A pair of shoes might solve a wardrobe problem. For Grace Agnew, two pairs ended up solving something much bigger. The British expat had gone to Dubai Festival City Mall on what seemed like an ordinary shopping trip, following a suggestion from her mother to visit Clarks.
She spent Dhs 657.75 on two pairs of shoes, entered a shopping campaign with no real expectation of winning, and walked away with something she had never owned before: a property in Dubai.
Agnew is the 10th person to win a studio apartment through the Win Your Home in Dubai campaign, turning an everyday retail purchase into an unexpected property milestone.
Dubai apartment win after shopping trip
Agnew moved to Dubai with her husband almost three years ago after living in London and working as a financial planner in the UK.
At the time, she said, the move was less about having a detailed plan for life in Dubai and more about being with her husband. She arrived without knowing exactly what the city would bring. Now, she has become a property owner in the city — and the apartment is also the first property she has ever owned.
The winning entry began at Clarks, where staff helped Agnew submit her purchase to the Win Your Home in Dubai campaign. She had never entered a raffle of this kind before, making the eventual result even more unexpected.
“I never thought I would actually win,” Agnew said, describing the experience as life-changing and a reminder that an unexpected opportunity can come from an ordinary day.
The prize has also left her with a new decision to make: what exactly should she do with her first property?
For now, she is considering several possibilities, including using the apartment herself, turning it into a home office, or keeping it as a place where visiting family members can stay.
“I’m still figuring out what I want to do with it,” she said, while describing the apartment as an opportunity she is grateful and excited to have.
What is Win Your Home campaign in Dubai?
Win Your Home in Dubai is a citywide shopping campaign jointly led by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), and Dubai Chambers.
Rather than offering conventional shopping rewards, the campaign has put residential property at the centre of its prize pool.
Twelve new residential units from Binghatti Developers are being offered across Dubai during the 12-week campaign, with Agnew becoming the 10th studio-apartment winner.
That leaves two major moments still to come.
The campaign’s 11th and final studio-apartment winner will be announced during the final draw on 30 August at Dubai Festival City Mall. The event will then culminate in the grand draw for a two-bedroom apartment, with the winner announced live in front of shoppers.
How to enter draw?
There is still a short window for residents and visitors aged 18 and above to enter the campaign.
An eligible shopper needs to spend at least Dhs 500 at one of more than 1,000 participating brands across over 3,500 retail outlets in Dubai. Once the purchase is made, the shopper can scan the QR code displayed on official campaign materials at participating locations and upload the receipt to validate the entry.
Receipts can be uploaded until 12:00 PM on 30 August 2026.
The final draws will take place later that day at Dubai Festival City Mall, bringing the 12-week campaign to its conclusion.
For Agnew, however, the campaign has already delivered its biggest surprise. What started as a recommendation from her mother to buy shoes at a shopping mall has unexpectedly given her something far more significant — her first piece of property in Dubai.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
