A demographic shift is changing how people buy, sell, and rent property in Dubai, Gllit’s Co-founder Arijit Sen told Lana in an exclusive interview.
“Homebuyers in Dubai are now typically in their early 40s, from around 53-54 in 2017. Even younger people are now more actively involved in the property market, with those in the 21-25 age group buying up to 38 per cent more property in the past year,” Sen said.
The shift in buyer demographics matches with the emergence of platforms that enable direct transactions between buyers and sellers without traditional intermediaries.
Sen’s Gllit is one such platform that has entered a market long dominated by commission-based agents.
Tech-savvy millennials drive demand for direct property transactions
“What we are seeing is that much of the demand is driven by a demographic shift in the market. As more younger people enter the market, we expect to cater to a generation that is increasingly tech-savvy, prefers a more hands-on approach, and wants greater control over their real estate journey,” he said.
The company reports a 60 per cent month-on-month increase in traffic over the past year, alongside a 25 per cent rise in new sign-ups and a 53 per cent increase in active listings.
However, Sen argued that consumer behaviour has changed as digital tools have become available. He describes a market where users had adapted to existing processes simply because alternatives did not exist.
“Technology has been a key factor in this transformation. For a long time, the people we sought to help had learned to live with the problem we intended to solve, mainly because there were no alternative ways of doing things. When we launched Gllit and gave them access to digital tools that effectively made things simpler and lowered the barrier to entry, their behaviour changed. We have now been getting feedback from people who say they are pleasantly surprised that they could manage much of the process themselves,” he said.
The company was founded on the premise that buyers and sellers should have more options in how they conduct transactions, Sen said.
Direct-to-owner property model gains traction among UAE buyers
“Whether one’s a home seller, homebuyer, landlord, or tenant, we believe it would be reasonable to expect greater control over the process, instead of being dependent on systems that are not fully understood,” he added.
Oner of the primary concerns for buyers and sellers in the UAE is transaction cost, according to Sen. “Cost is an obvious one,” he said. “Whether you are a buyer or seller, reducing the overall cost of a transaction is a priority, especially given the huge amounts involved,” he said, adding that the other concern is delays in getting information.
“There’s also inefficiency, which especially affects buyers; sometimes, simple questions can take days to get an answer,” he said.
Other complaints include a lack of transparency around pricing, hidden fees, and limited access to market data, according to Sen. Property transactions in Dubai have relied on intermediaries for reasons tied to market structure, he suggested.
“Real estate is a high-value market that is also heavily regulated and traditionally built on personal relationships. This naturally encourages intermediation, which has been the standard practice in the industry for a long time,” he said.
He argued that agents have also held information asymmetry. “This also meant that intermediaries were the primary holders of market knowledge and had nearly exclusive access to professional industry tools. That made them indispensable,” he said.
According to Sen, technology has made these tools and information “readily available to consumers, to the point where direct transactions are not only possible, but increasingly practical and efficient for many people,” he said.
Dubai property buyers seek lower costs and greater transaction control
However, Sen said the company does not view direct platforms as a replacement for traditional brokerage in Dubai.
“We don’t see this as one replacing the other,” he said. “But people should have the freedom to choose the right platform for their needs.”
“Some transactions will benefit from hands-on advisory support, which is why we also offer that option on Gllit. We provide subscribers free access to all the tools they need to complete any transaction, but if they require expert guidance at any stage, they can choose to engage with our in-house experts for any specific task, for a minimal fee and only when needed,” he added.
“The difference is that you’re not locked into paying a large, all-in fee for services you may not even use. You can seek support only when you need it and for a fraction of the cost, or you can complete the transaction entirely on your own without having to pay anything extra at all,” Sen further explained.
Real estate in Dubai, as in most markets, relies on trust between parties. “Relationships matter, especially in such a high-value market,” he said.
“The market has traditionally relied on relationships built and managed through intermediaries, where there are multiple layers between the parties involved,” he said, adding that transparency can build trust without those layers.
“What sets Gllit apart is we reinforce relationships through direct engagement and greater transparency in transactions. When people know and can see who they’re dealing with and have open access to the right information at every stage, confidence and the relationship grow naturally,” he explained.
Buyers want freedom to choose how they transact in real estate market, says Sen
However, Sen explained the platform needs to work for both first-time buyers and experienced investors. “It all comes down to giving people the ability to engage or transact in a way that feels right for them,” he said.
“First-time buyers will obviously need more guidance and clarity in every step of the process, so there are no surprises later on. This means having clear, well-structured listings and pricing, and easy access to in-house support when needed. Knowing that they can directly engage with the owner also helps build confidence,” he added.
The platform shows potential cost savings on each listing. “This is very valuable for first-time buyers as it helps them better plan their budget and understand the true cost of the transaction,” he added.
For experienced buyers and investors, Sen said the benefit is speed. “We have also worked with more experienced buyers and investors who are often more decisive and generally know what they are looking for,” he said.
Sen said conversations with users reveal a preference for having options. “We’ve learned that people value having the freedom to choose how they engage in the market, especially when it involves one of the most significant financial decisions people make,” he said, adding users have expressed appreciation for alternatives to the traditional model.
He also claimed users want fewer steps in transactions, which is one among the reasons why the company has introduced AI tools for listing creation. “The Gllit TextPro AI and Gllit ImagePro AI” as part of what the company calls “Expertise-as-a-Service.”
A smart assistant that provides market insights is set to launch, according to Sen. The company has also introduced Gllit Go-Direct Benefit, which Sen says provides transparency in incentivising property owners to transact without agents in Dubai.
“Part of our focus now is to create awareness and help more people appreciate the value of the direct-to-owner model in simplifying real estate transactions and removing the barriers that have traditionally limited access to the market,” he said, revealing that the company plans further additions.
“Moving forward, Gllit will continue to introduce more meaningful solutions, deliver value, and meet people’s evolving expectations in how they want to buy, sell, or rent property,” he concluded.
