Fania Telyaeva
Company: Asteco Property Management
First job: An accountant at a contracting company
Number of years in real estate: Three
First sale: A two bedroom flat in the Ajman 1 project.
Most difficult sale: During the crisis when everything was working against us.
Hottest property in the UAE: Palm Jumeirah and Downtown Burj Dubai.
Key to success: Positive attitude, persistence and learning from past mistakes.
Mohanad Alwadiya
Company: Harbor Real Estate
First job: Communications director at Leo Burnett
Number of years in real estate: Five
First sale: A two bedroom with study unit at The Greens in 2005.
Most difficult sale: Selling 41 units to an institutional investor during August-September 2009, the peak of the global financial storm
Hottest property in the UAE: The Address Hotel in Downtown Burj Dubai
Key to your success: A passion for perfection.
Andrew Covill
Company: LLJ Property
First job: Doing sales and rentals at a UK real estate company
Number of years in real estate: 20
First sale: A client in the UK turned up at the last minute and loved the property so much we agreed on a deal instantly.
Most difficult sale: A substantial bulk development purchase in London which took me all across the country before finalising the deal with the client.
Hottest property in the UAE: Marina Square, Sky Tower, Al Bandar, Al Muneera and Al Reef Villas, all in Abu Dhabi.
Key to your success: An open approach, professionalism, a determination to see deals through and a desire to have satisfied clients
Livia Anzaldo
Company: Fine & Country
First job: Sales director
Number of years in real estate: Almost three
First sale: October 2008, Jumeirah Village South apartment during Cityscape. Although it was a very small sale, during the downturn and I had been in the city for only one month.
Most difficult sale: A commercial unit in JLT. It was my first commercial sale and I was unaware of the rules attached to a sale of this kind.
Hottest property in the UAE: Victory Heights
Key to your success: A genuine passion for real estate, matching clients’ requirements, getting positive feedback from sellers and buyers, being able to listen to clients’ needs and creating trust.
Dawn Draper
Company: The Oryx Corporation
First job: With my father’s property development company
Number of years in real estate: 30
First sale: An off-plan apartment near Canary Wharf. I’d gone to meet the client to talk about a new design of a staircase. But he liked the area so much he decided to buy.
Most difficult sale: A property in the UK where the solicitor failed to spot a dispute between the developer and the council. It took over a year to get the sale through.
Hottest property in the UAE: Victory Heights villas and Emirates Hills
Key to your success: Build trust with your clients and never forget it’s their money you are spending.
Julie Morgan
Company: Ocean View Real Estate
First job: Leasing consultant for a UK-based company
Number of years in real estate: Four
First sale: A signature villa on Palm Jumeirah for Dh22 million in April 2008
Most difficult sale: I had a difficult time selling a Shoreline Apartment this year due to both the buyer and seller being in and out of Dubai on business.
Hottest property in the UAE: Arabian Ranches, Victory Heights and Palm Jumeirah.
Key to your success: Strong communication with my clients.
Sam Hussain
Company: Sherwoods Independent Property Consultants
First job: At Wind Property Developers
Number of years in real estate: Three
First sale: 38 units in the Mogul cluster in Discovery Gardens.
Most difficult sale: Selling the 51st floor in Lilac Tower at Al Qudra. I eventually sold it for Dh26 million.
Hottest property in the UAE: The one-bedroom units at Burj Views, and the apartments in Marina Quays.
Key to your success: Hard work, determination and mentorship from my managing director
Iseeb Rehman.
Susan Brand
Company: Better Homes
First job: Lecturer in physical education, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Number of years in real estate: Four
First sale: A studio in International City
Most difficult sale: While standing in for another agent a deal on a Green Community villa
was linked with a chain of three transactions. After much stress, we finally closed what had become the most stressful sale in the history of my career.
Hottest property in the UAE: Palm Jumeirah.
Key to your success: Work seven days a week, 24 hours a day. I want my clients to feel they have been given the best service and deal of their lives
Hesham El Far
Company: Coldwell Banker UAE
First job: At Nile Investments, now known as Naeem Holding
Number of years in real estate: Eight
First sale: A three bedroom apartment in Nasr City, Cairo.
Most difficult sale: Selling the hotel in the Onyx development in Dubai.
Hottest property in the UAE: Emaar towers in Dubai Marina.
Key to your success: Willpower
Claire Collier
Company: In Style Real Estate
First job: Junior reporter for a UK newspaper
Number of years in real estate:Ten
First sale: A one bedroom apartment in Hampstead, London, for £350,000 (Dh2.1million).
Most difficult sale: It once took me over a year to agree, exchange and complete on a repossessed studio apartment in Primrose Hill, North London.
Hottest property in the UAE: Tiara Residence on Palm Jumeirah and the Burj Dubai.
Key to success: Honesty, integrity, transparency, having a good network in the UAE and having experienced and seasoned directors as mentors are all invaluable