Knowledge before a dealis worth a lot of money
Everything you need to check before buying, selling, renting out or managing property in Dubai: off-plan, secondary, Freehold, investor visas, net yield, service charges, contracts, payments, financing, rentals and property management.
How to use the guides?
Before you start
In Dubai you don’t buy based on a rendering, an area’s name or a yield promise
A good deal must pass an orderly review: deal type, developer, area, price, payment plan, DLD, brokerage by deal type, service charges, realistic rent, future costs and exit plan.
Quick start
The key guides to start with
If this is your first time looking at Dubai real estate, start with the basics: deal types, deal feasibility review, Freehold areas, purchase costs, net yield and how to check a price.
Off-plan in Dubai
What to check before buying off the plan: developer, SPA, Escrow, payment plan, handover and risks.
Off-plan guideDubai’s secondary market
How a secondary deal works, what it costs, what to check before ownership transfer and what to know about brokerage.
Secondary guideDubai real estate deal feasibility review
How to analyze a deal before buying: price, area, developer, costs, brokerage, realistic rent, net yield, documents, risks and exit plan.
Deal review guideFreehold areas in Dubai
Where international buyers can purchase property, and the difference between Freehold, Leasehold and Usufruct.
Freehold guideDubai Freehold areas map
An interactive tool with 33 key Dubai areas, grouped by area type, estimated yields, active developers and checkpoints for investors.
Open the areas mapHow much it costs to buy property in Dubai
A guide to purchase costs: DLD, brokerage, fees, service charges, furniture, management and additional costs.
Costs guideHow to calculate net yield in Dubai
How to go from gross yield to real yield after service charges, management, maintenance, vacancy and additional costs.
Net yield guideAn important cost difference
Off-plan and secondary aren’t calculated the same way
One of investors’ most common mistakes is comparing off-plan with resale without understanding that the costs differ. In off-plan, the buyer pays no brokerage at all. The agent’s commission is paid by the developer.
In secondary / resale deals the buyer usually pays 2% brokerage + 5% VAT on the commission — in practice 2.1% of the deal price. So before deciding which deal is better, calculate the total cost, not just the property price.
A basic rule to remember
Choosing an area and property
Guides for choosing an area, price and property
How to choose an area in Dubai
How to compare areas by demand, rent, accessibility, population, competition, the area’s future and property type.
Area selection guideHow to check a property’s price in Dubai
How to tell whether the asking price is expensive, reasonable or attractive relative to transactions, area, building and market conditions.
Price check guideHow to check an off-plan price
How to check whether a launch price is truly attractive, or high relative to ready properties and the local market.
Off-plan price guideHow to choose a rental property in Dubai
What makes a good rental property: area, size, demand, furniture, service charges, management and tenant profile.
Rental property guideReady property vs off-plan
Comparing immediate cash flow, handover risk, payment plan, mortgage, service charges and exit strategy.
Ready vs Off-plan guideFurnished or unfurnished apartment
What’s better for an investor: furnished, unfurnished or partly furnished, and the impact on rent and yield.
Furnishing guideOff-plan
Dubai off-plan guides
Pre-off-plan checklist
A checklist before signing: developer, project, SPA, Escrow, Oqood, payment plan, handover and exit.
Off-plan checklistHow to vet a developer in Dubai
How to check reputation, past projects, delays, handover quality, registration, Escrow and developer risk.
Developer check guideOff-plan payment plan
How to read a payment plan, what a handover payment is, and what to check before committing to a long cash-flow schedule.
Payment plan guidePost-Handover Payment Plan
What Post-Handover means, when it can help an investor and when it may hide a high price or cash-flow risk.
Post-Handover guideWhat Escrow means in off-plan
How an Escrow account works, why it matters in off-plan and what to check before transferring money to a developer.
Escrow guideOff-plan project status check
How to check construction status, completion percentage, project registration, DLD data and Dubai REST.
Project status guideOff-plan project delays
What to check when a project is delayed: SPA, grace period, official status, payments and courses of action.
Delays guideSelling off-plan before handover
Can you sell before handover, what are the developer’s terms, how much must be paid and the risk of an early exit.
Resale before handover guideOff-plan cancellation / Default
What happens if you stop paying, what to check in the SPA and the options before cancellation or breach.
Default guideOff-plan Booking Form
What to check before a reservation fee: unit details, refund policy, payment account, SPA, Oqood and Escrow.
Booking Form guideWhat Handover means in Dubai
What to check before getting the key: snagging, DEWA, chiller, service charges, documents and property management.
Handover guideSnagging before receiving a property
Why inspecting defects before getting the key matters and how it affects rental, maintenance and costs.
Snagging guideSecondary / resale
Guides on secondary deals, ownership transfer and documents
How a secondary deal works in Dubai
The steps of a resale deal: Contract F, NOC, payments, DLD, ownership transfer, brokerage and existing tenant.
Secondary deal guideWhat NOC means in Dubai
What an NOC is, when you need it, who issues it and what to check before ownership transfer.
NOC guideTitle Deed and Oqood
The difference between an ownership document for a ready property and initial off-plan registration, and why it matters.
Title Deed & Oqood guideWhat SPA means in Dubai
What to check in a purchase contract before signing: price, payments, handover, breaches, cancellation and each side’s rights.
SPA guideTransferring money to buy a property
How to verify payment instructions, bank account, Escrow, payments to a developer or seller, and red flags.
Payments guidePower of attorney in a real estate deal
When a power of attorney is used, what to check before granting authority and how not to leave it too broad.
Power of attorney guideBuying a property with an existing tenant
What to check in a rented property: Ejari, tenancy contract, cheques, deposit, rent and service charges.
Tenanted property guideHow to choose a real estate agent in Dubai
What to check about an agent: license, experience, transparency, conflicts of interest, area knowledge and documents.
Agent selection guideCosts, financing and yield
Guides on costs, DLD, mortgage, yield and visas
What DLD means in Dubai
What the DLD fee is, how it’s usually calculated and what to check before a deal.
DLD guideService charges in Dubai
How service charges affect net yield, and how to check them before buying a property.
Service charges guideMortgage in Dubai
What to check before relying on bank financing: pre-approval, valuation, LTV, interest and registration costs.
Mortgage guideInvestor visas in Dubai through real estate
A guide to investor visa tracks: property owner visa, Golden Visa, retiree track, family and parent visas, and what to check before buying property for a visa.
Investor visas guideHow to check realistic rent
How to check whether the rent you were promised truly matches the market, the area and the property.
Realistic rent guideRental Index and rent increases
How to use Dubai’s rental index to understand fair rent and the possibility of an increase.
Rental Index guideRental and property management
Guides on renting out, managing and operating a property
How to choose a property management company
What to check in a management company: service, reporting, collection, maintenance, tenants, transparency and costs.
Management company guideWhat Ejari means in Dubai
Why registering a tenancy contract matters for the owner, the tenant and proper rental management.
Ejari guideShort-term rental / Holiday Home
Whether short-term rental suits an investor, and what to check on licensing, management, income and costs.
Holiday Home guideA vacant property in Dubai
What a property without a tenant really costs: service charges, DEWA, chiller, insurance, management and vacancy.
Vacant property guideDEWA, chiller and utility costs
What to check on electricity, water, cooling, utility connection, deposits and running bills.
DEWA & Chiller guideProperty insurance in Dubai
What to check on building insurance, contents, liability, vacant property, mortgage and Holiday Home.
Property insurance guideContent series
The guide for the confused investor in Dubai
A content series that breaks Dubai’s real estate market into simple, clear questions. Each topic helps you understand another piece of the puzzle before moving ahead with a deal.
1. What’s the difference between off-plan and secondary?
Two completely different deal types: a future property vs an existing one, a payment plan vs an immediate purchase, and completely different brokerage.
2. How not to fall for renderings?
A rendering is marketing. An investor should check the developer, area, price, contract, handover date and actual costs.
3. What is net yield?
Gross yield looks nice, but you must check what remains after service charges, management, maintenance, vacancy periods and additional costs.
4. Why is the area more important than the apartment?
The property may look great, but if the area doesn’t fit the target audience, demand and rent may be weak.
5. How do you vet a developer?
Check past projects, on-time delivery, build quality, reputation and after-sales service.
6. What must be calculated before signing?
Price, DLD, brokerage by deal type, fees, service charges, furniture, management, maintenance and exit plan.
Strategy and risk
Guides for investment planning, mistakes and exit
Common mistakes of investors in Dubai
Mistakes that repeat again and again: high price, unvetted developer, unrealistic yield, service charges and excitement without documents.
Common mistakes guideOff-plan vs secondary
The difference between a property on paper and a resale property, and which suits different types of investors.
Comparison guideInvestment exit strategy
How to plan in advance for selling, holding, renting, refinancing or an exit before handover.
Exit Strategy guideRecommended reading path
New to Dubai real estate investing? Read in this order
To understand the picture in an orderly way, start with the basics: deal types, costs, areas, developers — and only then examine a specific deal.
Already have a deal on the table?
Send me the deal details and together we’ll check what matters before moving ahead: deal type, price, area, developer, costs, brokerage, rent and risks.
An investor who understands the numbers makes better decisions
Don’t settle for promises, renderings or gross yield. Check the deal type, total cost, brokerage, developer, area, service charges and exit plan.
Need help figuring out what’s relevant for you?
Send me the property or the question — and we’ll see where to start
You can send me a project, area, price, payment plan, contract, booking form, ready property, tenanted property or a dilemma between several deals. I’ll help you see which guides are relevant and which checks to run before moving ahead.
Send a question on WhatsAppFAQ
Questions about the guides on this site
Which guide should I start with?
Start with the deal type: off-plan or secondary. Then move on to deal feasibility, costs, areas, developers, net yield and service charges.
Do you pay brokerage on off-plan?
No. In off-plan deals in Dubai the buyer pays no brokerage at all. The agent’s commission is paid by the developer.
How much brokerage on a resale?
In resale / secondary deals the buyer pays 2% brokerage of the deal price, plus 5% VAT on the commission. In practice that’s 2.1% of the deal price.
Do the guides replace professional advice?
No. The guides provide general information and help you understand what to check. Before any deal, run independent checks and consult qualified professionals as needed.
Can I send you a deal to review?
Yes. You can send the project or building name, area, price, deal type, payment plan, service charges and any other detail you’ve received.
Before deciding
Received an offer for a property in Dubai?
Send me the deal details and together we’ll check what matters: off-plan or secondary, developer, area, price, brokerage, DLD, service charges, rent, yield and risks.
Disclaimer:The information on this site is for general purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, tax or investment advice. Figures, fees, regulation, deal terms, service charges, rent, financing, yields, contracts and processes may vary by project, area, developer, bank, contract and the circumstances of the deal. Before signing, buying, selling, renting or making a financial commitment, review the official documents and consult qualified professionals as needed.