Dubai real estate companies increase hiring of brokers, but retention rates remain weak

Despite a strong hiring trend for real estate agents in Dubai, the sector continues to see short tenures and high turnover, recruitment consultants have said.

On average, 37 agents enter the market every day, with Dubaiʼs total broker count now approaching 40,000 active agents, the highest in its history, a report from the Executive Search recruitment consultancy showed.

A 70 per cent year-on-year increase in hiring is fuelled by new brokerage launches and sustained market demand. Growth has intensified competition, with agencies battling for clients and quality agents, the report said.

Despite record hiring, retention remains the industryʼs Achillesʼ heel. Average job tenure has fallen from about 12 months to six months or less, the research found. Luxury and off-plan brokers are there for longer – up to two years – thanks to higher-value deals, while rental and new agents experience the highest turnover, often leaving within three months.

However, companies investing in training and mentorship achieve retention rates of between 80 per cent and 90 per cent, the report said.

“The number of active brokers approached 40,000 and brokerages exceeded 7,900, reflecting both opportunity and saturation,” said Nathan Kearney, managing director of Executive Search.

“Yet, beneath the growth lies a persistent challenge: short tenures and high churn. While aggregate commissions are rising, nearly doubling year-on-year, income remains unevenly distributed.”

Dubai’s property market has boomed in recent years, benefiting from government initiatives such as residency permits for retired and remote workers, expansion of the 10-year golden visa programme and growth in the UAE’s economy.

The emirate and the wider UAE have also experienced an influx of millionaires from around the world, leading to increased demand for luxury property.

Pedro Lacerda, UAE country head at recruitment agency Tasc Group, said the UAE’s real estate hiring activity was being driven by a surge in new developments. With more than 140,000 apartments and nearly 30,000 villas under construction, developers are expanding their teams across various functions, he added.

“We’re seeing consistent demand not only for sales roles, which continue to soar, but also for the entire ecosystem that supports these projects, including finance, marketing, customer relations and project administration,” Mr Lacerda said.

Skills to succeed

Real estate will always be a lucrative sector if you are good at it, but only a small percentage of people have the fire, discipline and resilience to truly make it, said Nicki Wilson, owner and managing director of Dubai-based consultancy Genie Recruitment.

It is not a 9-to-5 job, despite the “glamorous social media posts” trying to entice people into the sector. The reality is that it is an incredibly tough industry, she added.

Broker earnings have surged in line with record transaction volumes, widening the income gap between top and average performers, the Executive Search report found.

Brokers have earned Dh3.2 billion ($871 million) so far this year, nearly double 2024 levels. Average per-broker commission sits at Dh18,000 a month. Top performers, especially those who deal in luxury and off-plan projects, earn more than Dh1 million annually, it found.

Here’s what Dh1 million gets you in Dubai’s property market today

“Despite record-breaking months for Dubaiʼs real estate market, the average number of deals per agent has fallen sharply,” the report said. “The decline stems from rapid agent growth outpacing deal volume, diluting opportunities per broker. Top agents capture a disproportionate share of transactions, leaving new and mid-level brokers with fewer closings.”

Brokerage commission models

Agent income in Dubai is entirely commission-based, but earnings depend on three key factors – deal size, number of deals closed and commission split.

Large agencies typically provide a steady stream of leads but pay lower splits (40 per cent to 50 per cent), resulting in moderate yet consistent take-home income. Smaller, boutique agencies offer higher splits (60 per cent to 70 per cent) but less deal flow, the research showed.

Off-plan specialists benefit from higher developer commissions (4 per cent to 6 per cent), while luxury brokers earn from fewer but far larger transactions, in some cases exceeding Dh100,000 per sale. Leasing agents operate on smaller margins but make up for it in volume, closing several rentals every month, the report explained.

“Recruitment within real estate remains extremely competitive. Many companies are now getting creative to attract and retain top talent,” Ms Wilson said. “Notoriously a commission-only job role, I have recently seen a few businesses doing things differently. Some are even offering salaries that cover living costs, revising commission structures or investing more heavily in lead generation.”

The Executive Search report also found that developers structure their commission frameworks differently from brokerage models. “Rather than large, one-time percentages, developers typically offer lower, steady commissions coupled with fixed basic salaries and measurable sales targets,” it said.

“Standard projects offer modest rates between 0.3 per cent and 0.5 per cent, while high-end launches can reach 0.8 per cent.”

Many large developers such as Emaar, Damac and Sobha release commissions on a quarterly basis, linking performance directly to cash inflow rather than booking numbers, it added.

For developers offering post-handover payment plans, commissions may be deferred for 12 to 24 months. While this affects short-term agent income, it offers stability in long-term cashflow, the consultancy said.