Exclusive interview with Rashed Hareb, Co-Founder and CEO of Rentify

Across your entrepreneurial journey, you’ve built businesses around consumer convenience and operational efficiency. How has that experience influenced your vision for the future of housing?

At its core, housing is one of the most important services people interact with, yet many rental experiences still rely on outdated systems, fragmented workflows and manual processes. Throughout my entrepreneurial journey, I’ve consistently focused on removing friction from everyday experiences and housing is no exception.

I believe that the future of housing will be defined by intelligent infrastructure rather than isolated products. Residents shouldn’t have to navigate multiple platforms for payments, agreements, maintenance, communication and rewards. Instead, these experiences should work seamlessly together. The next generation of housing will be digital, proactive and resident-centric, creating more transparency and convenience while improving operational efficiency for landlords and property managers.

Rentify has described its latest platform as an AI-native rental infrastructure. How do you see AI transforming the residential experience over the next few years?

We are moving beyond a world where AI simply provides insights. The next phase is AI taking action.

Over the next few years, residents will increasingly experience housing that feels responsive and predictive. Rent payments, renewals, maintenance coordination, document management and communication will happen with far less manual effort. Instead of reacting to issues, systems will anticipate needs and resolve them before they become problems.

For property managers and landlords, AI will automate many of the repetitive operational tasks that consume time today. For residents, that means faster service, clearer communication and a more seamless rental experience. We see AI becoming the invisible layer that continuously optimises the rental journey while allowing people to focus on what matters most, which is enjoying their homes.

How do renting behaviours and tenant expectations in the GCC differ from those in more mature rental markets globally?

The GCC rental market is unique because it combines rapid urban growth, a highly mobile population and a strong demand for convenience. Many residents are expatriates who value flexibility, speed and digital-first experiences.

In more mature rental markets, consumers have already become accustomed to monthly rent payments, digital agreements and online management tools. In parts of the GCC, there is still

significant reliance on traditional processes such as post-dated cheques and fragmented communication channels.

At the same time, tenant expectations in the region are evolving rapidly. Today’s renters expect the same level of convenience they receive from banking, e-commerce, and mobility platforms. They want transparency, flexibility, instant access to information and mobile-first experiences. This creates a significant opportunity to modernise rental infrastructure and bring the residential experience in line with other digitally transformed industries.

Beyond simplifying payments, what does an intelligent rental ecosystem actually look like in practice for residents?

An intelligent rental ecosystem goes far beyond processing transactions.

For residents, it means having a single platform that understands their rental journey and actively supports it. Payments happen automatically, reminders arrive at the right time, receipts are generated instantly, and agreements are managed digitally. Residents can access support, track important milestones, earn rewards on everyday rental activity and receive personalised recommendations that improve their experience.

The goal is to eliminate administrative burden. Renting should not feel like managing paperwork. It should feel as seamless as using a modern financial platform. The intelligence sits in the background, simplifying complexity while giving residents greater control and visibility.

You recently described Earn AI as more than a property tool and closer to an operating system for rental real estate. What does that distinction mean, and how does it reflect the future of housing?

Most technology solutions in real estate solve individual problems. Earn AI was designed differently.

An operating system becomes the foundation through which multiple functions work together. Earn AI combines rental revenue management, payment intelligence, tenant behaviour analysis, renewal forecasting, occupancy insights and operational automation into a unified platform.

The distinction is important because the future of housing will not be powered by disconnected software products. It will be powered by integrated intelligence. By continuously learning from rental performance, tenant interactions and portfolio-level trends, Earn AI helps property managers and landlords make better decisions while automating execution.

Ultimately, we believe housing is evolving into a data-rich, continuously optimised ecosystem. Earn AI is designed to become the intelligence layer that powers that evolution.

Do you envision a future where property managers spend less time on administration and more time focusing on resident satisfaction, community engagement and experience design?

Absolutely.

Property managers entered the industry to create value, not to spend their days chasing payments, managing spreadsheets or handling repetitive administrative tasks. As AI takes over routine workflows such as collections, reminders, reconciliation, renewals and reporting, property teams will be able to focus on higher-value activities.

The most successful residential communities of the future will differentiate themselves through resident experience. Community building, engagement initiatives, personalised services and proactive support will become increasingly important.

Technology should not replace human relationships. It should strengthen them by removing operational burdens. Our vision is a future where AI handles the administration, while people focus on creating better places to live. That is where the next chapter of housing is headed.

Sobha Realty, a leading luxury real-estate developer globally and National Bank of Umm Al Qaiwain (NBQ), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide preferential mortgage and financing solutions for customers purchasing off plan residential units across Sobha Realty’s developments.

The partnership reflects the commitment towards supporting the UAE’s dynamic real estate sector by making homeownership more accessible and delivering tailored financing solutions that meet the evolving needs of both end-users and property investors.

Eligible customers purchasing residential units from Sobha will benefit from competitive mortgage rates, preferential financing terms, and a streamlined application process designed to provide greater convenience and flexibility throughout their home-buying journey.

The collaboration combines Sobha’s reputation for delivering high-quality, master-planned communities with NBQ’s customer-centric banking services and expertise in residential financing, enabling customers to make informed property decisions supported by reliable and flexible financial solutions.

The UAE’s real estate sector continues to demonstrate strong momentum, driven by robust economic fundamentals, investor confidence, progressive government policies, and growing demand from local and international buyers. As financing plays an increasingly important role in facilitating sustainable market growth, partnerships between leading financial institutions and developers are becoming essential to enhancing accessibility and supporting long-term investment.

Mr. Francis Alfred, Managing Director of Sobha Realty said: “At Sobha Realty, we are committed to creating exceptional living experiences while ensuring that the path to homeownership is as seamless and accessible as possible. Our partnership with NBQ reflects a shared vision of delivering greater value to customers through integrated solutions that simplify the home-buying journey and empower buyers to make confident investment decisions.

As demand for high-quality residential communities continues to grow across the UAE, access to flexible and reliable financing has become increasingly important. By combining Sobha Realty’s legacy of craftsmanship, quality, and customer-centricity with NBQ’s expertise in residential financing, we are enhancing the overall customer experience and supporting the long-term growth of the UAE’s real estate sector. We look forward to enabling more individuals, families, and investors to access the exceptional lifestyle offered across our developments.”

Mr. Adnan Al Awadhi, Chief Executive Officer of National Bank of Umm Al Qaiwain, said: “At NBQ, we believe responsible financing is a key enabler of sustainable development and one of the most effective ways to support the continued development of the UAE’s real estate sector. Our partnership with Sobha reflects our commitment to helping individuals and families to realize their dream homes and providing investors with flexible financing solutions that allow them to capitalize on the opportunities offered by one of the world’s most dynamic property markets.”

He added: “We are focused on providing a seamless and personalized banking experience that empowers our customers to make confident financial decisions. Through strategic partnerships with trusted developers such as Sobha, we continue to expand our financing solutions that combine convenience, flexibility and long-term value, while contributing to the UAE’s vision for sustainable growth. This MoU reinforces NBQ’s broader strategy of building partnerships across key sectors of the economy and delivering innovative solutions that create lasting value for customers, businesses, and communities”.

The agreement will allow customers to avail mortgage loans on homes purchased within Sobha Realty’s flagship masterplans in Umm Al Quwain; Sobha Siniya Island and Downtown UAQ | Sobha Realty and across all of the other developments of Sobha Realty.

Together, these landmark developments underscore Sobha Realty’s long-term commitment to shaping the future of UAE through thoughtfully designed communities that elevate quality of life, attract investment, and support the emirate’s broader economic and urban development ambitions.

Beyond the Mall, a new UAE-based online lifestyle marketplace, has launched with a mission to shine a spotlight on the region’s most inspiring independent brands, artisans and entrepreneurs. Bringing together a carefully curated collection of unique products spanning fashion, homeware, personalised creations, gifts and everyday lifestyle essentials, the platform offers consumers a destination to discover hidden gems while directly supporting local businesses and creative talent.

More than an e-commerce platform, Beyond the Mall is a community built around self-expression, individuality and entrepreneurship. Designed to connect shoppers with the stories behind the products they buy, the marketplace champions makers and founders whose passion, creativity and craftsmanship are often overlooked by traditional retail channels.

In a world increasingly dominated by mass-produced products and algorithm-driven shopping, Beyond the Mall is offering something different: a place where discovery, creativity and meaningful connections take centre stage.

Founded by British entrepreneurs Rhia Woodall and Phil Malem, the platform was inspired by a desire to make it easier for consumers to uncover exceptional local brands while giving independent business owners greater visibility and opportunities for growth. Every product featured on Beyond the Mall is carefully selected not only for its quality and originality, but for the story behind the person who created it.

“There are so many talented entrepreneurs and artisans across the UAE creating beautiful products, yet many remain difficult to discover,” said Rhia Woodall, Co-Founder of Beyond the Mall. “We created Beyond the Mall to make it easier for consumers to find and support these businesses.”

“Every product has a story behind it,” added Phil Malem, Co-Founder of Beyond the Mall. “Our goal is to help more people discover the incredible independent brands shaping the UAE’s retail landscape”

With plans to continuously expand its curated offering, Beyond the Mall aims to redefine how consumers in the UAE discover and connect with independent brands, one meaningful purchase at a time.