Dubai can feel fast and complex for international investors, particularly when they are navigating the market from overseas. Rinie Boshoff, Off-Plan Sales Manager for Pam Golding Properties in Dubai, brings a more measured way of working. With almost a decade of experience advising international buyers, including her time with Pam Golding Properties in Mauritius, she approaches off-plan property with care, detailed research, and a strong sense of responsibility to her clients.
Since relocating to Dubai, she has spent time getting to know the market properly, visiting different locations, understanding how communities function, and selecting projects with long-term value in mind. In this interview, Rinie shares her perspective on investing in Dubai, the importance of trust, and the role values play in building lasting client relationships.
You’ve spent nine years advising international investors on off-plan property. How has that shaped the way you work with clients today?
Most of the clients I work with aren’t buying their first property. It’s usually their second, third, or even fourth international purchase, so decisions are rarely rushed. When someone is buying from overseas, trust really is everything.
For me, that means taking the time to guide clients properly. I need to understand the project in detail, the location, and the long-term positioning, but just as importantly, I need to listen. Some clients are focused purely on investment returns. Others are thinking about lifestyle. You can’t treat those two decisions in the same way.
My time in Mauritius prepared me well for that. Almost all of our buyers were international, mainly from France and South Africa, followed by Germany and the UK. Each market had its own expectations and way of making decisions. Dubai feels familiar in that sense, even though the pace here is much faster. In Mauritius, transactions could take anywhere from a couple of months to well over a year, whereas in Dubai, they can move very quickly. If you are buying purely for investment, decisions can be made in a matter of minutes, and when new units are released, they often sell out on the same day.
At its core, though, the client mindset is similar. It’s still about reassurance, clarity, and making a decision they’ll feel comfortable with long after the paperwork is done. Mauritius was a challenging market in many ways, which is why I feel well prepared for this next chapter in Dubai.
What attracted you to Dubai, and why did it feel like the right move for you professionally?
Dubai rewards ambition, and that resonated with me straight away. I’ve always set personal targets for myself, so being in a market that moves quickly suits me. You can see progress happening, and that momentum is motivating.
I’m also a very creative person, and I love how competitive the developer landscape is. Developers are constantly pushing to differentiate themselves, whether through design, lifestyle concepts, or location. No two projects feel the same, and that energy suits me.
You really see the creativity when you spend time in experience centres and on-site. Developers put a lot of thought into helping clients understand what they’re buying before it’s built. I recently visited The Tree of Life by Eywa (insert internal link to article) in Business Bay. It’s a beautiful project, but what really stood out was seeing it in person. Once you walk through the site and look at the quality of the finishes up close, it changes how you talk about it. You’re not just describing a brochure anymore. That level of detail is what makes my work here so exciting for me.
In your role at Pam Golding Properties Dubai, what will you be focusing on day to day?
My background is very much in off-plan, so that’s where my focus will be in Dubai. I’ll be working closely with both master developers and more boutique developers, particularly those who bring something distinctive in terms of design, location, and overall quality. For me, it’s never just about how big a project is. The fundamentals and the long-term positioning of a project matter far more.
Within the wider team, there will be agents focusing on resales and rentals, which is important because Dubai attracts a wide mix of buyers. Some clients have been renting for a few years and are now ready to purchase, while others are international investors looking to diversify their portfolios offshore. Being able to support those different journeys is important.
Pam Golding’s international presence plays a big role in that. The brand has deep roots across Africa and beyond. While the Dubai office is still in its infancy, the business itself has been operating globally for 50 years. The team here in Dubai has extensive experience working in the UAE market. That legacy offers reassurance, particularly for international clients.
Relationship building is also central to how I work. Dubai is a very competitive market, but that’s actually part of the appeal for me. I enjoy the challenge, and I’m looking forward to building something meaningful here over time.
When international investors first look at Dubai, what do you think is most often misunderstood about the market?
Many people still picture Dubai as a city of skyscrapers, but that’s only one side of it. What really surprised me was the range of lifestyles available. You have beachfront living, low-rise communities, marinas, family neighbourhoods with parks, and areas that feel very similar to coastal living back home in South Africa.
I’ve made a point of visiting different locations myself, not only across Dubai, but also in Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi. Walking around these areas, seeing the beaches, the open spaces, and how people actually live day to day, completely changed my perception of this market.
There’s often a misunderstanding around risk. Dubai is now very well regulated with clear systems in place to protect buyers, such as escrow accounts and structured payment plans. Having worked in Mauritius, these processes felt familiar to me, but many international investors are still surprised by how established and robust the framework here has become.
You’re known for being selective about the developments you represent. What do you need to see before you’re comfortable recommending a project in Dubai?
Being selective is crucial. If a client is trusting me with a significant investment, I need to be completely comfortable with what I’m presenting to them.
Of course, I look at the fundamentals. The developer’s track record, the quality of previous projects, whether they deliver on time, and what kind of support exists after handover. Especially for investors, the conversation doesn’t end when the keys are handed over. They need to know how the property will be managed, what the rental demand looks like, and how the location is likely to perform over time.
But beyond the paperwork, I have to experience it myself. I won’t recommend a location I haven’t walked around. I need to see how it feels, how people use the space, and what the community looks like on a normal weekend. If I’m describing a lifestyle to a client, it has to come from first-hand experience.
I also pay attention to reputation. Do buyers return to the same developer? Would they recommend them again? That tells you a lot. Pam Golding has built its name on integrity and long-term relationships, and that standard must apply to the projects we align with here in Dubai.
When clients are making significant financial decisions, how do you personally approach that responsibility?
I take that responsibility very seriously. For many clients, this transaction is a large portion of their capital, and sometimes it’s tied to a bigger life decision as well.
Listening has to come first. Before we even talk about property, I need to understand why they are buying. Are they planning to relocate? Are they building a long-term investment portfolio? Are they looking for a lifestyle change? Until you understand the motivation, you can’t advise properly.
Dubai’s off-plan property market is extremely busy. There’s always another launch, another opportunity, another headline. If you present ten options, clients can easily feel overwhelmed. So I’ll narrow it down to two or three options that genuinely fit their objectives and explain clearly why they make sense. That way, the decision feels considered, not pressured.
For me, trust is built when clients feel heard and understood. The goal is never to just sell a unit. It’s to help them make a decision they feel confident about long after the paperwork is signed.
For experienced agents considering their next step, what are the benefits of working with a global, trusted brand like Pam Golding Properties?
It starts with values. Pam Golding has spent decades building trust through professionalism and consistent standards, which naturally attract a certain type of person. When you meet the people in the business, you feel that alignment straight away, and that matters more than anything else.
The global network is also a real advantage. Many international clients don’t buy where they live, so being able to refer clients to colleagues you genuinely trust, and know they’ll be looked after properly, is incredibly powerful. Those relationships take time to build, but they’re invaluable once they’re in place.
Mentorship is something I care deeply about as well. We are very focused on creating a supportive culture in the Dubai office, where agents share knowledge, learn from one another, and grow together. Sales can be unpredictable at times, and having the right people around you makes a huge difference.
There’s also strong operational support behind the scenes, from CRM systems to marketing and brand infrastructure, which frees agents up to focus on their clients. And of course, having a brand with a long-standing international reputation brings a level of credibility that can’t be created overnight.
Looking ahead, what kind of clients and projects are you most passionate about supporting in Dubai?
I’m most passionate about working on projects I genuinely believe in. That means strong locations, real quality, and developments that offer more than just a building. I need to feel excited about what I’m representing, because if I don’t believe in it, I can’t expect a client to.
Ultimately, what motivates me is seeing my clients do well. Good investments should support a good lifestyle and make financial sense over time. When those two come together, that’s when a project really works.
I also value partnerships. I see this as a long-term relationship, not a single transaction. When clients trust the process, come back for future purchases, and refer us to their friends or network, that’s the greatest measure of success for me. It means we’ve done our job properly.
Dubai fascinates me because of what’s possible here. The city continues to create places where people genuinely want to live, work, and build a future. Being part of that, and helping clients navigate it thoughtfully, is what makes this next chapter so exciting for me.
If you would like to explore off-plan opportunities in Dubai, you can view our current projects here.
