Attributed by Olga Pankina, Chief Operating Officer, Whitewill Dubai

Dubai’s real estate market crossed AED 522.5 billion ($143 billion) in transactions during 2024, a 27% jump on the previous year, according to the Dubai Land Department. This surge highlights not just rising volumes but growing complexity. Knight Frank reports that more than 40% of ultra-high-net-worth individuals in the GCC now view real estate as a key component of diversified wealth portfolios rather than simply lifestyle purchases. In response, brokers are evolving from dealmakers into strategic advisors who help clients structure long-term wealth strategies.

How brokers are adapting

Market complexitySavills data shows Dubai launched more than 70 projects in 2024, ranging from branded residences to creative payment schemes and mixed-use formats. Brokers are responding by building specialist teams that analyse developer track records, payment plan risks, and brand value premiums. They are no longer just introducing projects—they are running scenario models on potential delays, interest rate movements, and projected resale values to advise clients which launches fit their investment strategy.

Global benchmarkingWith Dubai’s rental yields averaging 6.8–7.5%, far stronger than the 3–4% seen in London or Paris, brokers are positioning themselves as comparative analysts. They present clients with side-by-side yield scenarios, factoring in currency exposure and financing costs across markets, so investors can decide whether Dubai should serve as a core yield play or be complemented with international assets for balance.

Policy and regulatory shiftsBy the end of 2024, the UAE had issued more than 158,000 Golden Visas, creating new investment dynamics. Brokers now advise clients on selecting properties that can qualify for residency, structuring ownership to maximise visa eligibility, and aligning investments with long-term family relocation plans. As new sectors like gaming expand in Ras Al Khaimah—anchored by Wynn Resorts’ 2025 opening—brokers are also flagging secondary growth corridors to investors, integrating policy insights into their advisory.

Trusted advisor model

Deloitte’s surveys show that 72% of GCC investors now expect brokers to advise on taxation, ownership structures, and exit strategies. Leading firms have broadened their offerings to include full lifecycle support: arranging financing, overseeing management and leasing, and planning exit timing. Some brokerages integrate concierge services, legal counsel, banking contacts, family office networks, so clients interact with a single advisor orchestrating the entire ecosystem.

Regional broker strategies

Dubai and Abu DhabiThe Dubai Land Department notes that 36% of all transactions in 2024 were for ready properties, signalling investor preference for immediate income-producing assets. Brokers are shifting accordingly, building ready-asset portfolios and negotiating rental agreements and management contracts alongside the sale. In Abu Dhabi, they are emphasising projects with infrastructure certainty, guiding clients toward assets that can deliver both lifestyle and reliable returns.

Saudi ArabiaVision 2030 has placed over a trillion dollars’ worth of projects into the pipeline, but execution quality varies. Brokers are acting as filters, vetting projects based on developer capability, financing security, and infrastructure backing before presenting them to clients. They frequently run due diligence with engineering consultants and local legal teams to protect investors from speculative risks while highlighting projects aligned with government priorities.

OmanCBRE recorded 8–10% price growth in Muscat and Muttrah in 2024, spurred by early foreign demand. Brokers here are counselling clients against pure speculation, instead positioning Omani assets as long-term diversification plays. They provide guidance on ownership regulations, residency eligibility, and exit options, ensuring foreign investors understand the timelines and obligations before entering the market.

Skills for modern brokers

Financial fluency is becoming a baseline skill. Brokers are expected to present internal rates of return, cash-flow projections, and exit models. In premium Dubai projects, IRRs of 12–14% are achievable under active management, but only if brokers can demonstrate scenarios clearly.

Additionally, JLL forecasts that by 2026, over half of MENA property transactions will rely on AI-driven dashboards. Many brokers are already using predictive analytics to assess submarket vacancies and rental trends. With more than 35% of Dubai’s buyers coming from abroad, cross-border fluency—tax treaties, cultural norms, legal frameworks—has become part of the broker’s toolkit. None of this is possible without network capital: relationships with developers, bankers, and regulators that give brokers the leverage to deliver better outcomes for clients.

Market insight

Knight Frank highlights a shift among GCC investors from single-unit acquisitions to multi-asset strategies. Brokers are helping clients pair prestige villas for lifestyle and residency benefits with mid-market rental units generating 6–9% yields. Others are designing “exit packages,” advising on resale timing, tenanting strategies, or even property repurposing if liquidity dries up, so portfolios remain resilient.

Forward outlook

PwC estimates that $2.5 trillion in UHNW capital will move across borders by 2030, and brokers will be positioned as the private bankers of real estate. Some firms are already experimenting with hybrid compensation models, retainers plus performance fees, to reflect this shift from transaction to long-term wealth management.

As yields in Dubai stabilise around 5–7% by 2026–27, investors will value strategy over opportunism. The brokers who thrive will be those who build trust as advisors, helping clients protect, grow, and align property with broader wealth ambitions. The industry is moving decisively away from transactions. Strategy is the new currency.

Founded in 2016 by Payal Karumbiah, The Baby Atelier (TBA) has been redefining children’s spaces for nearly a decade. Holding a Master’s from Parsons School of Design and a Master of Science in Quantitative Finance, and with a professional background spanning Wall Street investment banking and the global luxury industry, Karumbiah brings a unique perspective to design. Her transition from finance to interiors was fuelled by the belief that children deserve environments that are not only functional but also psychologically supportive, and this vision continues to guide TBA’s work today. The Gujarat Learning Center is a living case study of this ethos in action.

The Baby Atelier, a purpose-led design studio specialising in child-centric interiors, has unveiled a pioneering 3,500-sq-ft Children’s Learning Center within a Gujarat hospital. This milestone project demonstrates how TBA’s psychology-driven approach to design translates seamlessly from homes into healthcare environments, shaping spaces that nurture healing, learning, and emotional wellbeing.

Where Calm Meets Creativity

Designed for young patients in long-term care, the center balances the sterility required of medical environments with the warmth and reassurance of human-centred design. Every element has been considered to support emotional regulation, agency, and comfort: muted palettes, diffused lighting, acoustic control, and tactile finishes work together to calm the senses while enabling exploration.

The result is a space that provides continuity for children whose daily lives are disrupted by illness. Beyond treatment, they are given an environment where learning, play, and social interaction continue to be part of everyday life — ensuring both normalcy and growth.

Inside the Learning Center

• Reading Nook: A quiet, sunlit retreat designed for privacy, focus, and the joy of books.
• Art Studio: Child-height supplies, pegboard walls, and dedicated display zones encourage creativity and self-expression.
• Role Play Zone: Miniature supermarkets, kitchens, and play stands that build confidence through safe, imaginative exploration.
• Study Zone: Collaborative tables, integrated technology, and world maps to support both group learning and structured lessons.
• Inclusive Play Area: Soft seating and activity blocks for gentle physical activity and inclusive interaction.
• Circle Time Space: A welcoming, barrier-free setting for shared stories, music, and group connection.

Design Psychology in Action

This project illustrates The Baby Atelier’s founding principle: children deserve environments that do more than function — they must feel intuitively supportive. By embedding principles of child psychology into every corner, the learning center demonstrates how intentional design can restore agency, confidence, and joy, even within a hospital setting.

From private nurseries to schools, public play areas, and now hospitals, The Baby Atelier continues to expand the definition of child-centred design. The Gujarat Learning Center stands as proof that design can heal, empower, and prepare children for who they are becoming.

By Charalampos Sarafopoulos, Executive Director, πRism Interiors.

Commercial spaces such as offices, co-working hubs, retail outlets, restaurants and hotels are not just functional – they set the scene for daily human interactions. As an interior designer, I take this into account when working on a project, defining success by aesthetics and efficiency, but also on whether the space makes every individual feel included and valued. This is what we mean by ‘inclusive design thinking’, and it is a powerful and transformative approach.

Beyond Aesthetics

For decades, commercial interiors were designed with a narrow user in mind; the ‘standard’ employee. But in today’s world, there is no such thing as standard. Workplaces are multigenerational environments that welcome people with different abilities, cultural backgrounds, and expectations.

Inclusive design thinking pushes us, as designers, to move beyond surface-level beauty and function. It challenges us to ask: Does this space empower people of all abilities, ages, and identities to feel comfortable, safe, and valued?

Why Inclusivity Matters

Commercial interiors must serve a wide spectrum of people at once, each with unique needs and expectations. In workplaces, this might mean creating spaces where younger employees can thrive in collaborative zones while older staff benefit from ergonomic, quiet areas.

Cultural inclusivity is equally important. Thoughtful features like prayer rooms, gender-neutral restrooms, or clear multilingual signage show respect and sensitivity, making diverse users feel valued.

At its core, inclusivity in commercial interiors is about more than accessibility. It is about dignity, equity, and belonging. When spaces are designed to accommodate a range of people and tasks, they become not just functional environments, but human-centered ones that foster comfort, loyalty, and connection.

Inclusive Design in Practice

When we began the process of designing our new offices, we wanted to take a truly inclusive approach, and so we asked each team to nominate a member to work with us on the “office re-design team”. Seven team members were tasked with speaking with the rest of their teams to gather and compile their feedback. Through this process, we were able to get all kinds of information that we might otherwise have missed: storage space requirements; whether phones and PABX systems were helpful or not; where people eat; chair comfort… The list goes on; my point is that in bringing all this information to bear on our design brief, we were able to create a space that responded to the team’s needs as much as possible. Inclusive design thinking enriched the design process for us, allowing us to:

• Empathize: Spend time understanding the diverse needs of the people who will use the space. For an office, this may include younger staff who prefer collaborative zones, older employees who need ergonomic seating, and neurodiverse individuals who benefit from quiet pods.
  
  
• Define: Frame challenges in terms of barriers. For example: How might we design a reception area that feels welcoming for both guests/visitors and team members?
  
  
• Ideate: Bring multidisciplinary perspectives, for example consult architects, furniture designers, facility managers, HR teams, and even end-users for ideas.

• Prototype: Create mock-ups of installations such as workstations, retail displays, or check-in counters that can be tested with different user groups.
  
  
• Test: Measure success by evaluating aesthetics, operational efficiency and inclusivity.
  
  

Benefits and Challenges

Office interiors profoundly shape how employees feel and perform. From my experience, inclusive workplaces foster loyalty and morale. Employees who feel supported by their environment, whether through ergonomic furniture, flexible work zones or accessible meeting rooms, are more engaged, productive, and motivated to remain at a company.

However, designing inclusively is not without challenges. Budgets can be tight, timelines demanding, and clients sometimes prioritize aesthetics or branding over inclusivity. But as designers, we hold the responsibility to advocate. We are not just decorators; we are shapers of human experience.

In the many projects that I’ve worked on, I’ve learned that inclusivity often leads to creative breakthroughs. The no-man’s land at the top of the stairs was a real challenge for us during the design process. It had served as a barren waiting area for guests, and an informal divider between two divisions within Al Shirawi. It was a suggestion from a team member that led us to turn that dead space into a coffee bar and breakout area for everyone, including guests. These days, some of the team’s best ideas and concepts come to life in the coffee bar. A design decision made for inclusivity can spark a change in culture. What may seem like an additional cost often pays off in long-term usability and satisfaction.

Looking Ahead

The future of commercial interiors is fluid and dynamic. Hybrid work, smart buildings, and globalized commerce demand spaces that are not only functional and stylish but also adaptable to diverse users. Technologies like voice-activated systems, adjustable lighting apps, and AI-driven spatial analytics can further enhance inclusivity. Yet technology cannot replace empathy.

As designers, our role is to weave inclusivity into every layer of the interior, from circulation planning to furniture details, so that commercial spaces become not just places to transact or work, but places where everyone belongs.

Inclusive design thinking in commercial interiors allows us to create environments that are accessible, flexible, culturally sensitive, and emotionally resonant. By embracing inclusivity, we elevate commercial interiors from functional workplaces or retail destinations to human-centered spaces that empower all who enter.