Everyone can find their own tuimaada — a fertile valley of opportunities, an anchor point in life. Whether in Yakutia, on the shores of the Gulf, or somewhere entirely unexpected. The key is recognising your chance and taking that first step.
The story of Evgeniia Vinokurova, founder of Tuimaada Real Estate, demonstrates how determination and strategic thinking can transform the dream of homeownership into an international enterprise. I grew up in a tiny Yakut village of just 700 souls. My parents constantly discussed buying a flat in Yakutsk, but that dream was perpetually deferred to the following year.
As a child, I was struck by a school friend’s story: her parents had spent their entire proceeds from selling livestock on a Zhiguli car for 18,000 roubles, rather than property. The car lasted a year before breaking down, whilst the family continued drifting between rented rooms. That incident shaped my investment philosophy for life.
My first job proved psychologically gruelling — a cleaner at a bank. At eighteen, watching peers in fashionable clothes serve customers whilst you mop floors isn’t easy. But it was there I made myself a promise: to find my way to financial independence.
I discovered I had a phenomenal memory for numbers and lightning-fast reflexes as a taxi dispatcher, processing up to 250 orders during the morning rush hour. In my fifth year at university, I made what many considered a reckless decision — taking out a mortgage at 17% annual interest for twenty years. But my instincts proved right: the flat was paid off within two years.
I economised on everything, channelling every kopeck towards the loan. There was a period when we organised roadshows with banks across various Yakutian settlements. My personal record stands at 192 flats sold in a single day.
Queues formed at the developer’s office; people were buying flats like loaves of bread. I was like an addict, only my drug was square metres. I didn’t buy my first designer handbag until I was twenty-nine — all spare funds went into property.
When we entered the Dubai market, success exceeded all expectations. In the first week, we sold 49 luxury flats. In one day, solely by telephone, we sold 173 flats priced from $350,000-400,000. Each district represents a new tuimaada, a valley of opportunities where people can find their anchors.