Milborne Real Estate, a leading property firm owned by Canada's condo-marketing guru Hunter Milborne, said it has bought a major stake in Gulf Sotheby’s International Realty, a leading real estate firm in the UAE.

With this move, Milborne, a renowned specialist in off-plan marketing and sales, is bringing his expertise to the UAE to advise developers and communities on how to strategically sell property before its inception, drawing on his entrepreneurial style, creative problem solving and innovative market penetration strategies.

Hunter is widely credited with single-handedly turning around Toronto’s faltering property market in the 1970s.

In the latter half of the 1970s, residential units in Toronto were failing to sell and prices for premium real estate were stagnant. Milborne implemented a radically different approach to selling condominiums resulting in him becoming one of the most successful real estate experts in Canada.

His involvement in Gulf Sotheby’s International Realty will assist in building the firm’s pre-sale/off-plan department to suit UAE developers growing real estate demands.

Milborne believes the successful methods he employed to reinvigorate the Toronto real estate market will greatly benefit Dubai’s evolving realty landscape.

So much so, in addition to buying into the firm, Milborne is exporting core members of his Canadian team to bring his marketing methods to the emirate.

Gulf Sotheby’s International Realty views the investment as a strategic move and one that will help to restore client confidence in the off-plan sector.

George Azar, the chairman and chief executive of Gulf Sotheby's International Realty, said: "Milborne’s track record speaks for itself. Having sold $25 billion worth of property and 100,000 units over the span of 38 years, we couldn’t have asked for a more suitable expert to launch our presale and marketing department."

"The time is now for change in the way property is marketed in the UAE and through this newly-launched division, we can change the way we market and sell in Dubai," observed Azar.

"We can also provide brokers, developers, and investors with expert opinion and advice on the future of real estate in the emirate," he added.

The UAE firm recently added Emirati real estate broker Ere Homes to its portfolio, expanding both the business and its various departments. Through this investment, with Milborne Real Estate, the company is making its mark as pre-sale experts, further strengthening its positioning in the market.

"Combining the powerful Gulf Sotheby’s International Realty brand with Hunter Milborne’s expertise will only mean positive things for the future of real estate in Dubai. It will take us to a level no one else in the market is able to compete with," stated Azar.

On the new venture, Milborne said: "My team will be working closely with the Gulf Sotheby’s International Realty team, developers and partnering broker agencies to implement a radically different approach to marketing and selling property in the UAE."

"I see parallels in the market here as to how Toronto was not so long ago so I know the time is right for this new approach. That’s why I am making this significant investment in my people and in Gulf Sotheby’s International Realty," he added.-TradeArabia News Service