How to buy off plan property in Dubai from abroad

I have worked in property for over a decade and first lived in Dubai in 2014, and this is the process I walk investors through every week. It is quicker than buying in most countries, and that speed is exactly why it helps to have someone explain it first.

The purchase process in eight steps

1. Brief and shortlist. You tell me your budget and goals. I come back with two or three options, each with a financial illustration.
2. Reservation. A booking form, your passport copy and a booking fee hold the unit.
3. Contract and deposit. You sign the sale and purchase agreement online and pay the deposit, typically 10 to 20%, at around the same time. I go through the contract with you first.
4. Land Department fee. 4% of the price plus a small registration fee, paid alongside the deposit.
5. Oqood registration. Your purchase is registered with the government.
6. Stage payments. Paid into escrow as the build progresses, with updates.
7. Handover. Defects inspection, final payment, title deed in your name.
8. Letting. Furnished if needed, tenant found, property managed.

The property is the easy part. What investors value is someone who explains how it all works.

No solicitor by default

This is the difference that surprises overseas buyers most. The Dubai Land Department registers the sale and there is normally no conveyancer on either side. It is quick, but nobody is automatically checking things for you. This is the part I guide you through.

Dubai Marina.

What you actually own

Foreign nationals have been able to buy freehold in Dubai's designated areas since 2002. There is no lease running down, no ground rent and no freeholder. Off plan buyers receive an Oqood certificate from the Dubai Land Department, then a title deed on completion. You can buy personally, jointly or through a company.

Buying a completed property instead

Buyer and seller sign a standard government contract, the buyer pays a 10% deposit and the transfer takes place at a trustee office, usually within 30 days. A representative can attend for you.

How I can help

Send me your budget and what you want to achieve and I will come back with two or three featured projects that fit, each with a 5 year illustration of equity and rental income. You can see the kind of property I recommend in the featured projects, read the full picture in my free 26 page guide, send me your brief, or book a call with me.