Charity + Dubai Real Estate: An Unlikely Pairing, by Kevin Atterbury: Managing Director at Thirty Three Real Estate

Date Posted:Mon, 7th Jul 2025

Charity + Dubai Real Estate: An Unlikely Pairing, by Kevin Atterbury: Managing Director at Thirty Three Real Estate

No one really thinks of what will happen with the proceeds of your 2% commission cheque once it’s handed to your broker. Thirty Three Real Estate has been established to ensure that every single time it’s handed over, there is a genuine, positive impact for children all over the world.

 

Before I bore you with the details of how we got here, take a moment to see how your next real estate transaction can be truly transformational for others.

  • Selling an apartment worth AED 5m with us could….
    • Enroll 110 children on primary education programs, provide basic healthcare and 2 meals a day for a month
  • Buying an off-plan unit worth AED 20m with us could….
    • Contribute to purchasing farmland to provide a sustainable food source for 350 vulnerable children in Malawi
  • Selling a villa worth AED 50m with us could…
    • Fully fund an entire project to provide a safe and loving home for 30 vulnerable children in Tanzania
  • Selling a commercial unit worth AED 100m with us could…
    • Fully fund a project to renovate 18 orphanages for Tibetan refugee children in North India.

HOW WE GOT HERE

My wife, Leena, and I recently left the financial services rat race to set up a business with philanthropy built into the core. Our decision has caused much consternation amongst family and friends who think we’ve gone slightly mad. 

However, we feel that focusing on the outcomes we can create for complete strangers whom we will likely never meet, provides us with far more energy and a desire to succeed, than the sole goal of accumulating more numbers on our internet banking screen.  

Thirty Three Real Estate was established as a mission-led, boutique brokerage firm, aimed at harnessing the juggernaut of the Dubai real estate industry as a powerful force for good in the world. 

Via our commitment to allocate 33% of our brokerage fees to charitable causes in Dubai, we aim to ensure that every real estate deal has the power to change someone’s life for the better. 

OUT OF THE PAN AND INTO THE FIRE

It can be a nerve-wracking moment when you’re about to tell someone in Dubai that you work in real estate. It feels as if the eyes start rolling back in their heads as soon as I start the sentence.

I get it. I’ve been there. I won’t drone on about the flaws of the industry, as you’re probably already thinking about them as you read.

It doesn’t have to be this way. It shouldn’t be this way. And now, I’m pleased to say that it isn’t.

Our promise to clients is threefold:

  • You are our primary focus, and we will only ever work on a maximum of 5 mandates at any one time to ensure a laser focus on your outcomes and provide advice that we would give to the rest of our family. 
  • You will never encounter a chatbot or automated response of any kind. Leena and I will be your only points of contact throughout.
  • Your transaction will change the lives of children all over the world.

OUR CHARITABLE PARTNERS

We have been very fortunate to partner with some wonderful charitable causes in Dubai already and are looking to expand our panel of good causes over time. Some of you may have heard of these organisations already, but if you haven’t, please check out their websites for volunteering, CSR and participation opportunities:

Our mission is to ensure that real estate doesn’t just change hands, but changes lives and we look forward to welcoming members on our journey!

If you would like to know more, get in touch here: www.thirtythreeme.com/contact