Navigating the Real Estate Marketplace Competition in MENAT

The real estate marketplace competition in MENAT has become one of the region’s most compelling business rivalries. It’s marked not just by aggressive expansion, but by two fundamentally different philosophies of how to dominate digital real estate. At the center are two giants: Property Finder and Emerging Markets Property Group (EMPG).

Real Estate Marketplace Competition in MENAT: Strategic Differences Between Property Finder and EMPG

Founded in 2007 by Michael Lahyani, Property Finder took the long road to unicorn status, reaching the coveted US $1 billion valuation over a span of eleven years. Back then in 2005, property searches relied heavily on print listings and word of mouth. Lahyani launched Al Bab World, a bi-weekly classifieds magazine in Dubai distributing 70,000 copies. But he soon saw where the future was heading. In 2007, he shifted from print to digital, launching propertyfinder.ae, a bold move that laid the foundation for one of the region’s most enduring tech success stories.

While today’s AI-fueled unicorns might reach that milestone in six or seven years, Lahyani’s journey stands out as a story of persistence and long-haul entrepreneurship. Seventeen years after founding the company, he remains at the helm, steering a platform that now facilitates more than 14 million monthly visits across six regional offices.

EMPG, on the other hand, has pursued a strategy rooted in market-by-market dominance. Through its network of brands—such as Bayut, Dubizzle, Mubawab, and OLX—EMPG operates a portfolio of platforms tailored to individual markets like the UAE, Pakistan, North Africa, and the Levant. Instead of building one unified experience, EMPG has scaled by acquiring or building platforms that understand each market’s unique regulatory, linguistic, and user behavior patterns.

This battle is far from symbolic. It represents real differences in how digital real estate services can scale in diverse regions. Property Finder has focused on creating a strong, single brand presence across its territories, while EMPG leans heavily into hyper-localization. As such, the real estate marketplace competition in MENAT is also a case study in brand strategy, platform design, and user loyalty.

What sets Property Finder apart, beyond its reach, is its growing emphasis on impact. The company has invested in sustainability initiatives, launched real estate education programs, and maintained a reputation for transparency and trust. Those are all critical differentiators in markets where information asymmetry often dominates property transactions.

Digital Real Estate in MENAT and Ahead

As we look forward, the region’s real estate sector is only becoming more digitized, competitive, and AI-powered. What’s unfolding between Property Finder and EMPG is not just a turf war, it’s a roadmap for how platform economies can thrive in fragmented, fast-evolving regions like MENAT.

In the next decade, real estate marketplace competition in MENAT won’t be won solely through capital or speed. It’s through trust, product innovation, and long-term user value. And both players are in it for the long game.