INSIDE REAL ESTATE CONSULTANCY: NAVIGATING CAREER PATHS - Powered by Knight Frank

Data-driven reports. Several crucial meetings and exchanges of insights. These are things commonly associated with consultancy.

However, in real estate, the profession goes far beyond producing reports or giving advice. In a snapshot, this career entails truly understanding clients’ ambitions and turning them into strategies and decisions that drive results.

MISCONCEPTIONS VS. REALITY

Clare Moukabaa and Buthainah Albaity, executives from Knight Frank Middle East and North Africa (MENA), agree that real estate consultancy is a widely misunderstood field. Clare is a Partner – Residential Consultancy, while Buthainah serves as Partner – Head of Private Capital & Family Enterprises.

“One of the biggest misconceptions is that consultants provide costly advice and reports that simply confirm what clients already know. In reality, I’ve seen consultants deliver tremendous value by building genuine, long-term relationships with clients, approaching each engagement with sincerity, and offering different perspectives that clients wouldn’t otherwise have access to,” Buthainah shares in an interview, noting how consultants draw from a wide breadth of our experience — and insights from diverse projects, sectors, and non-public information.

Clare also emphasises how the field is deeply rooted in data, “What we deliver goes well beyond opinions or high-level consultancy, as we dig into the numbers, model different scenarios and draw on our global experience to provide clients with out-of-the-box thinking and multiple recommendations.”

Given how critical their roles are, their day-to-day work life is anything but monotonous. “What I love about my role at Knight Frank MENA is that every day is different,” she enthuses.

“Day-to-day, there is a lot of internal collaboration and stakeholder management, as well as staying on top of the latest market insights, managing the team, and mentoring our graduates. It’s a role that mixes client strategy, team leadership, and market engagement, which keeps it challenging and interesting,” Clare adds.

DYNAMIC CAREER, DIVERSE SKILLS

A career as dynamic as a consultant demands a plethora of skills.

Buthainah has spent the past 18 years dealing with the private sector, with a particular focus on family businesses and family offices. And for her, “technical skills and industry intel are both important, as clients rely on us to provide market knowledge and technical know-how on a daily basis.”

Additionally, emotional intelligence plays a key role, especially when it comes to building trust with clients.

“The relationships I have built over the years come as a result of honest conversations, listening, and empathy, qualities that every consultant should focus on. This trust is often what causes a client to pick up the phone time and time again,” she notes.

Meanwhile, Clare, who started her career as a real estate broker in London in 2005, stressed how vital it is to learn to manage clients, set expectations, and understand buyers.

She says, “On a daily basis, I advise clients not just from a developer’s perspective but also by thinking like a buyer, something that was instilled in me in my early career. I can support clients with the knowledge of both sides, and understanding buyer expectations and motivations has been a big advantage throughout my career.”

Sharing the same sentiment, Buthainah also emphasises the need to truly understand the client’s goals.

“In many cases, clients come to me with what appears to be a straightforward request. For example, they are considering a property purchase or [seeking] advice on a potential sale. Our approach is to take the time to look beyond that first question to understand what our clients truly want to achieve. Often, it is related to macro priorities, like how to protect familial wealth, make businesses more resilient, and plan for future generations. By looking underneath the surface challenge, we can present multiple options and allow our clients to make informed decisions,” she explains.

A NURTURING ENVIRONMENT

Real estate decision-makers heavily rely on consultancy firms. This makes carving a career in this niche both highly rewarding and demanding.

For Clare, success in this career substantially hinges on breadth.

“My advice would be to try as many different real estate sectors as possible. It’s the best way to get a full picture of the industry and figure out where they really want to build their careers. Getting that broad experience early on makes a big difference,” she enthuses.

As Buthainah also stresses, trust is a cornerstone.

“Clients today increasingly have their ear to the ground in the industry. We can no longer assume that a firm’s reputation alone will result in new work, as clients recognise that the true value lies in the people delivering the service, regardless of the brand behind them. Clients pay attention to the quality of the work and the people they work with, so it’s incredibly important to build trust from the start of any relationship,” she shares.

Giving a glimpse into what it’s like to work at Knight Frank, Buthainah reveals that the world-leading consultancy firm has a relatively large cohort of women, including a number of women in leadership positions.

“This organically impacts our working culture. For example, younger women in the team feel more confident reaching out for soft mentorship opportunities,” she notes.

Clare reinforces this point, “Working alongside other high-achieving women in our management team, such as Susan Amawi, our General Manager in KSA, naturally creates a support system and collaborative environment. There is a huge benefit in having colleagues who not only understand the challenges but also genuinely want to see each other succeed.”

Both partners also highlight how hybrid working and flexible hours have been game-changing. With these options, employees, especially with young families, can better balance work and life commitments. In a broader sense, this reflects how the field is still evolving, becoming one that is more welcoming to people from all backgrounds who want to play a part in shaping the future of real estate.

Anthon Garcia | Sept, 2025