Choosing a listing agent in Dubai

Start with the licence

Every broker marketing property in Dubai must be licensed by RERA and work for a registered brokerage. You can verify an agent's card through DLD's services, including the Dubai REST app. Our guide on how to check a RERA-licensed agent shows how.

A licensed agent can obtain a Trakheesi permit for your listing, and the advert will carry a Madmoun QR code that buyers scan to verify it. If an agent suggests advertising without a permit, walk away.

Questions to ask in the first meeting

• What has sold nearby, and for how much? Expect DLD-registered evidence, not only listing prices.
• How did you arrive at your suggested asking price? You want a method. See pricing your property to sell.
• Who are the likely buyers? End users, investors, overseas buyers? This shapes marketing.
• What exactly will you do? Photography, floor plan, portals, database, viewings and follow-up.
• How will you report to me? Frequency and content of updates, including feedback from viewings.
• Who will actually handle my sale? The person you meet should be the person who works it.
• How do you handle Form F, the NOC and transfer? A good agent manages the whole path to completion.

Exclusive or open listing?

With an open listing, several agents can market the property and the one who introduces the buyer is paid. It feels like wider exposure, but often leads to duplicate adverts at different prices, little investment from any agent and confused buyers.

With an exclusive listing, one agency has the mandate for an agreed period. In return you should expect a defined marketing plan, regular reporting and accountability. Exclusives tend to suit owners who want a single point of contact, and overseas owners in particular.

If you go exclusive, keep the term reasonable and make sure Form A explains how it ends if the agent does not perform.

Reading Form A before you sign

Form A is the RERA agreement between seller and broker. Check:

• The asking price and the property details.
• Exclusive or non-exclusive, and the start and end dates.
• The commission and when it becomes payable. Commission in Dubai is negotiable; agree it in writing here.
• Whether you may sell privately during the term, and on what basis.

Keep a signed copy. If anything is unclear, ask for it to be written into the additional terms.

Warning signs

• The highest price wins the listing. Some agents quote high to secure instructions and then push for reductions. Ask for the evidence behind every number.
• Pressure to sign quickly. A good agent is happy for you to compare.
• Vague answers about marketing. 'We will put it on the portals' is not a plan.
• Requests for upfront marketing fees that are not clearly set out in writing.
• No questions about your mortgage, tenancy or service charges. Those details determine whether the sale can actually complete. See how to sell property in Dubai.

If you are selling from abroad

Overseas sellers rely on their agent more heavily. Ask how keys, viewings and tenant access will be handled, how documents will be signed (a power of attorney, or remote signing where permitted) and how proceeds will reach you. If you are also deciding between selling and letting, an agency that offers rental property management can give a view on both options.