Our Story
Aqar Application Company was founded in 2014 in Riyadh as a pioneering idea designed and developed by Eng. Musa Al-Rashidi in partnership with Eng. Yousif Al-Rashidi. The idea was launched to solve the hassle of exhausting field searches for real estate, offering an electronic platform that connects house hunters with brokers and property owners in one place through an interactive map displaying available listings linked directly with the Real Estate General Authority (REGA). The company is licensed under Commercial Registration No.: 1010439681, with its headquarters located in Qurtubah District, Riyadh.
Aqar App in Numbers
Since its launch in 2014, the app achieved widespread reach to become the leading and most used digital real estate platform in Saudi Arabia. App downloads have exceeded 12 million, with hundreds of millions of search operations conducted monthly. At Aqar, we are delighted to serve over 3 million active users representing diverse society segments including property seekers, brokers, and real estate developers. Note that the app is available for download on iOS System and Android System.
Aqar Team: How Do We Innovate and Develop Our Products?
At Aqar App, behind every step and update stands an integrated team of nearly 70 employees, managing operations in a unified team spirit within a flexible and collaborative environment. We believe true innovation stems from the field and the team’s base rather than being exclusive to top management, enabling all members across various specialties to share their ideas freely, eliminating bureaucracy and accelerating execution to meet market needs. To ensure delivering the highest standards of quality, we adopt an agile product lifecycle driven by innovation and rapid experimentation; we do not launch any new feature until it is thoroughly tested and verified to offer genuine value aligned with our platform’s philosophy and user expectations.
The “District Broker” Service as a Practical Model for Product Lifecycle in Aqar
The “District Broker” service embodies our philosophy of transforming challenges into innovative solutions. The idea started with the goal of empowering real estate brokers to market their professional services without linking them to a specific property, presenting a challenge to our interactive map-based model. Instead of rushing the launch, we gave the concept a full year of testing and development across several beta versions until reaching the ideal model serving users seamlessly. Once settled on the suitable technical and design combination, we transitioned immediately to execution, taking only one month for software development and official service launch.
How Do We Handle Violations in Aqar App?
We place transaction security and listing credibility at the top of our priorities, having developed an integrated protection and response ecosystem combining approved regulations and advanced tech solutions to ensure a secure environment for all users:
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Safe Environment with Strict Regulations:
Recent governmental regulations, such as the Real Estate Brokerage Law—which we strictly enforce within the app—have closed loopholes previously exploited by scammers, significantly reducing violations and making the platform safer.
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Strict Handling of Misleading Ads:
Our challenge today lies less in direct financial fraud and more in confronting non-compliant or misleading listings (such as keeping a sold property listed to lure searchers to other properties). We continuously monitor these infractions and remove inaccurate listings to maintain search quality and fluidity.
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Instant AI-Powered Sorting:
We rely on artificial intelligence technologies to sort incoming reports and respond automatically and instantly, enabling us to process routine reports without delay and reduce user wait times.
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Continuous Support and High Response Speed:
To prevent issues from accumulating or delaying solutions during weekends or outside official working hours, we developed our customer support system through:
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Extending technical support team hours to cover most of the day.
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Implementing shift systems to guarantee continuous direct responses to all complaints and reports, raising user satisfaction and speeding up ticket closures.
Our Message to Aqar App Users Regarding Real Estate Violations
Aqar operates as a tech advertising platform primarily aiming to connect property seekers with owners or brokers, and we are not a platform for executing financial transactions or entering into direct contracts. This means all financial transfers and final agreements fall outside the app’s direct control and occur between the involved parties. Nevertheless, we take full responsibility for continuous awareness and exposing
electronic fraud tricks that users might face outside the platform.
Prominent Real Estate Violation Methods We Have Observed
Methods of real estate violations vary as scammers exploit house seekers’ eagerness. The most prominent methods we observed include:
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Luring with Unrealistically Low Prices: Offering units at illogical bargain prices compared to prevailing market rates to trap potential victims.
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Creating a False Sense of Urgency: Claiming high demand for the property and demanding quick financial “deposits” to hold the unit before in-person viewing.
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Exploiting Smart Locks on New Units: Utilizing smart locks and virtual codes of new units to deceive victims into believing the scammer can grant entry for viewing and prove false ownership.
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Manipulating and Forging Contracts: Deceiving clients with fake contract drafts on the “Ejar” platform or issuing contracts with false information to grant fake official credibility for money transfers.
Our Tips to Avoid Falling into Scams
To protect yourself and your money, never transfer any funds to anyone you haven’t spoken to via phone call or met in person to inspect the property. Be extremely cautious of individuals insisting on communicating exclusively via text messages or WhatsApp while refusing phone calls, as this is a major warning red flag indicating harmful intentions.
To fully guarantee your legal and financial rights, we strongly emphasize completing all financial transactions and documenting contracts through official governmental channels, primarily the “Ejar” platform, while ensuring your dealings are limited strictly to licensed and verified real estate brokers holding necessary permits from the Real Estate General Authority.
Target Audience in Aqar App
Aqar App was designed to be the comprehensive platform and primary destination for all real estate market players in Saudi Arabia. We do not target a single segment; rather, we provide an integrated tech ecosystem fulfilling the needs of everyone who owns, markets, or searches for property, facilitating direct connection.
| Target Audience |
Segment Description & Real Estate Needs |
|
Housing & Accommodation Seekers
(Individuals & Families)
|
Searching for permanent or temporary housing near vital services and tourist landmarks. |
| Investors & Real Estate Developers |
Seizing lucrative investment opportunities with profitable returns and developing master plans and buildings. |
| Real Estate Brokers & Marketers |
Direct property marketing and facilitating deal execution between owners and seekers. |
Note: Alongside brokers and developers, Aqar App allows property owners to publish their listings directly and personally. Thanks to direct integration with the Real Estate General Authority (REGA), the app manages advertising permit issuance and publishes it instantly, guaranteeing owners a fast, secure, and legally compliant listing experience without administrative hassle.
Contact Us
We are always happy to offer support and answer your inquiries via our customer service team available directly within the app, or you can connect with us via
Aqar App’s account on X platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
In the following section of the article, we answer the most common questions about Aqar App.
Who is the owner of Aqar App and who is the CEO?
The founder of Aqar App is Eng. Musa Al-Rashidi, and Mr. Yousif Al-Rashidi (founder of Haraj website) is a partner. Eng.
Ibrahim Al-Shaheil serves as CEO, leading growth, operations, and technical development strategies.
Is Aqar App the best real estate app in Saudi Arabia?
“Aqar” App is considered the premier and most widely used digital platform for real estate supply and demand in Saudi Arabia. It leads the market due to comprehensive coverage of all Saudi cities and governorates, tight integration with approved government platforms, verified advertiser identities via Nafath, and licensed listings by REGA.
Is Aqar App guaranteed and reliable?
Yes, Aqar App is a reliable and guaranteed platform operating under official Saudi requirements. The app obligates all advertisers to verify their identity via National Single Sign-On (Nafath) and requires linking listings with a valid REGA permit to ensure offer credibility and user protection.
Is Aqar App governmental?
No, Aqar App is an electronic platform owned by a private Saudi company, operating in full integration and harmony with government entities such as REGA, the Ministry of Housing, and the Ejar platform to enforce real estate regulations.
Does Aqar App take a percentage?
No, Aqar App does not take any percentage from completed real estate deals (whether sales or rentals). The platform functions as a tech intermediary connecting searchers with brokers or owners, generating revenue solely from marketing packages, advertising, and add-on services.
Does Aqar App take a commission?
No, the app charges no commission on sales, purchases, or leases. Due property commissions are paid directly to the licensed real estate broker owning the listing according to agreement and REGA regulations.
Does Aqar App take finder’s fee ?
No, Aqar App takes no finder’s fee (Sa’ee) whatsoever. Sa’ee is an exclusive right for the licensed broker who listed the property and closed the deal (typically 2.5% by law). The app does not collect or receive finder’s fees.
Is Aqar App free?
Yes, downloading and using Aqar App to search for properties, browse maps, and check price indicators is completely free for all users. The app offers optional paid packages such as marketing packages for brokers or “Aqar Plus” for searchers wanting advanced analytical features.
How much are Aqar App’s profits and how does it generate income?
We rely on two main revenue streams. Direct ad fees make up about 80% of total income, where owners, brokers, and developers pay set fees to list and market properties. The remaining 20% to 25% comes from additional promotional features and new add-on technical services developed periodically to diversify income streams.
Why Don’t We Take Commission ?
One of the most important concepts we clarify is that Aqar App takes no percentage, commission, or finder’s fee (Sa’ee) from deals. Our role is strictly providing the tech platform to display properties. We recognize confusion arises when comparing us to platforms taking commissions or from fixed admin fees we previously charged upon ad closure, but we re-emphasize that we never deduct deal percentages.
Our Journey to Self-Funded Profitability
At Aqar, we reached profitability completely self-funded, without needing massive investment rounds. While some startups adopt “cash burn” strategies for rapid growth, we chose a healthy, deliberate approach to grow the real estate market organically, staying independent and funding expansion through operational profits.
Overview of Aqar App’s Key Services
The app offers an integrated service ecosystem fulfilling all real estate needs:
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Interactive Map & Smart Filtering: Allows browsing thousands of
properties for sale or rent on a live map covering Saudi cities, with precise filters for district, price, area, and property type.
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Real Estate Statistics & Price Index Tool: Provides live analysis of average square meter prices and deal volumes per district based on Real Estate Exchange data.
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Request Property Service: Enables searchers to post exact specifications, sending instant alerts when matching listings become available.
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Ejar Platform Integration: Electronically documents residential and commercial lease contracts directly with the official platform.
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Daily and Monthly Bookings (Hospitality Units): Enables booking chalets, rest houses, farms, and furnished units directly via the app, licensed by the Ministry of Tourism.
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Aqar Plus Service: Subscription service offering advanced features like text search within ad details, performance tracking, and direct owner contact.
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Rent Now, Pay Later Service: Flexible financing option in partnership with licensed partners allowing annual rent split into easy monthly payments.
Our Future Strategic Plans
We work according to clear strategic directions aiming for sustainable growth by enhancing real value and tech solutions rather than unsustainable fast-growth tactics.
Expanding B2B Services for Developers
We prioritize deep expansion in B2B services, focusing on major real estate developers. We build long-term partnerships offering tailored tech solutions to accelerate sales and marketing of mega projects.
Enhancing Financial Sustainability & Self-Profitability
We commit to stable self-growth away from high-risk financing, maintaining profitability through revenue diversification.
Improving User Experience & Early Opportunity Discovery
We continuously refine search journeys, developing dedicated interfaces for residential and commercial projects to reveal new developments early before official market release.
Our Vision for the Future of PropTech
We believe technological innovation lies in connecting with reality. Our guidance for PropTech entrepreneurs includes:
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Solve Real Problems, Don’t Invent Them: Innovation starts from solving existing market pain points, not from assumptions.
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Direct Field Engagement: Sit face-to-face with industry players to understand daily challenges.
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Deep Industry Understanding: Recognize that ideas on paper fail in reality without grasping real estate market intricacies.
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Alignment with Market Needs: Direct tech efforts to solve the customer’s top priority problem.
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Smart Solutions Over Superficial Innovation: Focus on realistic tech solutions serving all market parties efficiently.
Our Vision for the Future of Real Estate Brokerage in Saudi Arabia
We believe real estate brokerage remains an essential pillar. Our vision includes:
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Technology as an Enabler, Not a Replacement: We aim to empower brokers via digital tools to boost efficiency.
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Real Estate as a Major Investment: Property decisions require a trusted human mediator for negotiations.
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The Necessity of Human Touch: Building trust in complex deals requires human roles that machines cannot replace.
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Integrating Tech Intelligence with Human Skill: Combining digital tools with personal broker expertise creates the future of brokerage.
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Evolution Toward Real Estate Advisory: Helping traditional brokers evolve into trusted real estate consultants.
بدر الحسني | Bader Al Hassany11 min read