The Buyer’s Guide
Dubai Guides
Everything an investor needs to buy property in Dubai with confidence, in nine short chapters. Written by the Redwood Heritage Real Estate team and checked against the rules of the Dubai Land Department, the Real Estate Regulatory Agency and the Central Bank of the UAE.
- 4%DLD registration fee on the price
- AED 2mProperty value for the Golden Visa
- FreeholdOpen to foreign buyers in designated areas
- 25 yearsMaximum mortgage term in the UAE
Chapter 1
Who can buy, and where
At a glance
Foreign buyers, resident in the UAE or not, can own property outright in Dubai’s designated freehold areas. The Dubai Land Department issues the title deed in your name.
Dubai permits foreign ownership in areas designated as freehold. Within them, both expatriate residents and non-resident foreigners may acquire full freehold rights over a property. The areas are set out in Regulation No. 3 of 2006, which determines where non-nationals may own real property in the emirate.
Outside the freehold areas, foreign buyers can hold usufruct rights or a lease of up to 99 years. Property can be held in your own name or, with the right documents, through a company.
Before you commit, the status of any property can be checked through the Dubai Land Department’s Property Status Enquiry.
Chapter 2
Off-plan or ready
At a glance
Off-plan means buying from the developer before completion, with payments held in a regulated escrow account. Ready means buying a completed home, usually from its current owner, and taking the title deed at transfer.
Buying off-plan
Every developer selling off-plan in Dubai must open a separate escrow account for the project. Buyers’ payments go into that account, which RERA audits and monitors, and the money may be used only for building the project. Every sale of an off-plan unit must be registered with the Dubai Land Department; an unregistered sale is void.
Before signing, the Dubai Land Department advises buyers to confirm:
- that the project and the developer are registered with RERA;
- the project’s escrow account number and escrow agent;
- the stage of construction and the expected completion date;
- that the developer owns the land or holds a development agreement, and has the permits to sell off-plan.
After completion, the developer remains liable for structural defects for ten years and for minor defects for one year from the completion certificate. Mortgages on off-plan purchases are limited to 50% of the value.
Buying ready
A completed property can be inspected before you sign, let as soon as it is transferred and financed within the standard limits. The sale is agreed on the standard Dubai sale contract, known as Form F, and the title deed is issued to you at transfer.
Weighing the two for a specific project? Ask a Redwood advisor.
Chapter 3
Every cost, line by line
At a glance
On a ready purchase, budget for the 4% registration fee, small title deed fees, the trustee office fee and the agency commission. A mortgage adds a registration fee of 0.25% of the loan.
| Cost | Amount | Set by |
|---|---|---|
| Registration fee | 4% of the price, 2% each for buyer and seller unless agreed otherwise | Dubai Land Department |
| Title deed and map fees | About AED 520 for an apartment or villa | Dubai Land Department |
| Trustee office fee | AED 4,000 plus VAT, or AED 2,000 plus VAT below AED 500,000 | Dubai Land Department |
| Agency commission | Agreed with your broker, plus VAT | Buyer and broker |
| Mortgage registration | 0.25% of the loan, plus fees | Dubai Land Department |
| Developer no objection certificate | An administrative fee set by the developer | Developer |
Who pays the seller’s 2% share is agreed in the sale contract. The sale must be registered within 60 days of signing the contract, or a late fine applies. Service charges are a running cost rather than a purchase cost, and are covered in Chapter 8.
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The Buyer’s Checklist
Every document, check and payment from first viewing to title deed, on two pages you can print or save as a PDF.
The Buyer’s Checklist
Before you commit
- Confirm the area is freehold and check the property status with the DLD
- For off-plan: RERA registration of developer and project, escrow account and agent, construction stage
- Set your budget including every purchase cost
- Agree financing, or the cash route, before you make an offer
- Work only with a RERA-registered broker
Agreeing the purchase
- Inspect a ready property before signing
- Sign the standard sale contract (Form F) and the broker appointment form
- Agree who pays the seller’s 2% share
- Register the sale within 60 days of signing
Transfer day
- Developer no objection certificate obtained
- Passport copies, and power of attorney if you are not present
- Registration, trustee and title deed fees paid
- Title deed issued in your name
After the purchase
- Golden Visa application if the property is worth AED 2 million or more
- Tenancy contract registered in Ejari, or holiday home permit from DET
- Service charge and utility accounts in your name
- Property management arranged if you live abroad
Chapter 4
Financing
At a glance
The Central Bank of the UAE caps how much can be borrowed against a property and for how long. Within those limits, terms differ widely between lenders, which is why comparison matters.
| Case | Maximum loan to value |
|---|---|
| Expatriate, first home up to AED 5 million | 80% |
| Expatriate, first home above AED 5 million | 70% |
| UAE national, first home up to AED 5 million | 85% |
| UAE national, first home above AED 5 million | 75% |
| Second home or investment | 60%, or 65% for UAE nationals |
| Off-plan purchase | 50% |
The maximum term is 25 years, and loan repayments may take up to 50% of income. Lenders set their own limits for non-residents, which may be lower. Redwood works with a panel of leading mortgage brokers in the UAE and internationally, so we can compare lenders on your behalf and present the strongest terms available to you.
What would you pay each month?
Payments, a stress test, affordability and rent against repayments, in your own currency.
Chapter 5
Buying from abroad
At a glance
You do not need to be in Dubai to buy. Viewings, checks and the transfer itself can be handled remotely or through a power of attorney.
Since 2020 the Dubai Land Department has run a remote registration system that allows property sales to be completed from anywhere in the world, with buyer and seller identified by audio-visual call. Where you prefer not to attend, a representative can act for you under a power of attorney. A power of attorney signed outside the UAE must be notarised and legalised for use in the UAE; the route depends on the country, so we confirm the wording and the steps with you before you sign.
For our clients abroad, the Redwood team arranges video viewings, runs the ownership and project checks, coordinates the developer, the bank and the trustee office, and keeps you informed at every stage.
Read how we work with overseas buyers.
Chapter 6
The Golden Visa
At a glance
Property worth AED 2 million or more can qualify its owner for a ten-year UAE residence permit, with family members included.
The Dubai Land Department’s Golden Visa service for investors requires property worth AED 2 million, in one or more properties wholly owned by the applicant. A mortgaged property can qualify, with a no objection letter from the bank showing the amount paid and the balance. The applicant must be inside the UAE when applying.
The published fees for the investor’s ten-year permit total AED 9,884.75, with separate fees for family members.
See our Golden Visa advisory.
Chapter 7
From offer to title deed
At a glance
A ready purchase moves through five steps, ending with a title deed issued in your name by the Dubai Land Department.
- Offer and contract. Price and terms are agreed and both parties sign the standard sale contract, Form F, together with the broker appointment form.
- Financing. If you are borrowing, your lender completes its valuation and approval before the transfer.
- No objection certificate. The developer confirms that service charges on the property are paid.
- Transfer. Buyer and seller, or their representatives, complete the transfer through a registered trustee office, where the fees are paid.
- Title deed. The Dubai Land Department issues the new title deed in your name and sends it electronically.
Off-plan follows a different path: the sale is registered with the Dubai Land Department at the outset, payments follow the developer’s plan into the escrow account, and the title deed is issued once the project is completed.
Chapter 8
After you buy
At a glance
Let it long term through a registered tenancy, or short term with a holiday home permit, and budget for the annual service charge.
Letting long term
Every tenancy contract in Dubai is registered in Ejari, the Dubai Land Department’s system. Registration costs AED 177.75 online or AED 220 at a trustee centre. The Ejari service sets out who can register.
Holiday homes
Letting a property short term requires a holiday home permit from Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, held by the owner or by a licensed holiday home operator.
Service charges
Owners in jointly owned buildings pay an annual service charge approved by RERA. The approved charge for a building can be checked in the DLD Service Charge Index.
Living abroad? Our Private Office manages letting, tenants and accounts for you.
Chapter 9
Questions buyers ask
Can I buy if I do not live in the UAE?
Yes. Non-resident foreigners can own freehold property in Dubai’s designated freehold areas, on the same basis as residents.
Do I need to travel to Dubai to complete?
No. Sales can be completed through the Dubai Land Department’s remote system or through a representative holding your power of attorney.
Who pays the 4% registration fee?
The fee is split 2% each between buyer and seller unless the parties agree otherwise in the sale contract.
Is my money protected when I buy off-plan?
Payments for off-plan units go into the project’s escrow account, audited and monitored by RERA and reserved for building the project.
Does buying property give me residency?
Property worth AED 2 million or more can qualify you for the ten-year Golden Visa, including when the property is mortgaged, subject to the bank’s letter.
Can I get a mortgage as a non-resident?
Lenders set their own policies for non-residents, which may include lower limits. We compare lenders in the UAE and abroad for you.
Your next step
Speak with a Redwood advisor
Tell us what you are looking for. We will come back with a shortlist, the numbers and a clear plan, wherever you are.
Book a consultationSources: Dubai Land Department, Know Your Rights for Real Estate Investors, Property Sale Registration, Mortgage Registration, Golden Visa (Investor), remote property registration and Ejari; UAE Government portal, expatriates buying a property; Central Bank of the UAE, Regulations Regarding Mortgage Loans; Department of Economy and Tourism, holiday home permits. Checked 28 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice.
