‘Gold is nothing in front of real estate’: Tariq Zekra on Abu Dhabi’s booming market and why Yas and Saadiyat Islands lead the ROI race

Abu Dhabi: “You cannot compare real estate to gold,” declares Tariq Zekra.

An Emirati real estate veteran with 25 years of experience in the UAE property market, Zekra has built a career selling, advising on and championing Abu Dhabi real estate.

Today, he is also a prominent social media voice on the capital’s property market, using his platform to educate buyers and investors on where to put their money and why.

For Zekra with over 400,000 social media followers on Instagram alone, Abu Dhabi property offers investors something gold cannot: flexibility.

“Real estate takes time to sell, while gold, you can buy today and sell it tomorrow. But if you will compare ROI between real estate and gold, gold is nothing in front of real estate.”

His argument is simple: property can be held, rented, sold and used to build a wider investment portfolio.

And when it comes to where your Dh3 million should be park in Abu Dhabi, Zekra has another clear answer.

"Yas Island. That's my choice if that's your budget to get a home in Abu Dhabi."

For him, the island's appeal lies in the wider ecosystem being developed around it.

But if Yas represents one side of Abu Dhabi’s property story, Saadiyat represents another; one built around culture, museums and global appeal.

“So if you have Dh10 million budget like you asked, Saadiyat Island will be my number one choice. Also, the ROI, will be incredibly high as it's beyond luxurious."

His focus on Yas and Saadiyat also reflects the wider direction of Abu Dhabi’s residential market, with both islands featuring prominently among the capital’s investment communities.

It is a typically bullish assessment from a man who has spent over two decades in Abu Dhabi real estate. But for Zekra, Abu Dhabi is more than a market for home buyers.

“Abu Dhabi will always remain my number one, not only in real estate. What our leaders are doing to grow Abu Dhabi and this country is incredible. It was my dream to shine in Abu Dhabi and now all eyes are on this country."

That conviction runs through almost every aspect of Zekra’s professional life. He says 99 per cent of his career has been in Abu Dhabi, and he has increasingly used social media to put the capital’s property market in front of a wider audience.

But for Zekra, the job goes beyond selling homes and posting glossy reels of dreamy properties on the market.

“You need to show people that you know better than just selling properties. You need to give them real value.”

He believes that value comes from helping potential buyers understand the market.

A different pace than Dubai?

Zekra is quick to acknowledge Dubai’s global standing in real estate. But he believes Abu Dhabi is charting its own course, with its own pace and priorities.

He is nevertheless clear about Dubai’s stature and believe the two cities complement each other.

“I believe that the real estate market in Dubai is another planet."

But that is precisely where Zekra sees an interesting distinction. He believes Abu Dhabi does not need to replicate Dubai to build a formidable property story of its own.

For Zekra, that difference comes down partly to pace and leadership.

“When it comes to real estate sector in Abu Dhabi, we follow our leaders, especially Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. We follow exactly what he is doing for Abu Dhabi. If they are going slowly so that things will grow, we will exactly do the same.”

For him, moving deliberately at a measured pace does not mean thinking small.

“Abu Dhabi is focusing on being number one in everything and we are there now."

From 250 followers to a property voice

Zekra’s own rise on social media mirrors the evolution he describes.

Around 13 years ago, he says, he began using social media to give Abu Dhabi’s property market greater visibility. He credits Dubai with inspiring that move.

“Thanks, Dubai, for what I'm going to tell you now. About 15 years ago, the main reason why I went into social media was Dubai. I was a very normal person. I'm not joking.”

At the time, he says, Abu Dhabi did not have the same level of exposure around its property market.

“When I compare Dubai social media presence for property sector to the Abu Dhabi market, we didn't have this exposure to a legion of influencers or bloggers! We didn't many people adding value and disseminating information about the Abu Dhabi real estate market and that's where I came in."

His first milestone was considerably less glamorous.

“I remember celebrating having just 250 followers. I remember calling my friends, asking them to like and share my posts. It was a good thing.”

Acing the social media game

Today, social media has become an important part of his effort to put Abu Dhabi real estate in the spotlight. His own website describes him as a representative of Abu Dhabi’s property sector and says he has 25 years of experience in UAE real estate.

But Zekra believes there is a crucial difference between using social media to sell and using it to educate.

“There are two lines to go into social media: either just selling, or the other line, which is the one I chose -- giving value to people.”

His content, he says, focuses on the fundamentals: why people should invest, how they can invest and what the benefits are.

“Come to me to learn why to invest, how to invest and what the benefits are of investing in the Abu Dhabi real estate market. I focus a lot on Abu Dhabi.”

And that focus is deliberate.

“Ninety-nine per cent of my career has been in Abu Dhabi. I grew up in Abu Dhabi. I know what Abu Dhabi is and I know how to invest in Abu Dhabi.”

His advice to anyone trying to make it in the increasingly crowded property-content space is simple.

“But if you go through just selling, you will never ever do it.” But, why?

“People now have culture. They don't want just selling.”

The new property buyer

Zekra believes buyers today are also more discerning than they were in the past.

“It's changed a lot. Now you need to be 1,000 per cent realistic with this very hard competition between, let's say, the Abu Dhabi and Dubai markets. All eyes are on the UAE itself.”

He believes emotion still plays a role, but far less than before.

“Emotions, in my opinion, will make up not more than 20 per cent of the decision to invest in the UAE market.”

His reasoning is rooted in the way people consume information.

“People love to see, not to hear. Before, you could play with emotions. True. People would just listen. No. Now they want to see.”

That shift is also reflected in what buyers expect from property.

“Dh35 million for a villa today in the UAE or in Abu Dhabi is normal. Ten years ago, that was not the case."

The villa, where I met Zekra, is a case in point.

“This beautiful 1,500-square-metre villa from Ohana Development costs Dh35 million, but you can see that you will have a lifestyle that exceeds your imagination. There's so much value for money other than just a huge layout. We are looking at building a great lifestyle."

For Zekra, however, selling a property is only the beginning of the relationship.

“I have an emblem since 2000. I don't sell homes, I adore creating clients for life and there's no place better than Abu Dhabi to create that."