Blake Runciman works as a commercial real estate broker with Dubai property agency Allsopp & Allsopp.
He deals in sales and rentals of offices, warehouses, buildings and land plots.
The 24-year-old Briton, who is originally from Birmingham in the UK, lives in Jumeirah Village Circle in Dubai.
He moved to the UAE alone last year and does not have any financial dependents.
Mr Runciman’s parents divorced when he was young and he has six siblings.
He did his BTech in business from Birmingham Metropolitan College.
When did you join the real estate company? How did you get the job?
I joined Allsopp & Allsopp in October 2022. I attended a recruitment event organised by the agency in Birmingham. They hold these events all around the UK.
After the event, the recruiters reached out to me and held one more interview discussing more about the job, what it includes and the training. They fully onboard successful candidates and arrange for accommodation, a car and other stuff, including the visa, in Dubai.
What are the qualifications or skill sets required to become a real estate agent?
You need to have a lot of drive and be hard working. You need to be the most hard-working person in the room. But you don’t need to be academically smart.
It’s good if you’re a people person, confident and want to do something with your life.
Once you reach Dubai, you have to be trained by the Real Estate Regulatory Agency, which my agency arranged for me.
I did a week of training with Rera and then took an exam.
What was your first job and salary?
I’ve always been in the sales industry. In my first job when I moved away from home to Norwich, I sold photocopiers to businesses.
I earned £18,000 ($22,750), which translates to about Dh83,500 a year.
Then I moved back to Birmingham to do the same sort of thing but with a higher basic salary and commission.
What is your salary now? Is this variable income or a steady income?
In this industry, we effectively work on a commission-only basis. I earned about Dh600,000 ($163,376) last year.
Steady is not the word to use, it’s variable income. You earn depending on how hard you work.
If you are a hard-working individual, go out and clinch deals, then you can earn 10 times that amount. But not everyone’s in the same boat.
When I first started, we were a group of about 30 people and there’s only a handful left now. It shows you what type of person and perseverance is needed to last in this industry.
How was it to work in a market where you had no previous experience?
In the UAE, there is a huge undersupply of commercial properties in comparison with residential. That helped me.
Also, it takes perseverance and to be very committed to the job to be able to achieve the kind of numbers that I did in the past year.
How did you cope financially when you first moved to Dubai?
During the recruitment event, the recruiters tell you that you need at least £10,000 to £15,000 (Dh45,000 to Dh70,000) before moving to the UAE, so you have a financial cushion.
Everyone’s got their own journey out here. You could come out here and do a deal in the first week of your job or clinch a deal after day 60.
So, they just make sure you’ve got enough to last for some time. This allows you to come here and concentrate on work without stressing too much over finances.
Do you manage to save?
I’ve probably saved 50 per cent of what I’ve earned this year.
I do try to budget but since my income is commission-only, it’s variable, so some months may be bigger than others.
And in this job, it’s not plain sailing. You might sometimes hit a bit of a dry patch.
But, with the real estate market being what it is currently in the UAE, there’s a lot going on.
I keep my savings as a reserve to keep me going, especially for a rainy day.
What asset classes do you invest in?
In terms of investments, I haven’t made any yet since I’ve only been here for a year.
I haven’t really had that much disposable income to put into investments, such as property, but that’s what I aim to do.
I plan to get into the industry over the next 12 to 24 months and build a real estate investment portfolio for myself.
Have you bought property here or in your home country?
Unfortunately, not yet. I used to live with my mom and dad in the UK.
Later down the line, if all goes well, I’d like to own properties in many different countries.
Do you have any debt?
I have a car loan, whose monthly instalments are deducted from my bank account. I drive a Volkswagen Tiguan R-line.
Have you ever inherited money?
Nothing as yet.
Growing up, were you taught how to handle your finances?
Not directly, but my father had a successful printers and photocopiers business and when we were growing up, he always told us not to spend more than our means and avoid getting into credit-card debt.
He’s always drilled into us the importance of budgeting, saving and investing.
How do you budget your salary every month?
I wouldn’t say I manage to budget, but I just aim not to spend more than 50 per cent to 60 per cent of my salary.
I currently spend up to 40 per cent of what I earn and that’s mainly on my house rent, car loan, phone bill, petrol and on disposable income, which includes going out and doing other things I like to do.
What do you spend your disposable income on?
Going out to nice restaurants and socialising. I'm an avid golfer as well and play the sport a lot.
Have you started saving for retirement?
If I could retire now, I probably would. In the UK, they take a certain amount every month towards your pension.
In the next 15 to 20 years, I hope to be able to save enough to retire or invest in properties that would give me passive income.
It really takes perseverance and to be very committed to the job to be able to achieve the kind of numbers that I did in the past year
Blake Runciman,
commercial real estate broker, Allsopp & Allsopp
Do you have an emergency fund?
My emergency fund is basically my savings.
Have you ever faced any financial hardship?
When I moved to Norwich with my first sales job, I was on a very low wage.
I had to pay for rent and a car and wasn’t earning much commission in the role. So, I was always really budgeting tight just to get by every month.
Similarly, when I came here, although I had enough to last me for some time, I did not have the best start.
The company gives you the tools to do what you need to do, but then it’s down to you as an individual.
I just had a lot of bad luck, to be fair, so I was sort of getting a bit on edge. Everyone has their own time to shine.
That was my only real financial hardship.
What are your financial goals?
I don’t really have any goals. I just want to earn as much as I possibly can.
I’m still young. I don’t have any family, wife or kids. So, I’m just trying to concentrate on building my own self worth before anything else.
I’m just trying to do the best I can.
Do you worry about money?
In the position I am in now, I don’t need to worry about money because I’ve worked hard this year and excelled at work.
I’m on course to hit my yearly target in my first year. Because of that and since I have only myself to look after, I don’t have any money worries now.
What is your idea of financial freedom?
My idea of financial freedom is to able to do what I want, when I want.
I just want to look after my family, I’d like to retire my mom, if possible. She works in accounts for a lights manufacturing company.
I’d also like to have more passive income.
Do you want to be featured in My Salary, a weekly column that explores how people around the world manage their earnings? Write to pf@thenationalnews.com to share your story
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Pakistan v New Zealand Test series
Pakistan: Sarfraz (c), Hafeez, Imam, Azhar, Sohail, Shafiq, Azam, Saad, Yasir, Asif, Abbas, Hassan, Afridi, Ashraf, Hamza
New Zealand: Williamson (c), Blundell, Boult, De Grandhomme, Henry, Latham, Nicholls, Ajaz, Raval, Sodhi, Somerville, Southee, Taylor, Wagner
Umpires: Bruce Oxerford (AUS) and Ian Gould (ENG); TV umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS); Match referee: David Boon (AUS)
Tickets and schedule: Entry is free for all spectators. Gates open at 9am. Play commences at 10am
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
The biog
Job: Fitness entrepreneur, body-builder and trainer
Favourite superhero: Batman
Favourite quote: We must become the change we want to see, by Mahatma Gandhi.
Favourite car: Lamborghini
Other key dates
-
Finals draw: December 2
-
Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
-
Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
-
Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
STAGE%201%20RESULTS
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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More on Quran memorisation:
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
French Touch
Carla Bruni
(Verve)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Day 5, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Given the problems Sri Lanka have had in recent times, it was apt the winning catch was taken by Dinesh Chandimal. He is one of seven different captains Sri Lanka have had in just the past two years. He leads in understated fashion, but by example. His century in the first innings of this series set the shock win in motion.
Stat of the day This was the ninth Test Pakistan have lost in their past 11 matches, a run that started when they lost the final match of their three-Test series against West Indies in Sharjah last year. They have not drawn a match in almost two years and 19 matches, since they were held by England at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi in 2015.
The verdict Mickey Arthur basically acknowledged he had erred by basing Pakistan’s gameplan around three seam bowlers and asking for pitches with plenty of grass in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Why would Pakistan want to change the method that has treated them so well on these grounds in the past 10 years? It is unlikely Misbah-ul-Haq would have made the same mistake.
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Results
5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m; Winner: Mcmanaman, Sam Hitchcock (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
6.05pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Bawaasil, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
6.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Dirt) 1,400m; Winner: Bochart, Fabrice Veron, Satish Seemar
7.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Mutaraffa, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
7.50pm: Longines Stakes – Conditions (TB) Dh120,00 (D) 1,900m; Winner: Rare Ninja, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.25pm: Zabeel Trophy – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Alfareeq, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
9pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Good Tidings, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
9.35pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Zorion, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, Helal Al Alawi
The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
Keane on …
Liverpool’s Uefa Champions League bid: “They’re great. With the attacking force they have, for me, they’re certainly one of the favourites. You look at the teams left in it - they’re capable of scoring against anybody at any given time. Defensively they’ve been good, so I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t go on and win it.”
Mohamed Salah’s debut campaign at Anfield: “Unbelievable. He’s been phenomenal. You can name the front three, but for him on a personal level, he’s been unreal. He’s been great to watch and hopefully he can continue now until the end of the season - which I’m sure he will, because he’s been in fine form. He’s been incredible this season.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant impact at former club LA Galaxy: “Brilliant. It’s been a great start for him and for the club. They were crying out for another big name there. They were lacking that, for the prestige of LA Galaxy. And now they have one of the finest stars. I hope they can go win something this year.”
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
