Wherever you are, the conversation starts the same way
UAE property bought from the UK, the USA, the Caribbean, Africa or anywhere else. Clear numbers, honest risks and a private call at a time that suits your day, shown in your own time zone.
Europe
The UK
London, Manchester and beyond
I am British, raised in Harrow, and I cover the London and Manchester markets alongside the UAE, so a conversation about moving capital between the two starts from experience, not a brochure. I will tell you plainly whether Dubai, Abu Dhabi or a UK property makes more sense for what you want it to do.
Europe
The Netherlands
Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and beyond
I work with buyers based in the Netherlands. The time difference is small, so calls fit before or after your working day, and I will give you a straight view of costs, financing and risk. There is a step-by-step buyer pack for Dutch buyers.
North America
The USA
Investors, founders, professionals and families
I work with investors, business owners, executives, professionals, families and professional athletes, and the starting point is always a clear plan for where to invest and how to hold it. An evening call in the UAE is a morning call on the US East Coast, and the booking page shows every slot in your own time.
Oceania
Australia
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and beyond
Australian buyers show up among the larger buyer groups in Dubai. The time difference is real, so I plan calls around your evening or early morning and confirm the time personally. The booking page shows every slot in your own time.
The Caribbean
The Caribbean and West Indies
Jamaica, Cuba, Saint Lucia, Trinidad, Barbados and the wider islands
My own family roots run through Jamaica, Cuba and Saint Lucia, with Sudanese roots on the other side, so this is a conversation I understand personally. Investors in the Caribbean and across the diaspora in the UK, the US and Canada can book at a time that works in their own time zone, and speak in confidence.
Africa
Africa
Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and across the continent
Nigerian and Kenyan buyers have been among the most active African nationalities in Dubai for several years, and I work with investors across the continent who value discretion. My own roots include Sudanese and Nubian heritage, and I wrote about why this conversation matters in the African diaspora piece. There are dedicated pages for Nigeria and Kenya.
Book a callWhatsApp meAfrica investors pageInvesting from NigeriaInvesting from KenyaDubai real estate and the African diaspora
The GCC
Oman
Muscat, Sohar, Salalah and across the Sultanate
Omani citizens, as GCC nationals, can own freehold anywhere in Dubai, not only in the areas open to other nationalities. I also cover property in Oman itself, where foreign ownership is limited to designated areas. One page sets out both, with the sources.
Asia
India
Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and beyond
Indian buyers are the largest buyer group in Dubai, and India is only an hour and a half ahead of Dubai all year, so calls are easy to place in your morning or evening. There is a step-by-step buyer pack for investors in India.
Anywhere else
Europe, Asia, the Gulf and beyond
If you are somewhere not listed, the process is the same. Book a call and tell me where you are, and I will plan around your time.
Where Dubai's buyers come from
Share of Dubai property purchasing activity by buyer nationality in early 2026, from Harbor Real Estate's analysis of DXBinteract data as reported by Khaleej Times. Rankings differ between brokers and data sets, so treat it as indicative.
- 1India20.6%
- 2The UK13.3%
- 3Egypt12.6%
- 4The USA9%
- 5Pakistan6.9%
- 6Saudi Arabia5.7%
- 7Australia5.7%
- 8Germany4.2%
- 9France3.8%
- 10Canada3%
How the UAE has handled the hard years
Challenges, wins and the long-term plans, in order, with a source for each. I include the setbacks on purpose, because anyone putting money into a market should see them.
- 2008 to 2010
Challenge
The global financial crisis and the property correction
The Dubai property boom stopped in September 2008 and prices fell by about 50 per cent, according to Gulf News. In November 2009 Dubai World asked creditors for a debt standstill, and on 14 December 2009 Abu Dhabi announced a US$10 billion injection into a Dubai support fund. Recovery was slow and uneven, which is why prices and timing deserve respect.
Sources: Gulf News: Dubai property market faces challenges; TradeArabia: Abu Dhabi gives Dubai $10bn in surprise bailout
- 2013
Win
Dubai wins the right to host Expo 2020
On 27 November 2013 the Bureau International des Expositions voted in Paris, and Dubai beat Yekaterinburg 116 votes to 47 in the final round. It was the first World Expo awarded to a city in the Middle East, Africa or South Asia.
- 2020
Challenge
COVID-19 and the postponement of Expo
The pandemic led the UAE to request a one-year postponement of Expo 2020, which BIE member states approved by remote vote. The event moved to October 2021 to March 2022.
Source: BIE: UAE Government requests postponement of Expo 2020 Dubai
- 2021
Plan
Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan
Approved in March 2021 with the aim of making Dubai the world’s best city for living. A headline goal is to raise the resident population to 5.8 million by 2040, concentrating growth in existing urban areas and around five major centres. A later phase added the 20-minute city policy, where daily needs are reachable on foot or by bicycle.
- 2021 to 2022
Win
Expo 2020 Dubai delivers
Expo ran for 182 days from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, welcoming 192 countries and recording 24,102,967 visits, inside the range set out in the original bid.
Source: Dubai Media Office: over 24 million visits at Expo 2020 Dubai
- 2023
Plan
Dubai Economic Agenda D33
Launched on 4 January 2023 with the aim of doubling the size of Dubai’s economy over the decade and consolidating its place among the top three global cities. It sets economic targets of AED 32 trillion, includes 100 transformative projects, and aims to lift average annual foreign direct investment from AED 32 billion to AED 60 billion.
Source: Dubai Media Office: Mohammed bin Rashid launches Dubai Economic Agenda D33
- 2024
Challenge
The April floods
The National Centre of Meteorology recorded the heaviest 24-hour rainfall since national records began in 1949, about 254.8 mm at Khatm Al Shakla in Al Ain. Dubai International was badly disrupted, with 2,155 flights cancelled, and was back on its normal schedule by 23 April, roughly a week later.
Source: Gulf News: why the UAE saw its heaviest rainfall in 75 years
- 2025
Win
Record property and tourism numbers
Dubai recorded AED 686.8 billion in property sales, up 30.9 per cent on 2024, across about 215,700 sales. Abu Dhabi welcomed a record 26.6 million visitors, with hotel revenue up 19.5 per cent to AED 9.1 billion.
Sources: Arabian Business: Dubai real estate market smashes records with AED 686.8bn in sales; Abu Dhabi Media Office: culture and tourism growth in 2025
- 2026
Challenge
Regional conflict, and the market’s response
Conflict in the region from the end of February disrupted flights and travel across the Gulf. Even so, Dubai recorded AED 523.44 billion in transactions across the first eight months of 2026, already 57 per cent of the whole of 2025, and Abu Dhabi’s first-half transactions rose 112 per cent year on year. I wrote a full, sourced piece on what happened to the market.
Sources: Jamal Akim: Iran, the UAE, and what it means for Dubai property right now; The National: Aldar sales and Abu Dhabi first-half transactions (29 September 2026)
A record of recovery is not a promise. Prices fell by about half in 2008 and 2009, and the events above each disrupted travel, deals or confidence for a time. What the timeline shows is how the UAE has responded: with state-backed support, long-term planning and diversification. It does not show that any single property will rise. Judge each purchase on its own numbers, and plan for the downside as well as the upside.
How I work with international investors
- Private and unhurried. I never name clients and there is no pressure. If the answer is to wait, I will say so.
- The same framework everywhere. What it costs, what it earns, what could go wrong and how you get out, for off-plan, ready, commercial, retail, hotels or land.
- Everything in one place. Property, mortgage introductions, currency transfers, wills and relocation, so you deal with one person.
- See the market first. The property map shows launches and listings across the UAE, Oman and the UK, and the fees guide shows every cost line by line.
Questions I am often asked
Can foreign nationals buy property in the UAE?
Foreign nationals can buy freehold property in designated areas of the UAE. Which areas and developments are open to you, and on what terms, is confirmed for each property before you commit.
Do I have to travel to the UAE to buy?
Some steps can be handled remotely, but it depends on the transaction and the developer. If a power of attorney is needed, the rules changed in June 2026. I will tell you what is required before you commit to anything.
Can non-residents get a mortgage?
Many UAE banks lend to non-residents, usually with a larger deposit than for residents. GCC Mortgages, the broker I work with, lists non-resident finance at up to 65% loan-to-value, but the exact figure depends on the bank and your profile.
What does it cost to buy?
The main cost is the Dubai Land Department registration fee of 4% of the price, plus smaller fees and, if you borrow, bank costs. The fees page sets out every line with official sources.
How do I move money for a purchase?
Check the rules for sending money abroad with your bank or a regulated provider before you commit. I can point you to regulated providers, but I do not give legal, tax or financial advice.
Tell me where you are and what you want the property to do.
Book a call and tell me your budget, timeframe and objective. I will give you a straight view of where I would start, whether or not that turns out to be with me.
General information, not legal, tax, immigration or financial advice. Tax, currency, residency and ownership rules differ by country and change, so confirm them with the relevant authority or a qualified adviser in your own country before you act.