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Off-plan broker comparison
There is no single best Dubai off-plan broker for everyone, but there is a way to compare them that does not rely on charm. This page compares brokers on the things you can check yourself: RERA licensing, whether the ranking methodology is published, how commission is disclosed, and whether one named broker is accountable end-to-end. Oliva is RERA-licensed (BRN 1573501), holds DLD broker card 92025, and publishes its scoring methodology in full.
Last reviewed by Javier Sanz Alvarez, RERA-licensed broker (BRN 1573501).
Use the six criteria below. The Oliva column states facts you can verify on the Dubai REST app or in our published methodology. The right-hand column describes what is typical of a RERA-licensed broker, so you know what to ask any brokerage you shortlist.
| Criterion | Oliva | Typical RERA-licensed broker |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory licensing | RERA BRN 1573501, DLD broker card 92025, verifiable on the Dubai REST app | RERA-licensed; BRN/ORN should be requested and cross-checked on Dubai REST |
| Project ranking basis | Published scoring methodology — 6 dimensions, 97 metrics, scored against DLD transaction data | Typically agent judgement or developer relationship; methodology not usually published |
| Paid placement | None. Rankings are data-driven; the same developer commission rate applies across all developers | Varies by brokerage; ask whether listing order reflects commission rates |
| Analyst credentials | CFA / ACCA-trained analysts underwrite each project before it is listed | Sales-agent led; analyst underwriting is not standard across the market |
| Commission disclosure | Who-pays-whom disclosed in writing before signing; off-plan commission paid by the developer | Standard 2% on resale; off-plan commission paid by the developer; disclosure practices vary |
| Accountability | One named broker on every transaction (Javier Sanz Alvarez), end-to-end through DLD transfer | Often a rotating sales desk; a single named point of contact is not guaranteed |
Comparison criteria last reviewed . Competitor categories are described generically; Oliva facts are sourced from RERA/DLD registrations and the published methodology.
Oliva is a RERA-licensed Dubai brokerage (BRN 1573501, DLD broker card 92025) whose differentiator is published process. Every project is scored across 6 dimensions and 97 metrics against Dubai Land Department transaction data, and the methodology is public and version-controlled. There are no paid placements and the same developer commission rate applies across developers, so listing order is not bought. CFA/ACCA-trained analysts underwrite each project before it is listed, and one named broker handles each transaction end-to-end through DLD transfer. Best fit for: international and data-led buyers who want the reasoning behind a recommendation, not just the recommendation.
Brokerages tied closely to a single developer can offer deep inventory knowledge and launch-day access for that developer, but cannot give cross-developer independent advice. If you are comparing projects across developers, confirm the brokerage is paid the same commission rate by each developer it represents — otherwise listing order may reflect commission rather than fit.
High-volume agencies move large numbers of units and can be responsive on launch day. The trade-off is that ranking is usually agent-led rather than methodology-led, and a single named point of contact through handover is not guaranteed. Ask for the BRN, the Trakheesi advertising permit on the specific listing, and written commission disclosure before signing a Form A or Form F.
A licensed solo agent can be personal and flexible. Verify the BRN on the Dubai REST app, confirm a Trakheesi permit covers the exact unit being advertised, and check that off-plan instalments flow into a RERA-approved developer escrow account released against DLD-verified construction milestones. These protections apply regardless of broker size.
RERA, the Real Estate Regulatory Agency inside the Dubai Land Department, licenses a brokerage when it holds an Office Registration Number (ORN) and each agent holds a Broker Number (BRN). Oliva operates under BRN 1573501 and DLD broker card 92025. Every off-plan project advertised must carry a Trakheesi permit issued for that listing. If a broker cannot show a Trakheesi permit, the listing is not legal to advertise.
Licensing is the floor, not the ceiling. Two brokers can both be RERA-licensed and still differ enormously in how they rank projects and disclose commission, which is what the comparison above measures. Read the full license breakdown on our trust page.
Every project on Oliva is scored across 6 dimensions and 97 metrics, using DLD transaction history, developer delivery records, and community-level supply data. No paid placements, no preferred-developer ranking. The methodology is public and version-controlled, which is what lets an off-plan buyer audit why one project outranks another.
Read the methodologyBefore you sign a Form A or reservation form with any off-plan agent in Dubai, run through this checklist. It applies to every broker, large or small.
Each area page carries live DLD prices, rental yields, and Oliva scores for the off-plan projects within it.
Three checks settle it. First, RERA licensing — ask for the brokerage BRN and ORN and cross-check them on the Dubai REST app (Oliva is RERA BRN 1573501, DLD broker card 92025). Second, a Trakheesi advertising permit on the specific project; without it the listing is not legal to advertise. Third, written commission disclosure before you sign. A broker that publishes its ranking methodology, as Oliva does, removes the question of whether listing order was bought.
Open the Dubai REST app, search the broker by name or BRN, and confirm the Broker Number and the brokerage Office Registration Number (ORN) are active. Every legal advertisement must also carry a Trakheesi permit number for that specific property or off-plan project.
On off-plan, the developer pays the broker commission, so the buyer pays no broker fee — only the developer payment plan plus DLD fees (the 4% transfer fee and Oqood registration). On resale, the buyer pays the standard 2% commission to the brokerage that represented them. A transparent broker discloses who pays whom in writing before signing.
Every project on Oliva is scored across 6 dimensions and 97 metrics using DLD transaction history, developer delivery records, and community-level supply data. The methodology is public and version-controlled, and there are no paid placements — rankings come from data, not commission rates.
RERA requires every off-plan project to be funded through a developer escrow account at an approved bank. Your instalments are released to the developer only against construction milestones verified by the Dubai Land Department. The escrow account is the buyer-protection mechanism behind every Trakheesi-permitted off-plan launch, regardless of which broker you use.
A broker tied to a single developer cannot give independent cross-developer advice. For an objective comparison across projects, use a broker paid the same commission rate by every developer it represents — that way listing order reflects fit, not commission. Oliva works across all major Dubai developers and is paid the same rate by each.
Same RERA commission framework as everyone else. The difference is a published methodology and one named broker on every transaction. First viewing within 48 hours of an intro call.