Dubai vs California Real Estate: Key Differences

Hi, I'm GG Benitez, and welcome to The Dubai Connect podcast. This is season three, and for my very first episode, I have one of the most special guests I've ever had. Help me welcome my broker here in California, Terry Dylan, to the show. Hi Terry. Hi GG, thanks for having me. This is pretty exciting. I have been waiting to have you on. We've been doing this, putting it off for over a year. Yes, so busy, busy. What I'm trying to do now with season three is that now that I've had a couple of seasons and I've been working the market in Dubai for a couple of years, I want to really come in and look at the pieces that haven't been filled in as far as the questions that different real estate investors globally have. I thought you would be so great to have on because of your perspective. If you could introduce who you are and your professional background, how many years you've been doing real estate here in America's Finest City of San Diego. Well GG, I've been involved in real estate for about over thirty years. Brokering and offices, we cover San Diego, anywhere in San Diego. I've had up to about two hundred agents. We have a mortgage company, an escrow company, and a real estate company. We're coastal, we're inland, and we're in the city. It's never the same. It's always changing. I'm an instructor for real estate as well, and as the broker, I'm ultimately responsible for every client, every file, and I take that very seriously. We've had lots of ups and downs in San Diego as far as the economy, so I've learned not to stress about that. You just follow the reports, do what you have to do, and position yourself for those kinds of markets. As the internet came out several years ago with more global exposure to other countries and quicker access to information, it opened up a new way of doing real estate, networking, and the economy. What works well in one country may not work well for another country. Exactly. There's a lot of myths, thinking you have to be really rich and famous to be able to own in other areas. That's not true, and it depends on what your ultimate need is going to be as well. I did visit Dubai by your invitation. I jumped on a plane, and it was a marvelous experience to get out there. I absolutely loved it. I'm not a world traveler, so for me to jump on a plane, go by myself, and go into a different country that is completely different, it was wonderful. The weather was just like in San Diego, so that was the first thing. The clothing didn't have to change, what you packed. The people were marvelous. It was a very diversified melting pot of different cultures, which was fascinating to me, from food to entertainment. Things were in English, so I didn't feel that I was all by myself. I could read, and I could read the signs on the freeways. People were very helpful. Such a clean city. My gosh, such a clean city. Taking my experience from California and also promoting Dubai, it's equally important for Dubai people to understand we have California. So there's a going back pattern that can go back and forth. Anyone who wants to come to Dubai, because your licenses, you're working in both areas, we would give them first class service if they want to come over here and see what we have to offer in the coastal areas of California and have weather like this all year long. Actually, one of the main developers in Dubai models a lot of the areas that he develops out in Dubai from San Diego because he was educated here, attended San Diego State University. There are royal family members as well that have been educating in California, so they love California. For myself, the reason why I embarked upon this journey is not because I'm really selling California, although yes, I am born in the United States, raised in San Diego my whole life, educated at UCSD. I am a California woman, and I know this area like the back of my hand, and it's beautiful. I mean, it's America's Finest City, best weather in the world. You have the ocean, the mountains, skiing. You have diversity as well here. You have all different religions and cultures, and there's a huge Middle Eastern population here as well. As I am first generation Arab American, the reason that I got involved with this is because when I went to Dubai for my first time and I saw firsthand what was happening there, I realized that Americans, North Americans, Canadians were missing out on the incredible global real estate opportunities in Dubai specifically because they didn't have a connect, which I then set myself on a mission to provide. Taking my sales background from pharmaceutical sales, my economics degree from UCSD, and my PR firm that I've had for fifteen years, combining those with my connections, contacts, and relationships in the Middle East, I married those together to help create a concierge-like company basically with your support and mentorship as well here in California. I have my partners who has been doing real estate in Dubai for eighteen years, so I have offices on the ground in both areas. We're really helping these investors in North America understand the process. When we visited the builders in Dubai, there are fifteen thousand real estate agents in Dubai. The idea that they're going to sit and educate them, they all really should, but we'll get into that. The idea that those fifteen thousand agents that are competing for two hundred units that are launched at a time in a very high demand market don't have the time to sit and educate North Americans on how to invest in Dubai from our perspective living here as citizens here, and that is what no, you've done a phenomenal job of digging. You've dug into the politics, you've dug into the legal, you've dug into everything from the tier one developers to the ones we should steer away from because reputations are everything. When we're taking our clientele list from California and we are encouraging them, our reputations are on this, not just liability but reputations. Absolutely, and it means something. When you get over there and you start showing them the right people are going to take care of them, you've got boots on the ground in Dubai, you've got boots on the ground in California, so you're surrounded with professionals. Taxing, the law firms that we've been working with on both sides, both Dubai and managers, property managers. Not everybody wants to move to Dubai, but they want to invest, so they can sell, reinvest again, or maybe the Airbnbs, or just have a vacation home. But whatever their needs are, we've got people that can meet that. When they're back in the United States, they know that their property is going to be well taken care of and managed. You're a frequent flyer and you are there all the time, back and forth. I never know where I'm talking to you at, so which is kind of cool. That doesn't matter. By the way, from San Diego time, I have learned that we're exactly on the other side of the world, so we're exactly what, twelve hours difference? Right now it's eleven hours. Oh, it depends on our time frame. So I would always think if it's six a.m. here, GG's six p.m. there. So when we're talking, but it doesn't stop us because sometimes you're the day ahead. Right, so that's kind of cool. So I'm giving you something, and by the time you get it done, it's already done the same day. That's kind of cool. Absolutely, and real estate doesn't sleep. Let's be real. No, no, no, no. Never, never, never, never, and neither do our people. They just really want to please. This makes me think I want to cover some of the differentiators, and then that actually brings up one of the first ones that I discussed on a previous podcast. Even the real estate agents, and I'm not trying to downplay real estate agents, but compared to California and what we do here and all of the rules that we apply, comparing Dubai to California, it seems to be transactional based in Dubai, whereas in California we're all reputation and relationship based. Because you have so many agents that are coming in that are moving from different places of the country, they think in Dubai they're going to make all this money. There is a lot of money to be made in real estate, but if they don't make it in three months they have to go back because they can't survive. Here in California, we're all about that relationship, long term with a client, and I've taken that. That's ingrained in our training and our way of doing business in California, and I'm implementing that with the Dubai buyers of being relationship based. For me, my fulfillment Terry does not come in from selling one project. My fulfillment comes in that someone trusts my team and I to help them with the long-term strategy and building their portfolio. You're building the portfolio, the repeat and referral business is very, very important, and the ongoing plan to get from A to B. We might have to have other steps to get involved to get to where the area they want to ultimately be and what are their goals. Yeah, they moving there or are they just investing? Absolutely. But all that stuff comes in the extraction of good questions. So when you get the right questions posed to them, you can help them better. That book of business, referral, repeat business, isn't it just a one shot wonder. You're never going to see them again, and that's the problem. Everybody thinks real estate is very, very easy. It's not. If you're taking this as a serious career and business and taking advantage of it, it's surrounding yourself with winners. Winners with builders, winners with people, the property management, the CPAs, the attorneys that can advise people what they can do. Then we take that information and do best by our clients. Best by your clients, fiduciary responsibility. You always ingrain that in me. The fiduciary is putting their interest above your own, all about their interest. Unfortunately, the one shot wonders that do one deal or go out there for three months and they didn't make it big, I don't know if that's always in the back of their mind if this is going to be a long-term project for them. We've felt many calls from all over the United States and in Canada of people wanting to model after your plan. We have talked about this. We have also talked about that they didn't want to dig deep to get the right information for their clients. They want to parlay off your brochures, your information, your resources, and that's a big no no. These are our people that are protecting mutually with our clients. If they want to build it, great, there's plenty of business for everybody. But this is the GG International business. GG has her group of experts in both areas so that we are all talking to each other and we know each other. I've gone out there and met the people and did podcasts with them out in that area where we know what GG's ultimate goals are for those clients. It's been really, really cool, and we're getting a very good response. When you start capturing that attention, there's going to be some copycats out there. All I'm saying is to some of the people that are interested in buying, who you work with matters. That's a long ways to go and make a big mistake if you don't know what you're doing. There's not a lot of people that are going to be your allies over there unless you have groups that actually live there, work there, and are doing what they're supposed to be doing. I love the country. It was wonderful. I saw my first fancy car called a Bugatti. What was it, a Bugatti? I have a video of it when we stepped out and it was a royal family. We said why is everyone staring? They're bringing the red robe out to cover it all up so no one gets there. I'm taking pictures. That was at JBR. It was such a treat to take you there. I remember a lot of it before we went. I felt so innocent in some aspects, like what are they doing and how's that work? It was so cute seeing you. By the way, just to back it up, you've never been to the Middle East, Europe, so that was a very big trip. You took Emirates business class experience, you enjoyed the lounge access and the first class service. You were saying you stayed at the Governor House Hotel, one of my favorite hotels there. You thoroughly enjoyed the service oriented. Well, I told many people the biggest complaint I had was everybody saying good morning to me so many times, which is a great thing. They just let me, they were just saying, let me get your luggage, let me get no dirt curbs, cars, lobbies, free and happy to see you and serve you. Because it's so service oriented. Well, tourism is one of the top industries. I saw that. I saw the biggest Ferris wheel in the world. It reminded me of a miniature version, their larger version of our mini version of Seaport Village with all around the coastal and all the little shops. I really was impressed with all the little eateries. You know, they didn't have to be brand names, but the hospitality, everything they gave us from the lattes. They're really big on Pita bread and pistachios. Coffee shop, The Roastery coffee, we had. It was like pistachio mixed in with latte. I'm on a search in San Diego for the perfect coffee, but I have not found it because in Dubai, coffee originates from the Middle East, so they really take the coffee seriously. Also, when I had shared with you culturally the lobby life, because you have your bars and if that's what you're looking for, the bars in the nightclub, people have this misconception that there's no alcohol. Yes, there is. You can go there. I know you did the Atlantis one Sunday brunch with your sister. We did a wild at Atlantis. But there's this lobby culture where every lobby competes to be even more attractive and enticing than the next. My gosh, that's true, and it's the coffee and the desserts and the Danish and the croissant. Then the most beautiful dressed up, elegant people, and you just sit and watch. It's so fascinating, right? It was just the culture of how they dress. It could be simple or it could be really fashion designer, and it was depending where they're from and what they're doing for their day. But there's no judgment, and I like that. We went to the older part of Dubai. Now, my understanding, correct me if I'm wrong, Dubai's about fifty years old, is that correct? Okay. So everything looks new. So when I think I was at the top of my hotel, but when I look down at all the channels and all the yachts, it kind of reminds me of a Chicago marina, you know, on the marina. My gosh, and all the boats. But every building, you could just scan with your eyes around this way, this way, this one's going that way, this one's going round. Nothing was the same, and that was pretty cool. Not boxed up and squared off, and the architect was just absolutely phenomenal. It didn't take us too long to get anywhere we went as long as we didn't have to do U-turns GG because the problem is getting lost. Yeah, we do get lost. Here's a tip, do use Waze. Do not use Google Maps when you are driving around. Use Waze. That's the biggest tip for Dubai. But I never felt threatened. We asked for directions. We never felt threatened. People would just come go, yeah, do this, do that, and tell us which way to go. Everyone spoke English. Absolutely. So it wasn't until, like, how about when you park your car and they wash it for you? Oh, yeah, that was kind of interesting. They'll bring gas to your car if you're at a mall, and you just give your license. I saw little guys running around with this big tube, and I go, what's that GG? They're washing cars. I think it was for five dollars or something. I think three or five. Yeah, it wasn't very much. It's just, yeah, so I love that you got experience it from a lifestyle perspective. You're American born and bred. I mean, you're like all American, and you got to see Dubai from that perspective. Being American, people were fearful because of what was going on in the Middle East. They were fearful of that. Actually, let's touch upon that. Because even a couple weeks before, you said to me, do I need to be worried? And you said no. I said, is someone worried when they go to Switzerland? I mean, Dubai is as safe, and you were actually there when I made the call. So is there any kind of fallout going on? Because people, of course, the rumors and whatever, and the bad media. And I said, is there anything? And you say no. I just put that on my mind. I got the big map out and said, well, we're not too far from that. Is that going to affect our flights? Is that going to affect? But it was a one-way trip from LAX. It was nonstop. So that was pretty cool, and you just, I don't even, when we landed, I was kind of mad because I wasn't even finished with my movie. You don't even want to get off that plane. The way you're treated on there, I don't remember how many crew members there's, but there's quite a herd of people on that plane as far as rotating in and out. Lots of languages and flight attendants from all over the world were there. So that was pretty cool. The most beautiful flight attendants, my gosh. Flight attendants, same red lipstick they all wear with their hair pulled back. I mean, everything they think of never stressed, never rude, never arrogant. Always what they can do for you. And of course, I never wanted to leave my little pod area. You got my bed. I got everything. Sit up my own little bar going on, you know. So that was kind of cool. Yeah, that was really an experience in itself. Just go on the flight if you've never done that. I would highly recommend it if you can. Your miles or your points. Yes, there you go. Points help. I wasn't that prepared. You said come, I said okay. So I was on the plane and ready to go. Say okay, get the passport, get it all going, and get everything updated. But it was really, really cool getting over there and all the way to the room, the hospitality, the flowers, the food, and everything that was there. Of course, when I got in there, it was late at night, so I really couldn't see. I saw the night view. But in the morning, it was just fabulous. You're right there. In the first morning, we're going on a yacht. We're going on a boat ride. Okay. So I hadn't slept, and we were right on going out into the bay. The water was crystal clear. I took my shoes off and dipped my feet in it. That was so kind of cute. That was the World Islands. That's where we went to visit. Yes, we went and visited the World Islands, which is under development, and then we went back to their headquarters and looked at their grand overall plans, their model, and their mockups of what they're trying to do. That was our first day with that developer, but we hit many, many others. Everyone and back to the hotels, the hotels that we would go and have our meetings at, every lobby would have you right there. It was just a lobby convention. I would look at this one and the waterfalls and the grotto, the art. Smells. How about the smells? Smells, the artwork, the people, just the layout of the hotels, the grounds of the hotels were just fabulous. So I never felt in a hotel or never had traffic jams. We didn't have experienced any of that. We did go into the more of what I would call corporate part of Dubai when we went to the towers and where the attorneys and everything, just like any normal downtown. I went over there open minded. I want you to know open minded. Whatever's happening, go for the experience. I didn't want to go expecting too much or too little. I wanted to see what it would offer me and what would be my takeaway. So when I get back to the United States, what can I share with people? Some of my takeaways were the pleasant people, the lack of violence, the cleanliness of the town, the certain moral pride that people would take in this community. It wouldn't even phantom to them to throw their trash around. Saying thank you, may I help you, the servicing. It was all very, even if they weren't a top tier restaurant, they should have been because everything was just fabulous. I had absolutely no complaints. Every corner, every place we went around was prettier than the last. It was another ooh and an aah, and that went on for days. I think I was there, what, seven days or ten? I can't remember with the flight. But it was a great experience meeting all the wonderful people, the buildings, the architect. I took away the difference in the money. I mean, they all take these as a Mastercard. So if anybody's worried about money part, just flip out a card. That's not a problem. Did the whole time that's not a problem. They're not really big on tipping. Right, but it's not expected. It's not expected, but you do it because American. It's not like in the queues over here like your tip. You want to do it. It's there's no pressure upon anybody for anything, and there's no judgment on their part. No, and I want to make that clear. There's no judgment, and they realize tourism is there. But I don't think they did it just for the tipping or the tourism. They just did it because they're nice people, and they take pride in people. So the thing is about Dubai, because the majority of the people there are expats, they're all under the same objective, producing, creating beautiful lives, working, making money to take care of their families. And nobody wants to get kicked out. So everyone plays by the rules. You know, it's interesting you say that, because I interview everybody that remembers you did. I'll be in the Uber, or taxi, and I'll go, where are you from? Where's your wife? Where is his child? And I don't see him for a couple times make the money here, and I go back. I'm working on so they all have these missions and projects. I think that's really great, and they're willing to do what it takes to get to where they want to go. That was great. And then when I get to the airport, which is four o'clock and five o'clock in the morning or something, don't touch anything, they're getting the luggage out, they're running things around. I go, oh gosh, there's nobody at the airport. Crystal clean. I felt like I was walking into a palace at their airport. Are the lighting, the art that was all around, no bubble gum on the escalators, you know, things like smells? You won't understand unless you go. So Dubai airport, their own distinct smell, a sense. And so I try to buy as many of those atomizers and candles to bring them home and try to duplicate it. It's not the same as being there. Yeah, and when so when I was there, of course, you made it a lot of fun because we just got into our little normal mischief, you know. Let's go there. Let's do. Let's get off calendar. Let's try this and let's take our shoes off. Yes, you know, we had everything. I mean, and when I say mischief, let me condition that fun mischief, not any. Don't take that wrong. Respectful. Yeah, respectful. It was just stuff that we want things that we wanted to do that weren't necessarily on a schedule. We just went with the flow on it. But everything was fun. I love their pita bread was really good. My gosh, they came out so good. Food was amazing. Yeah, the food was amazing. All different types. This is the other thing too. In Dubai, because it is catering to expats from all over the world, whatever type of cuisine that you're craving, not only you're going to find it, but you're going to find the best of it, right? So if you're craving Peruvian, it's the best Peruvian you'll have. If you're craving Chinese, it's the best Chinese. But if you want your Middle Eastern, they had their pizza for Italians. They had I saw Chinese food. I saw Mexican restaurants. I saw everything over there. Of course, they are better in theirs, which is what I'm going over there to taste and experiment with. But you're right, you're absolutely right on that. And I didn't see, now we might, I don't see there were a lot of American brands that are starting to open there as well in franchises. But I actually tried to stay away from that when I was there, and that didn't hit me like it is a Burger King, a Taco Bell. Those I didn't really remember seeing. But then I wasn't looking for it either. They're there. There are a lot of franchises and they're opening every day. They're opening more and more American based franchises there. Well, speaking of franchises, when we were in the largest mall of the world, Burj Mall, they just announced it's going to be even larger. They're opening two hundred forty more stores there. I can't remember how many stories high and how many wings it had, but it was everywhere. Speaking of franchise, every franchise that I've ever heard of had a presence there. You mean every designer, every brand, designers, brands, bags, purses, clothing lines. They were there. They, the who's who, yes. But we just went round and round and just there's just so much to see and food. Lots of sample people were giving out samples and samples and samples. So I was grabbing up stuff to take back for the office in California, let them have some of the kind, I think it was camel milk chocolate or something, something just fun. Whether it is or not, I don't know it probably is. But you know, give it back to them and let them just see the wrapping on it was kind of cute. Yeah, you could definitely go back there, and you can go there and just do nothing and enjoy. I didn't go the beachy thing with some of the people all day in the beach, and I saw jet skis. But that's there too, yeah. There, that's there if people are going over there, want to stay on the resort that are on the beach. They have all those facilities for people to do. I did see helicopters going around, and then we didn't even get out of Dubai where you do the marvelous caravanning on camels. I didn't get to the horse tracks, which I love to have done. But there was just so much to do. We did meet a lot of developers because that was my mission to get there. And I felt good about that. Actually, that's what I would love to transition into now. So excited that you experienced, enjoyed, and loved the lifestyle. I know you even said you'd want to go back, which melts my heart. Now let's get into more of from a your business perspective. Because Terry, I have the ultimate respect for you obviously, as you had mentioned when we first started this episode, your experience and you are a legend here in Southern California. I mean, you're very involved nationally. Everyone knows who you are. You help write rules and you're very involved with real estate regulations, etc. So I would like to touch on some of the topics from your perspective from the business aspect. We talked about one of the things I asked you about, differences between agents and being either more transactional based mentality in Dubai versus relationship based here. Okay, and then you came with me to a lot of the builders. I guess we could touch upon a little bit about the quality of the building that you saw there and the innovation and touching upon not all builders and developers are the same. So why it's important. But can you share your perspective on what you felt when we were visiting builders? Well, let's start with in the United States. In the United States, we have that fiduciary duty for our clients, which we have to go into before we can even start a contract, whether a buyer broker agreement, a listing contract, or a purchase contract. Once you start the purchase contract, it's not something that agents create. It's prepared for us. We're kind of filling in the blank. But by extracting the right information, we know how to fill it out properly to represent your client. So now that we have a purchase contract, you present it to the seller, and maybe there's some going back and forth in a counter. There's no standing in lines like in Dubai. There's no numbers. There's no who, well, there is kind of who you know, but your reputation is very important. Whether your client's offer is going to be accepted, we have opened up an escrow. When I first got involved with the Dubai market over a year ago, we had a difference in terminology about what opening escrow meant. You'd come back and say no, we get paid. And I go no, we get paid at close of escrow, and I'm thinking thirty to forty five days. You're saying no, we get paid now. So I had to do a lot of rethinking about how does Dubai market work? Yes, so during our whole marriage with our buyers or sellers, we're with them thirty to forty five days, having that relationship like you pointed out earlier. You're going through and you're approving the preliminary title reports, the homeowner association if there's one. You have to do your due diligence of a physical inspection, or you should be doing it. And you're going, you know, a lot of things you're getting your insurance in place. You're getting your financing in place. Completely different rethinking in Dubai where a lot of that stuff is not in effect. A lot of these people are buying it sight unseen. You take it or leave it. You're in a line. It's almost like buy your new construction, and you're not doing a lot of other stuff. The title, because your government is much more involved in those type of transactions versus our transactions. The only thing our government would do is VA or FHA, and they're just guaranteeing a loan. But they're not giving the loan. So it's really different, a different way of looking at how the economics is working on when you purchase. So part of GG's challenge, your challenge, and your group is to make help us in the United States understand that that new way of thinking. It's not that complicated. Because I was really simple. I was really overthinking it in Dubai compared to what I was in for in the United States. So therefore, when you have the government involvement, the Dubai Land Department, yes, and they're getting paid for that, and they keep a tight accountability on the builders as far as what they can do, what they can't do. Of course, everybody wants to be in that tier one and wants to be in the government's good standing. The Dubai's, well, I don't want for lack of better words, not tarnish your reputation to the buyer. They're dead. They're out. Yes, and so therefore you're going to promote the better builders, the ones that are backed, the ones that you know are going to be in your client's best interest. Quality of building. Now, they don't have earthquakes that I'm aware of. What's the worst thing they have? Were there sandstorms? Sandstorms, and there was the recent flooding. And the flooding, yes. Now was that brought on with the cloud seeding? No, it was normal flooding. It was the entire region. So it didn't have to do with the cloud seeding. The way that they handled it and have overcome it, the builders such as Zaha, etc., have guaranteed and helped pay for the damage. Just shows how Dubai quickly and they did the same thing with COVID. They overcome an unforeseen disaster and take care of its people. Yeah, and I think that really shows through with the morality of the people. No one speaks badly about anything. Like, oh my God, politics going on in the United States. They don't have that. They love their leaders. Dubai loves their leaders. So yes. And just to really hone in on this, because this is something I'm going to cover in a separate podcast interview, but there's the question about safety. There are safety measures in place in Dubai. The Dubai Land Department has their regulatory arm called the Real Estate Regulatory Agency that oversees all real estate transactions in Dubai. So you cannot get frauded. It's basically impossible because of the Dubai government's oversight. However, that does not mean that every single investment is a strong, strategic, maximum ROI investment. That's where working with somebody who really understands like you said, which developers have the best reputations for delivering on time, high quality, customer service, and then this translates to ROI and the resale value of that developer. So not all developers are made equally, right? But let me also say ROI. There's never a guarantee on anything. Yeah, true. But wouldn't your chances be much higher if you're working with the right people? Yes. So that's what's really important for people to understand, whether it's in California or elsewhere. Another point I wanted to make is I found out in California, if you're not an attorney, you're related to one or no one gets sued. And there could be a lot of liability. I was talking to our associates there, and I go, what about lawsuits? Nobody sues anybody here because you have the Land Development. So that was another thing that took me back because we do so much to prevent anybody being taken advantage of. But if you have that, the government stepping in and making sure the buildings are right and that if there's anything wrong, they go in, they cure the default. I think that's very important to know. A better feeling. But also, if you're working with the right developers, that can be scary too. So again, who you're working with over as your associates and as your partners and as your professionals really, really does matter over there. It matters. You and I have this conversation. It matters here, yes. It matters here too. But I feel like it matters on a whole another level there. When you're from here doing this globally, you're very vulnerable. So you're very vulnerable to a sales pitch. You don't have a lot of time, and you're hearing something, and you've got a little bit of hope and a little bit of hair and you make a bad decision, and you may not get that ROI that you were talking about. But if you're associating with yourself people who have gone in there, dug deep, got the right people, the right developers, have built it on experiences, not just a one shot wonder, and they were back to wherever they came from, could be Miami, Canada, whatever. I'm not saying that's a bad place because we've been hit by all these places, and there's good agents in those that are doing what we're doing. You've got an interest, and you've got a great following GG. There's no doubt about it. There's no doubt about that. And I'm very, very proud of you. You've got a lot of that going on. Your family is very supportive. You've got a lot of things I know in the next year that you can announce later that are coming up, which I think are pretty cool, and going on. You've got a good presence here in the Southern California. You've got a ton of people that you know out here. As far as all your different businesses that you've run and following you and believing in you and wanting to take this to the next level as far as investing in Dubai, which I think is really cool. This isn't going to be over soon. This isn't just a fad. This is going to go on forever with Dubai and with all the greater UAE. There's just an announcement today about Neom in Saudi Arabia, and we know that Abu Dhabi is up and coming. Ras Al Khaimah, where the Wynn Casino has broken ground, the first and only gaming casino. So the entire UAE is really a hot spot for investing. Where is the Wynn going to be opening up? In Ras Al Khaimah on Marjan Island. It's another emirate that's about forty minutes from Dubai. One is going to be opening up in Dubai. I know Dubai has the MGM and Armani, and one other I'm forgetting the name right now. But those are not confirmed yet as gaming casinos. So the Wynn in Ras Al Khaimah is the first gaming casino that is confirmed. It's a four billion dollar project that's broken ground there. So now we have investors looking to capitalize on the opportunity to have a property, a rental property investment opportunity right next door to a casino on an island that's just forty minutes from Dubai. People have to come into Dubai to be able to get there. So that's attracting more investment. So you're right. This is just the beginning. I will mention too. There's going to be another International Airport. Yes, people. So when you're talking about DXB airport and how amazing it is, the Al Maktoum Airport is actually going to be the largest International Airport in the world. In the next five years, they're going to move traffic from DXB to Al Maktoum, where they're spending billions of dollars to open up and create all new terminals there. So it's going to be bringing a lot more traffic to that area, and it's opening up more investment opportunities in that neighborhood. That's in Dubai South right next to Expo City and Emaar South. So it leads me to think, and I think I'll close back to this as our closing for this episode, which is the why. I think that we started by talking about the differences in real estate agents, potentially into Dubai, and obviously not all. There are some that are absolutely excellent and that I collaborate with, absolutely. But I will just say what my why is, and not even comparing. My why is not about making money, and not that I'm a nonprofit business. I am a businesswoman and I'm an entrepreneur by heart. That's how I've been always, entrepreneurial. But I'm at a stage in my life, at this age. Three grown children, thank God, got them all out of their private schools, last one going out to college, thank you. So proud. My husband supports my vision. I had a very lucrative PR firm for the past fifteen years that I've been running. It wasn't that I got into Dubai real estate because I saw an opportunity to make money. So that's not my why. My why is that I have a pride as a first generation Arab American in what Dubai is doing on a larger level. Real estate is just my vehicle to open the eyes of people here like yourself and open up the eyes of North Americans and break misconceptions and let them see. This is the pride I have for being an Arab American. They are doing it right on all different levels. It just happens to be that real estate is my opportunity to be able to do that right. To get you over there to come check it out and fill that need that's in the market that nobody else is doing, which as an American is educating people. But see, I feel your passion, and I see it in your eyes, your voice, your movement. I remember when we were out and we were having a moment just taking it all in, and you said, I just have a calling here to come back. When you said that to me, I looked at you and got it. When it's something's in your blood, in your history, or maybe even conversations with your family, it was something. It felt like home to you. I remember you said, I have a calling. It just means something to me. I think that's important to know because when someone has a passion, they're not diverted with just the money. They want it. They want to make it right to whoever they're working with, whoever they're dealing with to make it all right. Your kids are supportive. They're going to be there. You know, you can have houses in different parts of the world. It's not a big deal. You can drive. You can go on planes. You can fly around. It's not a big deal. We have internet and we have phones. I've learned all kinds of another applications where I can call people and stuff. I mean, I've learned a lot. Got you on WhatsApp now. Yeah, you got me on all kinds of applications. My sister lived in Abu Dhabi for fourteen years, which I feel super bad about, never visiting her until you invited me out. I got to see her too. So that was kind of cool. She got me on another app. So the combination of both of you being very calm and introducing me, I felt very vulnerable but I felt very safe. Vulnerable meant I didn't know all the ins and outs, but I felt very safe. It didn't take you long, a couple hours to realize those worries or those things you hear about are non issues. I thought that was really good. But I love your why. I love your passion. I love your calling. I like that you acknowledge that. I like that you have the support from your family. I like that you're smart enough and an intelligent professional to surround yourself with good people and not just go in with anybody who's going to tell a story because there's been people that you and I raised our eyebrows with, and we said next. Absolutely, and it's okay to let go of business, let go of associates because it's not the right mix. No, the best attorneys, the best accountants, the best property managers, the best developers, because it's not just about making the money. It's not just about selling you the least expensive product just so you buy it. It's really about guiding you. And it is about the why for me, and that's important. Thank you for helping support it, mentor me. You've been such a big rock just like my family from a professional standpoint and an emotional one. We've come a long way, GG. You don't always realize it until you start going back and go back, just read our emails, our texts. Definitely, definitely. So I mean, we've come awfully long ways from a concept to making it happen. It's been a journey. We had right questions. We've got very few people who have shut us out. More people, the people I associate with are big thinkers. So they always want to know how they can help. You know, and our franchise has been fantastic. They've been a very winner. We've also been learning too that a lot of people talk the talk but don't walk the walk, right? So I go into everything very suspiciously where I kind of pull you back because you're very, oh, wow, this is great. I love that about you, GG. I really love this voyage we're on together, and I think it's fun, and it's going to go places. Thank you. Thank you for being here. Please, thank you for taking the time. So now that the people that are following on my YouTube can get to know you Terry, I love this woman. With that, please make sure to like, subscribe, follow, comment, and ask any questions, and I'll be answering it throughout the season of The Dubai Connect podcast.