The Oppenheim Group, the US real estate brokerage that gained international recognition through Netflix’s Selling Sunset, is preparing to establish a presence in the United Arab Emirates. The company plans to open its first Middle East office in Dubai before the end of 2026, marking a significant step in its international expansion.
The new branch is expected to open at Bluewaters Dubai in December. According to The National, the office will cover about 6,500 square feet and initially accommodate a team of around 20 real estate agents. The brokerage intends to expand its local workforce as its portfolio and client base in the UAE grow.
The move comes at an interesting point for Dubai’s residential property sector. After several years of rapid price growth and record-breaking luxury transactions, buyers are becoming more selective, while international agencies continue to view the emirate as an attractive destination for long-term expansion.
Dubai Becomes Oppenheim Group’s Middle East Base
The development of the Dubai operation is being led by Omar Abaza, a long-time business partner and friend of Oppenheim Group founder Jason Oppenheim. Recruitment for the new office is already under way, with more than 150 applications reportedly considered as the company builds its first team in the region.
The brokerage is expected to focus primarily on Dubai’s premium residential market, an area that has attracted a growing number of international agencies and wealthy investors in recent years. Its UAE strategy, however, may eventually extend beyond Dubai, with opportunities in Abu Dhabi also under consideration.
Jason Oppenheim has described the UAE as a natural destination for the company’s first expansion into the Middle East. Dubai in particular has developed into an international hub for property investment, attracting entrepreneurs, high-net-worth individuals and investors from Europe, Asia and other parts of the world.
For global brokerage companies, this international client base creates opportunities not only to sell properties in the emirate but also to connect buyers and sellers across several major real estate markets.
Luxury Property Buyers Become More Selective
Oppenheim Group is entering Dubai as the luxury housing market begins to show signs of greater price sensitivity. Following years of strong appreciation, buyers are increasingly comparing properties on value, location, quality and potential returns rather than competing for available units at almost any price.
There are also indications that some sellers are adjusting their expectations. Data cited by The National from Luxury Price Drops showed that asking prices were reduced on 3,428 luxury properties in Dubai during August. The combined value of those reductions was estimated at approximately AED 2.4 billion.
Similar trends have emerged in Los Angeles, Oppenheim Group’s home market. During August, 1,762 properties there recorded reductions in their asking prices, with the combined adjustment approaching $868 million.
The figures do not necessarily indicate that demand for high-end Dubai property has disappeared. Instead, they point to a market in which pricing is becoming increasingly important and buyers have more room to evaluate competing opportunities.
Exceptional properties can still command substantial sums. One recent example was a large residence on the 87th floor of Burj Khalifa offered on the rental market for around AED 12 million per year. The approximately 1,000-square-metre property underwent an extensive renovation before being marketed.
Such deals underline the continued depth of Dubai’s ultra-prime segment, even as the broader market gradually shifts towards more balanced conditions.
Could Dubai Become the Next Selling Sunset Location?
Oppenheim Group’s arrival could also bring additional international media attention to Dubai’s property sector. The brokerage became widely known outside the real estate industry through Selling Sunset, which follows agents handling expensive homes, negotiations and clients in Los Angeles.
Omar Abaza has indicated that the company’s expansion into the UAE could eventually create an opportunity for Dubai to feature in a similar television format. Members of the Selling Sunset team may first become involved around the opening of the new office, although no separate Dubai series has been formally announced.
The emirate would provide a natural setting for such a project. Dubai combines branded residences, waterfront developments, luxury villas and record-setting property transactions with a highly international community of buyers and brokers.
For Oppenheim Group, the Dubai office represents an opportunity to take its brokerage model into one of the world’s most closely watched property markets. For Dubai, the arrival of another internationally recognised real estate company suggests that global agencies continue to see long-term opportunities in the emirate, even as the market moves from exceptionally rapid growth towards a more selective phase.