Why a Great Investment is Not Luck, But the Right Choice

1. Transaction Details at the Time of Purchase

2. Client and his Goal

In early 2022, an investor from Minsk, Belarus, approached me. His goal was simple: to preserve capital by purchasing a property that would appreciate over time and to generate passive rental income.

3. The Consultant’s Work

1. As a real estate advisor, I analyzed several projects and selected Catch Residences by IGO in JVC.
2. I specifically recommended choosing a compact apartment on a mid-level floor—not the most expensive one, but the one that would be highly liquid and in high demand on the rental market.
3. I secured a 5% discount for the client, and the convenient payment plan (60% during construction and 40% post-handover) allowed the investor to keep their capital working without deploying all funds upfront.

4. Results

Following the project’s handover in February 2024, we took possession of the apartment, managed the snagging process to resolve all defects, and fully prepared it for tenants. Approximately AED 20,000 ($5,445) was spent on furnishing and minor upgrades. The apartment was rented out almost immediately.

Since then, it has had virtually zero vacancy and consistently generates AED 70,000–75,000 ($19,058–$20,420) per year. Of course, there are service charges, maintenance, and upkeep costs. I am always upfront with my clients: these expenses must be factored in when calculating the real yield.

Yet, even after all costs, a similar apartment today is valued at approximately AED 950,000–1,000,000 ($258,644–$272,257). Thus, in just a few years, the investor achieved three goals at once:

✔️ Significant capital appreciation;

✔️ Stable passive income;

✔️ A highly liquid asset that can be liquidated at almost any moment.

5. Conclusions

This case is by no means an exception. Over years of practice, we have managed dozens of similar investments. Most properties our clients purchased in 2021–2022 are now worth significantly more than their purchase price. But it is not just about buying real estate; it is about buying the right real estate.

Today, people often ask me: “Who is the best developer?” Many are surprised by my answer. I never select a property simply because it is built by a well-known developer. Throughout my career, I have seen vastly different outcomes. There are projects by emerging developers that boast excellent construction quality, high rental demand, great appreciation, and minimal post-handover issues. On the other hand, there are projects by major brands that, unfortunately, failed to meet investors’ expectations regarding capital growth or property management convenience. Therefore, a big name is never my priority. What matters much more to me is answering the question: How will this apartment perform for its owner in three, five, or seven years?

The real work begins after the purchase. Anyone can sell an apartment today. But true professionalism shines after the client gets the keys:

1. Taking handover of the apartment
2. Checking construction quality (snagging)
3. Ensuring defects are resolved
4. Preparing the property for rent
5. Finding a tenant
6. Supervising the property management company
7. Resolving ongoing issues
8. Understanding the owner’s actual expenses.

This is the exact moment when you realize how successful the investment truly was. That is why I always say: “Real expertise doesn’t end with a sale. It begins after it.”

Managing clients’ properties for years allows me to see the market from a completely different perspective. I know which projects rent easily, which apartments appreciate faster, and which property management companies are genuinely efficient. I know where the handover process is smooth and where owners have to fight for months to get defects fixed. This is experience you cannot gain if your job ends on the day the contract is signed.

This is why most of my clients return to me for their second, third, and even fourth investments. Because the best measure of my work is not the number of apartments sold. The best measure is the clients who, a few years later, tell me: “This was one of the best investment decisions of my life. My only regret is that I didn’t buy two or three apartments back then.”

Illustration. That very apartment in Catch Residences.