Where to find off-plan townhouses
Off-plan townhouses are found in several of Dubai's master communities, often next to villas. These examples come from the developers' own descriptions:
- Emaar communities: Emaar lists Arabian Ranches and The Valley as villa and townhouse communities. It describes Dubai Hills Estate as a 2,700-acre community built around an 18-hole championship golf course, with apartments, villas and townhouses.
- Palm Jumeirah: Nakheel includes townhouses among the home types on the island, at Palma Residences and Golden Mile.
To see which communities currently have townhouse projects, use our area pages. You can also browse by developer through the hubs for Emaar, DAMAC, Nakheel and Sobha.
When choosing a community, look at what is already open, such as schools, shops and clinics, and at what is still only on the master plan. For families, being close to schools and parks is often the deciding factor. Our areas guide compares communities in more depth.
End, middle or corner: what to compare
Townhouses in the same row can differ more than their floor plans suggest, so compare where each unit sits as well as its size.
- Position in the row: end and corner units usually have more space at the side and more light. Middle units share two walls. Expect prices to reflect the difference.
- Plot and built-up area: get both figures in writing and check them against the SPA and the plans. Read how the SPA deals with any difference between the planned area and the final one.
- Outdoor space: the size of the garden or terrace, which way it faces and what overlooks it.
- Parking and storage: whether parking is covered or open, how many spaces you get, and whether there is a maid's room or storage room.
- Cluster density: how many homes share the street, and how close the planned park, pool and school sites are on the master plan.
If you are buying to rent out, estimate your return with our rental yield calculator. Our rental yields guide compares data by community.
Service charges and community costs
Townhouse owners pay service charges for the community's shared areas and services, so count them in your running costs from day one. DLD's investor guide explains that under Dubai's jointly owned property law, owners become members of an owners association. They pay service charges for managing and maintaining the common areas.
To estimate these costs before you buy:
- Check the Service Charge Index. DLD's index, also available in the Dubai REST app, shows the RERA-approved rate for existing projects. DLD explains that your share is based on your unit's area on the title deed, so you can estimate it by multiplying the approved rate by that area.
- Look at the developer's completed communities with similar amenities for a realistic comparison.
- Ask what is shared. Pools, gyms, landscaping, security and community facilities all add to the budget.
Treat any service charge estimate you are given before completion as a guide only, and ask how it was calculated.
Payment plans, fees and handover
You pay for an off-plan townhouse in stages, following the schedule in your SPA. DLD says the payment schedule is based on construction progress. Before paying, you can ask the developer for a letter from the DLD-approved project consultant confirming the completion percentage.
- Registration: the sale is recorded on DLD's Interim Register (Oqood). DLD charges a 4% fee, which it has said the buyer pays to the developer.
- Financing: if you take a mortgage, DLD charges 0.25% of the loan amount to register it. See our off-plan mortgage guide.
- Post-handover plans: some projects let you pay part of the price after handover. Read our post-handover guide before you choose one.
- Handover: inspect the home before you accept the keys. Our snagging guide explains what to check.
You can work out your instalments with the off-plan payment calculator.
