Dubai’s brokerage hiring arms race: why it’s getting harder to sign productive agents
Dubai’s real estate market is setting new records – again.
In the first half of 2025, Dubai recorded around 99,000 property sales totalling AED 328.8 billion, a 23.7% rise in transaction volume and 41% surge in value compared with H1 2024.Christie’s Real Estate Dubai Q2 2025 alone saw 53,252 sales worth AED 184.3 billion, the strongest quarter in Dubai’s real estate history.Property Finder
By Q3 2025, the market pushed further: nearly 59,000 property transactions valued at AED 170.7 billion, up over 17% year-on-year.Novvi Properties+1 Analysts estimate that by the end of September, total sales value had already surpassed AED 401 billion, exceeding all of 2024.Property Investor Today
With this backdrop, it’s no surprise that brokerages are hiring aggressively. A recent report cited in The National highlights a 70% year-on-year increase in hiring of real estate agents, driven by new brokerage launches and sustained market demand.The National
At the same time, Dubai Land Department data shows the number of registered real estate brokers has reached 29,577, with 6,714 new brokers entering the market in the first half of 2025 alone.Aurantius Real Estate
In other words: deal volume is exploding, and a flood of agents is chasing those deals. Brokerages are not just competing for buyers and sellers – they’re competing fiercely for productive agents.
This article is written for brokerage owners, CEOs, and sales directors who want to scale in this environment without burning out their teams or their P&L.
The boom is real – and it’s concentrated
The headlines are not exaggerating. Government and private-sector data all tell the same story:
H1 2025 set an all-time record for sales value and volume.Christie’s Real Estate Dubai+1
Prime areas such as Dubai Marina, Business Bay, Burj Khalifa, and Palm Jumeirah continue to attract outsized investment, reinforcing the city’s luxury positioning.Government of Dubai Media Office+1
Global investors – including major private equity firms – are doubling down on Dubai property platforms, signaling longer-term confidence rather than a speculative spike.Financial Times
On the employment side, the UAE currently leads the world in hiring optimism, with a Net Employment Outlook of +45% to +48% depending on the quarter, well above the global average.ManpowerGroup+2manpowerthailand.com+2 Financials and real estate feature among the most optimistic sectors.manpowerthailand.com
For brokers, this creates a double effect:
There are more deals to be done.
There are far more brokerages and agents trying to do them.
The result is what can fairly be called a brokerage hiring arms race.
The illusion of “plenty of agents”
On paper, 29,000+ registered brokers looks like an ocean of talent. In reality, most brokerage leaders will tell you the same thing:
“There are many agents, but not enough who can actually perform.”
Several structural dynamics sit behind this complaint:
Low entry friction. Licensing pathways and the allure of luxury real estate make it easy for new agents to enter the market. Many are inexperienced and underestimate the discipline required to be productive.
High deal fragmentation. With nearly 30,000 brokers and thousands of active listings, attention and inventory are fragmented. Individual agents need strong internal systems and support to create consistent production.
Lifestyle expectations. Dubai is marketed globally as a tax-free, high-lifestyle destination. Some agents come in more attracted to the lifestyle than to the grind.
Cost-of-living pressure. Rents rose roughly 16% in 2024 and continue to climb, while average salaries and commissions for mid-tier professionals are not rising at the same pace.Business Insider This puts pressure on agents and brokerages to balance earnings with realistic performance.
The net effect: the market is crowded with license holders, but the number of consistently productive agents – the ones you want – is far smaller.
What productive agents are actually looking for
In this arms race, most brokerages try to compete on headline commission percentages. That’s a mistake.
When we speak with Western, Russian-speaking, and English-speaking agents considering Dubai roles, a different pattern emerges. Yes, commission matters – but it is rarely the deciding factor among serious professionals.
What they care about, in order:
Lead flow and marketing support
How many qualified leads per month can I realistically expect?
Does the brokerage invest in paid marketing, digital campaigns, and portal placements – or is “lead support” just a promise?
Onboarding, training, and mentorship
Is there a structured ramp-up plan for the first 90 days?
Will someone actually show me how to win listings, price properly, and manage viewings in Dubai’s unique context?
Operational backbone
In-house admin support, conveyancing, and PRO services (visas, licensing, RERA, etc.).
CRM, listing management, and access to major developers and off-plan projects.
Clarity around visas and relocation
Secure sponsorship, realistic timelines, and support with housing and schooling for relocating families.
Commission structure – not just the headline number
Agents compare net take-home after marketing splits, desk fees, and performance tiers – not just the headline “up to 80%” pitch.
In today’s market, an agent with a strong track record can easily receive offers from five or more brokerages within weeks. They will choose the environment where they can build a sustainable book of business, not simply the highest advertised split.
Why in-house recruiting alone is struggling
Many growing brokerages have built impressive internal recruiting teams. The challenge is scale and saturation.
Several forces are working against in-house teams:
Everyone is calling the same profiles.
Senior agents, western candidates, and Russian-speaking closers are bombarded with InMails, WhatsApps, and emails from brokerage recruiters. Your internal team is often just another notification in a crowded inbox.Hiring targets are rising faster than sourcing capacity.
It’s one thing to hire 4–5 agents a month; it’s another to sustain 10–15 quality hires per month while maintaining standards.Geographic reach is limited.
Internal teams often focus on local talent already in Dubai or the GCC. That neglects high-quality candidates in Canada, the UK, EU, South Africa, CIS markets, and elsewhere who would relocate for the right opportunity.Short-term urgency undermines long-term standards.
Under pressure to hit headcount targets, internal recruiters may over-index on speed and under-index on screening for grit, sales DNA, and cultural fit.
The result is predictable: agent churn, inconsistent production, and a revolving door that costs far more than it appears on the P&L.
A more strategic approach: think “seat capacity,” not just headcount
In a record market, the real metric is not “How many agents do we have?” but:
“How much productive seat capacity do we have in the business?”
That means:
How many agents are reliably closing deals every quarter?
How balanced is our mix between senior closers, mid-level agents, and juniors being developed?
How long does it take to ramp a new agent to their first closing?
What percentage of agents are still active and on-track at 6 and 12 months?
Thinking in seat-capacity terms naturally leads to a different hiring model – one that focuses on steady inflow and tight screening, rather than occasional hiring spikes.
This is where an external recruiting partner with global reach can change the equation.
How a dedicated recruiting partner helps Dubai brokerages win
A firm that specialises in real estate and sales recruitment – and already works in the Dubai market – can help brokerages solve four problems at once:
Global sourcing beyond the usual circles
Tapping into agents and sales professionals in Canada, the UK, Europe, South Africa, CIS, and other markets who have the right sales DNA and are open to relocation.
Targeting experienced salespeople from adjacent industries (high-ticket sales, finance, luxury goods) who can transition into real estate with the right onboarding.
Structured screening for performance potential
Evaluating track records, pipeline habits, and resilience – not just CV keywords.
Using structured interviews and scenario questions to assess whether a candidate can operate in Dubai’s fast-moving, multicultural environment.
Per-seat or MSP models instead of one-off fees
Moving from sporadic, high-fee placements to a monthly per-seat recruiting model that gives the brokerage a steady pipeline of screened agents.
Aligning incentives so that the recruiter focuses on retained, productive hires, not just volume.
Data and market intelligence
Real-time insight into what serious agents are being offered across the city – commission bands, marketing support, and relocation packages.
Visibility into candidate feedback about your brand versus competitors, which can feed into your EVP (employee value proposition) and marketing.
Where Axe Recruiting fits in
Axe Recruiting operates inside this reality every day.
We act as a long-term recruitment partner for leading Dubai brokerages that want to:
Scale from hiring a handful of agents per month to a predictable flow of 10–15+ quality agents.
Source Western and Russian-speaking consultants, as well as English-speaking talent from Canada, the UK, Europe, and beyond.
Build teams that can perform in Dubai Marina, Business Bay, Downtown, Palm Jumeirah, and emerging communities – not just collect licenses.
Implement seat-based / MSP-style recruiting models that give leadership clear visibility on cost and output.
Because we also recruit across AI, finance, logistics, and healthcare in Canada and other markets, we have a unique view of global talent flows – and a pipeline of ambitious professionals who see Dubai real estate as a compelling next step in their careers.
If your brokerage is planning to expand headcount in 2025 and 2026, the question is not whether you can find more agents. It’s whether you can secure the right agents – those who will still be producing twelve months from now.
That requires a deliberate hiring strategy, consistent sourcing infrastructure, and a partner who understands both Dubai’s market and the global talent pool.
You can learn more about how we support brokerages and other high-growth clients at:
https://axerecruiting.com/
External reading and data sources
For readers who want to dive deeper into the numbers behind Dubai’s current cycle:
Dubai Government Media Office – Dubai real estate transactions exceed AED 431 billion in H1 2025 – https://www.mediaoffice.ae/ Government of Dubai Media Office
Christie’s International Real Estate Dubai – H1 2025 Breaks Dubai Real Estate Records – https://www.christiesrealestatedubai.com/ Christie’s Real Estate Dubai
Property Finder – Dubai real estate market achieves all-time high in Q2 2025 – https://www.propertyfinder.com/news/ Property Finder
Aurantius – Dubai Real Estate Brokerage Sector Doubles in H1 2025 – https://aurantius.ae/dubai-real-estate-brokerage-sector-doubles-in-h1-2025/ Aurantius Real Estate
The National – Dubai real estate agents’ salaries and hiring trends – https://www.thenationalnews.com/ The National
ManpowerGroup – Q4 2025 Employment Outlook – https://www.manpowergroup.com/