Compare us against whichever option you are actually weighing.
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| Dimension | Typical commission-only broker | Buying direct from the developer | Serene Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| How the advisor is paid | Commission only, 40–70% split with the agency: a direct incentive to close fast | Developer's own salaried sales team, selling its own inventory | Salaried advisors. No deal-by-deal commission incentive |
| Projects you are shown | Often limited to the agency's best-commission relationships | That developer's projects only | Cross-developer, selected on suitability, with the due diligence disclosed |
| Outbound contact | Unsolicited calls common industry-wide; a leading source of DNCR complaints | Developer sales teams also market proactively | Call on request only |
| Cost to you (off-plan) | None directly, the developer pays the commission | Same headline price. You save nothing; the developer keeps the commission budget | Same headline price. We are paid by the developer, like any broker |
| Independent snagging | Rare; not typically arranged | Not independent, the developer inspects its own work | Arranged as standard, before final sign-off |
| Support after handover | Minimal to none, the agent has moved to the next lead | Developer customer service, focused on its own liability | Letting, management referral, mortgage and refinance, resale |
| Resale and exit | Find a new agent from scratch | No interest in your exit, it competes with new inventory | The same relationship handles the exit |
| Conflict of interest | Structural, paid to close, not to advise | Structural, represents the seller only | Designed out, no commission bias, no dual agency |
How the advisor is paid
- Commission-only broker
- Commission only, 40–70% split with the agency: a direct incentive to close fast
- Direct from developer
- Developer's own salaried sales team, selling its own inventory
- Serene Bay
- Salaried advisors. No deal-by-deal commission incentive
Projects you are shown
- Commission-only broker
- Often limited to the agency's best-commission relationships
- Direct from developer
- That developer's projects only
- Serene Bay
- Cross-developer, selected on suitability, with the due diligence disclosed
Outbound contact
- Commission-only broker
- Unsolicited calls common industry-wide; a leading source of DNCR complaints
- Direct from developer
- Developer sales teams also market proactively
- Serene Bay
- Call on request only
Cost to you (off-plan)
- Commission-only broker
- None directly, the developer pays the commission
- Direct from developer
- Same headline price. You save nothing; the developer keeps the commission budget
- Serene Bay
- Same headline price. We are paid by the developer, like any broker
Independent snagging
- Commission-only broker
- Rare; not typically arranged
- Direct from developer
- Not independent, the developer inspects its own work
- Serene Bay
- Arranged as standard, before final sign-off
Support after handover
- Commission-only broker
- Minimal to none, the agent has moved to the next lead
- Direct from developer
- Developer customer service, focused on its own liability
- Serene Bay
- Letting, management referral, mortgage and refinance, resale
Resale and exit
- Commission-only broker
- Find a new agent from scratch
- Direct from developer
- No interest in your exit, it competes with new inventory
- Serene Bay
- The same relationship handles the exit
Conflict of interest
- Commission-only broker
- Structural, paid to close, not to advise
- Direct from developer
- Structural, represents the seller only
- Serene Bay
- Designed out, no commission bias, no dual agency
Commission split ranges: The National (Dubai agent pay, Oct 2025). Cold-calling and DNCR enforcement: Khaleej Times. Off-plan commission payer: Bayut. Handover delay averages: Real Estate Club Dubai.
Buying direct does not make it cheaper. It makes it lonelier.
On an off-plan purchase in Dubai, the developer pays the broker's commission out of its own project budget, not you. Skip the broker and the headline price does not move. The developer simply keeps the money.
Route A, direct to developer
The developer's sales team is professional, repeat-play and paid to sell its own inventory. It will never mention a competing project.
Route B, through Serene
Same headline price. Same payment plan. You gain cross-developer comparison, independent inspection and someone who is still there at resale.
Salaried advisors. No kickbacks. No cold calls.
You pay us nothing on an off-plan purchase, the developer does, exactly as it would any broker. What is different is what happens to that money once it reaches us: it funds a salaried advisory team, not a commission pool that rewards whoever closes fastest.
payable by you
paid to us by the developer
how the advisor is paid
The money
The developer pays, as always
Off-plan commission of 2–8% is budgeted into the developer's project economics and paid to whoever introduces the buyer. That does not change with us.
The difference
It funds salaries, not a race
Revenue goes to a salaried advisory team. No advisor's income moves because you chose project A over project B, or because you signed this month rather than next.
The consequence
Nothing to hand back
Kickbacks happen when agents compete by returning slices of their own commission. Our advisors have no commission to slice. The behaviour is not discouraged here, it is impossible.
The paperwork already exists. We just use it as intended.
RERA Form B, buyer's agent agreement
The legal machinery for a documented buyer-side relationship already exists. We use it as intended, with commission disclosure in writing.
RERA Form I, inter-broker splits
Where another brokerage is involved, the split is documented rather than negotiated behind you.
TDRA Do Not Call Registry
Telemarketing is restricted to 9am–6pm, repeat same-day calls after a rejection are banned, and corporate fines run to AED 150,000. Our call-on-request model sits comfortably inside that; much of the market does not.
Escrow verification
Every project is checked against UAE escrow law protections before it reaches your shortlist.
We will not call you unless you ask us to.
Tell us what you are trying to achieve. An advisor replies in your preferred channel, in your hours, with no obligation and no follow-up sequence.
You will not be added to a calling list. Ever.