Spectre

I was looking for a bit of advice. My fiancee applied for what appears to be a high paying property sales job. She applied online last week and was contacted via phone about 10 minutes later. They told her they liked sound of her and could she go to London for meeting about it at end of month. The job is basically commission with possibility of up to 50 per cent commission or a basic salary with lower commission. She was told she would need at least 5 grand to live on as she wouldn't be getting paid for the first while, this is common apparently. I was wondering if anyone has any experience of this type of position and could offer any advice as it seems like a fantastic opportunity but we want to be briefed before dropping everything and moving?

Bahtatboy

The questions she and you need to be asking and answering are:

1 What are the base living costs in Dubai? There's a Wiki link to that in the forum. The costs aren't low.

2 Would moving to a high-cost country be advisable for a commission-only position? That should be blindingly obvious.

3 Would moving to a high-cost country be advisable for a low-salary-plus-lower-commission position? That depends on how low the salary is in relation to living costs, and how much commission she is likely to earn.

4 How much commission is she likely to earn? That depends on many factors, including but not limited to: property market conditions; commission structure; her experience and ability; competition (both for her services and those of her employer). She may be able to establish some of the factors through research (such as here, but there are other sources available), and by asking her prospective employer.

Property sales positions carry a certain notoriety and considerable risk even in regulated and mature markets. Dubai is neither. Beware. Dubai is not somewhere you want to be with next to no money.

quiltman

What about a working visa?
Who pays for this?

Spectre

It's a recruitment agency that she applied through. She will be meeting with them to see if suitable. The client apparently pays for the working visa and will pay for accommodation for the first week or two. Fiancee has been told she has to drive and rent her own car. Do you need a special licence to drive in Dubai if already have a British one. Also has to pay for herself to get qualifications. Just wondering if worth while as interview in London and she would have to fly over from Belfast.

Millhouse

Deal Flow: there is none.

Spectre

Not sure what that means?

Millhouse

When selling houses deal flow is what you live and breath on. It doesn't matter at what price houses change hands, the agent simply needs lots of transactions, or deal flow. Without deal flow there is nothing to do.

There is no deal flow in Dubai - the property market is on its knees.

Millhouse

The driving licence is really the least of your worries.

An agent earns somewhere between 0dh on a bad month, to around 50k AED on an exceptional month. The average month is probably 5-10k AED.

It's a job for housewives and Indians.

scot47

Surviving on 5 to 10 thou Dirhams in UAE ? Best to stay in Blighty.

Tockalosh

But what if she was better than the rest ? Villa on savannah, Porsche boxter, sunshine, barnasti, the dream fulfilled.

Millhouse

Peugeot RCZ tock.

Meow

You missed the last parts, massive personal loans and credit card debts to fund it.

Tockalosh

As always on matters of taste and living the dream I stand corrected dear sir.
Being old, devoid of any class or good taste and still believing that my donor kebab shop in Biddulph deserves at least one Michelin star: I am ill equipped to know what a 25 year old sales executive would consider classy or desirable.
I would like a villa on savannah, a boxter and a day getting slaughtered with the yobs every now and again

Tockalosh

I thought they were mandatory parts of the visa process ?