Blackstone Group plans to jointly invest in real estate in Dubai

On September 9th local time, Blackstone Group (BX.N) and Permira are jointly acquiring a minority stake worth $525 million in Property Finder, a local real estate information aggregation platform in Dubai. The transaction valuation has not been disclosed, but it shows the deep layout of international capital in the real estate technology field in Dubai. The joint statement pointed out that in this transaction, General Atlantic, the investment institution that has supported Property Finder since 2018, has partially withdrawn but will still be an important minority shareholder of the company. This transaction will enable Property Finder to obtain global professional resources from three private equity firms: Permira, Blackstone and General Atlantic. This move by Property Finder aims to expand its platform and achieve growth targets in the real estate market of the Middle East and North Africa. This is also Permira's first investment in the Middle East. Just a few months ago, the company had just set up an office in the Dubai Financial District.

Blackstone Group plans to jointly invest 525 million US dollars to acquire a minority stake in Property Finder, a Dubai real estate information aggregation platform, which will also have a significant impact on the business field. The first is the impact of international capital on the Dubai real estate market. The entry of Blackstone and Permira will attract more international capital to pay attention to the Dubai market, forming a virtuous cycle of "leading institutions leading investment and followers accelerating layout". For instance, Mapletree Investments, a subsidiary of Temasek, has set up an office in ABU Dhabi and invested 2 billion US dollars to enter the Gulf region. Bofeng's plan to develop high-end integrated communities in Dubai all reflect this trend. Although Fitch Ratings had warned that Dubai's property prices might decline by double digits from the second half of 2025 to 2026, the continuous increase in investment by institutions such as Blackstone indicates that they value Dubai's long-term potential as a regional hub more than short-term fluctuations. This confidence will support market trading activity and stabilize investors' expectations.

The second is the impact on real estate market resources. As an information aggregation platform, Property Finder can help investors identify potential transaction opportunities more efficiently, especially those high-quality properties held by local families or government agencies and with low willingness to sell. Through data analysis and market insights, the platform may facilitate more non-public market transactions. Against the backdrop of scarce assets in core areas, investors are turning to new development projects. The resource integration capabilities of Blackstone and Permira can help Property Finder establish deeper cooperation with developers, promote the implementation of projects such as high-end comprehensive communities and smart apartments, and meet the market's demand for diversified assets. At the same time, it can accelerate its penetration in high-growth markets such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and consolidate its existing advantages in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Egypt.

The third is the impact on Dubai's development. Dubai plans to increase its population to 5.8 million by 2040, with 7.8 million daytime floating population. Investments by institutions such as Blackstone will help increase housing supply, meet the demands of population expansion, and at the same time drive infrastructure upgrades (for instance, property prices along the subway extension line have risen by 15% due to infrastructure construction). By investing in real estate technology platforms, Dubai can further consolidate its position as a regional business and tourism center, attracting more high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs and tech talents. For instance, Russian female entrepreneur Anna Ivanova purchased a luxury house in Dubai through a Golden Visa and set up a regional headquarters, which reflects this trend.

Blackstone Group's joint investment in Dubai's real estate information platform Property Finder by Permira not only demonstrates the firm confidence of international capital in Dubai's long-term growth potential, but also injects strong impetus into the digital transformation and sustainable development of the local real estate market through capital injection, technological empowerment and resource integration. This investment may reshape the real estate technology ecosystem in the Middle East, driving traditional industries towards intelligence and efficiency. At the same time, it also provides a benchmark case for global investors to participate in emerging markets.