Permira and Blackstone Inject $525 Million into Property Finder Amid UAE Real Estate Boom

Global private equity giants Permira and Blackstone Growth have jointly invested $525 million to acquire a significant minority stake in Property Finder, the UAE’s largest online real estate platform.

This marks Permira’s first investment in the Middle East, following the opening of its Dubai office earlier this year. It also represents one of the largest private equity inflows into a regional digital company.

General Atlantic, a trusted backer since 2018, has partially exited but remains a major minority shareholder.

Founded in 2007, Property Finder now stands at the forefront of the UAE’s property classifieds space, competing with major platforms like Dubizzle and Bayut. With this latest funding, the company plans to accelerate its presence across the MENA region—targeting growth in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey—while enhancing its AI-driven property search technologies.

The injection of capital comes at a time when the UAE real estate market is surging. In the first half of 2025, Dubai recorded roughly AED 431 billion in property transactions—an impressive 25% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Why This Investment Matters

1. Confidence in Digital Real Estate: The involvement of Permira and Blackstone highlights global investor faith in the UAE’s digital real estate evolution and PropTech innovation.
2. Scalability and Expansion: Backed by industry-leading private equity firms, Property Finder is now positioned to scale rapidly across its regional footprint.
3. Continued Local Stability: General Atlantic’s retained stake signals sustained confidence in the platform’s future, even amid ownership shifts.

At a Glance

This strategic funding propels Property Finder into a new phase of growth—supporting its leadership in digitizing the region’s property journey while enabling seamless expansion across MENA.