Buying guide
What happens, in what order, what it costs, and where buyers most often want a second opinion. Read it once and you will know what to expect.
Before you begin
A buyer who knows these four things can choose a residence in an afternoon. We help you settle them in the first conversation.
A home to live in, a home to let, or both. This shapes the district, the size and how soon you need the keys.
The price, plus the 4% registration fee and other costs set out below. We work back from what you are comfortable committing in total.
Ready now, or content to wait for a handover date. Off-plan suits those who can wait; a ready home suits those who cannot.
Paying in cash, paying by instalments, or borrowing. Some UAE banks lend to non-residents, on terms that vary, so it is worth knowing early.
The purchase
The order is the same for most buyers, whether the home is off-plan or ready. What differs is what you pay and when.
We talk through purpose, budget, timeline and the districts that appeal. By the end you have a clear brief, and we have the information to match it.
You receive a short list. Each residence is described plainly: developer, handover date, payment plan, size, view and what makes it different from the next.
A reservation form and a deposit hold the residence while contracts are prepared. Before you sign, ask what is refundable and under what conditions: we read that page with you.
The sales and purchase agreement sets out the price, the payment plan, the handover date and the remedies if either side falls short. For off-plan homes it is registered with the Dubai Land Department.
Off-plan instalments are paid into the project’s escrow account, tied to the schedule in your contract. For a ready home, payment is made at the transfer.
You inspect the home and have any defects put right, receive the keys and have title registered in your name. From then on, annual service charges apply, and if you plan to let the home, this is the moment to talk through your options.
What it costs
Only one figure here is fixed: the 4% registration fee. The rest depends on the residence, so we write out the total for the one you are considering before you commit.
| Cost | How much, and when | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| The price | As the plan or the transfer requires | Off-plan: in instalments, with a share on handover. Ready: at the transfer. |
| Registration fee | 4% of the price | Paid to the Dubai Land Department. It is the main cost beyond the price. |
| Agency fee | Varies | Ask for any fee in writing, and for the amount, before you reserve. |
| Administration and trustee fees | At registration | These vary by property and by the registration office, so we confirm the figure for the specific residence. |
| Service charges | Each year, once the building is in use | Owners pay these towards the upkeep of shared areas and facilities. They differ from building to building. |
| Mortgage costs | If you borrow | Arrangement and valuation fees apply, and terms for non-residents differ between banks. |
Currency converter
Costs and prices in Dubai are written in dirhams. Enter any amount to see it in your own currency.
The dirham is fixed to the US dollar at 3.6725. The euro rate moves daily and is indicative: your bank’s rate at the time of payment is the one that applies.
Off-plan or ready
Off-plan
Ready
Investing in Dubai
Found a residence you like? Send a question about it and you will have the developer’s figures, the payment plan and our view.
For the wider picture of the market, read our page on investing in Dubai, or browse every residence.
Typically a valid passport and evidence of where the funds come from. The exact list depends on the property and on whether you are buying off-plan or ready, and we give you the list for your case before you reserve.
Some UAE banks do lend to non-residents, with terms that vary between them, and they usually ask for a larger deposit than for residents. A mortgage broker can compare offers, and we suggest speaking to one before you reserve rather than after.
For off-plan homes, your instalments go into a regulated account held for the project rather than to the developer directly. The developer draws on it as construction advances, which keeps your money tied to progress on the building.
The handover date is a target set by the developer, and your sales agreement says what follows if it is missed. We read that clause with you before you sign, and we look at the developer’s record on earlier projects.
Prices are in UAE dirhams. The dirham is pegged to the US dollar, so the exchange rate against the dollar does not move, although your own currency will. You can pay from abroad.
For a ready home, title is registered in your name at the transfer. For an off-plan home, your contract is registered with the Dubai Land Department when you sign, and the title deed follows once the building is complete and the final payment is made.
Private enquiry
Tell us where you are in the process, from just looking to ready to reserve, and what you would like to know. We will answer in plain words and say what we would do next.