property type or buyer language, run permitted ads for it and answer every enquiry fast. Registered isn't the same as active, but the competition is real.

As of 7 November 2026, the latest full-year official figures are for 2025: the Dubai Media Office reported over 270,000 real estate transactions worth AED 917 billion, up 20% year on year. For 2026, Khaleej Times, citing Dubai Land Department data, reported AED 286.43 billion in sales across 79,229 transactions from January to June. Outlets count differently, so quote the source and date, and check DLD for newer totals.

Say only what the authorities say, and name them. Dubai Land Department says property investors can apply for a 10-year renewable Golden Visa if the purchase value was AED 2 million or more at the time of purchase, but the government portal shows 5 years for real estate investments, so don't promise a term. Tell buyers to confirm with the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). This isn't immigration advice.

DLD's Property Sale Registration page (viewed 7 November 2026) lists a fee of 2% of the sale value from the seller and 2% from the buyer, with fixed charges and service partner fees on top. In an ad or calculator, show the buyer's 2% and the extras rather than writing that the buyer pays 4%, and send readers to DLD for the current schedule.

We can only quote our own prices, and they're published: our plug-in marketing department for UAE real estate costs AED 18,000 a month for Core, AED 30,000 for Department and AED 45,000 for Dedicated, plus AED 15,000 once for onboarding. An on-site coordinator is AED 15,000 a month extra. Prices exclude VAT, you pay Meta, Google and the portals directly for ad spend, and the minimum term is six months, then 60 days' notice.