INTERVIEW WITH QURAT UL AIN, CO-FOUNDER & CLO, DRE HOMES BY BINESH BABU PANICKER, FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, PROPERTY TIME
As Dubai’s property market matures, seasoned leaders like Qurat are defining how brands earn—and keep—client trust. In this candid Q&A, Qurat reflects on her early hustle, the ethical bedrock of DRE Homes, and practical advicefor agents navigating today’s competitive landscape.
You began your career selling ice cream and hotel memberships while studying. How did those experiences underpin your later success?
Working part-time during my years at the American University of Sharjah taught me grit, empathy and how to close a sale—skills you can’t learn in a classroom. Whether pitching a frozen dessert at London Dairy or explaining the perks of a club membership, I learned to listen to needs, handle objections and celebrate small wins. Those lessons became the foundation when my brother, Mudassir Wani, and I founded DRE Homes in 2007—just ahead of the global recession.
DRE Homes has grown into a recognized name over 18 years. What goes into building a real estate brand?
A brand is what clients feel when they hear your name—it’s more than colors and a tagline. For us, it meant consistently delivering on promises, from staging events in Dubai Hills to publishing transparent performance reports. We invest in training our agents, maintain a user-friendly digital platform and respond to inquiries within hours. By aligning every touchpoint with trust, integrity and service excellence, we’ve built a reputation that withstands market cycles.
Ethics often come under scrutiny in real estate. What principles guide you when brokers face conflicting incentives?
Real estate is fundamentally a trust business. While commissions vary, our priority is responsibility— guiding families through one of their biggest financial decisions. We document all fee structures up front, present the best options irrespective of our payout, and follow up after handover to assist with leasing or resale. Chasing short-term gains might boost today’s numbers but harms long-term loyalty.
With Ras Al Khaimah emerging as an alternative destination, how do you counsel clients comparing it to Dubai?
Ras Al Khaimah reminds me of Dubai two decades ago: affordable inventory, resort-style communities and rising rental yields of 8–9%. I start by reviewing what clients already own in Dubai, then clarify whether they seek a vacation home, pure investment yield or lifestyle balance. From beachfront villas in Al Marjan to capital-appreciation opportunities around Mina Al Arab, it’s about aligning goals with market dynamics.
Looking back, what was DRE Homes’ defining breakthrough?
During the 2008 downturn, we pivoted to leasing across Silicon Oasis and Discovery Gardens. In 2012, a referral from a friend at a regional bank led to a landmark sale: 16 floors in Jumeirah Lake Towers to a Lebanese corporate relocating its headquarters. That alone reshaped our trajectory, funding our move from a small Karama office to Business Bay and later to our flagship at Dubai Hills Estate.
Deals inevitably fall through. How do you stay resilient when a major transaction collapses?
I won’t sugarcoat it—losing a big deal hurts. But after two decades, you learn to compartmentalize. I allow myself an evening off, then revisit my pipeline first thing in the morning. I lean on a tightknit leadership team for perspective and track weekly milestones to keep momentum. Resilience isn’t about never failing; it’s about bouncing back with focused determination.
Many new agents ask whether to specialize or cast a wide net. What’s your advice?
Start with leasing—it builds your network, your confidence and your referral base. Once you’ve mastered six to eight rental transactions, pick one or two communities and become the local expert. A buyer searching for Downtown Dubai wants an agent with 20 active listings there, not someone spread thin across ten neighborhoods.
Industry talk often centers on kickbacks and incentives. How do you navigate that?
Incentives exist, but I value my expertise more than a small percentage. I won’t take on a deal with a negligible commission or compromise my advice for a quick payout. Instead, I highlight success stories—like steering a client to Cherrywood at AED 1.6 million, which today trades at AED 3.2 million—to demonstrate the long-term value of professional guidance.
Who has inspired you most in real estate?
Female leaders such as Rasha Hassan and Amira Sajwani showed me what’s possible in Dubai’s competitive landscape. On a broader scale, visionaries like Mohamed Alabbar inspire me; he built Emaar from the ground up. Their examples reinforce my belief that strategic vision, relentless execution and client-first service create enduring legacies.
After 18 years in the market, what parting advice would you give to the next generation of agents?
Embrace technology—CRM systems, virtual tours and data‐driven insights. Combine that with old-school values: punctuality, thorough preparation and unwavering ethics.Be tenacious but client-centric. Real estate can elevate careers or derail them. If you commit to continuous learning, specialize to differentiate yourself, and always put your client’s dreams above commission, you’ll build a brand worth standing behind.
