The age of real estate intelligence is here, and Dubai is leading it

When we launched TruEstimate, Bayut’s proprietary AI-powered valuation solution, we hoped it would help users make more informed property decisions. What we didn’t anticipate was just how rapidly it would become essential. As of this month, more than 300,000 TruEstimate reports have been generated in under a year — a striking figure that, to me, signals a deeper shift in how real estate decisions are being made in the region.

Dubai’s real estate market has long been known for its dynamism and ambition. But over the past 12 months, we’ve seen a new layer added to that identity: data dependence. From seasoned investors to first-time buyers, the appetite for real-time, tech-driven insights has never been stronger. We saw this on both Bayut GPT and TruEstimate. People are doing more of their research independently to arrive at decisions. 

It’s no coincidence that our milestone arrives just as the Dubai government launches the PropTech Hub, a bold initiative designed to accelerate innovation across the real estate value chain. This move speaks volumes about the emirate’s evolving priorities — from infrastructure-led growth to intelligence-led optimisation. Where once location was king, today, transparency and trust are rapidly becoming the new currency.

At Bayut, we see this transformation first-hand. Tools like TruEstimate and Dubai Transactions aren’t simply nice-to-have features; they’re becoming the first step in the property seeker’s journey.

But it’s not just about volume; it’s about confidence. Every time a user runs a TruEstimate report, they’re asking: “Am I making a smart decision?” Our job is to ensure that the answer is grounded in reality, not guesswork.

The broader implication? Real estate is no longer an industry that can afford to lag behind on digital transformation. Whether through DLD-backed data feeds, authenticated listings, or algorithmic pricing models, the future is being written in real time and the UAE is well positioned to lead it.

Of course, the journey is just beginning. As AI becomes more nuanced and data infrastructure continues to mature, the next generation of proptech will go beyond just information — it will offer foresight. Take Bayut GPT for instance, we see a growing number of people using the advanced capabilities of this research system to garner valuable data and insights. On a monthly basis we receive over 25k messages from users — this is extremely valuable information about what people really want, helping us to build tools and systems that directly offer solutions that people are looking for.

But none of this matters without adoption. That’s why the government’s vision — especially through initiatives like the PropTech Hub — is so vital. It’s not just building physical space for innovation; it’s creating psychological space in the market for data to be trusted, understood, and acted upon.

As someone who’s worked with data for well over a decade, I’ve learned that the most powerful metric is not what’s measured — but how it’s used. The fact that all the users who generated the reports chose to seek data before making a move tells me we’ve entered a new era of real estate. One where intelligence, not just inventory, will define success.

The writer is Director of Data at Bayut.

– In association with Bayut