The Camel & The Cunning Fox

It’s up to Estate Agents to reform Dubai’s real estate market. Here’s how.

By Ayman Alashkar – Founder & CEO – OVERWRITE.ai

Real estate is universal. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world. You cannot work, play, eat or sleep without it. Even lockdown would be impossible if not for property.

But Covid-19 has changed the real estate industry with a sudden, merciless force; one that can only be compared to a dormant volcano’s unforeseen eruption. It’s brought with it an economic uncertainty for which none of us were prepared. Markets don’t like uncertainty. It’s not good for business. 

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The Ripple Effect

By Lubna Hamdan – Arabian Business

Dubai: The CEO of the UAE’s largest real estate website Property Finder has hit back at nearly 100 brokerages who have taken down 9,000 listings from the platform, calling them “emotional”.

In March, 260 brokerages in the UAE came together to form a united front in a bid to pressure portals to provide 6-3 months worth of advertising fee relief as Covid-19 lockdown measures hit the real estate sector. 

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How Shaving Will Shape The Future Of Estate Agency

By Ayman Alashkar – Founder & CEO – OVERWRITE.ai

This is not an article about facial hair preferences.

It’s no secret. The advent of property portals has been the single biggest gamechanger for the real estate industry in the 21st century. Every real estate market from the US to Australia has its established portals, all vying for market share. Most markets are either dominated by a single portal, or a duopoly.

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The Power of Many (Estate Agents)

By Mazhar Farooqui – Gulf News

Dubai: Over 150 real estate brokerages in the UAE have joined hands against the online portal Property Finder after it did not give in to demands for a three-month advertising fee waiver in wake of the coronavirus slowdown.

As a mark of protest, they have withdrawn around 20,000 property listings from the website. The numbers are rising as more brokerages join the campaign. The unprecedented move has send shock waves across the industry, already reeling from the pandemic.

Continue reading “The Power of Many (Estate Agents)”

A Little Empathy Goes A Long Way

How do businesses respond to these tough times?
No one has the right answer.

We made our decision early and kept it simple. See for yourself.


Estate Agency rockstars use OVERWRITE.ai to instantly auto-write their property listing descriptions in multiple languages, with a click.

The Importance of Estate Agent Branding

by Ayman Alashkar – Co-Founder & CEO – OVERWRITE.ai

To stand out from the competition, Estate Agents must create a brand identity that resonates with tenants, buyers and landlords.

Establishing yourself as an Estate Agent requires more than just putting word out into your community that you are open for business.

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Will Estate Agency Ever Be The Same?

by Ayman Alashkar – Co-Founder & CEO – OVERWRITE.ai

There’s an old saying about necessity being the mother of invention. COVID-19 has forced us to re-evaluate our lives and our livelihoods. It’s made businesses redefine Work, giving many people an opportunity to also redefine what kind of work, works for them. Estate Agents are no exception.

Every Estate Agent remembers what inspired them to join the game. Whether it was the opportunity to meet people. The flexibility of not being office bound. The ability to earn as much as your potential allows. Or the allure of beautiful, tangible properties. Now as you soldier through these tough times, draw from that inspiration.

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All Hail The KING!

There’s a clear winner in the UK real estate market’s War of the Portals, and lessons to learn.

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Can You Really Sell A Property Using Zoom And Whatsapp?

By Chris Bryant – Bloomberg OpEd

The U.K. housing market — that obsession of middle-class Brits — has been placed in suspended animation. Buyers and renters have been told to delay moving home to limit the spread of coronavirus. While a few transactions are still going through, a functioning market depends on prospective buyers and surveyors being able to view people’s homes. Mobility restrictions and distancing measures make that all but impossible.

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LEADERSHIP UNDER LOCKDOWN

These 4 leadership hacks will change your life. 

Is Proptech Sci-Fi for Estate Agents?

by Andrew Stanton, Proptech Real Estate Strategist – Journalist & Influencer – CEO of UNISSU

Proptech is a vast sprawling vista of different new technologies operating within the sphere of property. It is not just digitisation. It is re-imagining and interconnecting all the strands within the sector.

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STEP Conference 2020

Way to go Ayman Alashkar, Co-Founder & CEO of OVERWRITE.ai, together with Roula Moussa, Tariq Bin Hendi and Jihad Tayara. On stage this afternoon at STEP Conference 2020 in Dubai, talking about AI and the decade ahead. Fluid conversation. Excellent content. Lots learned.

Estate Agents Are In Open Revolt

Last week the UK’s leading real estate portal ignored Estate Agents’ appeals to reduce fees, preferring to kick the can down the road. A decision that turned out to be disastrous. ?

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Are you afraid of failure? You should be.

By Ayman Alashkar – Founder & CEO – OVERWRITE.ai

“What good is an idea if it remains an idea? Try. Experiment. Iterate. Fail. Try again. Change the world.”

Simon Sinek

Thinking about becoming an entrepreneur? Worried about becoming successful? Terrified of failure? Don’t be. Success is amazing– and so is failure.

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Global Property Markets are Having a Wobble, and it’s COVID-19’s Fault

Everywhere from New Zealand to New York:

  • Property viewing rates are slowing.
  • Buyers are putting off their searches.
  • Transaction volumes are ticking downwards.
  • Travel restrictions are denting developers’ ability to attract foreign investors.
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