How Dubai expat built a booming real estate business

From saving 60% of his income to flipping homes, here's how he built wealth

- BY HINA NAVIN

For Sunnyy Kumar Tyagi, life was about doing the right thing — work hard, save consistently, and stick to a stable job. That's how he was raised. It's also how he spent the better part of two decades, rising to leadership positions in the UAE's corporate real estate world.

But in 2024, something changed.

"I had spent years helping others build their businesses," he says. "Eventually, I realised I had the insight and experience to build something of my own."

Being an entrepreneur

Today, Tyagi runs Under One Roof, a real estate firm he founded from scratch. His move from corporate life to entrepreneurship wasn't abrupt. In fact, it was years in the making.

Tyagi's turning point came after a series of successful stints in real estate firms. In 2017, he spearheaded international roadshows for a major Dubai developer, pitching Dubai as a smarter, more accessible property market to global investors.