Congratulations to Cathal O’Neill on winning “Dubai Agent of the Year” by Bayut and Dubizzle!

For the second year in a row, Cathal O'Neill has been named "Dubai Agent of the Year"! His outstanding performance made him number one among more than 20,000 real estate professionals on Bayut and Dubizzle. Learn more about his real estate journey and how he got to where he is today.

Cathal, congratulations on winning this amazing Award! Tell us what you feel led you to this huge success – once again?

Thank you! Yes, it’s great to win the award for the second year in a row. I believe what led to this is the continuous improvement all the time, just trying to improve how I do the job day in and day out. It’s that simple. Focusing on the small details and doing that consistently over a long period of time. And this is centred around the idea that there’s endless ways to improve the customer experience.

How big is the competition within the team? Do you believe you have to be a maverick or a team player to be part of the elite real estate brokers in Dubai?

Internally, haus & haus have obviously grown and the team has grown with that respect which does cause the competition to increase, but I believe it’s in a positive manner. As an agent, I think you need to have a very good network – being part of a company where we have real estate agents who work in all the major communities across Dubai really helps us to serve the clients better as you can tap into that internal network.

You’ve been constantly improving your performance since you’ve joined haus & haus. What would be your advice to others who just started in the real estate market and are aiming to grow their career?

My advice to those who are starting in the real estate industry would be to have a long term view of things. This applies to a number of points, but one of the most important ones is when you deal with your clients. If you have a long term view you’re acting with their best interest in mind and having a strong level of empathy as opposed to just looking for a short term deal, so focusing on long term relationships is key. Other points include leaving your ego at the door and continuously trying to improve how you serve the client. If you do that over a long enough period of time, the results will start to show up for themselves!

Despite your impressive experience, there must have been some setbacks along the way– what has been your biggest challenge in Dubai real estate?

I think it was when COVID initially arrived, there was a huge amount of uncertainty in many business fields globally. Thankfully, that big challenge has turned into a fantastic opportunity in the Dubai real estate market where it has since thrived, so we have managed to use that and bounce back from it.

What can clients expect from the No. 1 real estate agent in Dubai?

My clients can expect an agent who tries to put himself in the client’s shoes, therefore bringing a high degree of empathy and understanding. I try to put my clients first in a very proactive manner, and navigate the process to effectively help them solve the problem that they are trying to address.

Complete this sentence: I love Dubai because...

I love Dubai because it serves as an example of what can be done with a clear vision and a clear focus. When you look at what Dubai has achieved and where it has come from in the last 50 years, it’s phenomenal. But to me, the most exciting thing is their vision for the future and how they want to continue to evolve and grow.

Find out more about Cathal, his latest property listings, client reviews and more here.