Dubai Real Estate Wealth Migration Is Hitting Record Numbers, and Ben Bandari Saw It Coming
Dubai real estate wealth migration has been one of the most consistent stories in global finance for over two decades, and nobody has a front-row seat quite like Ben Bandari. The Canadian-born founder of BenCo Real Estate and star of Million Dollar Listing UAE has watched this city operate from the inside since 2002, long before the Palm was complete, long before anyone outside the region could point to it on a map. In a recent post from London Real founder Brian Rose (@therealbrianrose), featuring Bandari (@benbandari), the veteran broker said what people in wealth circles already know but rarely say out loud: every time the world goes sideways, Dubai wins.
“You have to come here,” Bandari said. “You have to see it. You have to experience it to believe it.”
That is not a marketing line. That is two decades of watching capital, families, and billionaires show up at this city’s door, again and again.
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Every Global Crisis, Same Destination
Bandari’s point is hard to argue with. COVID lockdowns pushed Europeans, Americans, and South Asians to a city that stayed open and functional. London’s tax environment got worse, and high-net-worth families started relocating. Every time there has been a compelling reason to leave somewhere, Dubai has been where people go.
“Every time there’s a crisis in the world, people move to Dubai,” he said. “The money pours in because of the safety, the security, the stability. This is a safe bet.”
That pattern is not anecdotal. Dubai’s appeal has been driven by political stability, safety, robust infrastructure, and a favorable tax regime, making it a global wealth stronghold. As legacy financial centers like London, San Francisco, Hong Kong, and Paris face rising taxes and political uncertainty, Dubai continues to offer clarity, freedom, and opportunity.
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1,000 Families a Week, Billionaires Included
Bandari puts the Dubai real estate wealth migration figure at 1,000 families every single week. He is seeing it on the ground — billionaires, high-net-worth households, multigenerational families, all bringing capital, all investing in property, all choosing to stay.
The broader data tracks with that. By the end of March 2025, Dubai’s population had risen to 3.92 million, with 89,695 new residents added in just the first three months of the year, averaging approximately 1,000 people per day. Ultra-high-net-worth families are committing over AED 134 million per purchase for legacy villas, waterfront compounds, and branded residences.
Bandari himself has been in this market since it was raw desert and half-built roads. When he arrived in 2002 with around CAD 700 in his pocket, Dubai had just begun its freehold revolution, with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s decree allowing foreigners to buy property in designated areas transforming the emirate from a regional outpost into a global luxury destination. Today, he has achieved sales exceeding 20 billion dirhams, with consultancy credits including the Palazzo Versace condominiums and the D1 Tower.
A 23-Year Track Record That Speaks for Itself
What makes Bandari’s take on Dubai real estate wealth migration land differently is context. He is not a newcomer hyping a market for clicks. He watched it get dark at night. He saw Sheikh Zayed Road take shape. He sold through the 2008 crash, through COVID, through every moment when outsiders second-guessed the city.
And every time, the verdict was the same.
For anyone still wondering whether Dubai is a temporary trend or a permanent fixture in global wealth geography, Bandari’s answer is straightforward: stop wondering, and go see it yourself.
Cover Image: @benbandari/Instagram
