A new proptech startup operating in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Baitak, is aiming to level the playing field for individual homebuyers by pooling them together to access bulk purchasing discounts typically reserved for institutional investors. Launched in November, the platform addresses the region’s escalating property prices by enabling collective bargaining power.
As real estate values continue to climb across the UAE, Baitak presents an innovative affordability solution in an increasingly expensive market, securing discounts of between 5 and 15 percent for its users.
A New Model for Affordability
With home values in Abu Dhabi and Dubai rising by 114 percent and 80 percent respectively between 2019 and 2025, the challenge for first-time buyers has become immense. Baitak was founded to directly address this affordability gap.
“As hopeful homeowners ourselves, we’ve seen how much the market has gone up in the past five years,” said Ahmed Kamleh, Baitak’s CEO and co-founder. “The mission is to make it so people can afford their homes.”
The company generates its revenue through commissions paid by developers on successfully completed sales, ensuring the service remains free for buyers.
How It Works
Baitak’s platform currently lists close to 10,000 off-plan units. Prospective buyers can join a group for a specific project, and once a minimum threshold of buyers is met—sometimes as few as four—it qualifies as a bulk transaction with the developer.
Once the group is formed, buyers can select their desired unit. Baitak then negotiates and manages the discount on behalf of the collective. The platform has already partnered with prominent developers including Ellington, Object 1, Samana, Binghatti, and Beyond, with plans to expand its network and include completed properties in the future.
Beyond Standard Incentives
While government initiatives and developer-led promotions exist, Baitak’s founders argue their model provides a distinct advantage. They claim their group discounts are applied on top of any existing offers, creating a unique value proposition.
“A lot of developers advertise discounts all the time,” explained Labib Shammas, co-founder of Baitak. “For our system, the discount is on top of what developers already give out.”
This layered approach distinguishes Baitak from what Kamleh described as “marketing schemes” that offer discounts similar to what developers already provide.
Navigating a Challenging Market
The founders highlight the acute challenges faced by homebuyers, particularly in the capital. “Dubai is bad, but Abu Dhabi is horrible,” Kamleh noted, pointing to the limited number of residential projects compared to Dubai. “We’ve seen first-time buyers struggling in both markets.”
To formalize its operations and drive further change, Baitak is currently collaborating with an unnamed UAE government ministry to help create new incentives within the property sector, aiming to make market entry more accessible for major developers like Aldar and Modon.
About Baitak
Baitak is a UAE-based proptech platform that enables individual homebuyers to pool their purchasing power to secure bulk discounts from real estate developers. By facilitating collective purchases, the startup aims to improve housing affordability in the UAE’s competitive property market.
Source: AGBI
