Dubai Property Guides
Practical guides from Profound Properties, an independent RERA-licensed Dubai agency specialising in off-plan property: how payment plans, fees, registration and handover work, and how to choose the right project and developer.
Post-Handover Payment Plans in Dubai: How They Work
A post-handover payment plan lets you pay part of an off-plan property's price after the developer hands over the finished unit, usually in instalments over one or more years. You move in or rent out sooner than you finish paying, but the title deed is normally issued in your name only once you have met your payment obligations, so the SPA terms matter as much as the percentages.
Updated Read guideCan You Get a Mortgage on Off-Plan Property in Dubai?
Yes. UAE banks can lend on off-plan property, but Central Bank rules cap the loan at 50% of the property value while it is being bought off-plan, for every type of buyer. Alternatively, you can pay the construction instalments yourself and take a mortgage at handover, when the bank values the finished unit and applies its own lending policy within the Central Bank limits.
Updated Read guideOqood in Dubai: Registration, Fees and How to Verify It
Oqood is the Dubai Land Department's interim register for off-plan sales: it records your purchase of an unfinished unit before a title deed can be issued. The developer registers the sale through the Oqood portal within 90 days of signing the SPA, the DLD fee schedule lists 2% of the sale value for the seller and 2% for the purchaser plus small fixed fees, and you can check property records through DLD services on the website and in the Dubai REST app.
Updated Read guideDLD Fees and the Full Cost of Buying Off-Plan in Dubai
The main cost on top of the price of an off-plan home in Dubai is the Dubai Land Department (DLD) registration fee of 4% of the sale value, plus small fixed government charges. DLD's schedule splits the 4% equally between seller and buyer unless agreed otherwise, but on purchases direct from a developer the buyer normally carries the full 4%. Budget around 4% of the price, plus any other charges listed in your SPA and, if you borrow, mortgage registration fees.
Updated Read guideGolden Visa Through Property in Dubai: Rules for Off-Plan Buyers
You can apply for a 10-year renewable UAE Golden Visa as a real estate investor if you own property in the UAE worth at least AED 2 million. The federal residency authority (ICP) says off-plan units totalling at least AED 2 million can qualify if bought from an approved local developer, and mortgaged property can qualify with a bank letter. In Dubai, DLD offers the application at its service centres, and the exact proof required for an off-plan unit should be confirmed with DLD before you buy.
Updated Read guideHow Your Money Is Protected When Buying Off-Plan in Dubai
When you buy off-plan in Dubai, your payments must go into a project escrow account held by a DLD-accredited bank or financial institution, and can only be used for building that project. Developers must be registered and the project approved before selling, and your contract must be entered in DLD's Interim Register (Oqood). If RERA cancels a project, the rules set refund deadlines, and you can check a project's status, completion and escrow details on DLD's Project Status service.
Updated Read guideSnagging an Off-Plan Handover in Dubai: Checklist and What to Expect
Snagging is a detailed inspection of your new off-plan home to find defects before you accept the keys, so the developer fixes them at its own cost. In Dubai it usually happens once the developer tells you the unit is ready to view, before you sign the handover documents. Dubai law then makes the developer liable for defective installations for one year after handover, and for structural defects for ten years from the completion certificate.
Updated Read guideSelling Off-Plan Property Before Handover in Dubai
Yes, you can sell an off-plan property in Dubai before handover, but only after the developer issues a No Objection Certificate (NOC). Each developer sets its own conditions, which can include a minimum percentage of the price paid first, so your SPA is the starting point. The sale must then be registered with the Dubai Land Department, where the registration fee is 4% of the sale value.
Updated Read guideOff-Plan vs Ready Property in Dubai: Which Is Right for You?
Off-plan property suits buyers who want to spread payments over the build period and can wait for handover; ready property suits buyers who want to move in or earn rent straight away and inspect before they buy. The biggest practical differences are cash flow, construction risk, when rental income starts, and financing: UAE Central Bank rules cap mortgages on off-plan purchases at 50% of value, compared with up to 80% for an expatriate's first home of AED 5 million or less.
Updated Read guideWhere to Buy Off-Plan in Dubai in 2027: Areas Compared
No single area is the best place to buy off-plan in Dubai in 2027. The right one depends on your budget, whether you will live in the home or let it, and the type of property you want. Apartment-led districts such as Jumeirah Village Circle, Business Bay and Dubai Marina suit buyers who want to let, while master-planned golf communities such as Dubai Hills Estate and DAMAC Hills suit families looking for villas and space. This guide compares ten communities using facts from their master developers and other official sources.
Updated Read guideRental Yields in Dubai: How to Calculate Them and What Affects Them
Gross rental yield is the annual rent divided by the purchase price. Net yield takes away running costs such as RERA-approved service charges, maintenance, management and empty months, then divides what is left by your total purchase cost. In Dubai, use the DLD Rental Index to estimate realistic rents and the DLD Service Charge Index to estimate costs. REIDIN's September 2026 data put Dubai's average gross residential yield at 6.17%, with apartments at 6.61% and villas at 4.42%.
Updated Read guideHow to Judge a Dubai Developer Before Buying Off-Plan
Judge a Dubai developer on records you can check for yourself, not on its marketing. Confirm that the project is registered with the Dubai Land Department and that your payments go into its dedicated escrow account. Then see how the developer's earlier projects progressed, using the DLD's Project Status service or Mashrooi in the Dubai REST app. Finally, read the Sale and Purchase Agreement for completion dates, delay terms and default clauses before you pay.
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