How buying property in the UAE actually works
Where the market came from, who is who, what every term means, the forms you will be asked to sign, and the steps and timings for a new or a ready property. Written so that someone who has never bought property anywhere can follow it.
In one minute
Off-plan
New, from the developer, paid in instalments.
You buy something that is not finished or not yet built. You sign an SPA, the sale is recorded on Oqood, and your instalments go into an escrow account while it is built. At the end you do a snagging inspection, take handover and receive the title deed.
Ready
Finished, usually from an existing owner.
You buy a completed property you can use now. You and the seller sign a Form F (MOU), the developer gives a NOC, and you complete at a trustee office, where the transfer is registered and a new title deed is issued in your name.
Both routes are recorded by the Dubai Land Department, and the usual government fee is 4% of the price. See every cost for the full list.
How the market began and how it got here
Dubai opened its property market to foreign owners only in 2002. Almost everything buyers rely on today, such as registration, licensing and escrow, was written afterwards, partly in response to what went wrong.
- Before 2002
Foreigners could only lease
Expatriates and other non-citizens could not own property outright in Dubai. The most they could get was a lease of up to 99 years. Buying meant renting the right to use the property for a very long time, not owning it.
Source: Sotheby's International Realty: A guide to freehold properties in Dubai
- 2002
Freehold opens in Dubai
Dubai introduced freehold property, letting foreign nationals buy in designated areas. Emaar Properties is described as the first developer to offer it. This is the moment the modern market starts.
Source: Sotheby's International Realty: A guide to freehold properties in Dubai
- 2006
The rulebook is written
Dubai issued Law No. 7 of 2006 on property registration, which made the Dubai Land Department the authority that records who owns what. Order No. 3 of 2006, published on 3 July 2006, listed 23 areas and 45 plots where foreigners could own freehold, including Jebel Ali, the Palm islands, The World, Dubai Marina, Emirates Hills and Al Barsha. The Dubai brokers law (Law No. 85 of 2006) requires brokers to be licensed.
Source: Gulf News: Dubai issues list of freehold locations (Order No. 3 of 2006); Khaleej Times: Dubai, buying an off-plan property? Here is what you need to know
- 2007
Buyers' money is protected by escrow
Law No. 8 of 2007 requires each registered off-plan project to have an escrow account, so that buyers' instalments sit with an escrow agent and not in the developer's own account.
Source: Khaleej Times: Dubai, buying an off-plan property? Here is what you need to know
- 2008 to 2010
The crash
The boom stopped in September 2008 and prices fell by about 50 per cent. The rules above, especially escrow, are a large part of why buyers today are better protected than buyers were then.
- 2010
Rental contracts must be registered
Registering tenancy contracts on Ejari became mandatory in 2010.
Source: Gulf News: what is Ejari
- 2013
Dubai wins Expo 2020
On 27 November 2013 Dubai won the right to host the World Expo, beating Yekaterinburg 116 votes to 47 in the final round.
- 2019
Abu Dhabi opens freehold to foreigners, and Dubai tightens service-charge rules
Abu Dhabi Law No. 13 of 2019, effective 16 April 2019, lets non-nationals own freehold in designated investment areas. Before it, freehold there was limited to UAE and GCC nationals, and foreign companies could only hold long leases or usufruct rights. In Dubai, Law No. 6 of 2019 on jointly owned property set the rules behind the Mollak service-charge system.
Source: Afridi & Angell: expanded real estate ownership in Abu Dhabi; Dubai Land Department: Mollak
- 2021 to 2022
Expo 2020 delivers
Expo ran from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022 and recorded 24,102,967 visits.
Source: Dubai Media Office: over 24 million visits at Expo 2020 Dubai
- 2021
Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan
Approved in March 2021, with a goal of 5.8 million residents by 2040 and growth concentrated around five major centres.
- 2023
Dubai Economic Agenda D33
Launched on 4 January 2023, aiming to double the size of Dubai's economy over the decade.
- 2025
A record year
Dubai recorded AED 686.8 billion in property sales, up 30.9 per cent on 2024.
Source: Arabian Business: Dubai real estate market smashes records with AED 686.8bn in sales
Other emirates have their own registries and rules. Abu Dhabi, for example, only opened freehold to foreigners in 2019 and only in designated investment areas, so never assume a rule from Dubai applies elsewhere. For the full timeline of challenges and wins, and what is being built now, read Dubai 2040 and the infrastructure behind the map.
Who is who
- Dubai Land Department (DLD)
- The government body that records property ownership in Dubai. If it is not registered with the DLD, it does not count as yours.
- RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Authority)
- The DLD's regulatory arm. It sets and enforces the rules for brokers, developers, service charges and off-plan projects.
- Developer
- The company that builds the project and sells the units, such as Emaar, Damac or Aldar.
- Broker (agent)
- A licensed person who finds, markets and negotiates property. A broker needs a licence and every advert needs a permit number.
- Escrow agent
- A bank that holds off-plan buyers' instalments and releases them to the developer as construction progresses.
- Trustee office
- A DLD-approved office where a sale of a ready property is signed, paid and registered, usually in one appointment.
- Your bank or mortgage broker
- Lends against the property and registers its own charge on it. A mortgage broker compares banks for you.
Buying off-plan, step by step
Off-plan means you are paying for something that is not finished. The protections are real, but only if you check them before you pay.
- 01
Choose the project and check it
Ask the broker or developer for the project's DLD registration and its escrow account details, and check them with the DLD. A developer may not sell off-plan until it holds the land and has its approvals.
- 02
Expression of interest or booking (EOI)
Many launches start with a small deposit that holds a unit while the paperwork is prepared. Terms differ by developer: ask whether it is refundable and what exactly you are agreeing to before you pay.
- 03
Sign the Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA)
This is the contract. It states the unit, the price, the payment schedule, the completion date, what happens if the developer is late, and how defects are handled. Have it read by a lawyer before signing.
- 04
Registration on Oqood, and the DLD fee
The sale is recorded on the DLD's Oqood system, which gives you a provisional registration certificate. The DLD fee (4% of the price) is paid at this stage, not at handover. The registration must be made within 90 days of signing.
- 05
Pay the instalments into escrow
You pay according to the payment plan. The money goes to the project's escrow account, not to the developer's own account.
- 06
Follow the build
The Dubai REST app shows a project's completion percentage, photos and escrow account number.
- 07
Handover and snagging
When the building is finished you inspect the unit and list defects ("snags"), and the developer fixes them. The SPA should say how long that takes and how long defects are covered.
- 08
Title deed
Once you have met all your payment obligations the unit is moved from the provisional register to the main register and a title deed is issued in your name.
Sources: Khaleej Times: Dubai, buying an off-plan property? Here is what you need to know; Dubai Land Department: register the initial sale (Oqood); Dubizzle: legal checklist for off-plan property in Dubai; Dubai Land Department: Dubai REST app update (15 December 2023).
If a developer is late, the law gives buyers remedies, and one summary says they can apply once handover is more than 60 days past the committed date. The exact rights depend on the law and your SPA, so ask a lawyer to confirm them before you sign.
Buying a ready property, step by step
A ready property is finished, so the process is about paperwork and money moving at the right time.
- 01
Agree your broker
The seller signs a Form A with their broker. A buyer can sign a Form B with theirs. Both are explained below.
- 02
Find the property and make an offer
Agree the price and conditions in principle. Check the seller's name on the title deed matches their passport, that there are no disputes, and that service charges are paid.
- 03
Sign the Memorandum of Understanding (Form F) and pay the deposit
Buyer and seller sign the contract that fixes the price, the conditions and the dates. A deposit of 10% is commonly paid at this stage, but check what your contract says.
- 04
Get the developer's No Objection Certificate (NOC)
The developer confirms the unit has no unpaid dues and can be transferred. The seller usually requests it. Outstanding service charges are the most common reason it is delayed.
- 05
Sort out any mortgage
If the seller has a mortgage, their bank issues a liability letter and is paid off at the transfer. If you are borrowing, your bank values the property and gives its final approval. This step is what makes timelines stretch.
- 06
Attend the trustee office
Both sides (or their attorneys) attend. The buyer pays the balance, normally by manager's cheque, the DLD fee is paid and the transfer is registered. The appointment itself is short when every document is in order.
- 07
Receive the new title deed
The title deed is issued in the buyer's name. Keys, access cards and utility accounts are handed over and updated.
How long does it take?
These are typical figures from agency and law-firm guides, not government promises: Bhomes: guide to property ownership transfers in Dubai; Real Estate Club Dubai: how long to sell property in Dubai. The slow parts are almost always outstanding service charges, a bank that has not finished, or a document that does not match, such as a name spelled differently on two papers.
Form A, Form B and Form F
Three forms cover almost every sale. Think of them as who has hired whom, and then what was agreed.
Form A
Seller and the seller's broker
Gives a broker permission to market the property. It sets the broker's fee, how long the agreement lasts and whether it is exclusive (one broker) or non-exclusive (up to three brokers). A property should not be advertised without one.
Form B
Buyer and the buyer's broker
Appoints a broker to find and negotiate property for you. It records what you are looking for and the broker's fee, and lets you end the arrangement under its terms.
Form F (the MOU)
Buyer and seller
The Memorandum of Understanding for sale. It is the agreed deal: price, deposit, conditions and dates. It is signed first, and the transfer at the trustee office follows.
Form U
The parties to an agreement
Used to end an agreement, for example cancelling a broker agreement. Cancelling is now often done as a request inside the DLD systems or the Dubai REST app.
These forms are issued through the Dubai Land Department's digital systems and the Dubai REST app. Guides disagree on small details such as signatories and which older forms are still used, so confirm what applies to your deal with a licensed broker or lawyer. Source: Engel & Volkers: Form A in Dubai.
The government tools to use
Dubai REST, the Dubai Land Department app
Download the official Dubai REST app and register with your Emirates ID or passport. It is the quickest way to check things yourself instead of taking anyone's word for it.
- Your property portfolio
- Manage your properties on your phone, including buying, selling, renting and mortgaging.
- Off-plan project tracking
- Completion percentage, real photos, the escrow account number and payments you owe on a project.
- Property status check
- Look up a property's status with its area and plot number.
- Rental tools
- A rent increase calculator, average rents and the rental index.
- Verification
- Check a title deed certificate and verify licences and permits.
- Document vault
- Secure storage for downloading and sharing your documents.
- Transaction updates and help
- Updates on your transactions, a service-fee indicator and the Ask Malik assistant.
This is the list the Dubai Land Department published when it upgraded the app in December 2023. The app changes, so open it for the current services. I could not find an official statement of automatic alerts on property changes, so do not assume you will be notified of everything. Source: Dubai Land Department: Dubai REST app update (15 December 2023).
The other systems you will hear about
- Oqood
- Registers off-plan sales. Ask the developer for the project registration number and verify it with the Dubai Land Department.
- Trakheesi
- Licenses real estate companies and issues advert permits. Every listing should show a permit number, so you can check an agent and a listing are genuine.
- Mollak
- Service charges for jointly owned buildings, under Law No. 6 of 2019. Dubai Land Department: Mollak.
- Ejari
- Registers rental contracts. Mandatory since 2010. Gulf News: what is Ejari.
A to Z of terms
Every word you are likely to be handed, in plain language. Type to find one.
- Assignment
- Selling your off-plan contract to someone else before the building is finished. The developer must approve it, usually for a fee, and often only once you have paid a minimum share of the price.
- BUA (built-up area)
- The total floor area of the unit including walls, balconies and other counted spaces. Prices are normally quoted on this. The space you can actually use is smaller, so compare like with like.
- Developer
- The company that builds and sells a project.
- DLD (Dubai Land Department)
- The Dubai government body that registers property and ownership.
- DLD fee
- The government transfer fee: 4% of the price. On a ready property it is paid at the transfer, and on off-plan it is paid when the sale is registered on Oqood. The official schedule splits it 2% buyer, 2% seller, but in practice the buyer usually pays it all, so check your contract.
- Ejari
- The Dubai system that registers rental contracts. Registering has been mandatory since 2010. It gives the contract standing with the authorities and is needed for things like activating utilities.
- EOI (expression of interest)
- A first step on many launches: a small payment that holds a unit while the contract is prepared. It is not the contract. Ask whether it is refundable.
- Escrow account
- A bank account that holds off-plan buyers' instalments and pays the developer as construction progresses. It exists so a buyer's money is not simply spent by the developer.
- Form A, Form B, Form F
- The three standard forms in a sale. A: seller and broker. B: buyer and broker. F: buyer and seller (the MOU). See the forms section above.
- Freehold
- You own the property and its share of the land outright, with no end date, and can sell it, rent it out or leave it to your heirs. Foreigners can buy freehold in designated areas.
- Golden Visa (property)
- A long-term residence visa for property investors. The threshold most sources give is AED 2 million of property, but rules on mortgaged property and the length of the visa differ between sources, so check the official page before buying for this purpose.
- Gross yield
- Yearly rent divided by the price, as a percentage. It ignores service charges, vacancy and other costs, so net yield is lower.
- Handover
- The day the developer gives you the finished unit.
- Jointly owned property
- A building or community where many owners share the common parts, such as a tower or a gated community. The owners pay service charges to run it.
- Leasehold
- You hold the property for a fixed number of years, often up to 99, and then it goes back to the landlord. Before 2002 this was all most foreigners could get in Dubai.
- Liability letter
- A letter from the seller's bank stating how much is still owed on their mortgage. It is needed to pay the loan off during the transfer, and it expires quickly.
- LTV (loan to value)
- The share of the price a bank will lend. 75% means you put in 25%, plus the fees.
- Manager's cheque
- A cheque issued by a bank against your funds. It is how the balance is usually paid at the trustee office.
- Mollak
- The Dubai system for service charges in jointly owned buildings. Owners receive their invoices and pay through it.
- MOU (Memorandum of Understanding)
- Another name for Form F, the signed agreement between buyer and seller on a ready property.
- NOC (No Objection Certificate)
- A certificate from the developer saying a unit can be sold or transferred because nothing is owed on it. It costs a fee and is valid for a limited time.
- Off-plan
- Buying a property that is not finished, or not yet built, directly from the developer, and paying in instalments while it is built.
- Oqood
- The Dubai Land Department system that registers an off-plan sale. It gives you a provisional registration certificate until the title deed is issued.
- Owners association
- The body that represents the owners in a jointly owned building and works with the management company.
- Payment plan
- The schedule of instalments for an off-plan unit, for example a share on booking, shares during construction and a share on handover.
- Post-handover payment plan
- A payment plan where part of the price is paid after you receive the keys. Not every developer offers one, and terms vary, so read it closely.
- Power of attorney
- A document that lets someone else sign or attend for you. For a property transfer it generally has to be notarised and accepted by the DLD.
- Primary market
- Buying new from the developer.
- Ready property
- A completed property you can move into or rent out straight away.
- RERA
- The Real Estate Regulatory Authority, the Dubai Land Department's regulator for the property sector.
- Resale (secondary market)
- Buying from an existing owner rather than from the developer. This can be a ready property, or an off-plan unit being assigned.
- Service charge
- The yearly fee every owner in a building pays for maintenance, security, cleaning and shared facilities. It is charged per square foot and varies a lot between buildings. Ask for the current rate before you buy.
- Snagging
- Inspecting a new unit at handover and listing every defect, such as scratches, leaks or faulty fittings, so the developer fixes them.
- SPA (Sale and Purchase Agreement)
- The main contract for an off-plan purchase. It sets out the unit, price, payment schedule, completion date, penalties for delay, termination and refunds, defect liability and how disputes are settled.
- Title deed
- The official proof of ownership, issued by the Dubai Land Department in your name.
- Trakheesi
- The Dubai Land Department system that licenses real estate companies and issues permits. Every legitimate property advert shows a permit number you can check.
- Trustee office
- The DLD-approved office where a ready-property sale is signed, paid for and registered.
- Usufruct
- The right to use and benefit from a property that belongs to someone else, typically for a long fixed period. Before 2019, foreign companies in Abu Dhabi could hold usufruct or long leases, but not freehold.
Nothing matches that. Ask me and I will explain it.
Common questions
What does SPA mean in UAE real estate?
SPA stands for Sale and Purchase Agreement. It is the main contract when you buy a new property from a developer. It states the unit, the price, the payment schedule, the completion date, what happens if the developer is late and how defects are handled.
What is the difference between off-plan and ready property?
Off-plan means buying a property that is not finished, directly from the developer, and paying in instalments while it is built. Ready means a finished property you can move into or rent out immediately, usually bought from an existing owner.
What are Form A, Form B and Form F?
Form A is the agreement between a seller and their broker. Form B is the agreement between a buyer and their broker. Form F is the Memorandum of Understanding between buyer and seller that records the agreed deal on a ready property.
What does EOI mean?
EOI means expression of interest. On many launches it is a small payment that holds a unit while the contract is prepared. It is not the sale contract, and terms differ between developers, so ask whether it is refundable.
What is Oqood?
Oqood is the Dubai Land Department system that registers off-plan sales. It gives the buyer a provisional registration certificate until the title deed is issued after completion.
How long does it take to transfer a ready property in Dubai?
The trustee office appointment is usually short and the title deed follows within days, but the whole process from agreed terms to title deed is typically about 2 to 6 weeks for a cash buyer. A mortgage adds the bank's time, often several weeks, and a deal with a mortgage on both sides can take a few months. These are estimates from agency and law-firm guides, not government promises.
What is a NOC?
A No Objection Certificate is issued by the developer to confirm a unit has no outstanding dues and can be transferred. It is needed to sell a ready property and usually takes a few working days.
What is the Dubai REST app?
It is the Dubai Land Department's official app. Owners can manage their property, track off-plan project progress and escrow details, check a property's status, verify title deeds and permits and use rental tools.
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This page is general information, not legal, tax or investment advice. Rules, fees and timings change, and agency guides sometimes disagree, so confirm anything that matters with the Dubai Land Department, a lawyer or a licensed broker before you sign. Last checked 12 October 2026.