How to buy property in Dubai, as an expat.
Whether you live in Dubai or abroad, the process is the same. Seven steps, the costs to budget for, how to finance it, and how to decide between off-plan and ready.
Seven steps from budget to keys
Most of these steps can be completed remotely. TJ's team handles the coordination with the developer and the Dubai Land Department.
Get your shortlist
Tell TJ your budget, purpose and timing. His team sends the projects that passed all five checks.
View the projects
Visit sales galleries and show units in Dubai, or view by video call from anywhere.
Reserve your unit
Sign the reservation form and pay the booking amount set by the developer. Signing is digital.
Sign the sale agreement
The Sale and Purchase Agreement sets the price, payment plan and handover date.
Register with the Dubai Land Department
The purchase is registered in your name. For off-plan, this is the Oqood registration.
Pay through escrow
Instalments go into the project's regulated escrow account as construction progresses.
Take handover
Inspect the unit, receive the title deed, then move in or lease it out through a property manager.
Dubai Land Department registration fee, as a share of the purchase price
Budget for the purchase costs on top of the price
The main one-off cost is the Dubai Land Department fee of 4% of the price, plus registration and admin charges. Once you own, you pay annual service charges to the building for maintenance and shared facilities. There is no annual property tax, no tax on rent and no capital gains tax.
TJ's team lists every cost for each project on your shortlist, so you compare total cost, not headline price.
Three ways to pay
The right route depends on where you live, whether you buy off-plan or ready, and how you want to spread the cost.
Cash
Pay in full or in a few large stages. The simplest route and the strongest position when you negotiate on ready property.
Developer payment plan
Spread the price over construction, and sometimes beyond handover. The usual route for off-plan, with no bank approval needed.
Mortgage
For ready property. UAE residents can typically borrow up to 80% of the value for a first home under AED 5M. Some banks lend to non-residents at lower ratios.
Which one fits your plan
Neither is better by default. The choice depends on whether you need rent or a home now, and how you want to pay.
| Off-plan | Ready | |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Down payment, then instalments during construction | Full price at transfer, in cash or with a mortgage |
| Entry cost | Lower: a down payment starts ownership | Higher: the full price or the mortgage deposit |
| Rent or move in | After handover, typically 2 to 4 years | Immediately |
| Main risk | Delivery delays and launch premiums | Paying above the market for the unit |
| Protection | Payments held in regulated escrow | You inspect the finished unit before you buy |
| Golden Visa | Eligible from approved developers, AED 2M+ | Eligible at AED 2M+ |
You do not need to be in Dubai to buy
Off-plan purchases can be completed from anywhere. You view projects by video call, sign the reservation and sale agreement digitally, and pay by international bank transfer into the project's escrow account. TJ's team handles registration with the Dubai Land Department. You will need a copy of your passport.
Buying from India
Under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme, each resident individual can remit up to USD 250,000 a year overseas, including for property. Check the tax collected at source rules with your chartered accountant before you remit.
Buying from the UK, Europe or the GCC
There are no restrictions on foreign ownership in Dubai's freehold areas. Your main checks are on your home country's tax treatment of foreign rental income and gains.
Ready to compare real projects?
TJ's shortlist comes with the payment plan, costs and rental view for each project.
Common questions from expat buyers
Yes. Any nationality can buy freehold property in Dubai's designated areas, whether you live in the UAE or abroad. The projects on TJ's shortlist sit in these areas.
The UAE charges no personal income tax on rental income and no capital gains tax on a sale. Your home country may still tax foreign income, so check with your tax advisor.
No. Off-plan purchases can be completed remotely: documents are signed digitally, payments go by bank transfer, and TJ's team handles registration with the Dubai Land Department.
Property worth AED 2 million or more, including off-plan units from approved developers, qualifies the owner for a 10-year Golden Visa that covers a spouse and children.
Off-plan payments go into escrow accounts regulated by the Dubai Land Department and RERA, and are released to the developer as construction progresses.
UAE residents can finance ready property through UAE banks, typically up to 80% of the value for a first home under AED 5M. Some banks also lend to non-residents at lower ratios. Off-plan is usually paid through the developer's payment plan.
No. The shortlist and the call with TJ are free, with no obligation to buy.
Tell TJ your budget.
Answer five questions. Get the projects that passed all five checks, on WhatsApp.
