Frequently asked questions.

Yes. Foreign nationals can own property outright in Dubai's designated freehold areas, which now number more than 60 and include Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah, Business Bay, Dubai Hills Estate, and Jumeirah Village Circle. Ownership is registered with the Dubai Land Department (DLD) and carries the same rights a UAE national holds: to occupy, lease, mortgage, sell, or bequeath the property. Outside the freehold zones, foreign buyers are limited to leasehold rights of up to 99 years.

Budget roughly 7-8% above the purchase price for transaction costs. The largest is the DLD transfer fee of 4% of the property value. On a ready (secondary) purchase you also pay agency commission, typically 2%, a trustee office fee of about AED 4K, and a title-deed fee of AED 250. A mortgage adds a DLD registration fee of 0.25% of the loan. On off-plan, the developer usually covers commission and the 4% is paid as the Oqood registration fee.

Off-plan is bought from the developer before or during construction, usually on a staged payment plan, with handover at a future date. Ready (or secondary) property is complete and can be occupied or leased immediately. Off-plan typically offers lower entry prices and extended payment plans; ready property removes construction risk and can generate rent from the first month. Off-plan payments are protected through a project escrow account.

For a ready property, buyer and seller sign a memorandum of understanding (Form F) and the buyer places a deposit, usually 10%. The seller obtains a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the developer; the transfer is then completed at a DLD trustee office, where the balance is paid and the title deed is issued in the buyer's name. A cash transfer often completes within two to four weeks. A mortgage adds time for valuation and bank approval.

Off-plan projects are regulated by RERA under Dubai's escrow law. Your payments go into a project-specific escrow account, and the developer can draw on them only as RERA-certified construction milestones are met. Your ownership is recorded through Oqood, the DLD's interim registration, even before the building is complete. If a developer fails, the escrowed funds are ring-fenced from its other debts, and RERA can appoint a replacement developer or arrange refunds.

Yes. Property worth at least AED 2M qualifies the owner for the 10-year Golden Visa, based on the DLD-certified valuation rather than the amount paid in cash. The property must sit in a designated freehold area, and two or more units can be combined to reach the threshold. As of early 2026, the earlier requirement to pay a minimum amount upfront was removed, so mortgaged and off-plan holdings can qualify once the valuation meets AED 2M. The visa carries no minimum-stay requirement and lets the holder sponsor family.

Resident expatriates can borrow up to 80% of the value on a first property under AED 5M, and up to 70% above that. Non-residents can usually borrow 50-60%, so expect to fund 40-50% in cash. Off-plan purchases are capped at 50% regardless of residency, and second properties at 60%. These are the Central Bank's maximum loan-to-value limits; individual banks often lend more conservatively.

Service charges are the annual cost of maintaining a building's shared areas and amenities, billed per square foot of your unit. They vary widely by community and specification: broadly AED 3-8 per sq ft for villas, AED 12-25 for mid-market apartments, and considerably more for high-amenity towers. Rates are reviewed under the RERA service-charge index, and owners can verify their building's figure through the DLD's Mollak platform.

Gross yields across Dubai averaged about 6.7% in early 2026, with apartments near 7% and villas closer to 5%. Smaller units in high-demand communities such as Jumeirah Village Circle, Business Bay, and Dubai Sports City can reach 8% or more, while large prime homes yield less but tend to appreciate faster. Yield is only part of the picture; we advise weighing it against liquidity, service charges, and expected capital growth for the specific submarket.

Dubai levies no annual property tax, no capital gains tax, and no tax on rental income for individual owners, whether resident or non-resident. The main government cost is the one-time 4% DLD transfer fee at purchase. One caveat: if you are a tax resident elsewhere, your home country may still tax your Dubai rental income or gains, so it is worth taking advice in your own jurisdiction.

Freehold means you own the property and its land outright, with no time limit — the standard for foreign buyers across Dubai's designated freehold areas, which now number more than 60 and include Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah, Business Bay and Dubai Hills Estate. Leasehold grants the right to use a property for a fixed term, up to 99 years, without owning the land beneath it. Most international buyers purchase freehold; we confirm the tenure of any property before you proceed.

Yes. A purchase can be completed entirely remotely through a Power of Attorney — a notarised document authorising a representative to sign the sale agreement, attend the Dubai Land Department trustee office, pay the fees and register ownership on your behalf. A purchase Power of Attorney can remain valid for up to five years, and may be notarised inside the UAE or abroad through the relevant embassy and attestation chain. Many of our overseas clients buy this way and receive their title deed without setting foot in Dubai.

For a ready property bought in cash, transfer can complete within a few weeks once the paperwork and the developer's No Objection Certificate are in order; a mortgage adds time for valuation and bank approval. For off-plan, the booking is immediate and the unit's handover follows the developer's construction schedule. After handover, the full title deed is typically issued four to eight weeks later, converting from the interim Oqood registration.

Off-plan plans generally fall into two types. Construction-linked plans tie instalments to building milestones — a booking deposit, then payments at foundation, structural and handover stages. Post-handover plans let you take the keys with part of the price still outstanding, paid in monthly or quarterly instalments over roughly two to eight years. Structures such as 80/20 and 60/40 are common. The right plan depends on your cash flow and whether you intend to live in, hold or let the property.

Yes. Long-term tenancies are registered through Ejari. For short-term or holiday lets, you need a holiday-home permit from Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, which requires proof of ownership, a No Objection Certificate from the building or owners' association, safety compliance and an annual renewal — operating without it risks substantial fines. We can introduce you to licensed management companies that handle permits and guest operations.

When the developer issues the completion notice, you arrange a snagging inspection — a professional review (typically AED 1,500-3,000) that documents construction defects before you accept the unit. You then settle the final payment, take possession, and the property converts from Oqood to a full title deed, usually within four to eight weeks. New-build units carry a defect-liability period: commonly one year on finishes and mechanical systems, and ten years on structural elements.

Often, yes. Most developers allow an off-plan resale — an assignment — once you have paid a set portion of the price, frequently 30 to 40 percent of the contract value, and obtain a No Objection Certificate from them. The sale is then formalised through a RERA-registered contract and completed at a Dubai Land Department trustee office, transferring the remaining payment plan to the buyer. Terms vary by developer, so we check the specific conditions before you commit.

The Dubai Land Department (DLD) is the government body that registers and regulates every real-estate transaction in the emirate — it records ownership and issues title deeds. RERA, the Real Estate Regulatory Agency, is its regulatory arm: it licenses brokers and developers, oversees the escrow accounts that protect off-plan payments, and sets the rules that govern the market. Both exist to keep ownership secure and transactions transparent.